When you think of automated vehicles, you probably think of driverless cars. While that particular movement is certainly in the news, it's not the only place where driverless technology is gaining momentum. Did you know that driverless technology innovations are occurring every day in agriculture as well? While most of us won't see this technology since it's confined to the farm, driverless tractors are poised to change the way our food is grown.
The race to autonomy
Today's driverless tractors still need an operator to keep the tractor on task. But for 20 years, farm equipment manufacturers have been working on building a precision platform with GPS navigation to provide tractors with pure self-driving automation. The ultimate goal is to offer farmers driverless equipment that is smart - or autonomous - so it can perform tasks completely independent of human intervention.
The farm equipment industry has spent a couple of decades moving toward developing autonomous equipment, and the race to commercially market that equipment has recently moved into high gear.
In 2016, both New Holland and Case IH introduced autonomous tractor prototypes, which the companies are still testing in the field. At the same time, John Deere signaled its commitment to autonomous machinery when it acquired Blue River Technology - a company that specializes in computer vision and machine learning, key technologies for developing smart farm equipment.
The digital component
In addition to performing the desired tasks, smart farm equipment also has the ability to capture vital data about the operation and how the land is being used. This data will be invaluable to farmers, according to Dan Burdett, global head of digital agriculture at Syngenta.
"The driverless tractor and automated farm equipment will be able to record any field event, which is important for developing insights, such as calculating return on investment," he says. "Capturing timely and accurate data to document field applications for reports and stewardship requirements will also be possible."
Because various sensors, tools and artificial intelligence will automate data collection, Burdett says the data will "enable a whole new level of decision-making capabilities. Growers will benefit from all of it," he says, adding that the adoption of digital technologies in the ag industry is inevitable and moving fast.
"It's escalating, and that's driven partly by farm economics," says Burdett. "It's very important for farmers to know their numbers. Digital tools and information technology can help farmers be better business people."
The future of autonomy
For many years, the components needed to bring autonomous vehicles to market were cost-prohibitive for ag manufacturers. But that is changing.
Uber, Google and Tesla have made big investments in technology for their self-driving cars, which has substantially lowered the cost of some components that are also used in automated farm equipment.
As more industries use these components, prices will drop further, placing autonomous technology within reach of farmers. The field of automated farm equipment is fertile, and it's growing rapidly.
Soybean farmers in Minnesota, USA, have been at the forefront of developing a homegrown renewable fuel that has resulted in a dramatic improvement of the air quality in the state.
Biodiesel has become an important part of the energy landscape in Minnesota and across the US. In just over 15 years, the biodiesel market in the U.S. has increased from about 25 million gallons to more than 2.8 billion gallons. Biodiesel is a value-added by-product made from domestic, renewable resources such as soybean oil. After the oil is extracted from soybeans, all subsequent protein is used for human and livestock consumption, leaving nothing to waste.
According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, diesel-powered cars accounted for only about 3 percent of total U.S. auto sales in 2014. You may be scratching your head and saying, "I don't drive a diesel vehicle. Why should I care?"
According to the Diesel Technology Forum, more than 95 percent of large, heavy-duty trucks are diesel-powered, as are most medium-duty trucks. Together, they move more than 90 percent of the nation's freight. And don't forget public transit, school buses and construction equipment. Things we all encounter every day.
Here are just some of the reasons biodiesel matters:
Reducing emissions
And while you may think these trucks' massive diesel engines are an unfortunate but necessary aspect of commerce and expansion, think again.
According to the American Lung Association of Minnesota (ALAMN), during the 10-year period with biodiesel as a fuel standard for Minnesota, a reduction of more than 7.4 billion pounds of carbon dioxide has already been realized. ALAMN estimates that is comparable to removing the emissions from 706,649 passenger vehicles or 17,998 railcars of coal.
Biodiesel's ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 50 percent is why the Environmental Protection Agency recognizes it as the only advanced biofuel.
Revitalizing rural communities
According to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, the biodiesel industry contributes $1.7 billion annually in the state, while supporting 5,397 jobs. Nationwide, there are approximately 200 biodiesel plants, providing nearly 48,000 jobs. These are often hard-hit areas where employment options are few. Leaving for "greener pastures" is no longer the only option.
"Biodiesel is another step in increasing the diversity of our energy needs," says Tom Slunecka, CEO, Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council. "Minnesota soybean farmers are proud to be leaders in growing that diversity."
In 2002, Minnesota became the first state to require that all diesel fuel sold contain at least 2 percent blend of biodiesel. In summer 2018, Minnesota will be the first to move to B20, a blend of 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent petroleum diesel.
The benefits of biodiesel are considerable, not just for Minnesota and the US but for the world as a whole.
