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Author Archives: cdemuro

  1. How Remote Support Makes Your Life Easier

    Precision ag helps you manage your farm more efficiently in a number of ways. Whether it’s guidance and steering, yield monitoring, or maps and visualization, there are many farming solutions that fall under the precision ag umbrella. 

    Ease of Access

    One aspect of precision ag that’s often vital to the success of your farm – but less discussed – is the ability to access remote support. 

    In a traditional customer service model, you might access remote support by calling them on the phone or emailing them from a desktop computer. At Trimble, we know that farmers aren’t always operating at home or in their offices. Instead, they’re often out and about – monitoring the fields, overseeing planting and harvest, and operating miles away from their wifi router. 

    Get Help No Matter Where You Are 

    Resellers and farmers alike will benefit from the ability to access remote support from anywhere. 

    In the past, support technicians often had to drive out to farms, making site visits to inspect equipment or view physical challenges firsthand. Farmers often had to relegate their mapping and visualization precision ag technologies to desktop computers or devices that were limited to certain areas. 

    This setup negatively affected efficiency – it could potentially take hours out of the day to access and work with tech support. The arrangement was simply less convenient, too: from restrictions in support access to the frustration of having to put dependent operations on hold, farmers were being held back by limited tech support.

    Quick and Efficient Support When You Need It 

    Remote support addresses these problems by making it possible to access technical support more quickly and from more places. With precision ag solutions like Trimble TeamViewer and Precision-IQ™ (PIQ) version 6.60 technology, resellers and farmers can efficiently access on-demand remote support from their own fields. 

    TeamViewer is a leading software provider that enables remote control and device sharing for a range of industries. Trimble TeamViewer makes farmers’ lives easier by facilitating immediate, real-time access to experienced service technicians.

    Whether you’re having trouble with your internet connection or your equipment, you can reach an expert with the click of a button, getting dedicated help until the problem is solved. Simply click on TeamViewer app on your  Trimble display or mobile device, and you’ll be able to access focused, expert support from anywhere at any time.

    Connectivity is Key 

    TeamViewer also helps increase the interconnectivity of precision ag solutions: users can connect to Trimble devices from any place on the farm. This eliminates the need for multiple monitors, trips back to a tech home base, or the use of multiple complex tech systems at once. 

    Remote support becomes even more powerful when it is paired with centralized precision ag technologies, like the updated version of PIQ. 

    With this tool, users can access clearly designed, highly useful dashboards that provide farmers’ key functionalities. 

    Farmers can collect and instantly analyze data from their applications and processes. The interface is also upgraded, and shaped by farmers’ feedback, to provide touch-screen switch control, a simpler process for field selection criteria and more. 

    Solve Problems Faster 

    With TeamViewer and Precision IQ, remote support experts are empowered to solve problems faster: they can not only view a user’s screen – helping to give them specific, tailored instructions to solve a given tech problem – but also click buttons, streamlining the process of fixing a confusing tech glitch. 

    If you’ve ever tried to describe your screen to a customer support technician (a challenging task!) then you likely know how time-consuming and stressful it can be to hash out the details of technical support without your representative seeing the same thing at the same time.

    Together, these solutions give farmers and users more control and precision: they eliminate the need to wait for visits from tech support or juggle multiple devices, dashboards, and data analysis apps. 

    Trimble is Here For You

    TeamViewer helps to provide instant access to useful support directly from expert Trimble resellers, smoothing out errors and problems that arise during the course of a farming season. To put it simply, remote support makes life easier – and it improves farmer’s profit by cutting down on time spent accessing support while streamlining their ability to view, change, and manage data. 

    To learn more about Trimble TeamViewer and Precision-IQ, contact your local Trimble reseller today! 

  2. Top 10 Agriculture Trends to Watch in 2021

    The Top 10 Ag Trends to Look Out for in 2021

    As we say goodbye to 2020, it’s time to take a look at the top 10 agriculture trends to look out for in 2021. While individual trends are diverse, most point to two main themes: new technology and solutions for a changing climate. Watch for the following in 2021 as farmers strive to increase profits while preserving their land.

    1. Increased Use of Aerial Imaging

    More farmers will turn to aerial imaging to better manage their crops in 2021. Satellite imaging and drone technology allow farmers to see crop variations and issues that are hard to spot from the ground. When this data is coupled with precision ag technology, farmers will be able to manage their crops more accurately, allowing for increased profits.

    2. A Focus on Water Management

    According to NOAA, costly extreme weather events such as heavy rainfalls and droughts, are increasing. In the United States alone, there were 16 weather events that resulted in at least $1 billion in damages. These events not only damage homes, but also farmland and crops. To help mitigate the risks of these events, farmers will utilize water management tools and technology to better handle these extreme events.

    3. Regenerative Agriculture

    Due to concerns about climate change and weather volatility, more consumers are pushing organizations and individuals to adopt regenerative agriculture practices. This broad term refers to practices that increase soil carbon sequestration, such as reduced tillage and the use of cover crops. While professionals debate whether regenerative agriculture will be a solution for climate change mitigation, scientists agree these practices increase soil health and fertility.

    4. Precise Nitrogen Applications

    Increasing concerns about agriculture’s role in the release of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide will lead to more precise applications of nitrogen fertilizers. Technologies such as the GreenSeeker® crop sensing system and the Field-IQ™ input control system will help growers meet plant nitrogen needs without overapplying fertilizer, which leads to decreased costs and increased profits. One study showed that using the GreenSeeker® with barley reduced N applications by 50% while maintaining yield.

    5. Digital Information Sharing

    In many cases, COVID-19 made it essential for farmers and industry members to transition from in-person chats to digital meetings. Even after the pandemic diminishes, it’s likely that much of this communication will remain digital. When farmers can share data, sign paperwork, and receive advice digitally, it saves them time and money. This allows for increased communication with equipment providers, crop advisors, and other professionals.

    6. Localized Weather Data

    Gone are the days when checking the weather meant looking at a zip code’s forecast. In-field sensors allow for instantaneous and accurate readings of wind, rainfall, and temperature. When combined with data management software, this accurate weather data will help inform spraying, irrigating, and harvest windows.

    7. Accurate Yield Predictions

    New technologies will allow farmers to quickly and accurately predict yields before crops are harvested. With accurate yields, farmers will be able to find buyers for all of their harvest, eliminating food waste and increasing profits. Furthermore, yield monitoring technology will help inform the following year’s variety selection and yield.

    8. Investments in Indoor Farming

    Startup companies continue to receive support for the indoor production of produce such as lettuce and tomatoes. Hundreds of vertical farming startups aim to utilize sensors and protective culture to produce vegetables in small spaces close to urban areas. Investors will also continue backing rural operations such as AppHarvest in Kentucky, USA.

    9. Field Mapping

    According to BusinessWire, the global digital agriculture market is expected to record a CAGR of 9.9% between 2020-2021, and field mapping will see the largest growth. It’s no surprise, since field mapping allows for more accurate planting, spraying, and harvesting.

    10. Data Integration

    Even if you have information about yields, input costs, soil type, and weather conditions, integrating this data is key to putting it to use. Data management software will allow farmers to leverage this data to inform their decision making. Plus, this data can be used in real-time to make adjustments such as altering planting depth based on available moisture.

    Stay on Top of Trends

    Since many of these top 10 trends point to an increase in the adoption of precision agriculture technology, connect with your local reseller to learn more about integrating these technologies into your farm.

  3. It’s the Most Wonderful (and Precise) Time of the Year!

    While the weather outside might be frightful, it makes no difference for jolly old St. Nick. Snow or sleet, rain or shine, in the wild jungles or the wild urban canyons, he has a magic trick up his sleeve to ensure every present is delivered to its rightful recipient in every corner of the globe.

    Luckily, his trick is available to every farmer who needs precise positioning to get their job done! No matter what you farm, how you farm or where you’re located, Santa’s magic is delivered by Trimble CenterPoint RTX.

    Why, do you ask, would Santa Claus need any kind of assistance in delivering presents to all the good boys and girls around the world? We’ll tell you why!

    For starters, Trimble CenterPoint RTX is the largest, high-performance Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) in the world. No other GNSS correction service provides the same combined level of accuracy, convergence speed, flexibility and geographic coverage. 

    Because of the power behind CenterPoint RTX, its horizontal positioning accuracy is less than one inch (two centimeters), ensuring each present is dropped down exactly the right chimney! And, Santa’s access to CenterPoint RTX increases productivity (getting him home sooner than later to Mrs. Claus!), reduces operational costs (important when rebuilding from setbacks in production schedules) and improves safety (gotta keep him and the reindeer safely in the air).

    By providing a single, continuous correction technology platform, Santa can safely guide his sleigh hands-free while pulling the right present for the right person out of his sack of goodies. An added bonus for Santa is that Trimble’s global team of engineering elves are available 365/24/7. There’s no chance an out of office message will be received should any challenges arise. And, with more than 20 years of innovation and leadership in GNSS, Santa can be confident in knowing his network is reliable and accurate.

    Santa is too busy to tell you himself, but if you want to know more about Trimble CenterPoint RTX and how it can benefit your projects requiring precise positioning, contact your local Trimble Authorized Business Partner or visit Trimble’s online store to start your subscription for Trimble RTX-compatible GNSS receivers. It’s the best present you can give to yourself this holiday season!

  4. 5 Reasons to Say Goodbye to Conventional Spraying Practices

    Herbicides, insecticides, fungicides and fertilizer — many inputs are applied through the sprayer. 

    But spraying these chemicals and fertilizer the conventional way can end up costing farmers a lot of money, whether it’s wasted resources, ineffective pest control, or even damage to the crop. The more often you make a pass without precision ag technologies on the sprayer, the more likely you’re making costly errors. 

    We spoke with Scott Shearer, Professor and Chair of the Agricultural Engineering Department at The Ohio State University, and Joe Luck, Associate Professor and Precision Agriculture Engineer at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, about why farmers should adopt precision ag for their spraying practices and the benefits you’ll reap in doing so.

    1. You want to reduce your chemical and fertilizer bills.

    One of the most common issues Shearer and Luck see with conventional spraying is overapplication. 

    This happens when the sprayer goes over an area it has already sprayed, resulting in overlaps, or it sprays parts of the field that don’t need application. 

    Growers can use automatic section control to solve this problem, which works by turning off sections of the boom or even individual nozzles when it reaches a boundary or a part of the field already sprayed.

    For a lot of farmers, it can provide a great return on investment (ROI) quickly.

    Ohio State research has shown that farmers can see excess application rates of 12-17%, so Shearer suggests taking 10-15% of your chemical bill and seeing if the savings from that would be greater than the investment in section control. For most farmers he’s worked with, the payback period has been as little as 1 year to 18 months. “That was a pretty common number we see all the time,” Shearer says.

    Luck has also seen growers achieve significant savings from investing in section control. For one farmer in Kentucky he worked with, the $3,000 investment produced $5,000 in savings the first year.

    To reduce input costs even further, you can explore using variable-rate (VRT) or sensor-based technologies.

    Fields don’t have uniform yield potential or even soil types, so for nitrogen application, Shearer says it makes sense to adopt VRT to adjust the rate across the field. Luck adds that since pre-emergence herbicides can require different rates based on soil type, you could variable-rate your herbicide application in fields with variable soils.

    Trimble’s WeedSeeker2 and GreenSeeker take these savings a step further. Using optical sensors to identify weeds or nitrogen variability in the crop, respectively, they help ensure applications are as precise as possible. 

    1. You don’t have perfectly square-shaped fields.

    Most growers can expect to see a good ROI from automatic section control because they have irregularly shaped fields. 

    “If you have perfectly square fields, your savings are not going to be that great,” Luck says.

    “It could be 2-3%. That’s some of the minimum savings we saw [from spraying data collected from growers in Kentucky].”

    But as the field boundaries and obstacles get more complex — such as point rows, angled headlands, or grass waterways that cut through the field — the savings can go up substantially, he says. In the data out of Kentucky, some fields saw savings as high as 30%.

    Automatic section control isn’t the only sprayer technology beneficial for odd-shaped fields. Luck says most farmers don’t realize how much they turn in their fields, and when they turn, the sprayer isn’t applying a consistent rate across the boom.

    Why does this happen? Because the inside of the boom isn’t traveling the same distance as the outside, Shearer explains. 

    “It’s the same elapsed time to cover that inside arc as the outside arc,” he says. “The spray boom on the outside has to go at a much higher velocity to make that turn.”

    With booms only getting wider, Shearer adds the inside of the turn may have 3-4 times the target application rate, while the outside may be as low as 25-30%.

    The precision ag solution to this issue is turn compensation technologies, which use pulse width modulation in the nozzles to adjust the application rate during turns.

    1. You’ve experienced crop damage from your spraying.

    Another reason sprayer overapplication is so costly is that it can have serious consequences to your yield. 

    Soybean injury from herbicide and wheat lodged from excess nitrogen are two common yield-reducing effects Shearer has seen with overapplication.

    But it’s not just cash crops. Shearer has seen growers accidentally spray out their grass waterways, which means they either need to reseed them — an additional expense — or risk soil erosion. 

    While automatic section control can prevent overapplication and spraying outside of the fields, application speed may contribute to these problems. Shearer says that anytime you decelerate in the field, pressure increases in the system, resulting in a higher spray rate. It’s another instance where pulse width modulation nozzles could pay off because they’ll keep the rate consistent.

    But if crop damage occurs because of application drift, you should consider boom height control, which automatically raises and lowers the boom based on the crop’s height.

    “The higher the boom unnecessarily gets from the target, that’s just more drift potential,” says Luck. 

    Shearer adds that boom height control makes a lot of sense for farmers with elevation differences, especially as the width in equipment increases.

    1. You’re not getting effective pest control. 

    Sometimes the problems you see from spraying are the result of underapplication. 

    If you’re experiencing inadequate weed, insect or disease control, it could be a sign that your sprayer boom is too low, resulting in insufficient application coverage.

    “With a flat-fan nozzle, we depend on a 50% overlap,” Shearer says. “If that spraying boom is too close to the crop, you could be getting ineffective control because you’re getting striping in that crop. In other words, we didn’t have the ability for those nozzles to make that flat-fan pattern overlap before they hit the top of the crop canopy.”

    But it might be due to your application speed. Acceleration causes the pressure to drop, Shearer says, so if you see insufficient pest control in areas where you typically speed up, then pulse width modulation nozzles would likely be a good investment.

    1. You already have the components to be more precise with your spraying.

    If you have some level of precision ag, chances are there’s an opportunity to make some of these technologies a reality for minimal investment.

    Shearer worked with about half a dozen farmers in Ohio on adopting section control, and most farmers were only missing a component or two — an investment of around $500.

    “In many cases, it was getting the farmers to export boundaries from their farm management information systems and upload them to the controller,” he says. 

    The payoff for investing in those extra components was well worth it.

    “I don’t think there’s any question about it. Farmers on all scales are going to benefit from it,” says Shearer. 

    “If I walk onto a farm and I don’t see [automatic section control], that’s one of the first things in terms of technological investments I begin talking to the farmer about, because I know they’re going to be better off with that technology than without.”

    If you’re interested in adopting some of these technologies or wondering how you can take your precision ag implementation a step further, we can help. Contact your local Trimble Ag Reseller today.

  5. 7 Ways Small Farms Can Benefit from Precision Ag

    How Smaller Farms Can Benefit from Precision Ag

    Precision ag is often considered a tool that only applies to large, broadacre farms. But the truth is, even farms with less than 500 acres can find opportunities to capitalize on PA tools and technologies.

    We spoke with precision ag experts Wes Porter, University of Georgia Associate Professor, and Bruce Erickson, Agronomy Education Distance and Outreach Director at Purdue University, to discuss how small farms can reap the benefits of precision ag. 

    Gather data for better decision-making

    To get started with precision ag, you need to have an understanding of what you’re trying to change or improve on your farm — which is why the first step for any size operation is to gather and analyze data from every action performed.

    1. Start with the soil.

    Every farmer knows there are parts of their farm that don’t look as good or perform as well, says Erickson, and you can use precision ag tools like remote sensing or site-specific soil sampling to identify the cause of those issues. 

    Porter agrees that one of the first ways small farms can adopt precision ag is to implement a precise soil sampling strategy.

    “You’re going to get better information from grid or zone sampling than you would from one composite sample that represents a whole field,” he says. 

    Grid sampling is the most common option, where you lay a grid on the field and create a composite sample from each of the grids to help capture variability. Porter advises using smaller grids for high-value crops and bigger grids for broadacre crops.

    But if you have additional information about your fields that may correlate to production variabilities, such as yield or soil type data, you can create zones from that information for zone sampling.

    2. Utilize free or low-cost tools to learn more about your fields.

    Another way to gather more data about your fields is to use free or low-cost smartphone and tablet apps, which Porter says most farmers overlook. Scouting, satellite imagery, and weather apps can all help you identify trends across your fields.

    Strategically apply precision ag to solve problems

    Once you’ve gathered enough data about your farm to identify inconsistencies, it’s time to evaluate where it makes sense to implement precision ag to address those issues.

    3. Outsource precision ag tasks.

    One reason small farms often discount precision ag as an option for their operation is the investment it can require. Larger farms can justify the investment because they have more acres to spread out the cost, says Erickson.

    But you don’t have to buy the technology yourself to use it. Erickson suggests hiring out certain precision ag practices such as variable-rate spraying or fertilizer application to your ag retailer, so you can reap the benefits of the technology without having to bear the full cost.

    4. Target certain acres.

    Another option Porter offers is to only apply precision ag to the fields that would benefit the most from it, as this could help cut down on both the financial and time investment required.

    “If we’re talking about your 400-acre farm size or smaller, it’s usually a lot of smaller fields patched around — not one 400-acre field,” he says. “Maybe out of those 400 acres, I’m going only to implement a precision ag strategy on 200 of them and focus on where I’m going to have the largest impact.

    Erickson suggests targeting fields that have more variation in soils or crop responses since those often respond more to variable-rate applications.

    5. Consider crop and input value.

    It’s important to point out here that having a smaller acreage doesn’t mean that you can’t see significant savings from precision ag, especially if you have high-value crops or expensive inputs.

    Erickson explains that historically a lot of precision ag has focused on commodity crops, where often the goal is to be a low-cost producer. The high use in broadacre crops is partially because some of the more commonly used precision ag technologies have been autoguidance and section controllers, he says, which are more about saving input expenses vs. increasing yields.

    “But if you’re producing orchard crops, or vegetables or vineyards, those types of specialty crops, there could be advantages to doing some of the site-specific precision ag, as the value per acre is so much greater,” he says.  “With broadacre crops, the cost savings is a big thing, but with specialty crops, it’s more the overall value you’re providing to the customer.”

    In short: the higher the value of the crop you’re growing, the less acreage you need to justify the investment of precision ag, because even small input savings or improvement in crop quality may go a long way toward ROI. 

    Even if you’re not growing specialty crops, you may be surprised to see just how much you could save on inputs from implementing precision ag. Porter has a colleague at the University of Georgia who installed soil moisture sensors on his small farm and can’t see ever doing irrigation without them.

    “He calculated how much money he’s saving on water and sees it’s paying for those systems within a year,” Porter says.

    6. Look for entry-level options.

    There are plenty of affordable options for small farmers who want to purchase precision ag for their farm. Porter recommends looking at entry-level technologies such as basic guidance systems and rate controllers.

    “A lightbar or cheap retrofitted ‘autosteer’ will help start saving on chemicals and fertilizers, even for farms that are just using a small buggy, because it’s easy to overlap or miss some areas with manual steering,” he says. “You won’t see the same level of efficiency as you would with RTK, but for the size of your farm and investment, it could make a difference.”

    He adds that you can usually move them between vehicles for even greater use.

    Don’t forget about smartphone apps that may only require a time investment. For example, Porter recommends anyone doing irrigation use an app that tracks rainfall so you can create an irrigation schedule based on when you need to irrigate, rather than just doing it a certain number of times.

    7. Don’t discount labor and time savings. 

    Sometimes the value in precision ag can’t be penciled into hard numbers. Reduction in operator fatigue and improved work quality are two such benefits that can be hard to calculate into an ROI but have a very positive impact on farms of any size.

    For instance, older farmers may want to consider autosteer because it makes it easier to continue farming and reduces the need for additional labor, Erickson says.

    “It takes some of the grind out if,” he adds. “It’s not necessarily just pure money all the time.”

    Precision Ag Has a Place

    The one thing Porter doesn’t want small farmers to do is to sell themselves short on how precision ag can help them. 

    “You just have to look at your operation and see where it fits in for you,” he says. “Don’t say, ‘Well, I only farm 400 acres, it’s not worth my time to look at any of this. It might be more worth your time when you’re a smaller farm because the profitability can be even harder without that volume. This may provide you a better opportunity to become more profitable or have best management practices.” 

    If you’d like some guidance on how precision ag can best fit your small farm, contact your local Trimble reseller today.

  6. Trimble Propels Agri-Food Innovation at Virtual World Agri-Tech Summit


    When you think of agtech, you think innovation.

    This innovation spans every facet of the food supply chain, from precisely planting seeds to monitoring how food is purchased in the grocery store. 

    All of these unique pieces are working towards a united goal: to improve the agri-food system for a more productive and sustainable industry.

    Global Innovation

    This month’s virtual World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit on September 15-16 brought together top agri-businesses, agri-food companies, technology providers, and investors from around the globe to discuss the future of global agri-food systems. 

    Primary discussion topics of the online event included automation, digital platforms, localized food systems, and more. Overall, the summit provides a platform for leading agribusinesses around the world to collaborate and share pertinent information that will guide the future of the industry.

    Trimble served as a Gold Partner of the event, where over 900 senior global agri-food industry delegates from 54 countries attended. Participants could sit in on live-streamed roundtable discussions, panel sessions, and interactive Q&As with 95 speakers from the world’s leading agribusinesses. 

    Connecting the Physical + Digital

    Trimble Agriculture Vice President and General Manager Jim Chambers served as a key speaker in multiple sessions for the online event. 

    Chambers held two high-profile speaking spots, participating in the panel discussion “Automation and Digitization: Platforms and Business Models That Deliver Value for Farmers” as well as the roundtable discussion and Q&A: “What are the right channel partners to take your digital ag solution to market?”

    Chambers shared his agriculture expertise with top industry representatives and explained how Trimble Agriculture is working diligently to help farmers be more productive, sustainable, and profitable through precision agriculture.

    “At Trimble, we are all about the physical and digital combined, which includes planning, optimizing, and documenting the work that is being done in the field,” said Chambers. 

    Noting the focus on maximizing productivity and profitability for farmers through data, “It also depends on the crop and situation about how much real money can be retained or earned through this.”

    Jim Chambers, Trimble Ag Vice President and General Manager, participates in the virtual World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit on Sept. 15-16. Photo c/o World Agri-Tech.

    A Better Future

    Above all, the event promoted innovation across the ag ecosystem, encouraging robust attendee participation and interactive discussions with industry leaders.

    Additional activities included a virtual exhibition and start-up pitches, as well as the opportunity for participants to connect through 1-1 video meetings, polls, and group chats to exchange ideas and follow up with keynote speakers.

    According to event hosts, this virtual conference “re-confirmed the need for collaboration to achieve success in developing more efficient, resilient, and sustainable farming systems.”

    Together, the agriculture industry continues to strive for a stronger and more resilient future – and Trimble Agriculture is deeply committed and proud to be a part of it.

    For more information, please visit worldagritechinnovation.com.

     

  7. Trimble Select Introduces Sencrop for Ag Weather Data Sensing

    A great precision ag solutions suite needs great data to work with.

    That’s why French ag-tech startup Sencrop was chosen as the newest Trimble Select Partner. Sencrop develops and implements connected, accessible, and collaborative solutions based on agro-environmental data collection in order to make precision agricultural monitoring technology available to everyone.

    Ag-Weather Solutions

    A leader in ag-weather solutions connected to farm plots, Sencrop is the only connected ag-weather station solution available through Trimble in Europe. Under the Trimble Select Partner Program, Sencrop’s connected ag-weather station is available to customers through the Trimble and Vantage™ distribution networks in Europe as part of Trimble’s marketplace dedicated to precision agriculture.

    It’s important for farmers to have real-time weather data from their fields when performing tasks such as plowing, planting, or harvesting. Sencrop strives to develop more accurate, efficient, and environmentally responsible agricultural techniques and practices for widespread implementation.

    Trimble Select Partnership

    Sencrop is thrilled to collaborate with Trimble and have the support of a major player on the international ag-tech scene.

    “We are enthusiastic to have been chosen as a Trimble Select Partner and to be associated with this strong brand, well-known in the agricultural sector. The establishment of a commercial relationship with Trimble’s distribution network in Europe contributes to our goal to offer an integrated digital service to farmers and bring them innovative solutions, allowing for good decision-making regarding interventions in their plots, in alignment with Trimble’s product line. To take part in the Trimble Select program is an ideal distribution vehicle for Sencrop,” said co-founders Martin Ducroquet and Michael Bruniaux.

    Partnering for the Future

    This relationship will allow farmers across the globe the opportunity to increase the precision of interventions on their plots by sharing weather data among them. By collaborating with Trimble, a leader in the global ag-tech industry, Sencrop intends to increase its network of agro-weather stations and to expand its collaborative network.

    The companies are excited to introduce this ag weather-data technology to Trimble dealers and customers worldwide. Trimble has been at the forefront of the agriculture business for many years and recognizes Sencrop as a technology innovator in agricultural weather products.

    This announcement occurs five months after the Sencrop buy-out of sensor specialist Visio-Green, which allowed for Sencrop to strengthen its position as a leader in connected agricultural weather-data.

    First Stage: Europe

    As a Trimble Select Partner, Sencrop is available in its Trimble Dealer and Vantage networks. Distribution is primarily focused on the European market.

    “We are excited to have Sencrop join our growing network of Trimble Select Partners,” said Kevin Barkow, Global Manager of Strategic Projects for Trimble’s Agriculture Division. “As a key player in the European market of connected ag weather-data, Sencrop has the optimum technology to sustain precise, efficient, and eco-friendly agriculture. This aligns with Trimble’s mission of providing farmers with precision ag technology that helps reduce cost, improve yields, and is environmentally conscious.”

    “Our Trimble Vantage and Trimble Dealer networks represent some of the world’s leading precision technology experts and will serve as the best partner to promote and distribute Sencorp products within the European Union,” Barkow said.

    Trimble Select is excited to bring this solution to our resellers and customers.

    To access Sencrop on Trimble Select’s platform, click here. Please contact your local reseller for more information.

  8. Trimble LATAM team participates in World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit

    Last week, the Trimble Agriculture Latin America (LATAM) team represented Trimble as a key participant in the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit in South America on July 29 and 30.

    This collaborative virtual event served as a platform for some of the biggest players in the agriculture industry to discuss the most cutting edge technology on the market and how it can create a more connected, sustainable industry.

    Virtual Connection

    From the latest technology in AI to remote sensing, IOT and more, participants had the opportunity to share ideas and initiatives with other ag leaders and innovators around the world.

    In the first-ever virtual edition of the event, key speakers communicated solutions and strategies to improve efficiency, resiliency, and sustainability in South America’s agriculture and livestock farming sectors. Participants engaged in individual meetings, interactive group discussions and startup proposals, and listened to critical intelligence from industry leaders.

    Global Reach

    Trimble Agriculture Latin America Director of Sales Abe Hughes was one such speaker at the global event, serving as an expert resource on essential industry topics.

    According to Hughes, the event’s central objective is to promote interactive group discussions and global leaders to evaluate solutions for the industry to emerge from the current crisis.

    “Trimble was one of the main supporters for the event to take place in Brazil,” said Hughes. “We are fully satisfied to offer such an exclusive and enriching content for agribusiness in the country.”

    Trimble Inc. was a Gold Partner of the event. Key themes of the 2020 South America summit included precision agriculture technology, agricultural management, artificial intelligence and automation, investment and incubation, and more. 

    Past, Present and Future

    Since 2013, the annual World Agri-Tech Innovation Series has taken place in San Francisco and London. Agricultural leaders from around the globe, including agribusiness companies, tech suppliers, startups and investors, gather to engage with other ag titans and discover the latest innovations throughout the industry.

    Covering all components of the agrifood supply chain, it provides an opportunity to debate trends and solutions that frame the future of ag.

    The next virtual World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit will take place on September 15-16, 2020. For more information, please visit worldagritechinnovation.com. 

  9. 5 Key Takeaways from THRIVE Innovation Series Webinar with Trimble CEO Rob Painter

    It’s not often that two CEOs have the opportunity to engage in thoughtful discussion about the future of their industries in a public forum.

    Trimble CEO Rob Painter and John Hartnett, CEO of SVG Ventures-THRIVE, an organization focused on the future of food and agriculture, shared such a discussion last week in “Trimble: Connecting the Physical and Digital to Transform Agriculture.”

    This discussion and Q&A session was part of the THRIVE Innovation Series, in which industry leaders discuss the latest in food supply chain innovations, challenges, and trends.

    The July 9 virtual event was the most popular and well-attended of the THRIVE series, with 1,286 registered attendees from over 80 countries. The audience comprised of farmers, corporate entities, start-up entities, and academic participants.

    In this live webinar, Painter and Hartnett discussed important emerging topics related to the future of agriculture, including how ag technology is adapting to the “new normal” of COVID-19, what challenges and opportunities exist related to rural connectivity, and what’s next for agriculture automation. 

    Painter also shared his vision for Trimble Agriculture and the Connected Farm vision, as well as how Trimble supports agricultural entrepreneurs and start-ups through the Trimble Select Partners program.

    1. COVID-19 and Agriculture: Increased Digitalization

    The global COVID-19 pandemic has put the world in a tizzy, and farmers across the globe are finding new ways to connect with their customers and find support.

    Notably, the current pandemic has highlighted farmers’ ability to embrace technology out of necessity.

    “The pandemic is amplifying some of the digitization trends we see in the market,” he said.

    Such trends spur from widespread challenges that farmers continue to face throughout the pandemic. Some of the top farmer challenges include labor shortages, the ability to optimize profitability through production, and using data to make better decisions with a faster turnaround.

    Painter views these challenges as opportunities to create a better “normal” in the context of agricultural technology and the overall food supply chain. 

    According to Painter, farms have quickly adapted to a digital-first environment, and Trimble has also found an increased ability to provide remote support.

    “We were fortunate for the years of investments we’ve made in the technology that enables us today to be able to support, train, and service our customers who are out in the field and to be able to do that on a remote basis,” said Painter. “That’s been a really important pivot to us because that direct interaction is fundamental to the business.”

    2. Agricultural Autonomy: Gradual Progress to Network Optimization

    Another hot topic on the market is autonomy in the agricultural industry. But Painter doesn’t think machines will take over farming operations anytime soon.

    Rather, he believes that a progressive series of automation will be key to establishing autonomy among farming operations moving forward, starting with operator assistance, then machine and process optimization, and ultimately network optimization.

    “We see abilities to automate workflows in the near future,” said Painter. “It could be crop spraying, tilling the land, lead-follow concepts at harvest time. Taking discreet workflows that have specific opportunities to be optimized and made more efficient.”

    3. Challenges in Rural Locales: Cloud Connectivity

    In discovering these positive shifts in the industry, other challenges are unearthed. 

    Rural connectivity is a long-standing obstacle that many farms throughout the globe are faced with. In light of COVID-19, it’s clear that connectivity is essential for farms. Painter shared Trimble’s hypothesis that connectivity will happen in the cloud. This will also facilitate the future of autonomous farming.

    “If that process is going to happen in the cloud, you’ve got to have connectivity to the cloud,” said Painter. “You take it to its logical extension to autonomous farming and you have to have connectivity, not just to the cloud but machine to machine.”

    4. The Trimble Agriculture Vision: A Connected Farm Future

    When it comes to connecting the physical and digital world, Painter envisions a more connected agricultural ecosystem through the Trimble Connected Farm.

    This vision encompasses the seamless marriage of hardware and software that Trimble provides to facilitate more connected farms across the globe. Trimble Connected Farm uses real-time farm data to keep farmers with a mixed fleet operation engaged and up to speed with what’s happening in their field at all times in order to make smarter, more profitable decisions.

    5. Maximize Market Visibility: Trimble Select Program

     Painter’s biggest advice to start-ups and entrepreneurs in the ag industry? Start with the consumer and work backward.

    “Consider the needs of the farmers – The most important being ease of use, tangible ROI, and local support.”

    The Trimble Select program provides an opportunity for companies with aligned or mutual goals to gain increased market access. It is the first precision ag marketplace to bring unique and complementary products to the farming community through Trimble’s worldwide network of Vantage and Trimble Resellers.

    “We see the network of technology dealers, retailers, and agronomists as important parts of the ecosystem that really can’t be discounted,” said Painter. 

    To learn more about the Trimble Select program, click here. 

    Trimble Agriculture extends a huge thank-you to John Hartnett and SVG Ventures-THRIVE for hosting and inviting Trimble CEO Rob Painter to join the THRIVE Innovation Series! Be a part of the conversation with the THRIVE Innovation Series and connect with SVG Ventures on their website.

    You can view the full webinar recording here.

  10. Trimble Stands with the Black Community

    Racial injustice is heartbreaking and unconscionable. We, at Trimble, are deeply saddened by the senseless tragedies and systematic racism and its pervasive presence. We will use our voice and not stay silent. We stand in solidarity and will speak up against this injustice.

    We believe in belonging, inclusion and diversity to best represent the communities and customers we serve. We are committed to increasing diversity within our company. We are engaging our employee base to promote change and will publish a series of commitments in the upcoming weeks and months.
    We will not stay silent.

    #blacklivesmatter

    To read the full statement of this important message from Trimble CEO Rob Painter, please click here.