Grainswest - Tech 2024

Tech 2024 grainswest.com 23 A s farms continue to increase in size, certain equipment manufacturers race to provide high-horsepower machinery that can stretch a farmer’s reach when they seed, spray and harvest. Farmers also require these increasingly efficient options to contend with a shrinking agricultural labour pool. With their own solutions to field work dilemmas, further equipment makers have developed autonomous vehicles that can work 24/7. Efficient use of time at critical stages in the season is a key consideration for many farmers when they make a purchase decision for new machinery. If they can use a more powerful tractor to pull a seeder that’s 10 to 12 feet wider than their current setup, the benefit may outweigh the cost of the equipment. “It’s getting that crop off faster, at a quicker rate,” said John Schmeiser, president of the North American Equipment Dealers Association. “We’re always challenged with weather both in the spring and in the fall.” Advancements made in precision agriculture have increased the efficiency of larger implements when pulled behind high- horsepower tractors. Without even touching the wheel of the tractor, farmers can trust GPS systems to ensure there’s no overlap of seed, fertilizer or chemical inputs. “All of those things are kind of taken into consideration,” said Schmeiser. “I still understand why there’s a customer base out there, looking for higher horsepower at the top end because they can pencil it out about what more they can do in one pass.” While there are some options on the market on a smaller scale, Schmeiser said he expects the industry has a long way to go before we see electric versions of the largest tractors on the market today. “If you have a 600-horsepower diesel engine that’s pulling a 60-foot air drill, will you ever get to the stage where you have enough battery power to operate the hydraulics?” Autonomous tractors are a different story. “I’m very impressed with what the manufacturers have done to this point in autonomy and autonomous vehicles,” said Schmeiser. With a decade of industry research and development behind them, all that’s left to get them in the field is to work out liability concerns. As of March 2024, John Deere began to accept orders for its 9RX 710, 770 and 830 tractors with expected delivery starting in Canada by November. Although it has an existing 9RX lineup, these three new models are entirely redesigned, said Michael Porter, the company’s go-to-market manager for large tractors. Key features for these models include the new e21 transmission and the JD18 engine, which is higher powered than the previous JD14X engine on the 9RX 640. The transmission is configured to allow the operator to skip shifts and increase speed more quickly than with smaller 9RX models. “It’s going to just be able to physically move that heavier weight faster,” said Porter. All this muscle is essential because the new machines now weigh up to 74,000 pounds, around 12,000 pounds more than smaller 9RX models—and they could weigh as much as 84,000 pounds with ballast. The machines are equipped with a 30- or 36-inch-wide track option with an additional mid- roller to help more broadly distribute the extra weight and reduce compaction. One claim to fame for the new 9RX tractors is farmers can disk 100 more acres per day than with previous models. They can attach a high-speed disk or add a few extra feet to the width of the implement to cover more ground in less time. “If you have a big freeze coming, with tillage, that’s really important,” said Porter. The new 9RX tractors can also carry twice the cart load on hills and travel 1.6 km/h faster than their predecessor. John Deere is expected to take delivery of 9RX 710, 770 and 830 tractors starting in Canada by November. An autonomous carrier vehicle with interchangeable implements, a NEXAT widespan controlled traffic systemwill make its Canadian debut this fall.