GPS Reduces Tillage Levels

Chris Butler’s (Farm Operations Manager) expectations have been exceeded.

As part of reducing our Carbon Footprint, Chris was tasked with finding ways to reduce the farm emissions and like any male, being a lover of new toys came up with and researched installing GPS with autosteer on the farm tractors for forming growing beds for our baby salad greens and carrots. His research showed, and he has been able to demonstrate, that we could gain improvements in fuel usage, along with a reduction in soil damage and compaction.

So, GPS fitted tractors are now working New Zealand Fresh Cuts Rangiriri and Mangere blocks. The accuracy attained by the GPS plotted courses has reduced at least two passes on all primary ground work.

The resultant fuel usage reduction is as much as 25%. Less compacted soils, coupled with time savings, more staff flexibility, improved crop quality regularity and reduced machinery wear and tear are all pleasing outcomes of the investment in GPS autosteer technology.

Our initial trials show that carrot yields (Farmer Bills Baby Peeled Carrots, www.farmerbills.co.nz ) are up as much as 25% and the less compacted beds have also enabled a reduction of 20% on land area used to obtain the same harvest levels.

“Water usage reduction was not something I considered in my initial calculations, but certainly a pleasing and welcome benefit,” says Chris. “With the accuracy we have been able to increase the number of sowing beds per hectare whilst also reducing soil carbon through less tillage and this will also have the potential to reduce chemical inputs. Over time we will require less tractors to work the same land area and the soil infiltration rate will continue to improve”.