Nick Glaves, managing director of Red Stag Media, the agency that produced the thought-provoking report.

Produced by agricultural PR and marketing agency Red Stag Media, ‘The Future of Agricultural Machinery’ report considers the future challenges facing farming, analyses the trends in agricultural machinery and aims to predict the outcomes for the next generation of farmers.

Taking into account the impact of oversized tractors on labour shortages, as well as the prospect of autonomous machines, artificial intelligence, drones, data and alternative fuels, the publication explores what agribusinesses must do to help farmers succeed in the uncertain times ahead.

Contributing experts whose insights are featured in the report include representatives from major manufacturers like John Deere and New Holland; top academics from Harper Adams and The Lincoln Institute of Agricultural Technology; leading professionals from Oxbury Bank and Whitley Stimpson; and a host of engineers, innovators and key stakeholders.

Amongst others, the report calls for greater collaboration among manufacturers and appeals to the government for action to help farmers explore alternative fuels and provide greater clarity and incentives to encourage investment in the latest technology.

The dawn of autonomous agricultural machinery is an overarching theme throughout the work, which highlights the potential of machinery-generated data to advance decision-making on farms.

Kit Franklin, principal investigator of the Hands-Free Farm at Harper Adams University, remarked: “When autonomous tractors first came out, it all seemed a bit sci-fi to farmers and, while they liked the idea, they didn’t believe it would happen in their lifetime.

“Having now seen them, 95% of farmers are positive about autonomous machines and are asking ‘when can I have one?’ There is a real appetite out there. Seeing is believing and we’ve done it.”

To promote industry-wide take-up of “intelligent” machinery, several contributors emphasized manufacturers must do more to communicate with farmers about how the next generation of machines will help drive greater profits and yields from their land.

Chris Wiltshire, UK and Ireland marketing manager at John Deere, is quoted in the reports as saying: ‘We all know that farming is changing, and businesses are having to adapt to a new policy environment. With so much technology out there to choose from, selecting the right innovations that will deliver the results they need will be key when making investment decisions.

“An autonomous tractor or a robot may be able to achieve a goal – but farmers will only invest if it’s going to benefit their business, so knowing what’s out there for them will be really important.”

Meanwhile, Nick Glaves, managing director of Red Stag Media, explained the idea for the report was sparked by discussions at agricultural shows and with people from across the industry. “The innovations in agricultural machinery are coming thick and fast and we wanted to understand how that will shape the future of farming.

“Our expert contributors have provided some fascinating insights and it paints a picture of an intelligent, data-driven and precision agricultural future that will continue to deliver the food security need.

“However, the message is clear that we must all do more to communicate these opportunities, challenges and innovations to farmers. To succeed, agribusinesses must find new ways to communicate and become part of the farmer’s inner circle, acting as a trusted adviser and delivering the information they need to make profitable decisions about the future of their farm,” he concluded.

To download the full 32-page report, visit the Red Stag Media website at www.redstagmedia.co.uk

The post New report highlights how AI could shape the future of farm machinery appeared first on Farmers Guide.

According to Ms Wilson, identifying the carbon footprint of a business is the first vital step towards being able to quantify the contribution the farm is making to climate change.

In practice, this means determining the quantity and sources of carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄), and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emitted from the farm, which highlights current sequestration and offsetting options as well as future opportunities for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

Using Farm Carbon Toolkit’s free carbon calculator, farmers can measure their emissions and identify where the farm might currently be holding carbon in its woodlands or hedgerows.

Created by farmers for farmers, Farm Carbon Toolkit provides tools and services to measure carbon impact and runs projects with farmers that inspire real action on the ground.

The company’s vision is a farming sector that minimises its carbon emissions and maximises carbon sequestration, whilst producing quality food and a wide range of public goods, all produced by resilient and profitable farm businesses.

Farm Carbon Toolkit spends a lot of time measuring current soil carbon storage, working with farmers to make changes that reduce GHG emissions and improve soil health, and using information from measurements to support landowners in making impactful decisions.

Speaking of the potential benefits of managing carbon on-farm, Ms Wilson listed several reasons why farmers should consider getting involved:

• Policy drivers – UK net zero by 2050 goal
• Supply chain pressure
• It makes business sense
• It allows for more informed and better decision making
• It creates business resilience
• Provides a much-needed positive narrative
• Future-proofing
• Income generation opportunities

Ms Wilson explained the bulk of carbon dioxide emissions in agriculture come from deforestation and fossil fuel use when planting, harvesting, transporting and processing crops. Meanwhile, nitrous oxide emissions are related to how soils are managed on a farm, along with fertilisers and manure.

The third compound making up a large part of GHG emissions, methane, is released by livestock production, as well as manure and slurry storage, application and management.

Using the example of an average arable farm, Ms Wilson outlined the various sources of emissions and in what proportion they contribute to the farm’s total carbon footprint:

• Nitrogen fertiliser production and application (60%)
• Fuel use and field operations – such as different cultivation strategies, diesel use (20%)
• P and K fertiliser/manures/liming (10%)
• Sown seeds – i.e. transporting seeds to the field for planting (just under 10%)
• Crop protection (1-2%)

In working towards reducing emissions and ultimately achieving a reduction in input costs, she once again stressed the importance of farmers measuring their own carbon impact to determine hotspots and areas with scope for improvement.

Mitigation strategies

When it comes to the practical side of lowering a farm’s carbon footprint, Ms Wilson highlighted three key areas of focus: reducing energy usage on farm (cultivation strategies, diesel use, smart farming); increasing fertiliser use efficiency; and exploring ways of storing more carbon on the farm (such as by increasing woodland and hedgerows).

Specifically for arable farmers, she recommended reducing energy and fuel use through more efficient machinery usage, as well as transitioning to alternative fuels or electrical power as a possible option. Moreover, precision agriculture and tillage practices can reduce reliance on artificial fertilisers, helped by the use of cover crops and/or under-sown crops.

Emissions from mineralisation can also be reduced by mitigating soil disturbance and making adjustments to the management system relating to tillage practices and rotations, she added.

Regarding energy usage, Ms Wilson said: “Although energy costs may seem insignificant to the overall costs of an agricultural business, reducing these costs can lead to a competitive advantage and as a result increased profitability.”

She noted there’s a real economic benefit to cutting fuel and energy usage on farms, and claimed farmers can save 10% on these costs without any impact on bottom line. This equates to ten tonnes of CO₂ saved per year and annual cost savings of £2,000.

Bringing a real-life example, Ms Wilson explained how changing the establishment option for a single crop within the rotation of an arable farm has enabled the business to achieve tangible savings:

“On an arable farm using on average 105 litres of red diesel per hectare, a 10% reduction in red diesel use reduced the farm carbon footprint by 2% per kg grain sold and saved £2,500 on the fuel bill.”

While it’s not possible to eliminate all emissions from agriculture, Ms Wilson said taking action is intricately linked to improving business efficiency, resilience, and the sector’s ability to provide that much-needed climate solution.

“Farmers and growers are at the front line of climate change both in terms of being at risk but also through delivering solutions,” she added.

Concluding her talk, she urged farmers to:

• Understand their baseline
• Evaluate their options and the impact those will make
• Start by looking for the easy wins
• Join the network and spread a positive message in the industry
• Get involved

For more information on how to get started, visit farmcarbontoolkit.org.uk.

The post How measuring and managing carbon emissions can advance your farm business appeared first on Farmers Guide.

Trading as F & TL Stanier, Zak – who grows 200-240ha of potatoes annually alongside his uncle, Gary Stanier, purchased the Terracast GR granular applicator in February 2022, replacing a hybrid machine.

Zak says: “The old applicator comprised four individual hoppers, all with their own metering systems, connected to one main drive shaft that was driven by a land wheel. Although performing acceptably in dry conditions, when used in wet or heavy soils the land wheel would often pick up additional layers of soil, increasing its width which led to over-application of product. There was no auto-shut off system either, which meant that nematicide was either being under or over-applied at the headland as the tractor made each turn.

“As a competitive, family-owned potato business operating on mainly rented land, we have to be very market driven and keep a close eye on all our costs – including investment in any new machinery. However, we also realised that neither the accuracy nor the overall reliability of the farm-built machine were at the level they needed to be. The eventual decision to go with a Terracast GR that linked into the John Deere’s own Isobus control system to deliver a more even spread pattern of nematicide via a powerful air delivery system was really a ‘no-brainer’.

“With no special modifications required, we front-mounted the Terracast GR on the John Deere 6215 with our bed-tiller rear mounted for even-weight distribution. As we only require nematicide on approximately 30% of our fields, the Terracast GR can easily be uncoupled from the John Deere, with our Philip Watkins weight block remaining in place to maintain the correct overall weight balance.

“The Terracast GR is compatible with the John Deere’s own guidance system so there was no requirement for us to utilise the Techneat electronic rate controller. The Isobus functionality also means we can now receive instant application data fed back live to the farm office, detailing when the nematicide was applied, the amount, and the total area applied making application recording effortless.

“The new applicator is easy to calibrate and delivers granular nematicide into the furrows accurately, via a flexible number of fishtail outlets spread evenly across the full width of a 3.6m boom. The fishtails are currently positioned every 300mm providing double overlap and even distribution as we have enough outlets for an eventual move to a larger 5.4m boom.

“Auto-shut off at the headland – a significant problem under our old system – is now all done automatically, with the Terracast GR’s auto-shut off synchronised to the field boundaries already stored in the John Deere’s guidance system that has mapped all our fields. This takes all the guesswork away and the operator is free to concentrate solely on the positioning of the tractor as it makes the turn.

“Despite currently growing all our potatoes under a 2-bed system, the Terracast GR is already set up for our eventual move to a 3-bed system. To complete the set-up, we need only upgrade the machine’s existing 3.6m boom to a 5.4m width boom, adjusting the position of the 12 delivery outlets along the new boom to a 450mm spacing.

“Although the primary reason for investing in the Terracast GR was to improve the level of potato cyst nematodes (PCN) control on a third of our fields, we were fully aware that the machine can also apply starter fertiliser or double as a seeder unit with minimal modifications. Having already successfully completed cover crop trials last year, we now aim to widen the use of the new applicator from autumn 2024 to establish cover crops,” concludes Zak.

The post New applicator “improves PCN control and reduces product wastage” appeared first on Farmers Guide.

The data and analytics company predicts climate change and population growth will lead to greater automation in farming by 2030, driven by the need to collect large amounts of data to maximise crop and livestock efficiency.

In its recent report ‘Tech in 2030 – Thematic Research’, GlobalData outlines how technologies such as smart crops will help the industry meet food demands. These automated, self-regulating crops will collect data such as soil quality, growth rate, nutritional content, and fluid intake via numerous sensors.

The data will then be uploaded onto agriculture technology platforms to be analysed by artificial intelligence in order to optimise farm operations. According to Global Data, 2030’s farms will be connected via Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, allowing crops to self-regulate and helping farmers make smarter decisions.

Rachel Foster Jones from GlobalData said technological advances are urgently needed in the farming industry to secure a sustainable future.

“Multiple issues are currently putting pressure on agriculture: climate change is threatening capacity, population growth is accelerating, the amount of available land is reducing, and labour shortages are worsening. Agriculture technology will promise a much-needed solution,” she commented.

Advances in plant breeding and machinery have already made major improvements to farm productivity in recent years. However, the key to the future lies in precision agriculture and genomic research that will boost sustainability and crop resilience to climate change.

As part of what GlobalData bills as the ‘fourth agricultural revolution’, smart greenhouses are becoming more widespread across the globe. Smart greenhouse-related jobs have more than tripled since the start of 2021 as shown on the graph below:

Graph showing an increase in smart greenhouse-related jobs since 2020 (Source: GlobalData Tech in 2030 – Thematic Research report).

In light of these developments, Ms Jones urged young farmers to start working on their technical skills to prepare for the future job market.

“Investment in smart greenhouses is only going to increase as the challenges facing the agricultural sector call for more automation. As automation increases, farmers will be hired more and more for their technical expertise and data processing skills, as well as their knowledge of the agricultural process.”

According to Global Data’s report, the agricultural drone industry has also experienced rapid expansion with a 14-fold increase in patents between 2015 and 2021, making it one of the fastest growing non-military drone sectors. Agricultural drones are unmanned aerial vehicles currently used in agriculture for yield optimisation and monitoring.

Ms Jones added: “Modular-based innovation will mean that drones will be able to undertake advanced crop spraying and terrain monitoring by 2030. The labour crisis and skills shortage will bolster agriculture drone demand, as they will be able to undertake time-consuming tasks.”

To learn more about GlobalData’s Thematic Intelligence report, visit: https://www.globaldata.com/store/report/tech-in-2030-theme-analysis/

The post Report predicts growth in tech such as ‘smart crops’ by 2030 appeared first on Farmers Guide.

Pat runs Low Melwood Farm, in Owston Ferry, in partnership with his father. The 150ha operation grows oilseed rape, winter wheat, spring barley and spring beans. Over the past season, he has been using digital platform Xarvio Field Manager, as part of a whole field scale trial with BASF, to identify historical productivity trends dating back up-to 15 years and in-season field variation on his farm, which has allowed him to alter and target his inputs more precisely.

Xarvio Field Manager was launched in 2020 as a tool for growers and agronomists to improve collection and utilisation of data through satellite imagery, to help inform decisions throughout the season.

Growers can use the tool to access historical biomass maps, called PowerZone maps, which identify high and low performing field-zones, based on satellite data. In the summer of 2021, using the Power Zone maps, Pat found that there was a fair amount of variation between his crops and was able to manipulate his seeding rates to improve uniformity in the field.

He explained that he used the digital platform to identify historically less productive areas and then apply more seed in those targeted areas.

“It is not low-hanging fruit for a farm of our size to embrace this technology, it does come at a price – but when you have power zones, that have 15 years of data you can access, there is a value to that and I was really surprised how much data was on there,” he said.

“We have also been able to use the latest in-season satellite images to target nitrogen rates to even out fields in the early spring. We were able to create application maps for our spreader, so thinner areas received a higher rate of 60kg/ha of nitrogen and thicker areas were reduced to 40kg/ha.”

He explained that he does not see the technology as a way of using less or more inputs, but optimising the best use of what they have, according to the data shown on the satellite images.

Machinery partner

Pat has partnered with Amazone precision machinery alongside Xarvio Field Manager to get the most out of his seed, fertiliser and crop protection. Amazone manufactures a range of crop establishment and crop care equipment and has been providing seeding, spreading and spraying equipment which can be loaded with a prescription map to carry out a designated task, using information from the Xarvio app.

For this project, the Cayena tine seeder and Cirrus cultivator drill were used for crop establishment and then crop care was carried out using a ZA-TS 3200 Profis Tronic spreader and Pantera 4504 self-propelled sprayer.

Amazone Ltd managing director, Simon Brown, explained that technology is going to prove ‘vital to keeping farming viable’. He said: “We can see obvious added value for farmers when you look at potential overlap savings: chemical savings; reduction in fertiliser usage; making the best use of seed by targeting zones, and in the next year or two, we will get more and more smaller zones, that’s how we will probably keep some active ingredients going, because we’re obviously only putting them where they need to be. Everything that we do is effectively working towards these smaller zones, with more control of what’s going on.”

Targeted input approach

By altering seeding rates in August 2021, Pat was able to see improved biomass consistency across his field by May the following year. He was then able to apply this targeted input approach to his fungicide programme.

Xarvio implementation lead, Luke Pollard explained: “We discussed how to target Revystar XE for Pat’s T2 application, using the latest satellite images, to produce an application map for the sprayer. We maintained the average use at 1.25 litres per hectare, but we varied from 1.0 litre in the thinner areas up to 1.5 litres/ha where there was more biomass and more green leaf area”

Luke added that using a new piece of hardware called Xarvio Connect – which physically connects to the terminal within the machinery – growers can wirelessly ping data backwards and forwards from the Field Manager system to the terminal.

“This allows a grower to, for example, send an application map for liquid fertiliser or crop protection to the sprayer terminal wirelessly,” he said.

Pat concluded: “I’ve been in this game long enough to know that we’ve been able to create many pretty maps for many years, but now a grower my size can actually utilise them,” he said. “It is not information overload, and it comes back to the profitability and efficiency of this farm and it is making an impact. We can all walk and look at our farms and assess them to an extent, but having a tool like this gives you the ability to back up your decision-making process.”

The post Digital decision-making tool helps to deliver on-farm efficiency appeared first on Farmers Guide.

One of the biggest problems for farmers investing in new precision farming technology is green-on-green, i.e the targeting of green weeds in a green crop. Farm tech is often unable to identify the weeds to guide a sprayer system for precision targeting.

Now, SoilEssentials, the precision farming solutions pioneer, based in Angus, Scotland has harnessed expertise from the space industry along with agronomists and leading academics, to develop AI to overcome the green-on-green challenge.

Their project SKAi (The SoilEssentials KORE Artificial Intelligence platform, pronounced sky) has developed AI components which can be trained to recognise broad-leaved weeds growing in grass crops and then take control of a crop sprayer to implement targeted control as the machine progresses through the crop. The re-trainable smart camera has been programmed with vision in order to recognise, map and precision apply agrochemicals to crops.

Dr. Gregor Welsh from SoilEssentials, explained: “Green-on-green species recognition is probably the biggest challenge we must overcome if farmers are to benefit from the efficiencies of automated targeted weed control in the future.

“I am delighted to report on the progress our SKAi project has made towards overcoming this challenge. We are now able to train SKAi to target weeds in grass fields and automate the sprayer control via our machine-mounted hardware.

“The new SKAi technology operates in real-time, meaning there is no need to pre-map the field, the on-board AI is set-up to constantly scan the vegetation, identify and selectively treat the weeds as the sprayer boom passes over. Trials of the system are showing high levels of success in the spraying of docks in grass fields and we are confident that our partnership will be able to progress SKAi until it can recognise and differentiate between a wide range of weed and cash crop species.”

Graham Ralston, hardware director at SoilEssentials commented on the potential rollout of the new SKAi technology to the wider farming industry:  “Targeted weed control, resulting in reduced input costs and reduced environmental impact, is a win-win for farmers seeking more sustainable use of agrochemicals.

“There are many situations where blanket herbicide application across a whole field is undesirable – I’m thinking of broadleaf weed control in swards containing clover, for example. Ultimately, our challenge is to refine the technology until targeted control can be achieved even in what would appear to be difficult scenarios, e.g. blackgrass in wheat crops. And, of course, we must also make sure that the system makes affordable economic sense versus existing spray application methods.”

SoilEssentials are partnered in the InnovateUK funded project by Deimos Space UK, University of the West of England and Scottish Agronomy Ltd.

Prof. Mark Hansen, of the University of the West of England Centre for Machine Visions, said: “For UWE Bristol, being a part of the SKAi team gives us the opportunity to transfer academic knowledge into the real world in a cutting-edge project that will bring huge environmental benefits.”

VISIT THE WEBSITE HERE

The post New technology in the fight against grassland weeds appeared first on Farmers Guide.

The download became live and available to all Gatekeeper users on Tuesday 6th July 2021.

“This development reflects the importance of integration between our respective systems,” says Ben Hatton, head of sales at Farmplan. “Claas have been a longstanding partner and we are delighted to bring the benefits of this relationship to our mutual customers.”

Farmers, growers, agronomists, and advisors across the UK regularly use Gatekeeper as their trusted crop management tool. This new update will let those users who operate Claas machinery – and their Telematics software – to wirelessly transmit data sets between Claas and Gatekeeper seamlessly and instantly.

“Previously, farmers may have been downloading their collected field data onto USB storage or downloading data from the Telematics website,” says Andrew Wolff, product manager at Farmplan. “This update completely removes the need for all those extra steps, freeing up time on the farm while ensuring all your data is immediately accessible, preserved, and secure.”

This functionality allows a seamless experience for farmers that use both Gatekeeper and Claas machinery as part of their daily workflow. At the touch of a button, all relevant data can be accessed and managed. Integration also ensures that all data sets are refined and ready for use to ensure minimal admin and more practical usage on the farm.

“In many ways, farming has become more disparate,” says Andrew. “For example, if there’s a lot of contracting taking place, a farmer might not have their usual immediate insight into what’s going on with each field. This update removes that barrier. The closer level of integration lets you know the exact situation on your farm at any time.”

The new update will also provide greater support for precision farming. Users can instantly upload their Gatekeeper boundaries straight to Claas Telematics – vital for the UK, where boundaries can change yearly in line with stewardship schemes and other circumstances.

“Essentially, we allow your data to move along a two-way street,” says Andrew. “Every year, you can upload your crop area boundaries and the data is adjusted accordingly. This upgrade brings those two silos of data into one.”

“The direct link between Claas Telematics and Gatekeeper will save a huge amount of time for our customers,” says Edward Miller, UK product manager at Claas. “Being able to synchronise data with a few clicks could not be easier.”

The update is now available for download, allowing farmers to utilise and leverage their data more effectively through greater integration. “It’s the best of both worlds for Gatekeeper and Claas Telematics users,” adds Andrew. “The new update will support agile and effective work while helping to create a more integrated farming world for everyone.”

The new Gatekeeper/Claas integration update is available to download now. CLICK HERE to learn more.

The post Farmplan: Gatekeeper launches major integration update with Claas appeared first on Farmers Guide.

“We had already started using Omnia on our Shropshire farm and were impressed with it, and had confidence in the system, so it made sense for us to look at how we might be able to make it work in Durham.

“On a more strategic basis it would also allow us to record and share data across the two farms and make well-informed management decisions accordingly.”

“One of the challenges we faced was the logistics of our Durham farm – the 2,800 acres of combinable arable cropping is spread out with 16 miles of road between the most eastern and westerly fields.

Robert Sullivan of GSC Grays and farm manager of Raby Estates

“Hutchinsons agronomist George Robson introduced us to the Omnia precision expert Lewis McKerrow who talked us through the Connect app and how easy it would be to generate and share variable rate plans across the machines on the farm – irrespective of geography!

“Lewis made the initial setup very straightforward and, importantly, in a language that a farmer like myself could understand and interpret.

“The first step was to bring across data from our earlier soil sampling service into Omnia to which we also added yield maps. Being able to use historical data was a real advantage, saving both time and money.

“Once all the data was inputted into Omnia and variable rate plans developed all we had to do was plug in the iPad. Using Connect, the plans were downloaded straight onto an iPad in the tractor cab – and then it’s all systems go.

“It has been so simple to use,” he adds. “We don’t have to worry about downloading the plans onto a memory stick and then doing the same again in the cab. The whole process is very intuitive, logical and very simple to use.”

Initially, Robert had planned to concentrate on variable rate P & K applications, but has also used it to produce variable rate drilling plans.

“We have now drilled variably for two years – and in fact this year all of our combinable crops will be variably drilled.

“The benefits of this approach are without doubt more consistent crops, this was particularly noticeable in last year’s spring barley. We started off on this journey thinking our main savings and benefits would be in variable fertilisers, but we have actually seen more value from the drilling in terms of yield benefits in the end.”

A cost-effective, one-system app

2018 saw the launch of Omnia’s Connect app –a cost-effective solution designed to simplify and streamline precision farming by connecting growers to their machines to enable variable rate control, streamlining precision farming operations that provided greater control and improved efficiency.

The iPad app allows the user to seamlessly and instantly send variable application maps created in Omnia to the field, and also controls the spreader, sprayer or drill. There is no handling of data and maps can be sent by any user, to anywhere.

Omnia E-Seed

Converting a standard land metered drill into a variable rate drill has never been easier or more affordable with variable drill conversion kit, Omnia E-Seed.

Launched in April, Omnia E-Seed is the first stand-alone variable rate drill conversion kit that fits to any standard drill, irrespective of age, and does exactly what it says on the box.

Omnia E-Seed offers an affordable way of moving over to variable rate drilling without investing large amounts of money – it is possible to recoup the costs of Omnia E-Seed in just 48ha, working on a 0.6t/ha improvement using a variable approach.

VISIT THE WEBSITE HERE

The post Ease of connectivity makes transition to variable rate drilling smoother than ever before appeared first on Farmers Guide.

Image from Claydon Drill

Claydon Yield-o-Meter Limited was set up to manufacture and market a yield monitoring device he had invented the previous year. The Yield-o-Meter was the first ever grain monitoring device to be fitted to a combine harvester. The Yield-o-Meter accurately measured how many tonnes were being harvested by the combine, as opposed to the traditional weighbridge method. The yield monitoring device allowed farmers to analyse data they previously had to guess.

The company is marking four decades in the agricultural machinery manufacturing sector by holding a 40^th Anniversary Prize Draw, with the winner receiving a year’s free access to Omnia Precision, a precision farming system provided by leading agricultural and horticultural input advice and supply company Hutchinsons.

Omnia is a multi-layer tool which analyses information from a variety of sources to enable informed decision making for the full range of variable applications. It enables you and your agronomists to work at sub-field level to create variable rate nutrient, seed, or crop protection plans. Its advanced algorithms calculate the optimum solution for an individual area within the field, irrespective of the number of map layers you wish to include or the different zone shapes. For further details visit: www.omniaprecision.co.uk/our-services/omnia-precision

The giveaway is being held exclusively for farmers and farming decision-makers. Claydon have confirmed that to enter you will need to be opted in to Claydon emails, which you can do simply by visiting www.claydondrill.com/contact-us and completing the online form, then ticking the box to receive emails. If you already receive emails from Claydon you will be automatically entered. The prize draw will be accepting entries until Friday 23rd July 2021.

The winner will be selected at random and announced at the end of July. They will receive a year’s access to Omnia Precision free of charge and work with an Omnia specialist to meet their precision agronomy objectives. They will be able to either use the service themselves or as part of a bespoke service delivered in conjunction with an Omnia specialist. The service is tailored to meet the individual farm’s specific precision agronomy requirements.

For more information visit Claydon’s website

The post Claydon announce prize draw to mark its 40th anniversary appeared first on Farmers Guide.

Along with a new look for easier spraying forecast guidance, the addition of a novel nozzle drift risk calculator enables operators to instantly evaluate the drift risk rating from any nozzle, according the to the pressure at which it is being operated, reported Syngenta New Farming Technology application specialist, Harry Fordham.

“The simple slide-bar calculator enables them to see the effect of pressure on the droplet spectrum produced for any individual nozzle, and hence the susceptibility to drift and the safe working parameters for the conditions.”

Mr Fordham outlined that operators need to be aware that a nozzle with a 3* LERAP rating, for example, may only achieve that up to a certain pressure. “The calculator clearly shows the impact if you move out of that optimum pressure.”

The droplet spectrum may also be important to optimise leaf coverage or penetration into the crop canopy, according to the desired target zone for the application.

“Using Spray Assist will help to select the most appropriate nozzle for any application,” he advised. The new version includes a quick and easy new ‘Nozzle search’ function to explore the huge database of information.

The App’s upgrade has also seen a shift to a new platform, as part of the Syngenta Protector digital initiative to develop powerful agronomy tools for future crop management.

By integrating with Syngenta’s Protector initiative operators will be able to manage information on separate blocks of land more easily, as well as link spraying advice with other crop management and agronomy decisions. Spray Assist can still be operated as a stand-alone App.

Farmers already taking part in the Syngenta Protector pilot initiative will also be able to integrate Spray Assist alongside their working platform.

Existing users of Spray Assist will receive a Syngenta email with a simple one-click option to provide permission for their existing information to be migrated across automatically, or reinput their details as required.

New users can now download the latest version of Spray Assist for free, to set up and start to use the advice within minutes.

The Syngenta Spray Assist App provides guidance for:

• 16 different crop types
• Over 45 application timings and targets
• More 10 leading nozzle manufacturers
• Over 600 different nozzle types

Syngenta New Farming Technology application specialist, Harry Fordham

The post Download new Syngenta Spray Assist for added advances appeared first on Farmers Guide.