In The Spotlight
New Holland to exhibit state-of-the-art products at 2024 Farm Progress Show this month
New Holland Agriculture North America will debut a range of new equipment and technology offerings at the upcoming 2024 Farm Progress Show taking place from 27-29 August scheduled to take place in Boone, Iowa
From combines to high-horsepower tractors to round balers, the show will display more than 15 pieces of equipment from New Holland. For the first time in North America, the company will also unveil equipment and technology launches from across five product categories, including a new Class 9 CR combine, a new telehandler series, upgrades to the T7 tractor line, an all-new Forage Cruiser harvester and a suite of precision and digital technologies that are elevating the New Holland technology stack.
Additionally, New Holland will participate in the havesting demos organised by the Farm progress Show, during which the company will be running in tandem its new CR11 combine, one of the industry’s biggest and most productive combines, and Grain Cart Automation, a sophisticated system that synchronises combine and grain cart movements to ensure a streamlined activity while combining and unloading simultaneously on the go.
A notable autonomous technology company on display for show attendees is Bluewhite. In June 2024, this company which enables AI-driven autonomous farming, announced its entry into a multi-phase partnership to collaborate on the distribution, manufacturing and integration of Bluewhite’s autonomous solutions for New Holland tractors. The company will offer a window into its technology's potential and in the future for livestock and row crop applications.
Philippines DA visits ICRISAT-led project sites in India
Agricultural delegation from the Philippines Department of Agriculture (DA) recently embarked on an eight-day exposure visit to various ICRISAT-led project sites in India to provide insights into innovative climate-smart agricultural practices and effective water and soil management technologies
Starting their visit in Uttar Pradesh's Nota village, the research, development and policy stakeholders engaged with members of the ‘Progressive Bundelkhand Farmer Producer Company’ (FPC), while discussing the FPC’s activities and initiatives, gaining valuable insights into how ICRISAT supports local farmers by organising them as FPOs and FPCs.
ICRISAT’s principal scientist & cluster head, Dr Ramesh Singh provided an elaborate overview of the soil and water management challenges affecting 40 villages in the region, further enriching the delegation's understanding of the critical issues faced by the community.
In Jhansi district's Bhadokhar village, the delegation came across various rainwater conservation methods including structures known as haveli cultivation and learned about their importance in preventing soil erosion. ICRISAT's Horticulture scientist, Dr Rohan Khopade explained fruit-based agroforestry practices, while scientific officer, Dr Ashok Shukla highlighted the benefits of the equipment installed by ICRISAT, such as the Automatic Weather Station (AWS), Time-Domain Reflectometry (TDR) for measuring soil moisture, a groundwater-level indicator, and runoff measuring devices.
Moreover, the delegation proceeded to exploring other parts of the state including Sutta and Singar villages in Jhansi and Pura Birdha in Lalitpur. In addition to hearing firsthand accounts from local farmers, the delegation also interacted with public representatives, including Member of Parliament, Anurag Sharm and Chief Development Officer of Jhansi, Junaid Ahmad to understand the role of local and national administration in the successful implementation of projects.
In Odisha, the delegation explored a number of ICRISAT-facilitated model sites where they observed the role of women's Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in successful enterprises, such as the Dwarf Coconut Nursery, which produces 100,000 seedlings annually, and ventures into ornamental nurseries and apiculture as alternative livelihoods. Other notable community projects such as the Waste-to-Wealth Management project provided adequate insight into the transformation of waste into valuable resources, while also efficiently converting invasive species like water hyacinth into compost, in turn helping to maintain clean water bodies to grow organic vegetables.
Their visit finally concluded with an exploration of the state-of-the-art facilities of Genebank, Agromet Lab, Living Lab, Centre of Excellence in Climate Change Research for Plant Protection, Centre of Excellence in Genomics and Systems Biology, and the Agri-Business Incubation Centre.
Senior agriculturist at the Bureau of Agricultural Research in the Philippines, Kris Thea Marie Hernandez underscored the group's commitment to applying learnings from the visit to their local communities, particularly in rainfed areas, in pursuit of the Philippine Department of Agriculture’s goal to increase agricultural productivity and ensure food security.
Minebea Intec to exhibit at ProPak Indonesia 2024
Leading manufacturer of industrial weighing and inspection technologies, Minebea Intec will be showcasing a wide range of products at ProPak Indonesia 2024, ranging from entry-level products to premium solutions, specifically tailored to the needs of the packaging industry
With foreign object detection being a major concern in the packaging industry, Minebea Intec is delighted to display its advanced metal detector Vistus at the event. With its user-friendly interface, the device ensures maximum product safety through its high sensitivity, precision, and seamless integration into existing production lines, thereby minimising false rejections. This makes the product an indispensable solution for efficient quality assurance in the packaging industry.
Specifically developed for bulk material applications, the Vistus technology which stands out with its modular design enables seamless integration into existing production facilities, while also allowing reliable detection of metallic contaminants in free-falling products, such as powders or granules, prior to being processed or packaged. Moreover, the device has an automatic reject flap that safely removes contaminated from the production process without interrupting material flow, thus making the free-fall system Vistus an indispensable component for manufacturers striving to achieve the highest standards in product safety.
The WMC6 checkweigher is one among the many highlights at ProPak Indonesia 2024. Designed to meet the rigorous demands of the pharmaceutical, chemical, and food industries, the device fully complies with international regulatory stndards including GLP, GMP and many others, making it a trusted choice for ensuring product quality and consistency. This device is particularly ideal for dynamic production environments where speed and accuracy are paramount. Moreover, it also offers exceptional precision, making it suitable for numerous checkweighing applications.
The WMC6 also meets international hygiene standards. The fact that it is easy to clean, makes it particularly suitable for use in industries where cleanliness is crucial, such as pharmaceuticals, food, and chemicals. The 10-inch color touch screen and industrial PC enhance the reliability of the production process, providing real-time product status charts that allow operators to respond intuitively to production dynamics. Additionally, the online help system makes the WMC6 user-friendly and easy to operate.
"A particular highlight at our booth will be the versatile Midrics weighing platform with load capacities ranging from 3 kg to 3 t, available in durable stainless steel," said sales director of South East Asia, Kevin Yiu. "The scale is equipped with the reliable weighing indicator Midrics and optionally offers a battery-operated mode for increased flexibility."
Weighing platforms, as offered by Minebea Intec also ensure product quality, reduce material waste and help comply with regulatory requirements. Additionally, Minebea Intec's product range includes load cells, vessel and silo scales, state-of-the-art X-ray and visual inspection systems, as well as automatic pricing systems. Starting from initial consultation to planning and commissioning, the company not only offers high-quality weighing and inspection solutions, but also supports customers throughout the entire project planning process.
ProPak Indonesia will take place from 4-6 September at the Jakarta International Expo in Jakarta, Indonesia.
ICBA demonstrates transformative agri project in Karakalpakstan
A recent ceremony conducted by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev aimed to demonstrate its major multi-year project focused on increasing the productivity of degraded and saline areas of Karakalpakstan
The project 'Development of Sustainable Agricultural Production Systems in Degraded Areas of Karakalpakstan,' represents a landmark in global cooperation. Since its launch in 2022, with US$5mn in funding from the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), the project has made substantial progress in addressing the severe environmental challenges in Karakalpakstan, primarily caused by the shrinking of the Aral Sea.
The project was successful in introducing 25 genotypes of different food and fodder crops at demonstration sites in Nukus, Chimbay, and Muynak, where field trials have shown promising results. The project has also focused on improving irrigation infrastructure across these sites with the installation of advanced systems such as drip irrigation and water storage solutions, greatly enhancing water management.
Various soil amendments were introduced to increase soil fertility, which contributed to the overall sustainability of agricultural systems in the region. Modern agri-aquaculture systems and locally adopted greenhouses are being developed, further showcasing the innovative approaches the project has embraced. More than 200 scientists, extension workers, and farmers have been trained in different aspects of soil, water, and crop management, ensuring the transfer of knowledge and best practices to local communities.
The progress of this project will open doors to scaling up numerous innovations and technologies that have been successfully introduced, with a cornerstore of this project being its focus on empowering women in agriculture. Targeted training programmes and farmer field schools have allowed women to develop the necessary skills and resources to lead sustainable agricultural practices. This empowerment not only boosts their livelihoods, but also strengthens the overall resilience of their communities, ensuring that the benefits of the project are widely felt.
“This project exemplifies the collaborative efforts between ICBA, Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), and our partners in Uzbekistan, including the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change, the Karakalpakstan Agriculture Research Institute (KARI), and the International Innovation Centre for the Aral Sea Basin (IICAS)," said Director General of ICBA, Dr Tarifa Al Zaabi.
Researchers join forces to combat AMR
Over the years, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has proceeded to become one of humanity's biggest threats, urging farming researchers to join the global fight against this creeping pandemic
Eight new networks comprising a combination of different research specialisms will support diverse teams of AMR researchers to develop approaches aimed at tackling AMR across various sectors and disciplines. Approximately US6.3mn will be shared from the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), awarded as part of its tackling infections strategic theme. Drawing on a dedicated budget of around US$9.2mn, the programme will continue next year with a new opportunity for ambitious new transdisciplinary research programmes.
The networks include:
- The AMAST (AMR in Agrifood Systems Transdisciplinary) Network: Led by Matthew Gilmour of the Quadram Institute, this network will coordinate the agri-food trans-disciplinary community engaged in AMR activities covering crop, livestock and aquaculture sectors, while also interactions with industry, trade associations, policy makers, and academia involved in food production.
- The Climate Change Impacts on AMR Using a Planetary Health Framework (CLIMAR) Network: Led by William Gaze from the University of Exeter, this network aims to find transdisciplinary solutions to reduce AMR infections while promoting innovations for alternative treatments.
- The ARREST-AMR (Accurate, Rapid, Robust and Economical One Health DiagnoSTics for antimicrobial resistance) Network: Led by Mark Bradley from the Queen Mary University of London, this network will focus on diagnostic tools in a One Health context.
- The Fungal One Health and Antimicrobial Resistance Network: Led by Darius Armstrong-James from Imperial College London, this network will cover healthcare, agricultural and pharmaceutical industries as well as key government departments and end users in these settings.
- The Futures AMR Network (FAN): Led by Linda Oyama from the Queen's University Belfast, FAN will support early career researchers across a range of disciplines to become future leaders in AMR and tackle it in agri-food health, environment and medicine using approaches in the arts and artificial intelligence, behavioral economics, clinical engineering and discovery.
- IMPACT AMR: a Transdisciplinary Network: Led by Clare Chandler from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, this network will address key policy questions around AMR mitigation strategies, by working with policymakers and stakeholders to prioritise effective interventions that reduce the AMR burden in a feasible, socially acceptable, and economically beneficial manner.
- The People AMR Network: Led by Sarah Tonkin-Crine from the University of Oxford, this network will explore ways to help people make decisions about antibiotic use, develop new strategies and tools, and to study these to ensure they target the right people, the right behaviours, and the right settings to have maximum and timely impact at the lowest possible cost.
- The Transdisciplinary Antimicrobial Resistance Genomics (TARGet) Network: Led by Willem van Schaik from the University of Birmingham, this network will utilise recent genomic advances to better understand AMR, thereby covering the needs of academia, business, NHS, social care settings and veterinary medicine.
According to head of strategy, Advanced Manufacturing and Clean Growth at UKRI, Dr. Colin Miles, AMR is a large, complex problem with 10 million people expected to lose their lives to it each year by 2050.
“Rather than taking single-discipline approaches, we need researchers from across disciplines to come together and look at all aspects of the problem – from human behaviour and how we grow crops and rear animals for consumption to how we manage the environment or use technology, clinical management strategies and challenging established cultural norms,” said Dr. Miles.
Monarch Tractor leads V2G revolution in agriculture
Gridtractor, Monarch Tractor, and Borg Warner have achieved a significant milestone by successfully demonstrating Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) capabilities utilising a Monarch MK-V tractor, a Borg Warner 60 kW DC fast charger, and Gridtractor’s cloud-based charge management system employing the Open Charge Point Protocol (OCPP)
AF series: maximising productivity through matched capacity and built-in technology
Case IH is launching the new AF9 and AF10 combines, redesigned to maximise capacity and crop flow with efficient horsepower, simplified maintenance and built-in connectivity at base
Launched in early 2024, with the AF11–a Class 10+, high-capacity powerhouse, the single-rotor AF9 and AF10 combines complete the new AF series. Featuring three models across Class 9 and 10+, the revolutionary combine series helps farmers cover more acres in less time with power, efficiency and throughput.
The AF9’s 634 horsepower and the AF10’s 775 horsepower provides the power to maximise crop flow while increasing speeds, taxing the machines less. Built upon the legacy of Axial-Flow single-rotor technology, the AFXL rotor of the AF9 and AF10 is 40% longer than the 260 series, offering increased throughput. Grain handling capacity is maximised and matched from header to spreader to harvest more with every engine hour.
The AF series offers a full suite of precision technology, including dual Pro 1200 displays, Harvest Command combine automation and RowGuide Pro technologies. Additionally, the introduction of Connectivity Included leverages subscription-free connectivity, feeding yield and machine data directly to Case IH FieldOps—providing farmers with a comprehensive management solution across their entire operation. These features are purposefully designed to create a customer experience that delivers peace of mind through a simplified harvest season.
Case IH is also offering a corn head series that pairs with the AF series and late model Axial-Flow combines for the ultimate harvesting package. The C500 series corn head ensures peak productivity with independent drive lines for row unit and chopper drives. The series offers options to meet nearly any grower’s needs, including sizes from eight to 18 rows, chopping and non-chopping options, and narrow or standard-row configurations that boost grain savings and performance with clean and fast picking, even in downed corn.
The Case IH harvesting lineup will be on dislay at the 2024 Farm Progress Show in Boone, Oowa.