The industrial research and development of a bale handling and logistical management tool that will work in line with a Controlled Traffic Farming system.

The proposed project is seeking funding to aid with 'the industrial research for a bale handling and logistical management tool that will work in line with a Controlled Traffic Farming (CTF) system’. It will be designed around the Big Bale Transtacker and will apply automation, Global Positioning System (GPS) tagging and location technologies, as well as route planning algorithms to the development of an automated machinery system for collecting and transporting straw bales within CTF managed arable fields.
At present there is no machinery available that can economically remove cereal straw from CTF managed fields. This is one of the biggest barriers preventing significant numbers of farmers from adopting CTF as they stand to lose £57.25/ha rather than make £73.52/ha profit if they can not sell their straw. Research suggests that if a solution to this problem were found, arable farmers could adopt CTF and see their cereal yields increase by 10 – 15% and their cultivation costs reduce by 60 – 70%. The project is to research and develop an innovative technological solution to address this problem thereby creating new markets in both the UK and abroad.