Precision Farming Dealer editors encounter a variety of articles, social media posts, podcasts and videos that offer a unique look at various aspects of our great agricultural industry. Here is our favorite content from the past week:

• 1-on-1 with Bayer’s Head of Digital Farming Solutions
• Why Your Customers Should Invest in Smart Sprayer Technology
• LIVE from AGCO Precision Technology Field Day
• Aigen Unveils AI-Driven, Solar-Powered Ag Robots
• Thieves Target Precision Tools on Farms & Dealerships

Best of the Web This Week is brought to you by GBGI Inc.

        

GBGI Inc. was created way back in 1993, and ever since, this family owned and operated company has been manufacturing the highest quality of hubs and spindles for agricultural companies.

1-on-1 with Bayer’s Head of Digital Farming Solutions

The latest edition of Rhishi Pethe’s Software is Feeding the World newsletter is jam-packed with good stuff, including a 1-on-1 interview with Jeremy Williams, Head of Digital Farming Solutions for Bayer Crop Science. Pethe also examines the latest data from some of the top precision weed control products, and key takeaways from CropLife’s 2023 precision agriculture dealership survey.

Source: LinkedIn post

Why Your Customers Should Invest in Smart Sprayer Technology

FarmFutures.com executive editor Mike Wilson breaks down the value of smart sprayers from multiple angles. Purdue weed scientist Bryan Young tells Wilson the greatest value will be for farmers who use the technology on as many acres as possible. “Custom applicators who capture value in their per-acre service structure, or very large crop farmers, have the chance to get a quicker ROI for these machines, as well as some higher-value crop situations or when expensive herbicides are being used,” Young says.

SAVINGS OPPORTUNITY: John Deere’s See & Spray targeted spraying technology is available on its own self-propelled dual-tank machine, as a retrofit to existing sprayers, or with green-on-brown capability on fallow fields. “The more passes you make, the more opportunity for savings,” says Tim Deinert, market manager for application equipment at Deere. Photo by: John Deere

LIVE from AGCO Precision Technology Field Day

Fox Business provides live coverage from an AGCO field day in Pembroke, Ky., showcasing the company's autonomous harvest technology and more. Brad Arnold, AGCO GM and Senior VP, explains his vision for autonomy and how AGCO is recruiting top notch engineers to make it happen.

Aigen Unveils AI-Driven, Solar-Powered Ag Robots

Aigen, a Seattle-based ag technology startup, unveiled Aigen Element — an autonomous, scalable robotics platform, powered entirely by solar and wind energy. 2024 and 2025 pre-orders for the Element Service sold out in one day, according to the Robot Report. “The benefits of our advanced, lightweight, super agile robots go far beyond weeding,” says Kenny Lee, Aigen’s co-founder and CEO. “We are excited to deliver field-level network connectivity and real-time data and insights that farmers can access from anywhere.” Shane Thomas wrote about the Aigen Element in the latest edition of his Upstream Ag Insights newsletter, tempering some excitement for the new robots. “Really compelling capabilities, however, some practical challenges to overcome in the short term due to the fact that they can only do up to 3 acres per day per robot and given the fact they are focused on one crop,” Thomas says. Check out more in this Youtube video!

Thieves Target Precision Tools on Farms & Dealerships

Precision tools like yield monitors and navigation systems are being stolen from farmers and retailers throughout the midwest, according to this article from AgWeb. “It’s been pretty prevalent here recently with thieves taking spray equipment from retail locations,” says Prophetstown, Ill., farmer Rock Katschnig. “There was one retail location here in the area where thieves stole six systems out of their spray equipment.” Katschnig offers 4 suggestions to help farmers safeguard their technology.

Yield monitors are one of the items being targeted. Photo by: Darrel Smith

Is there something you want to share in "This Week"? Send us an email.

More from this series

Best of the Web This Week is brought to you by GBGI Inc.

Introducing the new Enviro-Max XP™️ Cast Opener … Precisely put your growers’ seed in the soil with a heavy duty, American made cast opener assembly that will outlast their planter. The Enviro-Max XP™️ new ductile iron bearing housing is cast and machined in the USA to eliminate minimize runout and failure while maximizing yields.

Click here to view past "Best of the Web This Week" updates.