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Economic Implications of Field Size for Autonomous Arable Crop Equipment

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  • Al-Amin, A.K.M. Abdullah
  • Lowenberg-DeBoer, James
  • Franklin, Kit
  • Behrendt, Karl

Abstract

Research shows that smaller field size favours biodiversity and it is hypothesized that autonomous arable crop equipment would make it possible to farm small fields profitably. To test this hypothesis algorithms were developed for machine time over a range of field sizes. The Hands Free Hectare (HFH) linear programming model was used to assess the economic implications of field sizes. The study considered rectangular fields in the West Midlands from 1 to 100 ha farmed with tractor sizes of 38 hp, 150 hp and 296 hp. Results showed that field times (hours/hectare) were longer for small fields with equipment of all sizes and types, but field size had the least impact for small equipment. The results showed that autonomous equipment reduces costs on farms with fields of all sizes. If temporary labour is available, conventional farms with small fields use the smaller equipment, but the extra hiring increases wheat production costs by £30-£40/ton over costs on farms with autonomous equipment. The larger 150 hp and 296 hp tractors were not profitable on the farms with small fields. The economic viability of autonomous equipment irrespective of field sizes shows that it could facilitate biodiversity gains and environment schemes, such as Environmental land management schemes (ELMS) in the United Kingdom and Agri-environment schemes (AES) in the European Union and elsewhere.

Suggested Citation

  • Al-Amin, A.K.M. Abdullah & Lowenberg-DeBoer, James & Franklin, Kit & Behrendt, Karl, "undated". "Economic Implications of Field Size for Autonomous Arable Crop Equipment," Agri-Tech Economics Papers 316595, Harper Adams University, Land, Farm & Agribusiness Management Department.
    • Handle: RePEc:ags:haaepa:316595
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.316595
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. repec:ags:agsaem:158320 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Fontanilla-Díaz, Carlos A. & Preckel, Paul V. & Lowenberg-DeBoer, James & Sanders, John & Peña-Lévano, Luis M., 2021. "Identifying profitable activities on the frontier: The Altillanura of Colombia," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    3. McCorkle, Dean A. & Dudensing, Rebekka M. & Hanselka, Dan & Hellman, Ed W., 2016. "Economics of Robotic Technology in Texas Wine Grape Production," 2016 Annual Meeting, February 6-9, 2016, San Antonio, Texas 230005, Southern Agricultural Economics Association.
    4. Miller, Thomas A. & Rodewald, Gordon E. & McElroy, Robert G., 1981. "Economies of Size in U.S. Field Crop Farming," Agricultural Economic Reports 307907, United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
    5. Gaus, Cord-Christian & Urso, Lisa-Marie & Minßen, Till-Fabian & de Witte, Thomas, "undated". "Economics of mechanical weeding by a swarm of small field robots," 57th Annual Conference, Weihenstephan, Germany, September 13-15, 2017 262169, German Association of Agricultural Economists (GEWISOLA).
    6. repec:ags:agsaem:158319 is not listed on IDEAS
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    Cited by:

    1. Grahmann, Kathrin & Reckling, Moritz & Hernández-Ochoa, Ixchel & Donat, Marco & Bellingrath-Kimura, Sonoko & Ewert, Frank, 2024. "Co-designing a landscape experiment to investigate diversified cropping systems," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 217(C).
    2. Abdullah Al-Amin, A.K.M & Lowenberg‑DeBoer, James & Franklin, K. & Behrendt, K., "undated". "Economics of Field Size for Autonomous Crop Machines," Land, Farm & Agribusiness Management Department 322755, Harper Adams University, Land, Farm & Agribusiness Management Department.
    3. Abdullah Al-Amin, A.K.M & Lowenberg‑DeBoer, James & Franklin, K. & Behrendt, K., "undated". "Economics of Field Size for Autonomous Crop Machines," Agri-Tech Economics Papers 322755, Harper Adams University, Land, Farm & Agribusiness Management Department.
    4. Robert Finger, 2023. "Digital innovations for sustainable and resilient agricultural systems," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 50(4), pages 1277-1309.

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