Riding a wave of technology transfer from an aggressive space and internet program, the Chinese government is pushing for a domestic autonomous farm equipment industry by 2025.

Biomethane is methodically finding its way into mainstream fuel supplies as tech giants and others invest to claim “carbon neutrality” in their supply chain.

Tipping points sometimes occur long before their true impact can be totaled, and the recent introduction of MTZ’s new-to-North America diesel-electric farm tractor could rank in that category — especially since the competitively-priced machine will be available for sale in the last quarter of 2018.

Implement guidance (IG) technology is getting renewed favorable glances from a growing number of farmers struggling with glyphosate-resistant weeds, alternative herbicide regimes and EPA-mandated sprayer controls. Also, a growing demand for organic produce has broad-acre farmers in traditionally commodity-producing areas looking for more precision tracking in their cultivators as they drop herbicide use.

NRCS studies show the number of producers using cover crops in several Corn Belt states has doubled over the past 5 years.

Several years ago farm magazine articles were discussing alfalfa becoming part of a crop rotation in corn and soybean fields across the Midwest based on USDA-ARS research involving harvesting alfalfa leaves separately from stems. 

More automation, improved operator comfort and upgraded feeding and durability on front end systems marks 2018’s new-model year headlines for combine technology.

U.S. engine builders will have to comply with Stage V for engines sold in Europe, but the days of rubber stamping European regulations may be over at EPA.

A newly patented process for “taking the temperature of growing crops” from aircraft flying nearly a mile above the field is promising to bring quicker notifications of plant stress than the popular NDVI monitoring usually associated with GreenSeeker technology.