LAMMA Innovation award winners revealed

The LAMMA Innovation Awards have gained a reputation for recognising and highlighting some of the best advances in agricultural manufacturing, and this year’s competition is no exception.

The awards, which have been given a thorough refresh to mark LAMMA’s move to the NEC, provide a platform for LAMMA exhibitors to introduce ground-breaking innovations in agricultural machinery, equipment and services to the market. This year featured some of the strongest entries yet seen in the competition.

The awards are open to all new products exhibited at LAMMA ’19. Entries were received from a wide range of exhibitors, vying for one gold and up to three silver medals in each of six new categories.

The judges considered a range of criteria including design innovation, practical impact, the sustainability of the product and its impact on the environment.

 

Thanks to a new Innovation Trail, visitors will be able to view the gold and silver medal winners for themselves at LAMMA and talk to the companies who put them forward, to see how they might best benefit their own farm or contractor business.

 

As well as the six category winners, an overall champion will be chosen by the judges on the first day of LAMMA. The Institution of Agricultural Engineers will also award the IVEL award to the best product for environmental innovation.

The shortlist was judged by a panel of 13 experts and one student judge, led by chairman Chris Rothery.

Mr Rothery said: “Having been a judge for LAMMA off and on since the inaugural 1982 show, I possess a long insight into the ideas and inventions that our amazing industry produces.

“2019 has provided our judging team with a wide range to span the new classes, and the response has been great for this first year at the NEC. The team will have a difficult job on the 8th January to decide the winner of the LAMMA Founders Trophy for the overall Best in Show.

 

 

LAMMA 2019 Innovation Award gold and silver medals:

Arable Innovation

Gold: Garford Farm Machinery – Robocrop Baby Leaf Salad Hoe

 

Designed to help growers combat restricted herbicide options, Garford’s Baby Salad Leaf Hoe is designed for delicate hoeing in narrow rows to below 50mm.

It uses inter-row technology and disc steering to ensure 5mm accuracy, using shares designed for minimal soil disturbance. A low camera position ensures precise weed control between the crop row.

 

Judges’ comments: An impressive development bringing together a range of engineering principles to produce a highly technical hoe suited to a critical market. The hoe addresses the need for reliable performance when dealing with very small leaf crops.

 

Silver: SOYL – MySOYL

This web-based management tool enables growers to view and analyse precision data to make business decisions.

 

Livestock Innovation

Gold: JF Hudson – AktivPuls milking cluster and liner concept

AktivPuls’s new milking cluster concept uses a liner that creates a more natural milking experience using lower vacuum levels so teats close faster, reducing the risk of infection.

The liners feature seven zones to adapt to all sizes of teats and are said to last up to three times longer than conventional liners while speeding up milking times by 8%.

 

Judges’ comments: Potential improvements in animal health and productivity thanks to the increased milking throughput are key winning points.

 

Silver: Kuhn – Twin-reel film binding system

This binding system helps produce high silage quality and easy feed-out of bales.

 

Silver: Easyfix – Jupiter F cow mattress

The EASYFIX Jupiter F ensures optimum positioning of the cow when lying in the cubicle.

 

Silver: Huesker – Agritec Silage Safe clamp covering system

This system is designed to provide an airtight seal for silage quickly and efficiently.

 

Driven Innovation

Gold: Apollo Vredestein – Traxion Optimall tyre

This new tyre is said to be able to be operated at up to 25% lower pressure than comparable VF (Very High Flexion) tyres in the market. It combines very high flexibility with exceptional stability.

A high-tech rubber compound in the shoulder area supports the carcass at low pressure for extreme deflection. The curved design contour ensures a larger footprint of up to 15%.

 

Judges’ comments: The tyre features new technology to achieve lower pressures and provides long-term benefits to both customers’ bottom line and soil health, due to lower compaction and improved fuel consumption.

 

Silver: Bombardier Recreational Products – Can-Am ATV anti-lock braking system

Can-Am has installed ABS technology on its Outlander and Renegade models to improve safety.

 

Online Innovation

Gold: Sparex – Connix LED magnetic wireless lighting system

A multifunctional wireless trailer light solution, Connix functions as indicators, hazard lights, brake lights and vehicle registration highlight.

This effective trailer light update features a 10-hour battery life and four-hour recharging. The lights are placed on any vehicle around the farm, paired with the plug, and are ready for use.

 

Judges’ comments:  The innovation is well thought out, has identified a need within the industry, certainly fills a big safety requirement and has wider uses outside of agriculture.

 

Silver: Herdwatch – Farm Medicine Scanner

This scanner uses technology within smart phones to simplify the process of recording medicines.

 

Diversification Innovation

Gold: Herbst Machinery – Compac Screen

This three-way split screener consists of a screen box with a pan feeder, where material such as waste material, aggregate, concrete, soil and rubble can be separated into three different fractions, turning it into useful graded end products.

The screener has its own power unit and hydraulics, making it completely self-sufficient when operating on site. It can be towed by a tractor.

 

Judges’ comments: A brand new category this year, which must fire the imagination of entrepreneurial engineers and business people, producing a clear winner with the Herbst Compac Screen showing innovation and application at its best with a machine that can be used in many different circumstances.

 

Silver: Forest Master – Zero Hand Trucks zero pivot system

A range of sack trucks that allows the operator of the truck to lift and transport heavy loads. 

 

Silver: Howseman Agriculture – six-row drip-tape laying unit

This fully adjustable drip-tape irrigation laying unit has overcome the issue of tape depth control regardless of soil type.

 

Future Innovation

Gold: Martin Lishman – ImpacTrack data logger

ImpacTrack is a new, low-cost data logger that can be used with various synthetic food shapes that replicate the movement characteristics of fruit and vegetables prone to damage and bruising during handling and transport.

The Bluetooth transmitter allows real-time monitoring or recording of damage and temperature during handling by machines or humans from field to shop floor. The logger can be used independently to monitor impact shock and temperature during transit.

 

Judges’ comments: A truly innovative product with a real market need. Well thought out with potential benefits in terms of food waste and product quality. Innovative, with great commercial potential both inside and outside agriculture.

 

Silver: Agri-Industry Solutions – Veenhuis Nutri-Flow real-time slurry analysis

This system uses near-infrared spectroscopy to monitor NPK and ammonium levels in slurry in real time.

 

Silver: Agrifac – AICPlus camera-guided spot spraying

This innovation offers immediate analysis of the crop, enabling the sprayer to operate only where needed. 

 

Silver: Hampton Steel – Versalok metal intermediate post and clip system

Featuring a delta profile for improved post strength, this system is compatible with all woven wire mesh patterns. 

 

IVEL Award

Agri-Industry Solutions – Veenhuis, Nutri-Flow real-time slurry analysis

Adding to its silver innovation award in the Future Innovation category, Veenhuis Nutri-Flow received the IVEL award in recognition of its environmental contribution.

 

LAMMA ’19, supported by headline sponsor AFP, takes place on Tuesday 8th January Wednesday 9th January. For further LAMMA visitor information go to www.lammashow.com