In the heart of America’s farmlands, a technological revolution is unfolding, and at the forefront of this change is the rise of autonomous tractors. Jenner Precision Location Manager, Brian Fehr, provides a glimpse into the latest trends in farming technology, highlighting the increasing role of autonomy in agriculture.
Fehr emphasizes that while autonomous tractors may not be cruising down highways anytime soon, their presence in fields is imminent. Companies like Raven and Precision Planting, in collaboration with Trimble, are already pioneering autonomous auger carts. These systems allow tractors to operate independently, marking a significant leap forward in agricultural technology. Fehr notes that while early attempts faced reliability issues, current advancements are more promising. “The biggest thing, I would say, going the future is the autonomy side of it. You’re going to see more and more autonomy in the market,” Fehr states.
The shift towards autonomy is not just about technological novelty; it’s driven by economic realities. Farmers are increasingly adopting new technologies based on their potential return on investment (ROI). Fehr explains that the transition from traditional chain drive planters to electric planters, which allow for variable rate seeding, is a prime example. This technology enables farmers to adjust seed populations based on soil quality, leading to significant seed savings and improved crop yields. “What can we put on their equipment that’s going to give them return on investment? So when you go from a chain drive planter and you go to an electric planter, where you can variable rate the population, and you can very broad population, put the population where your good ground is up that or lower it, that’s a huge thing, right?” Fehr says.
