Electric farming equipment is a relatively new addition to agriculture, but more and more farmers are looking to incorporate the technology into their operation. Director of vineyard operations for Wente Vineyards, Niki Wente said they have experienced the benefits and challenges of electric equipment firsthand.
Working with Monarch Tractor for several years, Wente Vineyards has been looking at both electric and autonomous equipment. Wente reports that the electric equipment is very similar in performance to traditional tractors, despite being completely different technology. However, this does not mean that it does not come with its own unique challenges.
“I think the biggest issue that we have is infrastructure,” Wente said. “So, when you’re not close to home base and you need to recharge, you have to get the tractor all the way back here in order to recharge it or swap out a battery, which just is a little more logistically challenging than it would be to just take a fuel truck to fill up a diesel tractor in the field.”
She explains that these tractors have been beneficial in opening up the possibility for their experienced workers to dedicate their skills to other areas than just operating the tractors. Wente believes that the way in which employees are trained, as well as the role of labor on the farm, will change as this technology becomes more common.
“There’s a hundred things to do every day, that we’re not getting done because we’re busy with something else,” Wente said. “The amount of work that I have is, quite literally, endless so I don’t feel as though autonomy in the vineyards will take away jobs. I think it’s honestly going to repurpose our really intelligent workforce to be improving quality, improving efficiency, and creating a better product.”
Monarch Tractor is only one of several companies developing electric and autonomous technology for farming operations. As the technology evolves and the industry changes, the needs of the farmers will change as well. Some of the challenges related to electric farming equipment will likely be reduced as advancements continue to be made.