Technology

On the show floor, New Holland will have more than 15 pieces of equipment, from combines to high-horsepower tractors to round balers. (Image source: CNH)

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. 

Fully automated cherry truss tomato harvesting robot 'Artemy.' (Image source: DENSO)

DENSO CORPORATION and its group company, Certhon Build BV have designed an innovative robot that can perform a series of cherry truss tomato harvesting tasks in a fully automatic manner

The fully automated cherry truss tomato harvesting robot, Artemy can perform a series of cherry truss tomato harvesting tasks:

• Automatic Harvesting Function: It automatically runs on a running lane and uses AI to determine the ripeness of cherry truss tomatoes. Only ripe tomatoes are selected, and cherry truss tomato peduncles are cut using scissors attached to the top of the harvesting robot arm and stored in the loaded crates.
• Automatic Lane Change Function: Artemy uses sensing technology to recognise obstacles in the path and the running lane to which it is traveling so it can move safely and accurately to adjacent running lanes even in trackless environment. 
• Automatic Crates Replacement: Artemy automatically replaces a full crate.
• Automatic Crates Transfer: When all six crates are loaded, Artemy automatically moves to the trolley where the empty crates are placed and replaces all the crates at once. 

Since Artemy has replaceable batteries, it can run for longer periods without down time for charging. It is also equipped with a cluster and a peduncle detection LED to achieve a highly accurate harvest under direct sunlight during the day and under supplemental lighting during the night. These functions enable continuous operation throughout the day and night, helping increase operational efficiency, address potential labour shortages and significantly reduce heavy work for farmers.

“DENSO's expertise in mobility and manufacturing, encompassing image recognition, safe driving, and robotics, is integrated into all of Artemy's operations, from the automatic harvesting of cherry truss tomato to the automatic lane changes," said DENSO's senior executive officer in charge of the Food Value Chain Business Development Division, Hidehiro Yokoo. "Going forward, DENSO will continue to combine its technology with Certhon's cultivation know-how and horticulture technology to achieve the stable production that DENSO and Certhon aim for worldwide, making it possible for ‘Growing anything, anywhere. For everyone.'”

The focus on ventilation, structural integrity, and ease of handling reflects a dedication to humane treatment and high-quality outcomes. (Image source: Walker Poultry Trailers)

Leading provider of specialised transport solutions for the poultry industry, Walker Poultry Trailers, highlights the critical role that well-designed poultry trailers play in ensuring animal welfare during transport

Founder of Walker Poultry Trailers, Dwayne Walker emphasises the significance of using advanced poultry live haul trailers to maintain high standards of animal welfare. Properly designed poultry trailers are essential in minimising stress and ensuring the humane treatment of birds throughout the journey.

A number of factors including ventilation, structural integrity and stability and easy loading and unloading are all key features that promote animal welfare. Firstly, adequate ventilation is crucial for maintaining proper airflow within the trailer. This helps prevent heat stress and suffocation, especially in warm climates. Secondly, the design of poultry trailers must ensure the structural integrity and stability of the transport units. This includes sturdy construction, appropriate spacing, and secure enclosures to prevent injury and overcrowding. Thirdly, trailers with well-designed ramps, adjustable heights, and non-slip surfaces facilitate the safe movement of birds.

The use of specialised poultry trailers offers several benefits to poultry companies, particularly in terms of animal welfare and operational efficiency. Dwayne Walker notes that the primary goal is to ensure that birds arrive at their destination in good condition, which directly impacts the quality of the end product. 

By providing a stable and controlled environment, poultry trailers help reduce mortality rates during transport. This not only supports animal welfare but also minimises financial losses associated with bird fatalities. Maintaining optimal conditions during transport helps preserve the health and quality of the birds. This is crucial for poultry companies aiming to deliver high-quality products to the market. The use of advanced poultry trailers aligns with industry regulations and animal welfare standards, which is increasingly important as consumers and regulatory bodies demand higher standards of animal care. Efficient loading and unloading processes, coupled with reduced stress on birds, streamline operations and improve overall efficiency.

The focus on ventilation, structural integrity, and ease of handling reflects a dedication to humane treatment and high-quality outcomes. In conclusion, the role of poultry trailers in ensuring animal welfare during transport cannot be overstated. The right equipment not only safeguards the well-being of birds but also enhances the efficiency and reputation of poultry companies.

Oxfam CNH project in Tunisia. (Image source: CNH)

CNH recently announced its partnership with Oxfam to support two social projects in Tunisia and South Africa 

The two projects namely, the Sumud Project and the Social Factory Initiative are aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDGs 8, 10 and 12. While the former project is focused on micro, small and medium sized farms in Tunisia, the latter is dedicated to creating a new model for plastic recycling and social inclusion in South Africa. 

The Sumud project will aid with implementing resilience and development plans for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) as well as social enterprises, led by the youth, women and disabled people. The objective of this project is to support around 1,000 people in the most vulnerable Tunisian communities. The project is spread over a total duration of three years and is focused mainly on promoting sustainable and inclusive economic growth in the governorates of Sfax, Mahdia, Siliana, and Tozeur. 

Financial, technical and training support for these businesses will be provided by CNH and Oxfam Italy. Moreover, this initiative is also suported by several private and public Italian bodies and Tunisian associations including Fondazione AVSI and APAD (Association for Sustainable Agriculture), among others. It is also co-financed by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation. 

CNH will actively involve in the project selection phase of agricultural enterprises and provide its expertise and technology, as well as training and coaching programmes to support participants- development and promote the socio-economic integration of youth and women.

"We believe that there’s no economic, social, and environmental justice without gender justice. This is why through our programmes we work to ensure that women and girls are able to defend their rights and build a better future for themselves," said general director of Oxfam Italy, Roberto Barbieri. "Thanks to CNH's contribution in our SUMUD project in Tunisia we are aiming to positively change the lives of women agricultural entrepreneurs and local communities."

The Social Factory project on the other hand, is based in the South African city of Ekurhuleni and will focus on the development of skills and job creation in waste collection. Given the challenging working conditions of waste colectors in South Africa, the project aims to provide direct support to 1,200 people, while also improving the living conditions of more than 300,000 people and households.