PRECISION AGRICULTURE DIGITAL DIGEST SPRING 2025 ISSUE 1, VOL 6 CASE IH LAUNCHES SENSEAPPLY BECOME AUTONOMOUS WITHOUT A NEW VEHICLE JOHN DEERE BRINGS PLANTER KIT UPGRADES IN 2026 10 18 16
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PRECISION AGRICULTURE DIGITAL DIGEST Farms.com’s Media and Publishing division is responsible for publishing Precision Ag Magazine. © 2025 Farms.com Canada Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any article, photograph or artwork without written permission of the publisher is strictly forbidden. Acceptance of advertising does not constitute endorsement of the advertiser, it products or services, nor does Farms.com make any claims or guarantees as to the accuracy or validity of advertiser claims. The publisher shall have no liability for the unintentional omission of any scheduled advertising. PHOTOS: a-r-t-i-s-t/DigitalVision Vectors via Getty Images, hudiemm/iStock/Getty Images Plus COVER PHOTOS: Neustockimages/iStock/Getty Images Plus, hudiemm/iStock/Getty Images Plus, stefann11/iStock/Getty Images Plus, simon2579/DigitalVision Vectors via Getty Images, BonkersArt – stock.adobe.com 04 06 08 10 12 16 18 20 23 24 MANAGING EDITOR Ryan Ridley Ryan.Ridley@Farms.com CONTRIBUTORS Andrew Joseph Diego Flammini DESIGN Greg Marlow ADVERTISING SALES Andrew Bawden Andrew.Bawden@Farms.com 877.438.5729 x 5030 Jeff McKee Jeff.McKee@Farms.com 888.248.4893 x 917 MARKETING & OPERATIONS Denise Faguy Denise.Faguy@Farms.com 888.248.4893 x 293 FARMS.COM OFFICE 90 Woodlawn Road West Guelph, ON N1H 1B2 SUBSCRIBE HERE to receive email notifications when future issues of the quarterly Farms.com Precision Agriculture Digital Digest are published. PRECISION PLANTING MAKES CHANGES TO THE CORNERSTONE SYSTEM ON A STRAIGHT PATH PAG TECH CLIPS CASE IH LAUNCHES SENSEAPPLY MAINTAINING SUCCESS WITH INNOVATION JOHN DEERE BRINGS PLANTER KIT UPGRADES IN 2026 BECOME AUTONOMOUS WITHOUT A NEW VEHICLE BITS & BYTES MASSEY FERGUSON DOUBLES UP ON SMALL SQUARE BALES NEW HOLLAND—NEW PRECISION AG TECH We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada.
04 Precision Planting has made some modifications to its CornerStone Planting System for 2025. As a refresher, CornerStone is a fully custom, factorybuilt planting system with integrated Precision Planting hardware like FurrowForce and Conceal. The system is compatible with standard-height 7x7 planter bars. The FurrowForce closing system underwent a design change. It’s larger than before, said Tim Schwind, a product engineer with Precision Planting. It’s also been repackaged into a modular design so that it can be configured as the two stage FurrowForce system or CornerStone also has the option of a standard single stage closing system. “We went a little bigger so we can accept industry standard closing wheels, and still give producers pneumatic downforce on the closing system they can control from the cab,” he told the Farms.com Precision Agriculture Digital Digest. “We did this to give farmers a single stage closing system option for CornerStone so they’re not forced to buy FurrowForce if it doesn’t fit their operation.” Fully automatic control is only available on the two-stage FurrowForce system. Another change came to the Conceal liquid placement product packaging. PHOTO: precisionplanting.com PRECISION PLANTING MAKES CHANGES TO THE CORNERSTONE SYSTEM WATCH THE VIDEO Minor Tweaks Support a Cleaner Setup DIEGO FLAMMINI FARMS.COM
05 Precision Planting found it didn’t package well with the trailing gauge wheel arms, so engineers changed it to make everything fit properly. “It makes sure farmers can have good liquid placement with CornerStone,” he said. Other changes may be minor in nature but contribute to a better user experience. Perhaps the most noticeable change is to the row harness. The team at Precision Planting tweaked the design to consolidate some of the drops. “Instead of using our expandable row harness and CAN expansion and jumper cable system that we sell for all retrofit installs, we developed our own row harness specifically for CornerStone,” Schwind said. The manufacturer beta tested with seven CAN drops but eliminated one based on grower feedback and space constraints in the shank. Farmers will also notice modifications on what Schwind calls the glove box. That’s the area in the shank. “Because of the trailing gauge wheel arms, we have extra room in the back of the shank for the harness and liquid lines to route through there,” he said. “That whole area got redesigned to be easier to use and more robust to keep things out of the way.” Farmers looking for more information on CornerStone or any Precision Planting products can visit the manufacturer’s website. To learn more about CornerStone, watch here. | pag “WE WENT A LITTLE BIGGER SO WE CAN ACCEPT INDUSTRY STANDARD CLOSING WHEELS, AND STILL GIVE PRODUCERS PNEUMATIC DOWNFORCE ON THE CLOSING SYSTEM THEY CAN CONTROL FROM THE CAB.” AS AN AUTHORIZED DJI DEALER, WE OFFER A WIDE RANGE OF AGRICULTURAL DRONES THAT CAN HELP FARMERS INCREASE THEIR YIELDS AND REDUCE COSTS. OUR DRONES ARE EQUIPPED WITH ADVANCED SENSORS AND IMAGING TECHNOLOGY THAT CAN PROVIDE VALUABLE INSIGHTS INTO CROP HEALTH, SOIL MOISTURE, AND MORE. NEW ARRIVAL: DJI AGRAS T50 dfiag.ca 613-551-6544 DFI Ag CONTACT US TODAY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW DRONES CAN BENEFIT YOUR FARM. dalagrafarms@gmail.com
06 When traveling the unknown, and you come upon a fork in the road, you always want to choose the right path. Headquartered in Ames, Iowa, Ag Leader Technology Inc. was founded in 1992 and now offers a complete line of proven precision ag technology that it said is easy to use with seamless integration into the existing farmer machinery. Family-owned and -operated, the company solely focuses on precision farming technology, continually looking to innovate and automate tasks that optimize field activities across every season. Its most recent precision ag technology is RightPath, a passive implement steering solution that keeps implements centered on the guidance line. So, we asked Logan Handsaker, Product Sales Specialist with Ag Leader, to tell us why a farmer needs RightPath. He explained, “The problem, generally, is that because the implement is only controlled by a tractor’s forward motion, it drifts from side to side. In many cases, an implement can drift off the intended guidance line up to 10 inches or more, even on flat ground. The size and speed of the tractor, the length and width of the implement, as well as varying terrain and soil conditions, influence drift. As a result, numerous issues can occur.” Some of the issues without RightPath, said Handsaker, are: • Planter drift on sidehills and curves can lead to crowded rows reducing yield or large gaps that promote weed growth. • When strip-tilling, yield suffers when the seed isn’t placed into the strips and near nutrients. • Row crop farmers can’t easily reuse their planting guidance lines to autosteer through the rows in the next field activity due to the risk of their autosteer system running over crops since the planted rows don’t consistently follow the guidance line. • Irregular and inconsistent guess rows can make it challenging to spray, side dress, and harvest without damaging crops and experiencing yield loss. “But, for farmers that use RightPath to keep implements centered on the guidance line, it not only ensures precise input placement but also increases operational efficiency throughout the growing season by minimizing crop damage, yield loss, and operator stress,” he said. ON A STRAIGHT PATH The RightPath Steering Solution Ensures the Implement Is Where You Want It to Be ANDREW JOSEPH FARMS.COM PHOTOS: agleader.com, abramovphoto – stock.adobe.com
07 Benefits of taking the RightPath: • Farmers can place the implement—and therefore rows and inputs—in the right place. • Plant seed accurately, relative to a previous operation such as strip-till or NH3. • Achieve consistent guess rows in all conditions, including curves and uneven terrain. • Re-use the same guidance line in the next field activity. • Reduce your physical stress and fatigue. “For RightPath to work, it requires Ag Leader’s year-round InCommand Go display combined with SteerCommand Z2 or SteadySteer, our integrated or assisted steering solutions,” stated Handsaker. “In addition, the vehicle needs a GPS 7500 receiver—with a one-time unlock—installed on the implement that actively utilizes TerraStar C-Pro, TerraStar-X, or RTK corrections.” RightPath has the flexibility to fit a variety of equipment configurations. Being compatible with Ag Leader’s integrated or assisted steering solutions means RightPath can seamlessly fit on a mix of tractors and implements of any age, brand, or model. But wait, there’s more. Integrating RightPath brings opportunities for additional steering and connectivity features from Ag Leader. Customers have access to a suite of advanced guidance and display features that expand the value beyond passive implementation guidance. Ag Leader features such as TurnPath, SmartPath, boundary guidance, DisplayCast, and Remote Support work together to provide meaningful benefits to that customer. Handsaker said that there are no recurring licenses or fees with the purchase of RightPath, which reduces the cost of ownership and maximizes the return on investment. “Our simple approach to integrating our solutions paired with a demonstrated commitment to our customers means RightPath will deliver value for years to come.” RightPath will be available in late fall 2025. Farmers interested in purchasing RightPath should contact their local Ag Leader dealer. Company information can be found at www.agleader.com. Handsaker discusses RightPath in this video. | pag WATCH THE VIDEO “...IT NOT ONLY ENSURES PRECISE INPUT PLACEMENT BUT ALSO INCREASES OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY THROUGHOUT THE GROWING SEASON BY MINIMIZING CROP DAMAGE, YIELD LOSS, AND OPERATOR STRESS.” INCOMMAND GO
08 05 Early Riser Gets the... Tech? Exciting changes are coming to Case IH’s Early Riser planter series in 2026, including new electronics, the addition of EM FlowSense, factory installed Conceal (dual band 2 by 2 application device), and residue management updates. 03 Providing Blockage Clarity Precision Planting’s Clarity system lets you see inside your air seeders, box drills, dry fertilizer applicators, and strip-till bars to detect real-time blockages. The Clarity system displays and maps blockage variability and product blockage metrics, row-by-row, on the 20|20 monitor in the cab. 01 Implement Guidance is Here Case IH’s Active Implement Guidance technology is now available for Spring 2025. The system shares guidance line data with the tractor to reduce implement drift and ensure that your implement is completely aligned with the tractor. 04 Updating Your Avatar In 2025, HORSCH is launching a new option, a factory-installed row cleaner system, on the 40 SD and the 60 MD Avatar models (currently available as a retrofit option). TECH CLIPS WATCH 02 Dual Product & Section Control Salford’s SS400+ has a dual product application system capable of spreading fertilizer or lime. The machine is capable of spreading fertilizer up to 120 feet with 12-section control, and lime up to 70 feet. WATCH WATCH WATCH WATCH
09 07 TOTAL Planting Solution Brian Jackson with Precision Planting provides a front-to-back overview of what they call its ‘total planting solution,’ featuring products like its vSet 2 meter, SpeedTube, Reveal, FurrowForce, and more. 06 Field Forming with WM-FieldForm PTx Trimble’s WM-FieldForm enables the planning and execution of single-scraper landforming for grading, leveling and terracing projects using Precision-IQ, the GFX-1260 display and the NAV-900 guidance controller. 08 Split-Apply, Blu-Jet The Blu-Jet AT3015 fertilizer applicator features new options, including a newly designed row unit and a new split application option. WATCH WATCH WATCH 10 Is Your Implement on the RightPath? Ag Leader Technology is introducing RightPath, a passive implement steering technology that keeps your implement centered on the guidance line. Available in late 2025, this technology solves the problem of implement drift. WATCH PHOTOS: DS70/E+ via Getty Images, stefann11/iStock/Getty Images Plus, hudiemm/iStock/Getty Images Plus 09 See What You Spray John Deere’s See & Spray Premium is an upgrade that allows you to equip your sprayer with the latest spraying technology. This targeted weed control technology can help reduce your non-residual herbicide usage by over 50 percent. WATCH TECHNOLOGY SHOWCASED AT THE 2025 NATIONAL FARM MACHINERY SHOW
10 Case IH is bringing a new solution to its application equipment. SenseApply is the manufacturer’s version of Sense & Act technology, which collects environmental data and makes the necessary machine function adjustments. “It boils down to a single cab-mounted camera that gives us a number of different live variable rate applications (VRA) as well as capability to upgrade to green-on-brown spot spray capability,” Alex Caldwell, a crop application marketing manager with Case IH, told the Farms.com Precision Agriculture Digital Digest. The live VRA applications include burndown, nitrogen, harvest aid, plant growth regulators, and fungicides. SenseApply technology can be used on Patriot or Trident machines. The camera looks about 50 feet in front of the vehicle and can capture a swath width of about 140 feet, which represents all of Case IH’s largest booms. It has six lenses capturing five different wavelengths of light. Those images are layered together to get robust health biomass information. Using live VRA, the equipment can travel up to 25 mph. For spot spraying, operators can work at speeds up to 19 mph. By the time the machine is over top of the area the camera just scanned, it will apply a specific dose over that part of the field. PHOTOS: caseih.com This Technology Provides a Live Variable Rate Application Solution CASE IH LAUNCHES SENSEAPPLY DIEGO FLAMMINI FARMS.COM “IT BOILS DOWN TO A SINGLE CABMOUNTED CAMERA THAT GIVES US A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT LIVE VARIABLE RATE APPLICATIONS (VRA) AS WELL AS CAPABILITY TO UPGRADE TO GREENON-BROWN SPOT SPRAY CAPABILITY.”
11 “Healthy biomass has a different reflectance out in the field than dead,” he said. “By layering the images together and combining that with our algorithm, it allows us to address a plant’s specific needs with that pass.” SenseApply requires the Raven Viper 4+ display. Operators need one extra step to access its functions. “It’s right in the job setup process,” Caldwell said. “There’s now a rate mode button. You change from a target broadcast rate to a live VRA rate or a selective spray rate. During the setup the operator sets the minimum and maximum rate that the camera works within.” For model year 2026, growers can order sprayers and applicators factory fit with SenseApply. In the future, retrofit kits will be available for eligible equipment dating back to model year 2023. Farmers interested in SenseApply don’t have to worry about recurring fees. One payment allows producers to access all of SenseApply’s benefits for life, allowing them to move the camera between pieces of select and eligible equipment as they see fit. Farmers looking for more information on SenseApply can visit Case IH’s website or their local dealer. In addition, Case IH will be uploading educational videos to its YouTube channel. | pag
12 Putting a futuristic take on a prehistoric moniker, Unverferth Manufacturing Co., Inc., wants farmers to use its Raptor strip-tillage tool for higher yields and reduced input costs. Named after the real-life sharp-taloned dinosaur most of us first heard about when watching/reading Jurassic Park, the Unverferth’s Raptor was designed to reflect the power and precision of its prehistoric namesake. The talon on the dinosaur’s foot resembles the shank of the strip-tillage tool ripping through the compaction deep in the soil. But rather than reaping mayhem, this strip-tillage and fertilizer delivery tool was engineered for high-acreage farmers seeking efficiency and performance. The Raptor “Most recently, in 2021, we introduced the Raptor strip-tillage tool with an innovative narrow fold design and a fully integrated dry or liquid fertilizer system, all built by Unverferth,” explained Andy Unverferth, Director of Marketing with Unverferth. “It’s another company product innovation that will help our farming neighbors become more efficient and profitable. According to Unverferth, the new Raptor simplifies the strip-tilling process by combining a strip-tillage tool with a fertilizer delivery system. “It eliminates the need for farmers to source components from multiple suppliers, ensuring a seamless and efficient operation.” Unverferth said that it’s important to understand the benefits a farm operation can realize by going to a strip-tillage program. “Strip-tillage is the process of tilling a seedbed strip in the field that the planter can ride on and plant into in the spring,” he said. “The benefits of this are alleviating compaction for better root growth, faster warming seedbeds in the spring, and we’re not tilling the entire soil profile, so we’re protecting the ground from soil erosion while requiring less horsepower to make the tillage pass. We can also deliver fertilizer during the strip-tillage pass, so we’re reducing trips across the field and lowering the amount of fertilizer needed since we’re injecting the nutrients in the row, right where they’re needed,” continued Unverferth. PHOTO: Unverferth Manufacturing Co., Inc. MAINTAINING SUCCESS WITH INNOVATION A Look at Unverferth’s New Raptor Precision Ag Strip-Tillage Tool ANDREW JOSEPH FARMS.COM
13 He said the company wanted to offer a complete strip-tillage tool and fertilizer delivery system all from one manufacturer, rather than the customer having to source a tillage tool from one location and then find a fertilizer system from another location. “When the farmer orders from an Unverferth equipment dealer, they’re getting a complete solution for strip-tillage, fertilizer delivery, and all required components to hit the field running upon delivery. We also knew that field-to-field transportation can be a challenge in many areas, which is why the pull-type Raptor models feature a front-folding toolbar design for a narrow transport width,” Unverferth explained. The Raptor features the innovative TerrainPro2 row unit that utilizes a depth control wheel so each row can float independently and keep a consistent tillage and fertilizer placement depth from row to row across the entire machine. The lead coulter blade has 1,500 lbs. of down pressure to slice a path for the shank, and the sawtooth blade row cleaners clear residue from the row. The shank on the Raptor can till from four to 10 inches deep depending on preference, and both shear-bolt and auto-reset row unit trip mechanisms are available. To finish off the strip-tillage pass, 17-inch-diameter wavy closing coulters pull soil back into the strip, which is then conditioned by the crowfoot baskets to prepare the ideal planting seedbed strip. “For our pull-type Raptor models, the customer can order either a dry or liquid fertilizer delivery system,” said Unverferth. The dry system features dual six-ton custom-molded poly tanks for a total capacity of 12 tons. The dry fertilizer system comes standard with blockage monitors, a scale package, and a hydraulic-powered blower fan. The liquid fertilizer system features a 1,200-gallon tank with a T-shaped design to hold the last 50 gallons in the sump when traveling through side hills and an Ace 750 PWM hydraulic pump. All pull-type Raptor fertilizer systems come with the required plumbing, ISOBUS rate controller, and dual wheels and tires. The pull-type Raptor implement is available as a 12- or 16-row machine with 30” row spacing, but it can also be ordered as a three-point mounted implement. “WHEN THE FARMER ORDERS FROM AN UNVERFERTH EQUIPMENT DEALER, THEY’RE GETTING A COMPLETE SOLUTION FOR STRIP-TILLAGE, FERTILIZER DELIVERY, AND ALL REQUIRED COMPONENTS TO HIT THE FIELD RUNNING UPON DELIVERY.”
14 The three-point mounted models are available in a six-, eight-, or 12-row configuration with 30”, 36”, or 38” row spacings. An optional pull-type conversion four-ton dry fertilizer cart is also available for six- and eight-row three-point mounted models. According to the company, the dry and liquid fertilizer systems for the Raptor strip-tillage tool are completely separate systems with completely different pricing. The customer either orders their pull-type Raptor with an integrated dry fertilizer system, with an integrated liquid fertilizer system, or as a strip-tillage tool with no fertilizer system. Depending on the terrain being worked, Unverferth said the company recommends having a minimum tractor horsepower of 30 HP per shank being pulled but can vary up to 40 HP per shank depending on soil and terrain. On pull-type, dry fertilizer Raptor models, 4 SCV hydraulic remotes are required on the tractor with a case drain, while liquid fertilizer pull-type models require 4 SCV hydraulic remotes on the tractor. “All functions of the fertilizer systems are run and monitored through the tractor’s ISOBUS virtual terminal display in the tractor cab. There is also a separate blockage monitor inside the cab for the dry fertilizer system that alerts the operator if a row is blocked,” pointed out Unverferth. He said that farmers will see savings. In the short term, there are immediate savings in fuel (fewer trips across the field), expensive equipment hours, and fertilizer savings since it is direct injecting in-row rather than broadcasting across the entire field. In the long term, the farm operation will alleviate compaction in the field, which leads to better water infiltration, more even crop emergence, and improved soil health. “By tilling a strip in the field to be planted on, we’re retaining the soil structure in the field, which reduces erosion,” he summed up. “All of this translates to higher yields, reduced input costs, and more money in the growers’ pocket after harvest.” Unverferth discusses the Raptor in this video. | pag WATCH THE VIDEO PHOTO: Unverferth Manufacturing Co., Inc. “BY TILLING A STRIP IN THE FIELD TO BE PLANTED ON, WE’RE RETAINING THE SOIL STRUCTURE IN THE FIELD, WHICH REDUCES EROSION. ALL OF THIS TRANSLATES TO HIGHER YIELDS, REDUCED INPUT COSTS, AND MORE MONEY IN THE GROWERS’ POCKET AFTER HARVEST.”
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16 John Deere is already looking to the 2026 growing season with upgrades to its planter kits. Beginning this June, the manufacturer will take orders from American and Canadian farmers on two items – the MaxEmerge 5e and ExactEmerge. MaxEmerge 5e is a big deal for Deere, said Kyle Barry, manager of precision upgrades marketing with John Deere. “We now have the ability to replace just the metering system on the planter,” he told Farms.com Precision Agriculture Digital Digest. “Traditionally we would’ve sold the customer a full row unit upgrade, and now we have the ability to lower that up front cost for the customer.” The “e” in MaxEmerge 5e stands for electronic. “It gives (farmers) electrically controlled, individual row shut offs for section control,” Barry said. “It also allows for turn compensation. We know fields aren’t perfectly square.” With this control, farmers can control meter speed to make sure the population is correct based on the speed of the planter. The package supports a 20 percent improvement in population accuracy, helping farmers keep the rate accurate across the entire planter. And John Deere’s SeedStar 5 monitoring system lets farmers keep a close eye on planter performance. Additional upgrades are available, too. Like individual row hydraulic downforce, which helps maintain depth and furrows. JOHN DEERE BRINGS PLANTER KIT UPGRADES IN 2026 PHOTOS: John Deere, Nik_Merkulov – stock.adobe.com
17 “The biggest difference between hydraulic and pneumatic is the speed at which it’s able to react to changing conditions,” Barry said. The MaxEmerge 5e solution is designed for producers who are planting at speeds up to 5mph (8kph). Farmers wanting to plant at higher speeds can check out John Deere’s other planter kit upgrade, ExactEmerge. This solution supports producers planting at speeds up to 10mph (16kph), also on planters model years 2015 and newer. “ExactEmerge is our patented brush belt technology,” Barry said. “We actually capture the seed in the belt and deliver it to the furrow.” Whether a grower is planting corn, soybeans, or cotton, he or she can expect pinpoint population and spacing accuracy. “You get that true picket fence stand farmers love,” Barry said. In trials, ExactEmerge supported a 7 percent higher soybean survival rate compared to other manufacturer row units, and an 8 bushel per acre advantage in corn. ExactEmerge and MaxEmerge 5e will be available for planters in model years 2015 and newer. John Deere is rolling these out in phases. The first phase, scheduled for this summer, will begin with 2018 and newer. Orders for the 2015 to 2017 model years will begin this winter, Barry said. Farmers with any questions about either of the planter solutions can speak with their local Deere dealer. Barry discusses more in this video. | pag WATCH THE VIDEO MaxEmerge 5e and ExactEmerge Are Designed to Improve Planting Efficiency DIEGO FLAMMINI FARMS.COM
18 “OUTRUN PROVIDES EVERYTHING REQUIRED TO TAKE A BASIC MODEL TRACTOR OF THE SUPPORTED TYPES AND ALLOW AUTONOMOUS OPERATION.” If there’s one thing PTx Trimble dislikes, it is sitting on their laurels. PTx Trimble is the name of the joint venture between Trimble and AGCO, specializing in precision agriculture, technology, guidance and steering, and more. In 2024, the company released OutRun as an autonomous grain cart solution. Not wanting to stand pat, PTx Trimble has expanded the OutRun system to offer farmers autonomous tillage in 2025 with plans to support other operations moving forward in 2026 and beyond. Dinen Subramaniam, Product Launch Manager at PTx Trimble, spoke with Farms.com Precision Agriculture Digital Digest, explaining that the OutRun technology “allows farmers to install autonomous capabilities on tractors that are up to 10 years old, improving efficiency and reducing labor dependency.” Subramaniam said that OutRun with tillage enabled will still perform autonomous grain cart duties. Currently, OutRun is compatible with John Deere 8R tractor models from 2014 and later, as well as the Fendt 900 tractors. However, Subramaniam noted that the commercial launch of Fendt support will arrive in 2026 and that further brands and tractor models will be introduced yearly. Subramaniam said that although OutRun installs autonomous capabilities onto older tractors, the tractors do not need to be autonomous-capable or even an autonomous-ready vehicle. “OutRun provides everything required to take a basic model tractor of the supported types and allow autonomous operation,” he said. Farmers utilizing OutRun will find that the autonomous tillage solution will increase their ability to have a successful planting season. As PTx Trimble noted, when tilling is to be performed to prepare the seedbed, it is difficult to stay ahead of planters, which can cause delays. However, said Subramaniam, OutRun can increase tillage capacity and can let growers plant at the most optimal time, providing a bump to their yields. Also, during spring and fall tillage, farmers can reduce work hours and attend to more urgent matters by deploying OutRun to perform tilling on a field and monitor it remotely. PHOTO: PTx Trimble BECOME AUTONOMOUS WITHOUT A NEW VEHICLE PTx Trimble’s Autonomous Platform Turns Non-Autonomous Vehicles Into Precision Ag Tech ANDREW JOSEPH FARMS.COM WATCH THE VIDEO
19 “OutRun will provide status updates and indicate if the quality of tillage needs attention or if the fuel needs to be refilled,” related Subramaniam. “While farms may have to race around to perform both harvest and tilling during the busiest time of the year, OutRun allows a significant gain in efficiency.” For both fall and spring tillage, OutRun allows farmers to operate the machines at slower speeds and potentially use smaller tractors and/or smaller tilling gear as it is no longer dependent on an operator being there. This can reduce overall fuel usage, reduce compaction, and extend the life of older tractors. The company said that the OutRun solution has been built on top of a technology stack and human capabilities that were first put together in 2013. “It uses GPS location information for a general overview of the field at hand and for positioning each machine; a fusion of sensor technologies for perception and object detection to function robustly and safely in the high-demand farm environment,” said Subramaniam. “It will use Starlink technology to maintain connectivity between machines and the operator. GPS receivers and Starlink are built into the system, and OutRun comes as a standalone kit. The company said that while it is always keen to help farmers improve their physical operations, it is also keen to help them save financially, too, as OutRun’s startup costs range between five and seven percent of the cost of a new tractor. The OutRun solution’s costs are available in two tiers: an unlimited usage/task tier where outside of the hardware costs, there is no further cost to the operator, and; a usage-based tier whereby growers pay by usage, meaning that there would be an additional charge for tilling. “Farmers will receive a separate tillage hardware kit, provided as an affordable upgrade, to add tilling capabilities to the base OutRun kit,” Subramaniam stated. “Depending on the tier chosen by the grower, there may be additional costs for using tillage.” For farmers looking for the opportunity to flexibly deploy labor when they have it, OutRun also allows the business to run more efficiently when labor is not readily available. Watch this video to see OutRun in action. | pag
01 Gaining 50% with New Hydraulic Tech A new multipressure hydraulic system by Purdue University and NREL uses machine learning to boost tractor efficiency by 50%, cut fuel use by 10%, and reduce environmental impacts across agriculture. MORE 20 BITS & BYTES 02 Smarter Tillage John Deere’s new perception system upgrade adds autonomy to select tractors—model year 2022 and newer 9R and 9RX tractors and model year 2020.5 and newer 8R and 8RX tractors— enhancing tillage efficiency with 360-degree vision, precision tools, and automation. MORE 05 Drone Guide for Seeding University of Missouri releases practical drone calibration guide, helping farmers and pilots accurately optimize aerial seeding, enhancing precision, reducing waste, saving time, and improving overall agricultural productivity. MORE 04 New Autosteer System ComNav Technology’s AG501 Pro autosteer system provides 2.5 cm accuracy, fullconstellation GNSS tracking, terrain compensation, and user-friendly controls, improving efficiency for tractors, sprayers, and harvesters in diverse conditions. MORE 03 No More Walking Fields Two engineering students at Southern Illinois University Carbondale created a robotic prototype that inspects soybean crops, capturing images, navigating fields efficiently, and setting the stage for future autonomous agriculture solutions. MORE
21 08 Crossing Borders Bushel Plus expands into US agriculture, offering innovative harvest optimization tools like SmartPan System™, MAD Concaves™, and MiniCombine™ to help farmers improve efficiency, minimize grain loss, and maximize profitability. MORE 07 High-Speed Smart Disk John Deere unveils a new high-speed disk lineup, enhancing precision, residue flow, and durability. Designed for autonomy, these disks improve tillage efficiency and are now available for order. MORE 06 Harnessing Space Tech Syngenta and Planet Labs renew partnership to provide global farmers near-daily, high-resolution satellite imagery, enabling improved crop health monitoring, precise pest detection, efficient management, higher yields, and sustainable farming practices. MORE 09 AI-Powered Tractor Monitoring KIOTI introduces KIOTI Connect, a remote monitoring platform providing equipment tracking, AI-driven insights, weather reports, maintenance alerts, and operational data to enhance farm productivity across North America. MORE PHOTO: FluxFactory/E+ via Getty Images 10 Outrunning the Combine PTx Trimble’s OutRun™, an autonomous grain cart retrofit solution, wins the prestigious Davidson Prize, recognizing innovation that helps farmers reduce labor needs and maximize efficiency during critical harvest periods. MORE
RiteHeight 500 Series! Rugged Design. Clear User Interface. Straightforward Installation. Your Best Value for Sprayer Boom Height Control. Better spray job, less drift, less chance of equipment damage, much easier on the operator. HOW DOES IT WORK? The Greentronics RiteHeight® system uses two to eight sensors to measure distance from sprayer boom to target. With simple electrical connections to the solenoid valves it raises and lowers booms as needed. WHAT COMES IN A KIT? There are just four main items: 1) Electronic Control Unit (ECU); 2) Choice of ISOBUS UT Compatible OR Greentronics Touch Screen; 3) Sensors, and 4) Complete set of Cables. Installation and set-up is not complicated. Many users self-install. WILL IT WORK ON MY SPRAYER? RiteHeight® works on any type of sprayer. It works with all common hydraulic designs and requires no additional hydraulics. HOW DO I USE IT? After installation, use TEST to check connections. Then run the auto SELF CALIBRATION step. In the field set target height and choose operating mode: Bare Ground, Partial Canopy, or Full Canopy. The system is easy to override and constantly monitors for operator input. Headland Mode allows for quick & safe turns. ANY OPTIONS? You can choose how many sensors you want. We offer 2- to 8- sensor systems. Custom Solenoid cables and Adapters available for some sprayer models (e.g. Hagie, JD, Case, Apache and others). Ask us about this. For displays, you can choose the 7-inch Greentronics touch screen display, or you can order your system ISOBUS UT compatible to work with your own touch screen display in the cab. CAN I UPGRADE MY OLDER SYSTEM? Yes you can. Customer input has driven many improvements over the years and operators with older systems are advised to contact Greentronics about upgrade options. Order early and save! Contact us for details. RiteHeight® works on ANY type of sprayer. Including a custom version for golf course/turf sprayers. $ 5425 * (U.S.) * Price subject to change without notice.
Massey Ferguson is helping farmers optimize their baling time with a new small square baler. The MF SB.1436DB represents a new innovation in baling because it creates two even 14-by-18-inch bales. “It’s making two bales at the same time with one pass,” Dane Mosel, a marketing manager with Massey Ferguson, told the Farms.com Precision Agriculture Digital Digest. “So, for example, if you were making one bale at 2.5 mph, now that you’re making two, its like going 5 mph. You’re doubling your output in the same amount of time.” The baler has one 105-inch-wide pickup which supports greater throughput and capacity. A precisely placed knife sits right behind the plunger. “The crop’s coming up right in front and then when the plunger presses, it’s pressing against that knife and splitting those bales so well,” Mosel said. “It is basically one bale that’s being split right at the beginning.” The machine operates at 90 strokes per minute with a 21.9-inch stroke length for efficient performance. And independent knotter trips help ensure precise bale lengths (24-52 inches) regardless of windrow variability. Supporting farmers in the tractor cab during baling is Massey’s SimplEbale system. This system helps automate bale density, weight and dimensions while achieving consistent results and reducing downtime. “The knotter lube is all set up and it runs independently,” Mosel said. “So, we can set how long we want the lube to run. We can set how many bale count in between the lube cycles, all to a customer preference.” Farmers can also choose the shoot that best fits their operation. Massey Ferguson offers two styles of shoots. “We can do what we consider a dual wide flat shoot,” Mosel said. “So that’s going to lay the bales with a string up configuration or we can quarter turn them.” Producers looking for more information can contact their local Massey Ferguson dealer or visit the manufacturer at farm shows. For an up close look at the MF SB.1436DB, watch here. | pag 23 WATCH THE VIDEO PHOTO: Massey Ferguson MASSEY FERGUSON DOUBLES UP ON SMALL SQUARE BALES The MF SB.1436DB Creates Two Even Bales Simultaneously DIEGO FLAMMINI FARMS.COM
24 No stranger to innovation, New Holland has devised a new mode of precision ag technology for farmers. The company’s IntelliSense Sprayer Automation is being called the industry’s most comprehensive application sense and act system on the market, according to Paul Welbig, Director of Precision Technology for New Holland North America. “The factory-fit solution enables live variable rate and selective spray applications in one simple package,” he told Farms.com Precision Agriculture Digital Digest. “It can be used on a wide spectrum of crops—from corn and soybeans to legumes and canola, plus cereal grains such as wheat—with an unprecedented list of full-season application functions, including nitrogen, herbicides, fungicides, plant growth regulators, and harvest aids.” There are a few different methods to access the IntelliSense Sprayer Automation. Welbig said that it is available factory-fit on new 2026 model year Guardian front boom sprayers—SP310F, SP370F, and SP410F— or it can be purchased as an aftermarket option for 2023 model year and newer Guardian front boom sprayers. The sprayer also needs to be equipped with IntelliSpray II to perform precise spray control down to the nozzle. Available now, New Holland has an aftermarket solution for Live VRA. It can be installed on older, as well as other branded, sprayers and spreaders. Farmers can have immediate access to elements of IntelliSense Sprayer Automation technology and won’t have to wait until 2026 to try it. So why should farmers utilize the IntelliSense Sprayer Automation? The New IntelliSense Sprayer Automation Offers Farmers a Full-Season List of Application Functions for a Wide Range of Crops NEW HOLLAND— NEW PRECISION AG TECH ANDREW JOSEPH FARMS.COM
25 “With its live variable rate and selective spray modes, IntelliSense Sprayer Automation will help increase the productivity, efficiency, and quality of applications,” said Welbig. “This helps farmers optimize the return on their inputs and increase productivity both in terms of acres covered and resulting crop uniformity and yield.” He explained that the IntelliSense Sprayer Application technology is different from other smart-apply technologies familiar to North American applicators and farmers. “The first difference is the full-season use that allows farmers to utilize it multiple times throughout a single growing season,” Welbig noted. Driving this capability is the dual Live VRA and Selective Spray offerings that are different than most systems on the market—typically, they do one mode or the other. And because the Guardian is a highclearance sprayer, farmers can apply later in the season, further increasing the system’s usage for the applicator. “The second key difference is its single, multi-camera sensor array on top of the cab—as opposed to boommounted—that allows you to spray at high speeds up to 25 miles per hour (mph) for Live VRA and 19 mph for selective spray,” he added. While some precision ag technologies have a steep learning curve, Welbig pointed out that the IntelliSense Sprayer Automation system was designed to be fairly straightforward. “There isn’t much finessing of the settings required by the operator. It’s fairly intuitive.” The technology behind the IntelliSense Sprayer Automation uses six multispectral cameras located on the front of the device, a fisheye camera on the top to detect the sun’s position, and a sensor that measures ambient light. The six cameras allow the system to see infrared, red edge, red narrow, RGB (red, green, blue mixing), and red stereoscopic. The IntelliSense Sprayer Automation is then able to layer all these images together. Welbig said that New Holland has its own algorithms to manage, assign, and index values to each of these images to determine different characteristics of what the system is seeing, such as plants and crops, across the field. When adding IntelliSense Sprayer Automation to the purchase of a new Guardian front boom sprayer, customers receive the entire system, which includes the SenseApply Camera unit and affiliated hardware. At that point of purchase, the system is accessible with no subscription requirements or per-acre fees and is a unique aspect of IntelliSense Sprayer Automation. Customers can choose from two feature levels: Live VRA, which comes standard with the system, and Selective Spray, which requires a one-time unlock cost to activate the mode. Farmers utilizing the IntelliSense Sprayer Automation can find multiple ways to gain an advantage. “From maximizing a burndown pass across the field to operating with an industry-leading speed that ensures sprayer operators can maintain a high level of in-field performance and quality of application to bolster every ounce of input running through the boom,” said Welbig. “Take, for example, a farmer growing wheat, canola, and barley,” he continued. “They can get a payback, or a return on the investment of this system in one year on the selective spray upgrade by applying: one VRA nitrogen and one VRA fungicide on wheat, one VRA fungicide on barley, one VRA nitrogen on canola, and one green-on-brown spot spray across all their acres. “These are fairly standard annual applications for these crops,” concluded Welbig. “And with no subscription or per-acre fees, these returns will continue to pay season after season.” | pag PHOTO: New Holland “THE FACTORY-FIT SOLUTION ENABLES LIVE VARIABLE RATE AND SELECTIVE SPRAY APPLICATIONS IN ONE SIMPLE PACKAGE.”
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