Between rising costs and a lack of available workers, growers are having trouble hiring, retaining, and training employees. Many growers also have short harvest windows. 

Case IH is providing solutions through autonomous features. The Farmall 75C Electric tractor builds on a century of innovation at Case IH but with zero emissions, according to Farmall Marketing Manager Greg Lucey. The quiet, comfortable ride gives growers the ability to operate with full diesel-like power, with an average run-time of four hours. The autonomous features include ways for tractor operators to more efficiently complete daily tasks and comprehensively monitor surroundings, including people and objects. For example, the Farmall 75C Electric has Row Follow Mode, which uses vison technology to keep the tractor in-between rows. This is different than the A/B guidance lines designed primarily for row crop applications. The vision technology feature found in Row Follow Mode is great for orchards and vineyards. The 75C Electric also features Follow Me Mode, which allows the tractor to follow the operator when he or she is away from the driver’s seat, eliminating the need to climb in and out of the tractor too often, Lucey says. 

Caseih.com 

Farmers of high-value crops are seeing issues with finding and retaining skilled labor, as well as rising input costs, according to Darius Lane, Public Relations Manager, High-Value Crops, John Deere. Operators of the John Deere 6R 155 Tractor (shown here with a 36-line Monosem MS Version M planter with SeedStar2) enjoy greater comfort, power, and visibility, Lane says. In unison with the John Deere technology stack with JDLink and John Deere Operations Center, farmers can manage their data anytime, anywhere. 

John Deere Operations Center gives farmers the ability to analyze this season’s results to improve next season’s crops. “It is a complete solution specifically designed to maximize the total output of high-value crop farmer, from the operator in the field all the way to the head of operations at the organization level,” Lane says. 

Deere.com 

Vegetable growers require high volumes of skilled workers who can efficiently and safely harvest delicate produce, according to Massey Ferguson Marketing Product Specialist Kayla Trester. 

“While manufacturers are working hard to provide mechanical solutions to help alleviate the burden of limited labor pools, currently these solutions are not commercially viable,” she says. “Instead, farmers are looking for ways to better utilize the workers they have. To do this, they need straightforward, dependable equipment that is easy for any worker to operate.” 

The 4700 Global Series utility tractor allows anyone on a crew to slip behind the wheel and get the job done for better workforce utilization, Trester says. Models are available from 75 HP to 100 HP, with a range of features to fit any operation. It can handle larger, heavier implements than other tractors in its class while maintaining a tight turning radius for easier maneuvering in tight spaces. This power and agility make it a great option for vegetable farmers wanting to maximize their versatility with a single machine. Additionally, the MF 4700 Series is engineered to be smart, ergonomic, fuel efficient, and long lasting, resulting in a low total cost of ownership, Trester says. 

MasseyFerguson.com 

The need to maintain ample clearance between their crops and tractors is a common issue faced by commercial vegetable growers, according to Tanner Cady, New Holland’s Business Support Specialist, West Region. Traditional tractors often lack the flexibility required to navigate tight rows and vegetables without causing damage. This can result in crop destruction, soil compaction, and increased labor costs. The tight spacing between rows in many vegetable farms creates the need for a solution that can adapt to different crop stages. 

The TS6 Series II Tractor is designed with high ground clearance and adjustable front axle width. With a maximum axle clearance of 28 inches, the TS6.120 High-Clearance tractor easily maneuvers down rows of specialty crops. To match the needs of different farming practices and row spacing, the front axle adjusts from 72 to 84 inches. 

“This level of adaptability is a turning point for commercial vegetable growers, as it allows them to precisely configure the tractor,” Cady says. 

Agriculture.Newholland.com 

Lettuce is the most valuable vegetable in the U.S., according to Joseph Sutton, Operations Manager of Sutton Agricultural Enterprises. Many of the labor-intensive preharvest tasks involved with lettuce, such as thinning, weeding, and transplanting, have been widely mechanized and automated. However, one of the most labor-intensive jobs in agriculture, if not the most, is harvesting lettuce by hand, Sutton says. Mechanizing the cutting and processing of head lettuces, he says, will save growers immensely on labor and save farm labor the back-breaking task of harvesting the lettuce by hand. 

Ortomec’s Lattuga harvester is designed for head lettuces. Its cutting system eliminates the task of bending over and physically cutting each individual head. The processing of the lettuce (de-coring, bagging, palletizing, etc.) is done on the deck of the harvester, with a support trailer or in a packing shed. 

Ortomec.com 

Commercial vegetable growers face the pressure of producing more crop per acre even as available acres for agricultural crops decline, according to Niels Antonissen, Global Market Manager, Vegetable Products. They need to recover more crop while minimizing their inputs, he adds. In response, Oxbo continues to integrate new technology geared toward making its equipment simple to operate at peak efficiency today while building toward increased automation in the future. Current machine models, including its pea combine, offer technology such as FleetCommand telematics, used to monitor and optimize fleet performance to minimize operating costs. Further, Oxbo has combined its knowledge of vegetable harvesting with next-generation technologies, including advanced sensors, machine learning, and artificial intelligence, that pave the way for field-automated harvesting solutions. 

Oxbo.com