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SIMA Innovation Awards 2009
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Leading Trebds SIMA Innovation Awards Results |  |
Leading trends of SIMA 2009
Jean-Bernard Montalescot, SIMA's Technology Advisor
Representative for economic valorization at Cemagref, Member of the Académie d'Agriculture de France
Over the past decade, in a context of constant change, European agriculture has proved its openness to the world with the technology watch of its key players, who need to remain competitive and efficient while responding to society's new demands, in particular concerning sustainable development,* production quality and food safety.
The international context has seen the most significant changes during this period with the entry of 10 new member states, the establishment of the new CAP in 2005 - with environmental conditionality for aid - and higher levels of competition with the construction of a regulated global market under the auspices of the WTO.
SIMA is actively involved in the new challenges of adapting our agriculture to the context of the CAP and the international expansion of competitive agriculture that generates value and employment; thanks are also due to agriculture supply professionals offering eco-technologies** (equipment and services) designed to reduce pollution in production systems and preserve our natural resources.
Without a doubt, innovation is one of the keys to this growth and competitiveness - and it was the main criterion considered by the international jury of the SIMA Innovation Awards. 15 experts from six countries reviewed 154 innovations submitted by SIMA 2009 exhibitors and selected 25 of these for awards.
This selection testifies to the special relationship between farmers and their suppliers at SIMA. Shared areas of concern included best practices in production, biodiversity protection, amenities*** and landscapes, as demonstrated by the Cemagref colloquium on environmental indicators. These solutions also translate to savings in water resources and fossil fuels in response to the Grenelle de l'Environnement and the recent Water Act. Innovations in agricultural equipment are also aimed at reducing the difficulty of agricultural work, enhancing the safety of equipment, workers and substances used. They include new information and communications technologies with a concept of precision agriculture for intra-parcel input modulation which can now take advantage of complete and profitable solutions. Specialized self-propelled devices, the most versatile of which is the tractor, and previously underused on-board computers are now becoming true decision-making and traceability-enhancing stations for monitoring productions and guaranteeing their quality.
Ongoing discussion concerns organic agriculture, GMOs, energy crops competing with food crops and other topics. Today's farmers must remain attentive to their brand image and, through dialogue at SIMA events, meet the information needs of consumers who are not always current on "clean" techniques in which the quality, health and safety as perceived by the general public are not in line with efforts made in terms of innovation.
SIMA Innovation Awards Results
| Gold Medals | |
| COMER INDUSTRIES | GPS irrigation guidance management and wireless communication |
| MASSEY FERGUSON |
Dynamic and guided cab suspension |
| NEW HOLLAND AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENT S.p.A. | Hydrogen-powered tractor in an energy self-sufficient farm |
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| Silver Medals | |
| AGCO / Division Fendt | Specialized continuously variable transmission tractor and flat floor cab |
| DCMA DARIO | Self-propelled verge cutter |
| ECO MULCH | Cultivation tool offering an alternative to the use of phytosanitary products |
| GEA-WESTFALIA | Cluster assembly for the automatic soaking of teats |
| NEW HOLLAND AGRICULTURE | Continuously variable chain transmission |
| TV AGRI | Precision farming weather forecasts (Météo agricole de précision®) |
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| Jury Members | |
| SIMA | Jean-Bernard MONTALESCOT, Conseiller Technique |
| BCMA | Mr Philippe ESTANOVE |
| CEMAGREF | Mr Frédéric VIGIER |
| Federal Dairy Research Centre in Kiel (Germany) | Mr Dieter ORDOLFF |
| INRA de Toulouse | Mr Francis SEVILA |
| ENITA de Bordeaux | Mr Gilbert GRENIER |
| Institute of Agrarian Research in Valencia | Mr Florentino JUSTE |
| INAPG | Mr Michel AUBINEAU |
| SECIMA | Mr Joel URBAN |
| SYGMA | Mr Jean-François GOUPILLON |
| SYGMA | Mr René AUTELLET |
| Ministry of Agriculture and Fishing | Mr Pierre CLAVEL |
| IMAMOTER - CNR Istituto per la Meccanizzazione Agricola E Movimento Terra (Italy) |
Mr Eugenio CAVALLO |
| WALLOON AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH CENTRE. Agricultural engineering department (Belgium) | Mr Olivier MISERQUE |
| WALLOON AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH CENTRE - Agricultural engineering department (Switzerland) | Mr Etienne DISERENS |
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