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NW IL | Kind of depends. As a 60 dairy we got a robotic milker in 2015. Cows come and go 24/7 on thier own, just some twice daily maintenance and cleaning. Yes, the organic premium helped pay for the half mil investment. But it's helped us make a lot better management decisions about breeding, feeding, individualized care, and given us time flexibility, so we've recouped the costs in ways beyond just increased production.
I can see a small fleet of 4-6row equipment making a difference. Yes, 6 rows may cost the same as a 16r planter, but if you have less compaction, maybe able to gather more soil or seed data, run around the clock without attention, there might be ways to get value out of it.
I heard this winter from a farmer in KS that already has a completely autonomous new JD doing tillage, and I know of a company or 2 that will soon be selling aftermarket kits for older tractors. In rural N IL there was an autonomous sprayer going last spring.
The tech is here, just need to figure out how to maximize the value. Maybe less hired labor, maybe more variable rate opportunities, maybe the ability to be "2 places at once" or spend time with family.
Harvest might be a different animal, but tillage, planting, and spraying is here, and soon won't be that out of reach for a lot of people.
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Robot farming 2030
