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Futuristic Farming
Farming techniques have been innovating ever since the dawn of time. From a time a few hundred years ago when 90% of people lived on farms, to the current 2% producing food for the masses; with new times comes new techniques. Sometimes these techniques are produced from simple bursts in technology, sometimes they come from necessity. With greater population, drought scares, and new technology, our natural faming resources are decreasing. Consequently, we have to find smart ways in which to revolutionize farming. A newer product in the agricultural market, being tested by Tanimura & Antle (T&A), is Plant Tape.
Plant Tape is an automated transplanting system based on efficiency and productivity. The actual product is made from peat and vermiculite sandwiched between two layers of biodegradable tissue. A seedling is placed in the growing medium and can be stored dry, or wetted for immediate germination. The tape is stored in zigzag formation in plastic trays containing about 900 plants, which is more than double what a regular tray holds. Once the plant has been germinated to its desired maturity, the trays are loaded onto the Plant Tape transplanting machine and the planting begins. Each tray of 900 plants is loaded in the machine, which pulls the tape, cutting each individual tape around the plant immediately before sowing. An operator must be present on the transplanting machine in order to replace the trays as they empty. Check out a video on the entire process here.
With a full-scale rollout expected in 2017, Plant Tape has been adapted by T&A in order to adapt it for international commercialization. The system has proven its worth in increased efficiency, improved quality, flexibility and sustainability as all materials used are biodegradable. Not only does this system work six times faster than manual transplanting, it also utilizes its labor force with more efficiency. With this system farm workers will no longer be required to pace slowly back and forth in the field, bending over the ground and individually placing plants into the soil.
What else does the future hold for new farming techniques? Already news is bubbling up with stories of underwater gardens and urban wall/vertical gardens. Innovative farming is the way of the future. With new technology such as Plant Tape it will be interesting to see where the future of farming is headed in the next decade and beyond.
Kailyn Wolf
Production Coordinator, MarCom
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Kailyn Wolf began her career at the Allen Lund Company in 2014 as a Production Coordinator within ALC Marketing and Communication. She has a BA in English from California State University of Channel Islands.
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About Allen Lund Company: Specializing as a national third-party transportation broker with nationwide offices, the Allen Lund Company works with shippers and carriers across the nation to transport dry, refrigerated (specializing in produce), and flatbed freight; additionally, the Allen Lund Company has an international division, which is licensed by the FMC as an OTI-NVOCC #019872NF, and a logistics and software division, ALC Logistics.
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