Circularity in Farm Equipment: Design with the End in Mind
by ​Nicholas J. Goeser, Ph.D.
What are circular systems and why is this important?
Circular agricultural and food systems are designed to increase input use efficiencies, design out waste and pollution, keep products and materials in use, regenerate natural systems and improve economic benefits. The circular economy is based upon a systematic approach to economic development that benefits business, society and the environment.
The United States has made incredible improvements in food and agricultural systems over the past 100 years. During this time, food and fiber supplies have quadrupled through innovations in genetics, precision agriculture, enhanced agricultural education and other agricultural science advances. However, there are wastes throughout agricultural supply chains that include the 30 percent to 50 percent loss of produced food that is typically dumped into landfills, along with the valuable inputs and resources that are contained in discarded food.
What does this mean for farm equipment manufacturers?
Farm equipment manufacturers have experience with circularity in making equipment with materials that are circular in nature (e.g iron, plastics, tires). Increased value to farm equipment manufacturers can come from enhancing design with the end in mind–to meet operational efficiency, policy, regulatory and societal demands. Improving product use efficiency in manufacturing is good for the bottom line. This means less waste in production, delivery, and recycling of farm equipment. As a manufacturer, if you have not run into regulatory compliance requirements through public agencies or private companies, you will soon. Designing with the end in mind can aid in complying with regulatory requirements at the local, regional, country and global levels (e.g. and ).
Similarly, manufacturers are increasingly included in life cycle analyses (LCA) to understand the impacts of agricultural production systems. Awareness and engagement in LCA, circularity or other sustainability efforts can impact how farm equipment is factored into broader agricultural supply chain commitments and accounting practices for environmental, economic and social impacts (e.g. , , ).
What opportunities exist for engagement?
The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) has launched the initiative. This initiative is focused on collaboration across food and agricultural systems with farmers, agricultural industry, academic institutions, conservation organizations, governmental agencies and the broader public.
The ASABE has set forth in initiating cross-sector work to improve farmer and rancher economics, food supply chain resilience, reduced food waste and broader circular economies. This includes helping to provide the framework to organize technical workgroups, facilitate convergence among different disciplines and develop standards for food and agricultural processes.
All are invited to participate in this initiative to help refine circularity principles, build the framework to facilitate convergence on circular agricultural standards, and create economic opportunities for agriculture and food systems. Farm equipment manufacturers can help provide prioritized recommendations on actions to take to leverage previous experiences and build opportunities for supply chain resilience.
Nicholas J. Goeser, Ph.D., is a strategic consultant for Transforming Food and Agriculture to Circular Systems for the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers. Contact him at goeser@asabe.org or (608) 327-9034.