Running two machines from one cab | Field Trials E8 PART 2

Autonomous platforms can be great companions in the field. Working out kinks does take time, however, and the amount of up-front work required to ensure smooth operation necessitates a change in mindset – less get-in-and-go, more get-in-and-prepare.

Part two of Future Farming’s Field Trials chat with Dustin Burns – a farmer and rancher from Wynyard, Saskatchewan – highlights how the ever-present threat posed by labour shortages has spurred their focus on autonomous solutions.

However, he also discusses how the incorporation of autonomous platforms does not necessarily amount to immediate improvements in efficiency.

“Labour shortage – we’re really feeling the pinch right now. Our two most optimistic options going forward for hiring a couple people are from other countries in the world. We’re having a hard time finding local people that want to be involved, so that’s definitely a key part of it. The other part is being more efficient with our time,” says Burns.

“This fall I hit some levels where I gained efficiency. I was managing my manually operated drill and the Raven OMNiPOWER platform when I was seeding wheat this fall. That right there – I had two units I was managing with only one cab. It took us three, almost four years to get to that point, so progress is definitely being made…Everything kind of came together.”