Exploiting AgTech connectivity to corner the grain market

Exploiting AgTech Connectivity to Corner the Grain Market

Introduction

I live in the countryside and know quite a few farmers. Connected farming systems are a frequent topic of conversation at the local pub. Those familiar with Clarkson’s Farm will appreciate how complex modern tractor systems can be.

Tractors spend much of their time working in private fields, offering significant potential for automation. However, robot tractors are still some years away. In the UK, tractors perform many varied tasks, and fields tend to be smaller, meaning tractors often haul trailers over local roads. If fields were much larger, autonomous tractors might become more viable.

Connected Farming from the Cab

I have spent time inside combine harvesters and forage harvesters, where the level of autonomy and connectivity is impressive. Steering is automatic, typically guided by laser or GPS. After entering a field map into the guidance system—either by driving the vehicle around the perimeter or loading a high-precision map—the machine can do almost everything except turn at the end of each furrow, though some models can already handle this.

“Tractors spend a lot of their time in private fields, so the opportunity for autonomy is significant.”

“Once a field map is entered into the guidance system, the vehicle can do just about everything, other than turn at the end of each furrow, though some can already do this.”

Summary

Connected farming technology offers notable autonomy and efficiency, though the complexity of tasks and field sizes currently limit full automation in UK agriculture.

Pen Test Partners — 2025-11-07