Description
Traditional irrigation systems have their place, but what about fields that aren't perfectly square, have obstacles, or need more than just water applied throughout the growing season?
That's where the 360 Rain system comes in.
At Ag in Motion in Langham, Sask., RealAgriculture's Amber Bell caught up with Mitch McCormick, sales manager with West Coast Robotics, to learn more about the autonomous machine and how it's being used on western Canadian farms.
Manufactured by 360 Yield Center in Morton, Illinois, the 360 Rain system is designed to move autonomously through fields within a geofence, applying water or liquid manure to a variety of crops, McCormick says. Unlike traditional pivot irrigation systems, the machine can navigate irregularly shaped fields and avoid obstacles.
West Coast Robotics brought the system to Canada in 2024 and currently has 29 units operating across Western Canada, with the majority located in British Columbia.
For many of those customers, particularly dairy producers, the biggest advantage has been the ability to apply manure directly to growing crops while reducing hauling costs.
"Eliminating manure hauling costs, getting pits emptied, you know, giving the plant nutrients within the growing season has really been first and, you know, really paramount to the success of the product," says McCormick.
Beyond manure application, the system is being used for irrigation on row crops, grass crops, potatoes, and other commodities. McCormick says the versatility of the machine is one of its biggest selling points.
While dairy operations have been the primary market so far, McCormick says the company is looking to expand into vegetable production and other crops.
"I think the goal moving forward is to really touch the vegetable market and other different types of crops than what we have sort of traditionally done to date."
With ongoing research and development, McCormick sees opportunities for the technology to continue evolving as growers look for different ways to manage water and nutrients in their fields.
Website: https://www.realagriculture.com/
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