Agriculture used to celebrate Canada’s upcoming 150th birthday

Nov 14, 2016

Precision ag utilized to carve Canada150 logo into wheat field

By Diego Flammini
Assistant Editor, North American Content
Farms.com

On July 1, 2017, Canada will celebrate its 150^th birthday, but the Ministry of Agriculture is starting the celebrations early, using farm equipment and precision agriculture to carve the Canada150 logo into a Saskatchewan wheat field.

The logo, which depicts a maple leaf, was uploaded to Geographic Information Systems (GIS) software that chose the best location for the leaf. GPS coordinates were programmed into a combine’s computer to ensure the 35-feet wide cutting blades would cut the logo perfectly.

According to a media release, when the combine was positioned properly, “the driver took his hands off the wheel and the GPS program took over, navigating itself along 24 precisely programmed lines and angles.”

It took the combine about four hours to complete the 500-metre-wide maple leaf.

"GPS technology is in all the combines these days,” David Lee, a geomatics researcher with the Ministry of Agriculture, said in a release. “Being hands-free reduces fatigue for the operator and allows them to focus on running the machine efficiently. With this level of precision, farmers are no longer wasting energy and time on overlapping cuts."

While the demonstration proved to be a tribute to Canada, it was also a tip of the cap to precision agriculture.

“Combined with field and satellite monitoring, farmers can know real time weather, soil, air quality and crop maturity in their fields at the click of a button. They also know when and where to apply fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides…The efficiencies gained directly translate into profits for farmers and a healthier environment for Canadians,” the release said.

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