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Case IH Autonomous Concept Tractor Receives GOOD DESIGN Award

 
The Chicago Athenaeum Museum of Architecture and Design and Metropolitan Arts Press Ltd. has announced the Case IH autonomous concept tractor as one of the winners of this year’s prestigious GOOD DESIGN® Award. The Museum's annual GOOD DESIGN Awards recognize the most innovative and cutting-edge industrial, product and graphic designs produced around the world.
 
Case IH first unveiled the world’s first high-horsepower, cabless autonomous concept tractor at the Farm Progress Show in 2016, marking a revolutionary step forward in tractor design. The tractor was designed by the in-house Industrial Design Center at CNH Industrial and is based on the current Case IH Magnum™ series tractor (185-380 horsepower). The concept’s design was focused on both form and function, reimagining the tractor for a future autonomous era by eliminating the traditional operator cab.
 
“This award marks a satisfying conclusion to the celebration of our 175th anniversary,” says Andreas Klauser, Case IH brand president. “The autonomous concept tractor is perhaps the best illustration of how we are living up to the anniversary’s tagline – Celebrating the Past by Looking Toward the Future.”
 
After the reveal at the Farm Progress Show in August 2016, the tractor was shown at trade shows and events in France, Brazil, Argentina and Australia. “Over the past year, we have used this concept tractor as a way to kick off a dialogue with our customers as to what the future of farming will look like in five or ten years’ time,” Klauser explains.
 
“From talking to customers in different countries, we see that for the near term, they want to have the flexibility of still having a cab on the tractor. This is the direction we are taking because we want our customers to feel comfortable as they begin to delegate more tasks to the machines themselves,” Klauser says.
 
“We have already begun to see some of the applications of this concept study being applied in our current lineup — such as AFS AccuTurn™ and there are more introductions on the horizon.”
 
Advanced Farming Systems (AFS) AccuTurn takes the guesswork out of turning on headlands with automated headland-turning technology powered by software logic from the autonomous concept tractor. This next-generation AFS autoguidance technology provides hands-free, automatic and repeatable turns for increased productivity, improved accuracy and reduced operator fatigue.
 
“We will see more AFS product content in our offering to come in 2018,” Klauser says. “We are excited to be starting a pilot program with an evolved concept that incorporates the feedback from customers’ reactions to the concept, as well as additional testing. We are working with a key customer with intensive tilling applications to thoroughly test the implementation of this technology.”
 
Source : Case IH

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The FCDC and AgSmart Bring Plant Breeding to a Wider Audience

Video: The FCDC and AgSmart Bring Plant Breeding to a Wider Audience

In the vast prairies of Alberta, Olds College’s Field Crop Development Centre (FCDC) stands as a beacon of innovation and research in the agricultural world. The institution has become a key player in advancing agricultural technologies and practices. The FCDC’s commitment to applied research has driven them to seek effective means of disseminating their findings and creating a positive impact on the farming community.

One such avenue that aligns with their mission is AgSmart, an event dedicated to showcasing cutting-edge agricultural technologies. The coming together of the FCDC’s annual Field Day and Ag Smart has proved to be a natural fit, fostering a synergy that benefits both parties and propels the agriculture industry forward. The FCDC Field Day took part in conjunction with AgSmart for the first time this week on Aug. 1-2 in Olds, Alta. FCDC Program Director Kofi Agblor and Olds College VP of Development Todd Ormann sat down for an interview with Marc Zienkiewicz to discuss the significance of the two events taking part together and what the future holds.

The Intersection of Research and Technology The essence of the FCDC lies in its dedication to plant breeding and new seed varieties, particularly barley and triticale. While conducting research is essential, it becomes meaningful when its benefits are shared with the wider community. This is where AgSmart steps in, providing a key venue for the FCDC to showcase their research. This union between research and technology creates a holistic and enriching experience for farmers, ranchers, and industry professionals, the pair said.

Seeds as Technology For the FCDC, the partnership with AgSmart goes beyond mere event collaboration. It is about creating an environment that bridges the gap between seeds and smart technology, Ormann said. The college believes that for technology to truly revolutionize agriculture, it must begin with a strong foundation — high-quality seeds. As the saying goes, “it all starts with a seed.” To demonstrate this critical aspect, the collaboration aims to showcase the seed value chain as an integral part of the smartphone.

The Birth of a Powerful Alliance The idea of joining forces emerged when staff realized the potential synergy between AgSmart and the FCDC Field Day. With just a few days separating the two events, a proposal was put forward to merge them. The marketing and communications teams from both sides worked seamlessly to ensure the essence of both events remained intact, creating a powerful alliance that leverages the strengths of each, Agblor said.

Driving Advancements in Breeding For Agblor, the partnership with AgSmart has tremendous potential to drive advancements in breeding and other technology. With technologies like drones and imaging becoming integral to phenotyping, breeding is no longer confined to vast fields to assess thousands of plants manually. Instead, it benefits from the data-rich insights brought about by smart technologies. These advancements make breeding more efficient, precise, and instrumental in shaping the future of agriculture.

Overcoming Challenges Together While the partnership between Olds College and Ag Smart has been a resounding success, there are challenges on the horizon. Securing stable funding for long-term breeding initiatives is crucial to sustain progress. The college is committed to navigating these challenges and investing in agriculture’s future sustainably, Agblor said.