Precision agriculture with BBLeap: “Our way of thinking has changed”
Modern agriculture is all about efficiency, precision and innovation. Two leading companies, Eendracht Agro and Mts Akkerbouwbedrijf Boer, have discovered the benefits of the BBLeap system. We spoke to Gerben Melissant of Eendracht Agro and Rik Eijsbertse of Mts Akkerbouwbedrijf Boer to hear how this technology has improved their operations.
Farm Facts
Gerben Melissant
- Company: Eendracht Agro
- Location: Zuid-Beijerland
- Hectares: 320
- Crop: Potatoes, onions, beets, grass seed, spring wheat, winter wheat and barley
Rik Eijsbertse
- Company: Mts Akkerbouwbedrijf Boer
- Owner: Leon Boer
- Location: Nieuw-Beijerland
- Hectares: 130
- Crop: Potatoes, onions, wheat, sugar beet and peas
Gerben Melissant from Eendracht Agro
Interview
Eendracht Agro, based in Zuid-Beijerland, cultivates 320 hectares of land with crops such as potatoes, onions, beets, grass seed, spring wheat, winter wheat and barley. Gerben Melissant enthusiastically talks about their experiences with BBLeap:
“We have been working with the John Deere system for a while now, which has helped us to collect a lot of data on, for example, fuel consumption and tractor pull controls in our fields. This data gives us insight into soil variations such as soil density and height differences, which is crucial for making task maps and adjusting soil herbicide rates. The BBLeap system fits perfectly with our ambition to become more site-specific.”
Gerben emphasises that the integration of BBLeap has taken their precision farming to the next level: “With BBLeap, we can perform drone flights and convert the collected data directly into practical applications. Our spraying has improved enormously thanks to spot spraying, which we use to tackle potato storage on bare land and now spray very accurately. We leave the rest untouched, because why spray where there is nothing…”
Gerben Melissant
Gerben explains how data is turned into practical application
Rik Eijsbertse
BBLeap helps set fixed cap lines
Rik Eijsbertse from Mts Akkerbouwbedrijf Boer
Interview
Mts Akkerbouwbedrijf Boer, managed by Leon Boer and located in Nieuw Beijerland, covers 130 hectares with crops including potatoes, onions, wheat, sugar beet and peas. Rik Eijsbertse shares similar positive experiences with BBLeap:
“At our farm, we also work with John Deere and work closely with “van Iperen” to create soil potential maps. With the data we collect, we can now be much more precise. The BBLeap system has significantly improved our precision farming, especially in applying fertiliser in wheat where, through growth regulation, we have given higher doses on parts where there used to be an orchard. Previously, the wheat was always flat there but that now it stays up perfectly. In total, that piece covers about 30% of the area.
Rik also praises BBLeap’s technical capabilities: “The system helps us set fixed cap lines, which prevents overlap and minimises gaps in spraying.”
“The system has changed our way of thinking. I now think of new possibilities and applications all the time” – Gerben Melissant
A new way of thinking
“innovation and efficiency”
Both farmers agree that BBLeap has changed their way of thinking. Gerben points out that he now no longer has to make separate task maps for specific sprays: “The system offers the possibility to set four different lines. This allows me to open two caps above the potato plants and leave the one between the ridges closed for exaple. No plant is growing there at the moment, so spraying would be pointless. Then you spray pesticide on bare soil. That was the case before, but then we also had no choice to do it differently. Now we have managed to reduce the amount of agent used by ⅓.”
Rik sees similar benefits: “For example, the risk of phytophthora has been greatly reduced because we always have the right pressure and rate of application. The first metres after driving off always used to be less protected due to overdosing, but now we no longer have that problem. We are only in our first season with precision applications, but the results are already promising.”
“The BBLeap system has significantly improved our precision farming, especially when applying site-specific soil herbicide in wheat.” – Rik Eijsbertse
Future plans
Gerben and Rik are looking to the future with new ideas and applications. “The system has definitely changed our way of thinking,” Gerben considers a variable application for foliage spraying: “A camera system would be ideal for this.” Rik sees potential in spot spraying with BBLeap to spray only the plants and not the bare soil, which is more targeted and therefore more efficient for your field.
They appreciate the collaboration and knowledge sharing with other users of the same system through an online WhatsApp group. This helps them to continuously improve and share innovations.
Precision farming at a high level
The positive experiences of Eendracht Agro and Mts Akkerbouwbedrijf Boer with the BBLeap system show the value of innovative technologies in modern agriculture. By working more efficiently and making better use of their resources, they have taken their precision farming to the next level.
It is clear that BBLeap is making a significant contribution to transforming their way of thinking and working in agriculture.
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