Farmers make over 140 major decisions each season

Nov 28, 2019

John Deere rep: what can we learn from the past to apply to the future?

“It’s a dynamic time to be in agriculture,” said Jeremy Parkinson, solutions specialist at John Deere Canada ULC, during his presentation at the Farms.com Precision Agriculture Conference and Ag Tech Showcase on Nov. 26.

Parkinson shared John Deere’s vision for the future of precision agriculture.

“Each and every one of you face challenges to produce more with less as demand for food continues to grow,” he said.

It is a dynamic time to work in agriculture because the world is constantly changing, Parkinson said. Farmers face challenges with a shrinking labor force and the relentless pressure to produce more with less.

Fortunately, new technologies continue to make advances which will help farmers rise to these challenges and continue to feed a growing global population, he said.

Traditionally, agriculture focused on farming by the field. As the industry produces more with less, the focus will need to shift to the micro level: the plant. Farmers will need to maximize the potential of every seed that goes in the ground, Parkinson said. Smarter, more automated machines will enable this transition, he said.

“Farmers make over 140 major decisions each season,” Parkinson said.

Better data powers better outcomes for farmers. Producers can use a complete set of data on the farm to understand cause and effect more deeply. Growers can also use this data to help accelerate the learning process about what works and doesn’t work on their farms.

For producers, the power of data is to help them learn from the past, as well as to help them plan, he said. Farmers’ decisions are all about the returns on their investments.

“This applies to decisions about seed, fertility, fungicide, land, … equipment and technology,” said Parkinson.

“Even though every season is different, we know it’s pretty important to understand the past. Even though next week or next season will have some differences, being a good student of history can prepare you to make better decisions in the future.”

Video: How farmers are protecting the soil and our food security | DW Documentary

For a long time, soil was all but ignored. But for years, the valuable humus layer has been thinning. Farmers in Brandenburg are clearly feeling the effects of this on their sandy fields. Many are now taking steps to prepare their farms for the future.

Years of drought, record rainfall and failed harvests: we are becoming increasingly aware of how sensitively our environment reacts to extreme weather conditions. Farmers' livelihoods are at stake. So is the ability of consumers to afford food.

For a few years now, agriculture that focuses solely on maximum yields has been regarded with increasing skepticism. It is becoming more and more clear just how dependent we are on healthy soils.

Brandenburg is the federal state with the worst soil quality in Germany. The already thin, fertile humus layer has been shrinking for decades. Researchers and farmers who are keen to experiment are combating these developments and looking for solutions. Priority is being given to building up the humus layer, which consists of microorganisms and fungi, as well as springtails, small worms and centipedes.

For Lena and Philipp Adler, two young vegetable farmers, the tiny soil creatures are invaluable helpers. On their three-hectare organic farm, they rely on simple, mechanical weed control, fallow areas where the soil can recover, and diversity. Conventional farmer Mark Dümichen also does everything he can to protect soil life on his land. For years, he has not tilled the soil after the harvest and sows directly into the field. His yields have stabilized since he began to work this way.

Isabella Krause from Regionalwert AG Berlin-Brandenburg is convinced after the experiences of the last hot summers that new crops will thrive on Brandenburg's fields in the long term. She has founded a network of farmers who are promoting the cultivation of chickpeas with support from the scientific community.