There is no single correct approach to agriculture, even when it comes to an individual field or crop. Every specialist and researcher has their own perspective and methods because agriculture is a dynamically evolving system that is constantly changing. The direction of this development is difficult to predict: working conditions are continually changing, often at a rapid pace.

Yatran Farm, located in Kirovohrad Region, currently cultivates approximately 1,500 hectares. Its main activity is crop production. The crop rotation includes six crops, with their proportions adjusted according to market demand. According to Hryhorii Voitenko, the farm’s founder and owner, growing a diverse range of crops in a scientifically sound rotation helps achieve consistently high yields while using fewer resources, including mineral fertilizers and pesticides.

The farm also places considerable emphasis on precision farming at Yatran Farm. “There are agronomic principles set out in textbooks that we should rely on. However, working under modern conditions requires different approaches. New technologies and machinery allow us to significantly improve production profitability. Today, precision farming offers extensive opportunities to reduce the cost per unit of output without compromising product quality or total production. That translates directly into additional profit,” says Hryhorii Voitenko.

Mr Voitenko emphasizes that after thirty years in agriculture, he has learned that crop production challenges must be addressed comprehensively. Most importantly, farmers need to understand what they want to achieve and where they are heading. “Many farmers have had the funds to upgrade their machinery fleets, at least until recently. They purchased expensive machines but did not make full use of them because they did not understand the capabilities built into their design by the manufacturers. We were ‘Neanderthals’ ourselves in this respect. Only through close cooperation with suppliers of precision farming solutions have we managed, to some extent, to establish a scientifically and economically sound crop production process,” the farm owner explains.

Today, every field on the farm undergoes comprehensive agro-diagnostics. This makes it possible to create individual technology maps for each field and crop. All nutrients are applied locally and at variable rates, taking into account soil nutrient availability and crop nutrient removal. Seeding is also carried out at variable rates according to the technology maps.

“Information is the foundation of precision farming. It helps us understand what we are doing correctly and what we are doing wrong. The next step is an in-depth analysis of that information, followed by the technical tools needed to implement the decisions we make,” says the farm manager.

Through soil analysis and variable-rate fertilizer application, the farm has reduced phosphorus application by 40% and nitrogen application by 25–30%. An RTK-based precision guidance system has reduced the number of machinery passes across fields and minimized overlaps, saving fertilizer, seeds, crop protection products and fuel and lubricants. This has reduced the costs associated with these operations by at least 12%.

The farm subsequently began changing its approach to soil cultivation. Years of systematic ploughing had created a substantial plough pan. The soil was poorly aerated, and crop root systems struggled to develop. Even worse, scarce moisture failed to penetrate into the deeper soil layers and accumulate there, while moisture in the upper layers was lost quickly.

“As we became more deeply involved in precision farming, we began paying greater attention to soil cultivation. We noticed that different crops respond differently to tillage. Working with the soil and improving its health can deliver results in terms of both yields and economics that are no worse than those achieved through variable-rate fertilization or seeding.

“As a result, we currently do not have one approved tillage technology for every situation. In most cases, we approach each field individually, depending on its needs. We may cultivate the same field differently from one season to another or even sow directly without tillage. Everything depends on the crop that will be planted,” the farm manager explains.

Strip-Till is the main soil cultivation technology used at Yatran Farm. For row crops, strips are prepared and fertilizer is applied locally in autumn. Cereals are also sown using this technology, but a combination implement is used to prepare the strips, apply mineral fertilizers locally and sow the crop in a single pass.

However, the farm has not abandoned ploughing altogether: the soil across all fields is turned over once every five years.

“In a year with good moisture availability, yields under different technologies are almost the same. However, when rainfall is limited—as we have seen for several consecutive years—soil-conserving technologies deliver better results in terms of both yield and grain quality. This is particularly noticeable when growing sunflower in our region.

“For example, this year, sunflower yields under Strip-Till technology were 0.2 tonnes per hectare higher than under conventional tillage. Oil content was also 2–3% higher because the grain-filling period was longer. This gave us an additional return of UAH 800–1,000 per hectare.

“Combining different tillage approaches also helps improve soil health. For four years, we leave all crop residues in the upper soil layers to support active soil biological processes. Most importantly, this helps minimize the negative impact of pesticide residues that accumulate in the upper soil layers during the years between ploughing operations.

“This is not just my personal opinion. Even American farmers whose farms I have visited several times turn the soil over once every five years, despite using Strip-Till or even No-Till as their main technology,” says Hryhorii Voitenko.

As the amount of effective rainfall during the growing season continues to decline each year, the farm has partially revised its crop rotation. The area allocated to corn has been reduced by half and replaced with soybeans.

“Soybeans also require considerable moisture, but they tolerate summer heat better and can use stored soil moisture more efficiently. Therefore, our main objective is to create conditions that maximize moisture accumulation in the soil during the off-season,” says Hryhorii Voitenko.

To help achieve this objective, the farm purchased a BEDNAR TERRALAND TN 4000 D9R deep loosener this year.

“The experience of my fellow farmers and neighbours shows that deep loosening before soybeans produces the best results. In addition to helping accumulate moisture during the off-season, it creates better conditions for the growth and development of the soybean’s relatively ‘lazy’ root system.

“The tillage depth for soybeans is 30–32 cm, which is more than sufficient. I would also like to emphasize that using TERRALAND in fields intended for soybeans leaves the soil level and even in autumn. Achieving the same result with a plough is not easy, as even imported implements can leave an uneven, ridged surface during autumn ploughing.

“As a result, in spring we have to work deeper with seedbed preparation equipment to level the field. This directly leads to moisture loss because soil loosened in spring dries out. With TERRALAND, the process is much simpler: a single pass leaves the field completely level before winter. In spring, we only need to refresh the surface with minimal effort before carrying out high-quality seeding on the level ground that soybeans require.

“At the same time, the working depth is greater than with a plough, while fuel consumption is lower,” the farm manager explains.

The implement was purchased from NFM AGRO, an official BEDNAR dealer. Its specialists responded quickly to the farmer’s request and brought the machine to the farm for a demonstration. After evaluating the machine’s quality and tillage performance, the farm decided to purchase it.

“There are many machines on the market with similar designs and capabilities, but BEDNAR has a significant advantage: the balance between price and quality. Its deep loosener is an excellent option in this respect.

“We considered many machines, but BEDNAR TERRALAND is currently the best solution available at an affordable price, with a wide range of options. In addition, the manufacturer’s representatives in Ukraine and the dealer’s specialists are focused on working with farmers and listening to our needs. The company organized a demonstration at our farm based on our request, and we purchased the machine only after that,” says Hryhorii Voitenko, the farm manager.

When setting up the implement, the team also tested it at a working depth of 40–50 cm. The machine performed very well at this depth, but such deep loosening is unnecessary because the farm’s comprehensive approach to soil cultivation has already eliminated the plough pan from its fields.

The TERRALAND operates with a tracked JOHN DEERE tractor, with fuel consumption of 12–13 litres. This is a good result for a four-metre-wide implement working at a depth of 32 cm.

“The deep loosener plays a significant role in this result, but we should not overlook the tractor working with it. For example, the tracked undercarriage minimizes wheel or track slippage, meaning we use less fuel,” the farm manager emphasizes.

Times are challenging for agriculture, but Hryhorii Voitenko’s experience and approach demonstrate that effective tools for successful farming are available. Farmers need to carefully weigh the pros and cons, choose reliable partners and adapt quickly to changing conditions. The sooner they do so, the more stable their financial results will be.

“Today, decisions often need to be made almost instantly. The longer you hesitate and weigh up different options, the worse the result may be because you lose precious time. It is like being an aircraft pilot who must make the right decision very quickly in an emergency. If there is a delay, the plane will simply crash,” concludes Hryhorii Voitenko.

“Some people may think that if you have worked in agriculture for thirty years, you can create a technology map, hire people to do the work and then go on holiday yourself. But I can confidently say that in thirty years, I have never experienced two years with identical conditions. Leaving a field unattended during the growing season, even for a single day, is simply impossible.”

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