Call for hi-tech farming

20 November 1998

Call for hi-tech farming

THE use of hi-tech gadgetry in farming makes good environmental and business sense, delegates at Scotlands first precision farming conference were told.

Small farmers would be just as likely to benefit as large farmers, even though it was admitted that cost might be a deterrent, claimed one presenter.

Cost savings were to be made by cutting inputs.

One participant expects to save £3800 this year by using a global positioning system (GPS) which allowed him to cut costs by £11 an acre.

Another participant demonstrated a system which identified which part of a field a particular box of potatoes came from, as well as the rates of fertiliser, herbicides and fungicides used.

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  The Scotsman 20/11/98 page 30