Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Future of Farming: Robot Farmers? What do you think of this concept video?

What do you think farming technology will capable of in 50 - 100 years?
Joe

Views: 1308

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by OntAG Admin on February 21, 2012 at 3:47am

Replies on Twitter:


CornellFarmsFeb 19, 9:03pm via Web

@OntAg Facinating video.

Show Conversation
mattymetzgerFeb 18, 5:20pm via TweetDeck

@OntAg more robotics yes, but not in that form

Show Conversation
ScoutingFieldsFeb 18, 9:58am via Web

@OntAg Interesting Robot concept. With precision farming technologies,changes are happening at a fast pace. check outbit.ly/p1ygWM

1 retweetsHide conversation
OntAg

OntAg: #ontag Chat Forum: Future of Farming: Robot Farmers? What do you think of this concept video?http://t.co/7MFJig4R

Permalink Reply by Iain Robson on December 13, 2012 at 11:49pm

Quite an interesting video. I just recently wrote a blog post about why young farmers love tech and this play along to that. While I don't talk about robots I definitely talk about being more efficient at the farm.

This video is also very thought provoking because many people feel that robots will take over, but not in a good way. Think about i-robot. I wonder how many farmers would jump on something like this if it was affordable. 

What kind of technology do you use on your farms?

Permalink Reply by Joe Dales on December 19, 2012 at 9:35am

Hi Iain,

Welcome to the Ontario Agriculture Community website.

It sounds like you are interested in farming and getting a handle on the technology.

I suggest that you go visit a farm machinery dealership in your area and ask to talk to the Precision Ag Specialist.

They will show you some of the interesting new tools farmers have to be more efficient....autosteer, gps, record keeping...

Take care,

 

Joe

 

Permalink Reply by Joe Dales on December 19, 2012 at 9:38am

Here is a video we did with the Propero inventor this summer.

Permalink Reply by Iain Robson on December 19, 2012 at 9:48am

Thanks Joe, 

That is a great idea. I will have to set up a time to go check out some of the stuff they have out there now.

It is awesome to see what they are doing nowadays. I wonder how many robots like that you would have to have to plant 100 acres. 

Iain

Joe Dales said:

Hi Iain,

Welcome to the Ontario Agriculture Community website.

It sounds like you are interested in farming and getting a handle on the technology.

I suggest that you go visit a farm machinery dealership in your area and ask to talk to the Precision Ag Specialist.

They will show you some of the interesting new tools farmers have to be more efficient....autosteer, gps, record keeping...

Take care,

 

Joe

 

Permalink Reply by Joe Dales on December 19, 2012 at 9:55am

The little Prospero robot is more of a concept by the young inventor....not sure if it makes sense as a corn planter...current tractor and planters are increasing in size and sophistication...pretty efficient and effective at placing the seed.

Here is a video we did this spring with our friend Larry planting corn....he uses gps autosteer to make sure there is no seeding wasted with overlap.

 

 

 

 

Permalink Reply by Iain Robson on December 19, 2012 at 10:42am

My only problem with that type of technology is how do the small farms afford it. That could almost be a whole topic in itself.

Awesome video though.

Permalink Reply by Paul Smith on December 19, 2012 at 3:20pm

Technology is here to stay, maybe not with planting robots, but precision Ag is now a way farming.  Truthfully in a lot of cases if you are not using precision Ag solutions you are leaving money somewhere on the table.

Data management to me is the next buzz word in Ag, it is what farmers use to make decisions on Variable Rate Application, inputs and seed population and even water management.  To make the most profitable choices you need the proper accurate data and that’s were precision Ag is going.

Sometimes it is easier for smaller operations to implement changes like precision since the intial investment is not as high as the BTO's farming.

 

Permalink Reply by Iain Robson on December 19, 2012 at 11:11pm

What type of initial investment are we talking for a small farm?

Paul Smith said:

Technology is here to stay, maybe not with planting robots, but precision Ag is now a way farming.  Truthfully in a lot of cases if you are not using precision Ag solutions you are leaving money somewhere on the table.

Data management to me is the next buzz word in Ag, it is what farmers use to make decisions on Variable Rate Application, inputs and seed population and even water management.  To make the most profitable choices you need the proper accurate data and that’s were precision Ag is going.

Sometimes it is easier for smaller operations to implement changes like precision since the intial investment is not as high as the BTO's farming.

 

Permalink Reply by Paul Smith on December 20, 2012 at 8:55am

starting at 2000 and the sky is the limit, but hi end systems run around 15K, alot has to do with the dealers knowledge how they can train customers to collect and manage the data to make gains on the farm

Permalink Reply by Iain Robson on December 20, 2012 at 9:27am

And that 2000 could be put on any tractor, or would it have to be on certain types that already have some stuff on them.

Paul Smith said:

starting at 2000 and the sky is the limit, but hi end systems run around 15K, alot has to do with the dealers knowledge how they can train customers to collect and manage the data to make gains on the farm

Permalink Reply by Paul Smith on December 20, 2012 at 9:35am

2000 would be just a display, that could be used for guidance(it tells you where to drive to be efficient) by a means of a light bar and it can be used in any piece of equipment on a farm.  Main uses for these are tillage, spraying and less accurate planting.

Systems that steer for you start around 5K and most applications top out around 14K for most cash crop operations.

▶ Reply to Discussion

RSS

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

*Webinars* Strategies for Reducing Calf Losses: Veterinary Insights from Across Canada

Are calf losses cutting into your beef operation’s productivity and profitability? You are not alone! The BCRC is hosting two 90-minute webinars featuring veterinarians from across Canada who work directly with cow-calf operations like yours. A March 18 webinar will feature veterinarians who work with Eastern Canadian cow-calf operations, sharing insights on practical prevention strategies to implement before, during and after calving to increase calf survivability. During the March 25 webinar, Western Canadian veterinarians will outline regionally relevant approaches for reducing calf losses, highlighting essential pre-calving strategies and practical management techniques to use during calving to help ensure healthier outcomes for both cows and calves.   Both webinars will include an extended Q&A session, giving you plenty of time to ask questions. Each webinar will also be available for?one continuing education (CE) credit for veterinarians and registered veterinary technologists

China halts tariffs on some Canadian ag

Some Canadian ag products will have tariff-free access to China as of March 1

Farmers Face Harsh Truths While Refusing to Abandon Their Way of Life

A recent post on social media by a friend asked to add a line from a movie that fans of it would instantly recognize. One of my contributions was, “You can’t handle the truth.” While that line came in a courtroom scene from one of my favorite movies with Jack Nicholson yelling it at Tom Cruise, it actually got me thinking about farming. Many of us who grew up on a farm have seen both good and tough times. That is the truth. But what are we currently experiencing and can we handle these truths? American Farm Bureau recently said there was a 46% increase in farm bankruptcies in 2025. That’s pretty sobering. Those of us who grew up during the farm crisis in the 1980s, when more than 250,000 farmers filed for bankruptcy, never want to hear about someone losing a farm. For a few years I’ve personally been concerned about what’s happening in our farming communities. Interest rates have been plenty high; input costs don’t seem to come down when market prices do. Farmers have always been pr

As US agriculture flails, farmers see big corn acres as best bet to break even

U.S. farmers, though punished by slumping prices after last year’s monster corn harvest, are expected to cut back only slightly on their plantings of the grain in 2026 as they brace for a fourth straight year of narrow profit margins or even losses. Farmers expect corn, the most widely grown U.S. crop, to hew close to break-even levels this year, supported by strong usage. Some see soybeans as riskier, given rising competition from Brazil and a volatile U.S. trade relationship with top buyer China. “Right now, you absolutely cannot make money on beans,” said Tim Gregerson, who farms in eastern Nebraska. “You can probably break even on corn, but you are going to have to have an extraordinary yield, or a price increase,” Gregerson said. Most growers in America’s Midwest farm belt grow both crops, alternating what gets planted on each field from year to year to boost soil health. Many add wheat, sorghum, cotton or other crops to their rotations. But among farmers who have some flexible

This is Agriculture: Producer, advocate, industry leader

Jill Verwey lives and breathes agriculture. Her roots growing up on a mixed grain and cattle operation in rural Manitoba lend themselves well to her current roles – the office manager for Verwey Farms Ltd., president of Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP), and first vice president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA). Jill’s pride in Canadian agriculture is unmistakable. Learn more about her career and advocacy journey below. Describe your job or product in one sentence. My role includes managing the day-to-day administration and financial operations of our family farm, overseeing food and animal safety and human resources, and representing agricultural producers provincially and nationally through leadership roles with KAP, CFA, and various boards and advisory groups. Where did you grow up? Was it an agriculture or urban environment? I grew up in rural Manitoba on a mixed grain and cattle operation. I have been married for 32 years, and my husband and I are involved in

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service