Read on to learn more about some of these groundbreaking technologies and their impact on the future of construction.

AI and Machine Learning: Enhancing Design and Planning

AI and ML are revolutionizing the construction industry by optimizing design and planning processes. These technologies analyze vast amounts of data to improve project efficiency, predict potential risks, and enhance decision-making. AI-powered algorithms can generate complex designs, optimize building layouts, and simulate various scenarios, leading to more efficient and cost-effective construction projects.

The Next Wave of 3D Printing: Transforming Construction

3D printing is not a new concept in construction, but recent advancements are taking this technology to new heights. The next wave of 3D printing in construction involves printing entire buildings using a variety of materials, including concrete and plastics. This revolutionary approach allows for faster construction times, lower costs, and greater design flexibility, paving the way for a new era of sustainable and innovative building practices.

Industrial Shredders: Revolutionizing Waste Management

Industrial shredders are at the forefront of sustainable construction practices, helping reduce landfill waste and promote recycling. These machines efficiently process a variety of materials, including wood, concrete, and metals, turning waste into reusable resources. By shredding and recycling materials on-site, construction companies can significantly reduce costs and environmental impact, making their projects more sustainable and eco-friendly.

Drones: Improving Safety and Efficiency

Drones are revolutionizing the construction industry by providing real-time aerial views of construction sites, improving safety, and efficiency. These unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can quickly survey sites, monitor progress, and identify potential hazards, reducing the need for manual inspections and enhancing worker safety. Drones are also used for mapping, site planning, and logistics, streamlining construction processes and improving overall project management.

4D Simulation: Visualizing Construction in Time

4D simulation adds an extra dimension to traditional 3D models by incorporating the element of time. This technology allows construction teams to visualize the entire construction process, from start to finish, in a dynamic and interactive way. By simulating construction sequences, teams can identify potential conflicts, optimize schedules, and improve coordination, leading to more efficient and cost-effective projects.

Utilizing 4D simulation improves communication among project stakeholders, ensuring alignment on project timelines and milestones. This alignment minimizes project delays, optimizes resource utilization, and enhances overall project success.

Augmented Reality (AR): Enhancing Construction Visualization

Augmented reality (AR) is revolutionizing the visualization and execution of construction projects. By superimposing digital data onto the physical environment, AR technology enables construction teams to view intricate building designs in real-time and within the actual construction site environment. This capability enables architects, engineers, and contractors to identify potential design flaws, make real-time adjustments, and improve overall project accuracy. AR also enhances collaboration among project stakeholders by providing a shared, interactive experience that fosters better communication and decision-making.

The College of Agriculture at Auburn University recently partnered with AgriTech Corp. on a specialty Auburn-branded SoilKit which marks the first time a public, land-grant university has partnered with a private company to deliver digital, quality and  easy-to-understand soil test results to homeowners, landscapers and municipalities.

This partnership benefits both parties as SoilKit is now matched with a national leader in agricultural science and Auburn can connect with a greater number of homeowners, landscapers and municipalities to deliver easy-to-understand results and recommendations through this simplified soil testing technology.

When process of the soil considered, the soil samples of consumers will be sent to the university and will be tested by Auburn agronomists at the Auburn University Soil, Forage and Water Testing Laboratory. Then according to the details taken by tests, calculations are done with digital tools, such as address autofill and satellite-driven square footage calculation which is provided in soilkit.

Then, after samples are processed with the use of calculations and details taken, consumers receive a digital version of their soil test results and recommendations via email. The recommendations are based on decades of agricultural research dating back to the founding of the Auburn College of Agriculture in 1872.

According to the, Audrey Gamble, assistant professor and extension specialist in the Department of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences ,Using research-based recommendations correlate soil-test nutrient levels with plant response ensures that enough fertilizer is applied to promote healthy plant growth without adding excess fertilizer, which can pollute nearby ground- and surface-waters. So this will be be lead to great increase in production based on agriculture.

For physical grain trading in Brazil, leading software provider to agribusinesses – Barchart – has joined hands with Grão Direto. Under this partnership, Grão Direto’s proprietary database of Brazil’s grain prices is to be made available in Barchart’s analytics platform i.e. cmdtyView.

In addition, Barchart will also manage both API distribution as well as licensing for the data as part of their best-in-class global grain price offering.

“cmdtyView is the premier platform for physical commodity analytics, and this exciting new partnership with Grão Direto enhances our global offering even further with Brazilian grain data,” said Barchart CEO Mark Haraburda. 

“Grão Direto’s mission aligns with our own efforts to enhance the agricultural industry through technology, and we’re thrilled to work with them to expand our coverage into new markets and provide users with access to inland grain prices for Brazil,” Haraburda added.

“We are very proud and excited to collaborate with Barchart and being able to extend the reach of our data to benefit their clients around the world,” said Grão Direto CEO Alexandre Borges Silva, adding its offerings help a number of grain growers, buyers and brokers in efficient trading and generation of real value in operations that puts the company in a unique position to provide market intelligence solutions for the Brazilian market.

The settlement with the company sorts out antitrust claims by “direct” purchasers like Maplevale Farms that accused the pork companies of having fixed prices.

The settlement eliminates a “substantial portion” of the company’s exposure in the litigation, said Keira Lombardo, Smithfield’s chief administrative officer.

For the unversed, the company that was sold in 2013 to a Chinese meat processor for $4.7 billion, sells packaged products under its own name as well as other famous brands, including Cook’s and Farmland.

Earlier this year, Smithfield – one of the world’s largest pork producers – also unveiled a management shakeup in order to deal with the ripple effects of the COVID-19-led fall in restaurant meat consumption.

The agtech sector – usually described as the fourth agricultural revolution – is witnessing an influx of investment amid the COVID-19 outbreak to achieve hitherto unrealised levels of productivity using cutting-edge technology.

Mr. Brandon Day, COO at the Yield Lab Institute, a non-profit agtech think tank, says agtech startups should not apply technology for the sake of technology; rather they should solve actual problems or capture value that is validated with market share and customers.

In an exclusive conversation with Agrigate Global’s Saura Panigrahi, he also underlined the future of agritech startups and the upcoming The Sustainable Agtech Challenge.

Here are edited excerpts:

Since you are in the middle of one of your flagship events: “The Sustainable Agtech Challenge.” What are you seeing thus far in the applicants?

As you know, The Sustainable Agtech Challenge has been kick started by the Yield Lab Institute in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in order to identify agtech startups, with a scalable business model, that can tackle some of the most pressing issues of climate change in agri-food systems in the Latin America and Caribbean region (LAC).

Also, preparation is going well. We are seeing an interesting batch of applicants, with respect to technology, geography and impact.

With respect to Yield Lab Institute, how do you see your role/impact as an enabler to develop the agritech startups ecosystem?

The Yield Lab Institute is the non-profit arm of the Yield Lab. As a non-profit, we serve as a catalyst and supporter of agtech innovation and entrepreneurs around the world.

We do so through initiatives that include open innovation challenges such as the Sustainable Agtech Challenge, ecosystem assessments (examples of our work can be found here) and technical papers on emerging verticals in agtech (see our work in indoor agriculture here).

The global food crisis is looming over many countries in recent years. Agri-tech start-ups are expected to come up with solutions for the same. What is your take on the global trends in agri-businesses?

At the Institute, we are increasingly seeing agtech innovations and solutions that are connecting the input side of the food and ag value chain to tangibly improving health outcomes. There is an emerging demand from consumers who want to know how their food was grown, harvested, processed, packaged and distributed. There is tremendous value for innovators to fill that demand along the entire value chain for ag stakeholders.

At a personal level, you have an extensive track record of managing and consulting billion-dollars businesses. What, according to you, are the major challenges faced by agtech start-ups? Also, what would be your suggestion to them on pivoting during these adverse times?

In my short time at the Institute, I see a lot of startups trying to apply technology to agriculture that does not solve an actual problem or meet a market need. Agtech startups should not apply technology for technology sake; it should solve an actual problem or capture value that is validated with market share and customers.

As a publication, we realise the importance of conversations and debates around agriculture; sharing knowledge, brainstorming ideas, and promoting innovations. Tell us more about your different ag-related media and content.

We recognize the value of being a convener of thought leadership, subject matter experts and creating a space to start conversations about the most pressing issues in food and agriculture. With that premise in mind, we have launched several key initiatives aimed at convening thought leadership from different stakeholder groups to convene, discuss and solve the most pressing food and agriculture issues.

One of those is Space for Food, an initiative aimed at convening thought leadership in the space technology and agrifood technology stakeholder groups to discuss the future of food, regenerative agriculture and food systems within the context of space technology applications.

You can find videos of those sessions here on our YouTube page. We also support other media like the ‘Agrifood Conversations’ series that has a weekly webinar run by iSelect highlighting innovators and startups in agrifood. The Yield Lab Institute is in the works of developing its own content platform highlighting agtech innovations, entrepreneurs and disruptors.

Could you share your experience while leading The Yield Lab Institute? Also enlighten us about your association with organizational partners and how it is shaping your vision for the future?

I’ve been in this role for almost two years and our organization continues to evolve with the changing tide of agrifood. We implement targeted initiatives, such as the Sustainable Agtech Challenge and Space for Food, all with the overarching mission statement of the institute in mind. To illustrate our relationship with organizational partners, when we launched the Soy Innovation Challenge, the United Soybean Board (USB) approached us because they wanted to better connect to the agtech startup space, more specifically to identify high potential innovations that can capture value back to the USB’s member soy farmers.

For us, we are always trying to support nascent and emerging spaces in agtech, so this opportunity represented a natural alignment with the USB’s goals and our mission statement; hence an open innovation challenge in soy was launched.

(Argyle, Texas – June 8, 2021) – BPS Agriculture’s proprietary carrier technology, OpusMAX®, has attained Organic Material Research Institute (OMRI) listing for the United States and Canada, with anticipated listing soon in Mexico. The Texas-based, diversified agriculture holding company currently incubates three start-ups: Verano365®, Farm Shield™, and PureAcre™. OpusMAX is utilized across the portfolio to enhance horticulture and agriculture input performance. The water-based technology, classified by the EPA as an inert ingredient, facilitates the self-assembly of supramolecular structures from active ingredients.

The listing opens the door for OpusMAX to be used in organic production across North America, allowing the companies to develop new and novel organic inputs for direct sale and in collaboration with partners. OMRI is a nonprofit organization that evaluates and designates which input products are allowed for use in organic production and processing. Having attained OMRI listing, OpusMAX can be used in certified organic operations under the USDA National Organic Program, the Canadian Organic Standards, and the Mexican Organic Products Law.

“OpusMAX being designated as OMRI Listed is a significant milestone for all of BPS Agriculture’s entities,” said John Appel, President of BPS Agriculture. “While it’s always been part of our strategy to enter the organic agriculture market, with the double-digit growth the organic sector experienced in 2020, it became increasingly important. We are confident that OpusMAX can enhance the performance of organic inputs.”

According to the Organic Trade Association’s U.S. Organic Industry Survey for 2021, “Organic food sales surpassed $56 billion, up 12.8 percent – the highest rates recorded in organic in well over a decade.”

Herbert Rabalais, President of Verano365, noted that the listing will influence the horticulture start-ups product development roadmap for controlled environment agriculture and greenhouse operations. “Growers are responding to increasing consumer demand for organic products, and the OMRI listing of our core technology allows Verano365 to craft inputs that can advance organic growing practices. We’re excited about the opportunities that this opens up for our company and, more importantly, our clients.”

OpusMAX utilizes naturally occurring minerals and is anchored by a charged particle. When blended with active ingredients, OpusMAX triggers the formation of supramolecular structures, which localizes the active ingredients and enhances efficacy.

BPS Agriculture’s subsidiaries have released four products commercially since 2020. Verano365 launched Evofactor for nutrient management, Thrivedo for improvements in medicinal cannabis production, and Nutrivix Zn|Cu for enhanced root development. PureAcre’s Augere product is a nutrient adjuvant for broadacre farmers that prevents nitrate leaching and helps growers get the most out of their fertilizer programs. All four products are designed to meet both environmental and economic pressures that today’s growers face.

About BPS Agriculture

BPS Agriculture is a diversified agricultural holding company with a portfolio consisting of Verano365®, Farm Shield™, and PureAcre™. The company utilizes their proprietary technology, OpusMAX®, to create unique products across a number of market segments, including horticulture, broadacre crops, crop protection, and others. Learn more at bpsagriculture.com.

(Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you directly from the source and story has not been edited by AgriGate Global staff. Agrigate Global takes no editorial responsibility for the same.)

FARGO, ND, UNITED STATES, June 2, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ — FarmQA, an ag tech company that builds digital tools for agronomists, today announced the general availability of map layers for the FarmQA suite.

The map layers feature provides advanced spatial layer visualizations within FarmQA. This capability allows users to easily import spatial data layers generated from other precision ag tools, such as Planet satellite imagery, into FarmQA. Once imported, the visualizations can be viewed with the FarmQA web or mobile app, equipping agronomists and soil consultants with more of the data they need to diagnose challenges and problems.

“With the addition of layers, I’m now able to view a variable rate seed map as the background while I check plant populations in the field,” says Josh Hammond, agronomist and owner of FarmAssist Consulting in Dickinson, North Dakota. “This helps me target exactly where I need to be counting for each zone so I can get reliable information.”

Integration with Planet satellite imagery enables agribusinesses with a Planet satellite imagery subscription to easily import current global agriculture imagery into FarmQA. Planet imagery is automatically processed for each field and available offline on mobile and within the FarmQA web application.

“Planet and its subscription API are a great fit with FarmQA map layers,” says Paul Bramel, vice president of engineering, FarmQA. “Planet’s ability to send us just the information that our customers are interested in reduced the amount of code we needed to write and enabled us to get the processed images into our customers’ hands as quickly as possible.”

Features and benefits of map layers include the ability to:

• Import visualizations of agronomic, topographic, weather, moisture information, and more
• Import from precision ag sources like GK Technology, John Deere, QGIS, Google Earth Pro, GeoJSON, Planet and others
• Upload layers as KMLs or shapefiles to view within FarmQA’s web or mobile applications
• Import raster and vector file formats

“Our engineering team continues to expand and improve the functionality for crop consultants,” says Howard Dahl, founder and CEO at FarmQA. “And this release provides further proof of our commitment to listen to our customers and use their feedback to guide our product roadmap. Map layers takes us one step further towards getting all data that’s meaningful to an agronomist under one roof.”

Map layers is included with a FarmQA Agronomist subscription for no additional fee as part of special 2021 introductory pricing. Using Planet imagery within FarmQA requires a Planet subscription. For more information on FarmQA map layers, visit https://farmqa.com/map-layers.

About FarmQA: FarmQA is a suite of digital tools for agronomists designed to streamline and improve core crop consulting functions. The suite includes an easy-to-use, full-function mobile scouting app and a complete web platform for collecting and displaying information from various sources. FarmQA gives ag advisors a comprehensive picture of what’s happening above and below ground, so they can provide better crop and soil recommendations and deliver more services to their growers. To learn more, visit www.farmqa.com and follow us on Twitter at @farm_qa.

Brian Glaeske
FarmQA
+1 701-941-2046
brian.glaeske@farmqa.com

(Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you directly from the source and story has not been edited by AgriGate Global staff. Agrigate Global takes no editorial responsibility for the same.)

Continental Refining Co. (CRC) is likely to invest nearly $20 million to set up a soybean crushing, biodiesel refining as well as blending facility at its oil refinery in Somerset, Kentucky.

The proposed investment will open new markets while providing farmers, customers and the community a resilient agtech business opportunity. CRC has garnered the support of Agriculture Development Councils (ADCs) in Wayne, Pulaski and Adair counties.

The company’s transformational concept has been well received by the local as well as regional communities as well as suppliers of raw materials.

The company has reportedly completed evaluation of the project’s feasibility and detailed design is in progress along with equipment procurement, and construction of a soybean processing facility.

HORSCH and Trimble has announced a collaboration to enable autonomy in farming in an attempt to build a future for autonomous machines and workflows in the industry.

The partnership extends beyond autonomously controlling machines, integrating Trimble’s expertise with HORSCH’s fleet of machines.

By bringing automation, the project’s first phase will improve machine performance and lower operating errors.

“Combining the forward-thinking nature of HORSCH with Trimble’s cutting-edge autonomous technology creates an opportunity for the companies to develop innovative applications for the OEM and Trimble’s agriculture network,” said Finlay Wood, business area director for Trimble Autonomous Solutions.

In order to support poultry farmers, the Canadian government has announced an investment of more than $550 million over the next ten years under two programmes – Market Development Program for Turkey and Chicken and the Poultry and Egg On-Farm Investment Program.

The Poultry and Egg On-Farm Investment Program will provide approximately $502 million to provide support to poultry and egg farmers through on-farm investments, while the Market Development Program for Turkey and Chicken will fund some $48.9 million towards promotional activities that differentiate the country’s high-quality food from competing imports.

“These programmes will help us grow our customer base and the domestic turkey market and through on-farm investment enhance long-term competitiveness in preparation for increased imports under the CPTPP,” said Darren Ference, chair of Turkey Farmers of Canada.