Six companies honored with an Agromek Award
arrow_backTo the overview26 November 2024
- Construction, roads and parks
- Crop management
- Agricultural machinery
- Livestock equipment
- Tractors and combine harvesters
- Knowledge and service
The biggest product innovations in the agricultural sector were celebrated at the Agromek Award Show on the opening day of Agromek. Northern Europe’s largest agricultural fair takes place at MCH Messecenter Herning 26-29 November, 2024.
All the Agromek Award winners are flanked by Agromek Director Claus Hermansen (far left) and Chairman of Agriculture & Food Søren Søndergaard (far right). Photo: Agromek/Lars Møller.
On Tuesday at noon, 21 innovative agricultural solutions were in the running for an award at the Agromek Award Show, and six products were awarded the prestigious prize. All winners can be seen further down, along with reactions from the companies and the judges' reasoning.
The hosts of the well-attended award ceremony were Chairman of Agriculture & Food Søren Søndergaard and Agromek Director Claus Hermansen. The former presented flowers and certificates to the winners, while the latter read out the jury's reasons before golden confetti fell over all the winners, who had gathered on stage.
In total, 147 innovations were judged by the jury and expert panel behind Agromek Stars. Of these, 69 received the Agromek Stars, 21 moved on to the Agromek Award Show, and six won prizes in the categories of 'Crop Management', 'Agricultural Machinery, Tractors and Combine Harvesters, Contractor, road and parks', ‘Livestock Equipment’, and 'Knowledge & Service'.
Here are the six Agromek Award winners, their quotes, and the judges' justifications.
CROP MANAGEMENT
Vestjyllands Andel (Herning) – VA SizeMatters – from feed factory to barn aisle, sifting machine.
Jakob Holm Jonsson, product consultant, says: "A thousand thanks. It’s great that we, as a small feed company, get to be part of this. There are many great people who have worked on this for many years, and they deserve all the credit."
Judge's reasoning: "When the VA SizeMatters sifting machine is implemented in the on-farm mixing process, it opens up the opportunity for better, faster, and more precise control of feed quality in each feed type. The panel believes that since feed control is often done visually today, moving forward, it will be based on precise data from SizeMatters, which can then be used to adjust the mill settings in the feed system, improving feed quality for on-farm mixers."
AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY, TRACTORS AND COMBINE HARVESTERS & CONSTRUCTION, ROAD AND PARK
Väderstad – Semler Agro A/S (Kolding) – Enhanced seed placement sets new standards, Väderstad Proceed
Asger Jørgensen, Sales Manager, says: "First of all, thank you to Agromek for this fine award. At Väderstad, we work every day to improve our machines and develop them so that what we do tomorrow is better than what we did today or yesterday. The Proceed is a good example of equipment that will benefit farmers in the future. We are proud and very grateful for the recognition we receive through this award."
Judge's reasoning: "The panel emphasizes that the Väderstad Proceed seeder does not require specific seed quality and can achieve more uniform plants, and therefore a more uniform grain quality. The seeder is highly versatile, able to seed corn, beets, rapeseed, and more. It can place seeds at the correct depth regardless of soil type and cultivation system. The large versatility of the seeder allows it to be used for many crops and hectares."
WekoAgro Machinery (Bording) – Self-driving and self-charging electric irrigation machine with energy pack and automatic folding boom
Mogens Lauridsen, Product Specialist, says: "First of all, we want to thank Agromek and the judging panel for the nomination and the kind words. A big thank you also to our team at WekoAgro, who have contributed and made it possible for us to be here today. Many hours have gone into this, and now we hope to contribute in reality. Thank you very much."
Judge's reasoning: "Autonomous self-driving irrigation machine. The jury emphasized that the manufacturer has leveraged the operational advantages of making the functions electric. With the battery pack, which is charged by water pressure, the machine can regulate irrigation and, among other things, drive over wet holes without watering. Equipped with an irrigation boom, the machine can automatically fold the boom when it reaches the end and can electrically wind up the hose if irrigation is to be stopped."
LIVESTOCK EQUIPMENT
BoviWalk ApS (Hemmet) – Camera uses artificial intelligence to identify lame cows
Sofie Skovsgaard, Director, says: "We try to make a difference – whether it's farmers, cows, or other animals, we want to help make a difference. Thank you!"
Judge's reasoning: "Video surveillance camera that uses AI algorithms to mark 20 points on a cow and then reads if the cow is lame and, if so, which leg it is on. The panel sees significant potential regarding economics, animal welfare, and minimizing climate impact. It is seen as a big strength that this is a 'stand-alone' system that can be integrated with external systems and minimizes installation costs. Early detection of lameness helps reduce the replacement frequency in the barn."
Neeo Bovis ApS (Silkeborg) – Neeo Bovis Laser
Glennie Christensen, Director, says: "One thing I think is very important to mention here is that if you as farmers meet an entrepreneur who wants to test something on your farms – do it. I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for Hans Skovgaard from Them, who opened the doors for me."
Judge's reasoning: "The panel has evaluated that the handheld laser for treating mastitis could have a wide application in agriculture. The product fits well with reducing antibiotic use, improving animal welfare, and minimizing climate impact. It is considered an excellent tool, especially for organic dairy producers who have stricter rules regarding antibiotic use. Before use, staff must be trained and certified to use the laser."
KNOWLEDGE & SERVICE
SEMEX (Give) – Breeding value for methane efficiency in the Holstein breed
Dirk Streefkerk, Team Leader at SEMEX Denmark, says: "We want to thank you. We can’t wait to see genetic solutions for climate footprints take off, and I think this applies to all genetics-selling companies in the country."
Judge's reasoning: "Index for methane efficiency. The company presents a newly developed breeding index that shows methane production for their breeding bulls. This allows the use of bulls with an index over 105 for methane production. The panel believes that with this index, the company can make a significant contribution to CO2 reduction by using the highest-index bulls, which is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by 20% by 2050, solely through breeding. This can be achieved without affecting the cow's performance, health, or longevity. Six weeks after birth, heifers can be genetically tested for their methane efficiency."
