PHOTO: ANP
GLOBAL VIEW ▶▶▶
Pandemic highlights automation gaps – and possibilities
BY MATT MCINTOSH I
f ever there was an argu- ment for automation in the agriculture sector, the ongoing pan- demic brings it into stark relief. These past
months, businesses around the world have had to grapple with intense human resource challenges. For some, automation has been a saving grace. Of course, it also highlights the disparity in risk between sectors and business- es where incorporating automation is much more difficult.
According to one grain elevator owner and seed dealer I recently spoke to, technology has allowed for delivery of product on farm “without the need for personal interaction.” Another says: “We have two bagging lines. Within the past two years one has been fully automated from bag pickup to palletising. It’s amazing how taking seven people out of the physical facility makes managing the space so much easier.”
Conditions in the vegetable and meat sectors are another story, however. Vegetable produc- ers typically use migrant labour to sow, harvest and process crops. The degree to which a busi- ness relies on hands rather than hardware, is determining whether success can be salvaged from the 2020 growing season. Asparagus growers in my home province, for example, are still waiting for enough labour to pick the ear- ly-season crop. Some have even written-off this year already.
And as meat processing plants are forced to shut their doors due to Covid-19 outbreaks, the backlog of product brings huge losses from the processors all the way back to the farmer, not to mention increasing supply risks for more vulnerable consumers. The human skill required in meat processing means auto- mation is not practical or possible in every area. Still, the art of meat cutting is only one part of meat processing. So I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that meat processors – and many other agricultural businesses – will, in the
Asparagus growers have been struggling to recruit enough labour to pick the early- season crop.
aftermath of the pandemic, engineer creative automation solutions wherever possible. Those working in automation technology may well have busy days ahead.
Are upcoming drones going to replace agriculture aviators?
BY BRYAN SANDERS M 66
y company (HSE-UAV) has been selling spraying drones in America for a while now and we
get this question pretty often. I’m going to make this really simple. The answer is no. Ab- solutely not. Drones and ag aviators are more complementary than they are competitors. First, spraying drones have considerably less capacity than a manned ag aircraft. It’s 100+ gallons vs. 5 gallons… they’re not even on the
same playing field. But both have their strong points, and many ag aviators have added drones to their fleet. This gives them the ability to pick the best tool for the job with a quick ROI and low capital expense. Small fields that they used to overlook are a new source of rev- enue. Areas that were tough to get to or too steep are now well treated by drone. Simply put – adding a drone to the spraying toolbox can help ag aviators say yes to more business.
Frankly, we’ve learned a lot about the respect, education and attention that is required to
▶ FUTURE FARMING | 22 May 2020
responsibly apply chemicals. We can and should learn from the manned ag aviators. In fact, we’re proud members of the National Ag- ricultural Aviation Association (NAAA). So why this debate between drone operators and ag aviators? We’ve heard our fair share of drone operators and companies claiming that their drone can replace a manned aircraft – it just isn’t accurate. We’ve also heard from manned ag aviators who are convinced that us drone guys are out to steal their jobs. This also is un- true, and it’s not realistic.
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