Comments on: Commission: Precision farming will increase EU productivity

By: ralphnelson11

ralphnelson11 — Fri, 22 Jan 2016 10:44:04 +0000

want to learn more information about the precision farming? check out recent research report @ http://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/precision-farming-market-1243.html

By: anders

anders — Mon, 21 Dec 2015 12:38:00 +0000

If Europe has better practices than other places then why not? We cannot close the boarders, at least not without thinking of Orwel’s 1984.

By: anders

anders — Mon, 21 Dec 2015 12:33:31 +0000

Mr Barneby, in contrast of what you say trasport and energy production is the biggest polluter and your comments are highly appreciated by them, as you distract the public attention. Especially in the Wake of the WV scandal that made all the calculations, and articles like the one you suggest, redundant in their findings. It is important to notice that even during the period before COP21, in smugs and media, you could only hear about agriculture.

By: anders

anders — Mon, 21 Dec 2015 09:21:26 +0000

While agriculture is restructuring, see less farms-equal famed land, we keep asking if technology is good. Of course it can be good, if it can be applied at all scales and farming models. The US has had a bad experience with big data, and here in Europe we lack the legislation and an inclusive dilogue of the relative stakeholders.

By: Mike Parr

Mike Parr — Mon, 21 Dec 2015 08:34:06 +0000

Mr Barnaby: yep – ordinary french farmers – use the services of drone operators who specialise in providing this serivce – which as I have already noted – is highly cost effective.

By: Mike Parr

Mike Parr — Mon, 21 Dec 2015 08:32:00 +0000

There are a growing number of companies that provide drone surveys targetd at French farmers (for example). The cost of the service is more than coverd in the reduction in fertilizer use/improvement in yeilds – no equipment needs to be purchased.

By: David Barneby

David Barneby — Sun, 20 Dec 2015 03:55:36 +0000

In contrast to this article and argument , I would recommend readers and commenters of this article to read another on this same page .
” Agriculture poses immense threat to environment, German study says “

By: David Barneby

David Barneby — Sun, 20 Dec 2015 03:47:00 +0000

Mike Parr
Firstly , does Europe need a greater output of agricultural products , what are we short of that scientific precision would improve ? Increasing productivity implies there are markets that could be filled . As I am aware , there are products grown in excess that have had to be dumped , either for lack of a market or for flooding the market at an uneconomically low price . When you write of drones being used in France , by whom , not the ordinary subsidized French farmer , surely big corporate farms . The cost of owning or hiring drones will surely match or exceed the saving or additional production achieved . From the above illustration , one might benefit in horticulture . As a countryman myself who has also farmed , I am well aware that the EU is paying farmers not to grow crops , to leave fields fallow to prevent overproduction . One could argue that we could be growing crops to feed the starving masses in Africa . We cannot send them dairy products and we do not grow Millet that is important to their diet .

By: Jay

Jay — Sun, 20 Dec 2015 02:13:56 +0000

What is there not to like? The initial cost of the equipment and maintenance for starters.

By: Mike Parr

Mike Parr — Sat, 19 Dec 2015 20:51:24 +0000

“precision farming, which offers enormous possibilities to increase our productivity in order to produce more with less input” – or produce the same with less input – drones are playing a very useful role in France (for example), where they are used to identify locations in a given field where more (or less) fertiliser is needed, GPS in the cab allows fertilizer application on the basis of where it is needed to a resolution of a few meters. Drone surveys thus save farmers money. What is not to like?

By: Jay

Jay — Sat, 19 Dec 2015 15:44:38 +0000

Just what the EU needs, more agriculture products they can’t sell with sanctions still in place. Where do these half baked people come from?

By: David Barneby

David Barneby — Sat, 19 Dec 2015 03:29:53 +0000

Is this an indication that TTIP should be adopted and Monsanto given a free rein , or that farming should be collectivized run by corporations ?
Regular farmers don’t farm with scientific precision . Is Europe missing the butter and cheese mountains ? What are we short of in terms of agricultural products or food ? As I recall the EU pays farmers to leave fields fallow , not to overproduce ! Perhaps farmers are now wanted to grow crops to create biofuels .