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What are the biggest trends impacting farm equipment?

What are the biggest trends impacting farm equipment?

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May 20,22

Farmers can significantly reduce material waste by automating their farms. Emily Newton highlights five major farm equipment trends supporting modern production demands.

What are the biggest trends impacting farm equipment?

Environmental degradation, economic changes and the growing population impact the agricultural industry. Manufacturers are supporting farmers by developing technological advancements to help them meet demand. Agricultural professionals can improve crop yields by adopting this high-quality equipment.

Farm equipment trends are powering the food market and textile industries. Smart systems, uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) and machine learning (ML) programs support agricultural digitalization. The smart farming transition is improving the farming equipment market.

Why are engineers developing digital farm equipment trends?

Engineers are creating technological advancements to support agricultural production demands. Global hunger has a significant impact on farming trends — nearly 811 million individuals experience it every day.

The aim is to achieve optimal crop yields and minimize waste. The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) put about $15 million into digital agricultural advancements. Farmers can practice precision farming when using cyber informatics to improve yields and reduce waste.

Another sector influencing farm equipment trends is sustainability. Eco-consumers are defining the market by canceling unsustainable companies. They may also expose factory farmers that exploit natural resources and harm animals.

Farmers can use fewer pesticides and synthetic fertilizers by adopting smart agricultural technologies. They financially benefit from decreasing crop losses and material use.

Here are five major farm equipment trends supporting modern production demands.

1. Higher demands for food crops

High food crop demands have a major impact on agricultural equipment advancements. The global population nearly quadrupled over the past 100 years. The need for food production continues to increase as society expands.

People require more fruits, vegetables and grains to survive. The animal agriculture sector is also expanding as the population grows. Individuals consume 43 kgs of meat annually, which is 20 kgs more than in 1961.

Engineers are using biotechnology to create drought-resistant crops and optimize yields. Genetically engineered crops can help farmers meet consumption demands while the global climate changes. High global temperatures increase the evaporation rate.

Droughts cause significant production limitations for agricultural professionals. Plants requiring less water can help farmers conserve freshwater supplies and improve their yield rates, which reduces global hunger.

2. The Green Revolution

Reducing freshwater exploitation aligns with the green revolution. Eco-consumers are demanding more sustainable foods, and engineers are creating advanced farming technologies to minimize waste and emissions.

One technological advancement supporting sustainable farming is electric equipment. A team of engineers developed a 26-ton excavator with a 300 kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery pack. The machine can help farmers dig and move materials without releasing tailpipe emissions.

Individuals may also reduce production emissions by purchasing used equipment instead of newer ones. Minimizing reliance on fossil fuels and utilizing new materials can increase their financial savings. Electric and used machines have lower maintenance and upfront costs.

3. Robotics and smart equipment

Another farm equipment trend relies on robotics and smart system advancements, including tackling drought with intelligent sprinklers. The system gathers real-time weather predictions using a Wi-Fi connection.

Over- and underwatering can damage crops. Smart sprinklers monitor rainfall patterns to reduce overwatering and conserve this resource. They also autonomously increase their watering schedules during droughts to increase crop yields.

Smart irrigation technologies additionally use water retention sensors, which calculate how well a farm’s soil retains water. Some agricultural professionals will place drip irrigation technologies on their farms to reduce freshwater exploitation and crop losses.

4. Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Automated field operations are one of many farm equipment trends. Digitalizing the agricultural industry requires GIS technologies, and farmers can engage in precision agriculture when using them.

Global positioning systems (GSPs) can track crop yields and qualities. They measure nutrient levels, pH, organic matter content and other data.

GISs can also improve results and reduce resource waste by developing precise farm plans and maps. They can optimize herbicide use, watering and soil maintenance using computer-based applications. Agricultural professionals may analyze their GIS findings to enrich their fields.

5. The Internet of Things (IoT)

The final equipment trend influencing technological advancements is IoT. Engineers develop IoT technologies to close the supply-demand gap. IoT helps farmers autonomously monitor and tend to their crops.

Advanced technologies increase yields, profitability and environmental conservation. Agricultural professionals expect to see a 20% increase in IoT applications each year. One way they are doing so is by using IoT-powered drones to improve crop health. Collecting extensive data can improve their planting and maintenance practices.

Farmers can also use IoT technologies for livestock tracking. Eco-consumers increase the demand for free-range meat, and IoT systems monitor farm animals' location, health and well-being. Predictive analytics helps agricultural professionals protect their animals.

How farm equipment trends may impact the economy

Farmers can significantly reduce material waste by automating their farms. Renewable resources are becoming more expensive as supplies run low. Adopting electric equipment and increasing maintenance efficiencies can improve savings.

Automated farms have low production costs. This can boost their bottom lines, improve efficiency and lead to greater overall success.

About the author:

Emily Newton is a tech and industrial journalist and the Editor-in-Chief of Revolutionized Magazine. Subscribe to the Revolutionized newsletter for more content from Emily.