Computer controller tractors

[ddd75]

I know several people who are farm helpers.

With this new tech I'm not sure how long they will be employed as that.

New tech out right now you can control a tractor with grain cart to run beside the combine. no operator needed.

Coming probably next season.. GPS controlled tractors for plowing, discing, seeding, etc. anything you can program it to do.

Soon, the row croppers will be sittin in the pickup makin sure all the robots are doing a good job.. and they'll work all night.

costs involved will keep smaller operators out of this for a while, but i imagine it will let bigger ones get bigger, easier.

 

[True Grit Farms]

John Deere cost the cotton industry a bunch of jobs. And also saved having to buy a couple pieces of equipment. John Deere has the best R&D in the agricultural industry.

 

[Texasmark]

You think the robots will know to look over their shoulder every once in awhile to check that everything is going as planned? My experience.... when I do things go ok. When I get lazy and don't, !@#$% usually hits the fan.

 

[ohiosteve]

I don't think I'll see fully self driving tractors around here, in my lifetime. Maybe out west where they farm sections though. The family I work for does have two tractors and a combine that have auto-trac/auto-steer though, and we are going next week to look at a Hagie sprayer with auto steer. They are still a long ways from not needing an operator, and in fact I feel like my value as an operator has gone up since they are getting so technical that you need a trained operator to use them efficiently. I realize there is a big difference though between farming several dozen smaller irregular shaped fields like we do and farming a perfectly square 640 acre field in Kansas.

 

[ez14.]

We don't have any kind of GPS or auto steering on any of our tractors but even if we did I'm 100% sure my employer could still find plenty for me to do!

 

[sim.-ang.king]

The grain cart thing still needs someone to drive it to the truck, it's only for matching speed, and keeping in-line.
Still gonna need someone to work on everything.

Gonna need more handyman, and mechanics.

 

[msplmtneer]

Also computer techs. :tiphat:

 

[Nesikep]

who needs GPS?

 

[wbvs58]

You think the robots will know to look over their shoulder every once in awhile to check that everything is going as planned? My experience.... when I do things go ok. When I get lazy and don't, !@#$% usually hits the fan.

With the sensors they have in new motor vehicles these days, I am sure they will do a better job than you looking over your shoulder. I am getting to the point where I can't look over my shoulder and what I do see is all double.

Ken

 

[farmerjan]

who needs GPS?

Pretty area.
With all our small cut up places, just getting in and out of some of the gates would not be pretty.... I certainly would not trust a robot... :hide:

 

[Nesikep]

who needs GPS?

Pretty area.
With all our small cut up places, just getting in and out of some of the gates would not be pretty.... I certainly would not trust a robot... :hide:

that field is only about 8 acres

 

[ddd75]

I don't think I'll see fully self driving tractors around here, in my lifetime. Maybe out west where they farm sections though. The family I work for does have two tractors and a combine that have auto-trac/auto-steer though, and we are going next week to look at a Hagie sprayer with auto steer. They are still a long ways from not needing an operator, and in fact I feel like my value as an operator has gone up since they are getting so technical that you need a trained operator to use them efficiently. I realize there is a big difference though between farming several dozen smaller irregular shaped fields like we do and farming a perfectly square 640 acre field in Kansas.

12 self automated non-operator in cab already in the field this fall.

 

[ez14.]

I don't think I'll see fully self driving tractors around here, in my lifetime. Maybe out west where they farm sections though. The family I work for does have two tractors and a combine that have auto-trac/auto-steer though, and we are going next week to look at a Hagie sprayer with auto steer. They are still a long ways from not needing an operator, and in fact I feel like my value as an operator has gone up since they are getting so technical that you need a trained operator to use them efficiently. I realize there is a big difference though between farming several dozen smaller irregular shaped fields like we do and farming a perfectly square 640 acre field in Kansas.

12 self automated non-operator in cab already in the field this fall.

 

[Texasmark]

Also computer techs. :tiphat:

This is exactly the point on employment. Times and all that goes with it change. We have to adapt to keep pace. One thing that seems to abound today is the Jr. College. Back when I was in need of a higher education they didn't exist. Closest educational institution was U of Houston. I didn't have the money nor transportation to get to it, pay the fees, and attend.

Folks can easily choose something else that's popular in the work force and get educated easily. Win-win. We now have a college tax as part of our Advalorem Taxes. What was once a one campus, 2 year blue collar school is now a 4 year university with campuses scattered all over the county.

 

[T & B farms]

I used to think all the new technology was over kill, but I am big believer now. Precision planting, yield mapping, exact nutrient placement, section control, etc has all helped out my bottom line. The days of "good enough" or "close enough" are over.
Auto Section control on the planter and sprayer is my favorite feature. No wasted seed or chemical, and increased yeilds. I go to a 6 hour class every year that teaches the new software. It took a long time for my for my dad and uncle to catch on, but they have also seen the increased return from it. Another major benefit of gps is after a 16-18 hour day I used to be dead tired and majorly fatigued. Now those long days are not near as bad.
I don't see fully automated equipment becoming popular here. We have way to many small, oddball fields. I could see it in areas with large, flat fields.

 

[ddd75]

I don't think I'll see fully self driving tractors around here, in my lifetime. Maybe out west where they farm sections though. The family I work for does have two tractors and a combine that have auto-trac/auto-steer though, and we are going next week to look at a Hagie sprayer with auto steer. They are still a long ways from not needing an operator, and in fact I feel like my value as an operator has gone up since they are getting so technical that you need a trained operator to use them efficiently. I realize there is a big difference though between farming several dozen smaller irregular shaped fields like we do and farming a perfectly square 640 acre field in Kansas.

12 self automated non-operator in cab already in the field this fall.

thanks EZ for pointing that out.

I'll also point out one of those is actually being tested in OHIO.


Thanks for passing through.