Shaping the Future: AGCO’s 2024 Tech Day Sets the Stage for New Innovations
July 9, 2024 Throughout its long history, AGCO Corp. has prided itself on always looking forward to what needs tomorrow’s agriculture will require. On June 27, this vision was on display for all to see at the 2024 AGCO Tech Day event.
“Managing a farm is complicated, managing the right machine and technology for the job shouldn’t be,” said Eric Hansotia, AGCO’s Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer, of the event. “AGCO is unique in offering differentiated equipment brands to serve all farmers’ needs and the only company that can effectively retrofit almost any make or model of equipment with technology that will lead to higher yields with fewer inputs.”
AGCO’s 2024 Tech Day highlighted the integration of the company and Trimble’s next-generation ag technologies for growers and original equipment manufacturers, including solutions for every season and crop and the potential of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in agriculture. Held at Ade Farm in Salina, KS, the day-long event highlighted several company offerings. This included the Farm Office Station, emphasizing the importance of managing mixed fleets, a fully autonomous grain cart, and tillage equipment.
At the application station, AGCO featured many of its products. This included two self-propelled sprayers – a Fendt Rogator 900 and a Massey Ferguson 5S equipped with PTx Trimble guidance – and Precision Planting’s Panorama.
WeedSeeker 2 uses advanced optics and processing power to detect and eliminate resistant weeds.
In regard to intelligent sprayer technology, the AGCO team highlighted two products. The first of these was WeedSeeker 2. Originally introduced in 2020 by Trimble, WeedSeeker 2 uses advanced optics and processing power to detect and eliminate resistant weeds. When a weed passes underneath the sensor it signals its linked spray nozzle to precisely deliver herbicide and kill the weed.
“Why do we want to spot spray?” asked Justin Prickel, Product Team Manager, Application Control for PTx Trimble. “WeedSeeker 2 helps target and fight resistant weeds, with the right application at the right time in a green-on-brown method. Using its optical sensor system, WeedSeeker 2 can spray a dime-sized weed even if the sprayer is traveling at 25 mph. This means users of the system can spray at all times of day – from dusk to dawn and through the night.”
For green-on-green application work, AGCO highlighted its Precision Planting Vision system at the Tech Day event.
For green-on-green application work, AGCO highlighted its Precision Planting Vision system. This system works in concert with Precision Planting’s 2020 In-Cab Monitor, Symphony Nozzles, and boom-arm mounted Vision Cameras to distinguish weeds from beneficial plants. It then applies a precise amount of herbicide to the weed accordingly.
“This offers the users environmental benefits as well,” said Scott Van Etten, Product Support Team Lead, Precision Planting. “Not only is less chemical being used in the crop field, but less water is required in the application work.”
At present, said Van Etten, the Precision Planting Vision system is undergoing beta testing with select AGCO customers. The company is hopeful that it will be available for widespread purchase by users during the 2025 growing season.
Eric Hansotia
“Each brand’s unique value proposition and strategic fit within industry segments reinforces AGCO’s vision to be the trusted partner for industry-leading, smart farming solutions – a steadfast vision in the making since AGCO was founded just 34 years ago,” said Hansotia in summation. “Our offerings are further enhanced by FarmerCore, a new distribution model in North and South America taking the business from brick-and-mortar stores to the farm, which is where and how farmers want to be served.”
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