GrainsWest Fall 2019

Tech 2019 grainswest.com 9 BY LEE HART • ILLUSTRATION BY JASON LIN he said. Two years ago, when he upgraded equipment, he bought a New Holland cart with sectional control that configures with his Salford disk drill. The 40-foot- wide seeding system has six sections. Remote sensing field maps are fed into the controller on the air cart. As he seeds the field, the system automatically shuts off the necessary section combina- tions to avoid overlap on areas that have already been seeded. “The system can be operated manually from the cab, so the operator can shut off different sections, but ours is fully integrated with software to automatically shut off sections,” said Saunders. “We’re just gaining experience with the system, but probably in an average year the saving is more than five per cent and under wetter conditions with more waterholes to work around it would probably be more like 10 per cent saving in inputs,” he said. In central Alberta, Hilgartner has used sectional control on part of his seeding system for four years and on the full seed- ing system for two seasons. To improve efficiency of seeding operations he began using a liquid fertilizer tank (34-0-0 ni- trogen) with sectional shut offs four years ago. Two years ago he bought a Case IH cart with sectional controls to work with his 58-foot-wide Flexi-Coil 5000 drill. By applying most of the crop nitrogen requirements through the liquid tank, it frees up space in air-seeding tanks for seed and other nutrients. “Rather than stopping perhaps every hour to refill, now I can seed for three to four hours before stopping,” he said. “The sectional control feature absolute- ly makes a difference,” said Hilgartner. “It is pretty straightforward. If, just as an example, you are putting on $100 worth of fertilizer per acre and you reduce your overlap by 50 per cent, then you are saving 50 per cent of your cost.” Both Saunders and Hilgartner said retrofitting their old seeding systems for sectional control wasn’t an option. While there is after-market equipment availa- ble to upgrade specific makes of seeding carts to accommodate sectional control, it didn’t work for their farms. They also found factory-installed sectional control to be the more economical option. They said reducing the amount of fertilizer overlap will probably provide a benefit to the environment. They don’t see sectional control features on their equip- ment providing much benefit in reducing tractor fuel consumption with reduced draft. This is because the seeding tool remains in the ground at all times while the supply of inputs to the various runs in each section is shut off. But the three-year study of the environ- mental benefits of sectional control on seeding equipment will look at all section- al control seeding systems, said Rosaasen. “All systems do reduce the amount of over- lap, which reduces inputs being applied,” he said. “And on some seeding systems the openers lift out of the ground when shut off, which reduces horsepower require- ments, eliminates seedbed disturbance and helps to reduce emissions. “If there are measurable and quanti- fiable benefits to the environment from using this technology then farmers should be recognized for the additional invest- ment,” he said. Launched in April, 2019, the three-year, three-phase sectional control study bears a lengthy title: Evaluation of Emission Reductions and Cost Savings in Sectional Control Air Seeders, Drills and Sowing Equipment. Its first phase will establish a reference source of sectional control technology available to western Canadi- an farmers. It will also determine what original factory installed equipment is available from seeding equipment manu- facturers. As well, the project will compile a list of all available after-market or retro- fit sectional control technology. In phase two, working with an engi- neering firm, researchers will analyze the technical specifications of 15 to 20 types of sectional control technology to estimate potential savings. This will be followed by field evaluations of equipment to measure any actual benefits. Finally, researchers will team up with Alberta-based non-profit society Biological Carbon Canada. Together, they will de- velop a protocol to measure and quantify the expected environmental benefits of sectional control in the areas of reduced greenhouse gas emission and carbon sequestration. “If someone is spending $1.2 million for a new seed drill with the optional feature of sectional control, that is a considerable investment,” said Rosaasen. “But if that equipment and technology is producing environmental benefits that society val- ues, then the farmer’s role in the carbon cycle should be recognized.” Establishing a protocol will make it possible for farmers to qualify for carbon credits and be compensated for them, ul- timately providing relief from the federal carbon tax. “The potential benefits of sec- tion control technology for reducing input costs is second to none,” said Rosaasen. “Through this study we want to look at the next level of benefits to the environ- ment and to society and create a system where farmers can be compensated for their efforts.” “The potential benefits of section control technology for reducing input costs is second to none.” —Nevin Rosaasen