2020 has been a challenging year with forces so far out of our control, it actually seems the situation has gone from the ridiculous to the absurd. With saturated land, the New Agriculture Bill (the bill) and the Coronavirus pandemic the industry has to look at improving farming practices to stay on track.

The main conversation is how farmers cover the ground with less passes, less disturbance and less environmental impact? Sumo has the answer with the DTS strip-till drill and sales have been strong for the DTS in the first few months of the 2020 season. Being a British manufacturer, 99% of our machines are manufactured in-house meaning we’re in a good position to supply the UK agricultural market with little. Not to mention having full control over quality.

We are also starting to understand the governments new Farming Bill which has been launched in January, laying out how farm subsidies will be received and what hoops farmers will have jump through to get them. The new bill will have a seismic shift within the industry. The bill is aimed at six main areas (Productivity, Efficiency, Sustainability, Diversification, Added Value, Environment/Biodiversity), all of which Sumo could place a machine with the end user who has to embrace a change from a plough to min/zero-till farming practices.

DTS strip-till seeding is a conservation agriculture system that uses a minimum tillage approach that improves root development and soil carrying capacity. It combines the soil drying and warming benefits of conventional tillage with the soil-protecting advantages of no-till by disturbing only the portion of the soil into which the seed is placed.

Alongside the savings in fuel, labour and machinery, using the DTS can also reduce seed/fertiliser rates due to precise strip placement.

The DTS has a proven strip-till seeding design comprising a leading straight disc which cuts trash and initiates the rip line for the ensuing leg. This is followed by a straight ripping shank which loosens to depth and creates an environment conducive to easy root development. A tungsten tipped, depth adjustable twin row (or optional single chute) seed placement coulter capable of handling a wide variety of seeds then follows placing the seed. Covering discs follow and these simply re-direct soil over the seed before the final press wheels just firm the soil over the seed.

The DTS coulters are set to spacings of 333mm. Each coulter is independently mounted to ensure good contour following ability and seed to soil contact across difficult terrain.

The DTS comes with simple calibration and metering, satellite speed monitoring, 120mm seed row spacing and grain/fertiliser options are available.