e-farming

By Mike Moen – Producer /Minnesota News Connection

The tractor remains a popular symbol for farming but on Minnesota crop fields, other equipment could soon play a larger role, including electric-powered machinery to reduce air pollution and could boost profits.

Minnesota farmers have until August 11 to apply for a state grant to help cover the cost of electric equipment.

Eric Buchanan, renewable energy program director at the University of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Center in Morris, is helping lead research in the movement.

His team is testing robotic weeding designs which do not rely on fossil fuels.

As they move across rows of crops, Buchanan notes they are creating new efficiencies.

“In that regime, 30 one-row robots can do the same work as one 30-row implement pulled behind a huge tractor,” explains Buchanan.

He acknowledges as electric models for traditional equipment such as tractors are emerging, they still face growing pains.

Buchanan points to startup company Monarch Tractor recently going bankrupt.

Still, he adds that mainstream manufacturers are pursuing electric models of their own, and non-gas pickup trucks and similar electric utility vehicles are showing up on farms.

Buchanan stresses once farmers get past the upfront costs, this type of equipment might be less expensive to use over time because it requires less maintenance.

“If you convert some of your load to electric, you’re a lot less susceptible to fuel price changes, so it’s a lot more predictable,” Buchanan emphasizes.

He underscored limiting expenses is vital as other input costs, such as fertilizer, squeeze American farms. Another challenge is getting more charging capacity in farming areas.

Beyond farmers’ bottom lines, backers of electric farm equipment said wider adoption can help reduce agriculture’s carbon footprint, which currently accounts for 25% of Minnesota’s greenhouse gas emissions.