Robin Booker

Robin Booker

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Robin Booker is the Editor for The Western Producer. He has an honours degree in sociology from the University of Alberta, a journalism degree from the University of Regina, and a farming background that helps him relate to the issues farmers face.

Stories by Robin Booker

Deere’s fully autonomous 8R tractor is used for tillage operations. It relies on multiple Deere products designed to automate specific decision points that operators previously had to make, including TruSet Active, which manages tillage depth. | John Deere photo
Crop Management, Machinery

Tillage implements equipped with depth sensor

John Deere’s new TruSet Active system uses an ultrasonic sensor that constantly measures frame height and tillage depth

John Deere has updated its TruSet product with a sensor that increases the accuracy of the automatic tillage depth system. The improved system, called TruSet Active, will be on all John Deere equipped TruSet tillage tools for model year 2024, including 2230 Field Cultivators, 2330 Mulch Finishers, 2660VT Vertical Tillage tools and 2630 Series Disks. […] Read more
The Bushel Plus Mini Combine takes a grain sample from standing crops, which can be put through a moisture tester to see if a field is ready to harvest. | Bushel Plus photo
Crop Management

Handheld combine provides grain samples

When Marcel Kringe was in Europe a few years ago he noticed farmers using a device he hadn’t seen used in Canada. “It’s very tricky harvest conditions over there and they have agronomists and farm managers running around with these things checking fields to see where they can go next,” he said. Kringe is the […] Read more
John Deere’s new JD18X 18-litre engine now powers the full lineup of the 9000 series forage harvesters. The engine does not require DEF fluid, which can reduce input costs. | John Deere photo
Crop Management, Machinery

Deere upgrades engine in mid-sized forage harvester

The company’s new engine, which doesn’t require DEF fluid, has now been made standard in its full 9000 series lineup

John Deere’s new JD18X 18-litre engine is now standard in the 9000 series forage harvester lineup and doesn’t require DEF fluid. Last year Deere had a limited release of its 9500 forage harvester that comes with that engine, and also upgraded the 9600 forage harvester with it. This year the company updated the 9700 model […] Read more
Two new databases provide access to legacy trial data, as well as contemporary crop nutrient research, so that crop researchers from around the world can collaborate. The databases use Agmatix Insights’ technology that standardizes the information so advanced data analysis and modelling can be conducted. | File photo
Crop Management

Unleashing the power of the database

Initiative collects research information from around the world to help producers make better choices about crop nutrition

An open-data, crop nutrition platform based on big data and machine learning technology is now available to crop researchers and farmers. The Consortium for Precision Crop Nutrition (CPCN) led the initiative, which uses technology developed by Agmatix Insights to create an online platform designed to drive international collaboration and expand access to research. Two active […] Read more
Precision Planting developed an automated soil lab called Radicle Lab that is part of the Radicle Agronomics suite of tools. The wet lab is leased to agronomic companies, which are charged a per sample fee, and it can run up to 400 soil samples without human intervention. Samples do not have to be loaded in a specific order because the company uses RFID tags on the soil-sample containers, called GeoTube. | Precision Planting photo
Crop Management

System reduces human touch in soil sampling

Company says it helps agronomists spend more of their time making recommendations in the field with customers

Precision Planting has come to market with a new system designed to eliminate some of the drudgery from soil sampling. Dale Koch, product lead for the platform dubbed Radicle Agronomics, said it was designed for professional crop consultants and eliminates several manual steps from the traditional soil sampling and testing process. “There are really three […] Read more
In this column the author argues more funding is needed for research into drone spraying to help provide the Pest Management Regulatory Agency with the data it needs to allow the practice in Canada. In this picture is a Precision AI spray drone that was on display at the Ag In Motion farm show last summer. | Robin Booker photo
Crop Management

All-hands-on deck approach needed for drone research

Drones are used to apply crop protection products in many countries and Canadian farmers are at a disadvantage because the regulatory framework here is incomplete. There is also a concern that without a path farmers can follow to legally spray their crops with remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) that they will just do it illegally. […] Read more
John Deere’s lineup of strip-till rigs include two three point-hitch models and three drawn models capable of applying anhydrous and both dry and liquid fertilizer. | John Deere photo
Crop Management, Machinery

Deere brings new equipment to strip-till market

Five models of Deere-branded strip-till implements capable of fertilizer applications will be available this winter


A new lineup of John Deere-branded strip-till rigs will be available this winter. The tillage implements are produced by Environmental Tillage Systems and it sells them under the brand name SoilWarrior. The Deere-branded models are called John Deere ST, including ST12 and ST16 Integral that attach to the three-point hitch, and the ST12, ST16, and […] Read more
The Pest Management Regulatory Agency is developing guidelines for getting remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS) on the label of crop protection products, but stakeholders say the process is taking too long. In this photo a DJI T40 sprays a crop. | DJI Photo
Crop Management, Machinery

Drone spraying still grounded by rules

Many producers see drones as a lower-cost alternative but a full set of rules are needed before widespread use can occur


Spray drone technology is rapidly evolving, but regulations that allow drones to apply crop protection products are struggling to get off the ground. The Remotely Piloted Aerial Application System (RPAAS) working group was formed to help connect individuals and organizations that are generating the data required to make drone applications legal in Canada. RPAAS held […] Read more
The Amos Power autonomous tractor uses an electric motor to power each track, and a third electric motor to power the power take-off. The battery on the tractors makes up the entire front end of the tractor. | Photo supplied by One3 Design
Crop Management, Machinery

Axed driver station eases tractor production

Tractors with an operators’ station and an internal combustion engine are far more complicated to produce and maintain compared to autonomous, electric tractors. This makes the barrier to entry much lower for companies that want to produce autonomous tractors, and this will put pressure on mainline equipment manufacturers in the coming years. Tom Boe is […] Read more
A single operator can monitor any combination of up to eight GUSS, mini GUSS or Herbicide GUSS sprayers. | GUSS Automation photo
Crop Management, Machinery

Autonomous sprayer promoted for orchard use

The machine travels fruit tree rows on its own to manage weeds; it was designed to reduce how much herbicide is used


GUSS Automation expanded its lineup of autonomous orchard sprayers with the launch of the Herbicide GUSS. Chase Schapansky, the company’s chief technology officer, said orchard spraying is an obvious use for automated equipment because it’s difficult to find people who want to do the work. “It’s an undesirable job and not the safest job (because […] Read more

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