Farmers’ friend CEMA

FARMERS’ FRIEND

As ‘the voice of the innovators and developers of agricultural machinery in Europe’ CEMA has an important role to fill. Emma-Jane Batey spoke to Secretary General Ulrich Adam to learn how this association is supporting and promoting its members’ activities across Europe.

Based in Brussels, CEMA is the European Association of Manufacturers of Agricultural Machinery. Representing the interests of the European agricultural machinery industry, CEMA is the ‘face and voice’ of the industry in Brussels regarding key international organisations, legislative decision-makers and policy-makers.

The European agricultural machinery industry is huge: more than 4500 manufacturers including large multinational corporations and small and medium-sized enterprises generate a turnover of more than €26 billion and employe over 135,000 people directly with a further 125,000 indirectly through its distribution and service network. As an ‘association of associations’, CEMA’s members are primarily the key 11 country members’ associations, such as the major EU states of the UK, France, Italy, Germany and Spain as well as smaller states including Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, Portugal and Turkey.

CEMA’s Secretary General Ulrich Adam spoke to Industry Europe to explain how the association supports its members and promotes their activities. Mr Adam said, “As the EU platform for the manufacturers of agricultural equipment, we’re here to bring forward the message that European agricultural machinery is very much a key solutions provider for sustainable productivity growth in food production: tractors can have a traditional, old-fashioned image but the truth is that today’s tractors are highly technology driven. Agricultural machinery today is capable of doing things that even the most advanced cars are not capable of; they’re largely automated and are focused on helping farmers to produce more with less.”

Exciting opportunities

CEMA and its members have identified a huge range of exciting opportunities for farmers to stay innovative for many years to come through harnessing the best of the latest technology and combining that with upto-date knowledge of legislative and policy issues. Mr Adam continued, “Europe is the world’s biggest producer of agricultural machinery and we want and need it to stay that way. CEMA helps our members stay ahead of the game through various means including a dynamic regulatory framework here in Brussels. We’re very specialised thanks to our unique mix of agricultural policy, research policy and technical policy, all of which come together to ensure that we are at the very front of the issues that impact on the European agricultural machinery industry.”

In addition to the national agricultural associations many of the manufacturers themselves are active in CEMA’s day-to-day work.

This gives a valuable balance to the organisation, particularly as it covers both big internationally active companies and small familyowned operations. Mr Adam explained, “In particular, we have smaller members in the agricultural implement and equipment sector. The broad range of our members gives us a varied understanding of our whole industry as we represent over 98 per cent of the European agricultural machinery market. It’s a very strong platform on which to stand and helps our members enormously.”

CEMA’s mission is to work towards a balanced legislative and regulatory framework in the EU that is able to support the competitiveness of the industry in Europe and can enable the industry to provide smart solutions that help farmers worldwide to grow food affordably and sustainably. Mr Adam explained, “With population growth comes a greater demand for food, so efficient, effective growth of crops is important for everyone, not just farmers. This year CEMA will be attending the EXPO Milano which is all about feeding the growing world safely and, with research showing that the world population will grow to 10 billion people by 2050, our goal of being able to feed more people using fewer natural resources and fewer people is a integral element of that happening.”

A deeper understanding

With CEMA’s dedication to promoting and supporting innovative activities throughout the European agricultural machinery industry, it not only acts to promote a deeper understanding of the industry among EU decision-makers, regulators and stakeholders but also to advise on how farmers can manage their farms efficiently through various means. Mr Adam said, “We are seeing some really exciting developments that integrate digital technology such as precision farming, whereby advanced machinery is used in the field with remote satellite guidance, technical mapping and ways of tailoring your inputs and calculations. It means that the farm of the future can essentially be managed from the farmer’s laptop; they can see how their crops are doing, address any issues, implement pest control, see irrigation data...it’s really a farming revolution and we’re at the heart of it.”

As well as EXPO Milano, CEMA is soon organising a major summit in September entitled ‘Smart Regulations for Smart Machines’. This will support its call for a strong regulatory framework in Europe and is another example of how the organisation is pushing forward for the benefit of its members. Mr Adam concluded, “One important question right now is how European agricultural policy can support farmers in producing more and higher quality crops with less impact on the environment. Investing in modern precision machinery is a a central part of the solution. The ability of farmers to make such investments depends on all sorts of factors, such as a good price for their crop. As old European support schemes such as milk quota subsidies and sugar quota subsidies disintegrate, we will need to find new ways to support farmers in their quest to modernise their production processes in a sustainable way.” n

NEW HOLLAND AGRICULTURE BRINGS SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE TO EXPO MILANO 2015

Today we all face a daunting challenge: feeding a planet with a population that is projected to reach 9 billion less than 40 years from now while preserving natural resources and dealing with Climate Change. This issue is high up in the agenda of every government, international organization and agricultural association. As an equipment manufacturer and a global player in agriculture, New Holland has a responsibility in addressing this issue that is at the root of the Clean Energy Leader® strategy, launched in 2006. It aims to support a sustainable development of agriculture through increased productivity, rural economic development, food security and the promotion of local production of equipment, together with the reduction of the environmental footprint of agriculture through the adoption of sustainable farming practices and lower machinery emissions.

The Expo Milano 2015’s theme of ‘Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life’ provides New Holland with a unique opportunity to share this vision of sustainable agriculture with the general public and to show the key role of agricultural mechanization in the food supply chain while preserving the natural resources and reducing the environmental impact. Thanks to the Expo global partnership of FCA and CNH Industrial, New Holland is the only agricultural machinery brand participating to this important world event with its own pavilion that shows visitors its concept of the sustainable farm of today and tomorrow. A future in which the production of food, energy and revenue are part of a single virtuous circle based on the use of renewable resources, respect for the land and the environment, and the elimination of waste.

The 1,258 sqm Sustainable Farm pavilion hosts the best of New Holland in terms of sustainable agricultural equipment and technology, aimed to meet the growing needs to feed the planet. The building is designed and built according to energy-saving and sustainable architectural rules and at the end of the exhibition it will be disassembled, reassembled and used for different purposes.

Inside the pavilion, visitors live an emotional experience through multiple interactive tools, video installations, augmented reality and product displays. They get closer to farming and understand how mechanization and technology help to improve the production of quality food and clean energy and at the same time reduce pollution, waste and human fatigue. The visit experience begins from an outdoor stairway that treats visitors to a panoramic view alongside a kaleidoscope installation and the T6 Methane Power tractor prototype placed on the roof and continues through an indoor ramp that descends the whole building. On the first floor, an area is dedicated to the Energy Independent Farm, the ‘Do more with less’ concept and The seeds of Life series, that tells the stories of farmers - our customers - all over the world who help feeding the planet. On the ground floor guests discover three agricultural machines - the T7.270 high horsepower tractor, the CR9.90 combine and the Braud 9060L self-propelled grape harvester - and are surrounded by an emotional video showing the story of a seed in the soil to the food on our tables all over the world. The visit continues with the story telling of 120 years of history and technology of New Holland and on a driving and harvesting simulator that reproduces the real farming experience.

Want to see it live? Expo Milano 2015 runs until October 31st, 2015. Come and visit the New Holland Sustainable Farm Pavilion.