Animal output for meat production accounts for 24.8% of the total EU-28 agricultural output. The sector has been dealing with numerous challenges such as animal welfare, foreign competition, climate impact and antibiotic resistance.



The meat trial aims to demonstrate how technology can help face these challenges. Early warning systems increase animal health and reduce antibiotic use. Advanced monitoring systems provide farmers with feedback on their decisions and help to optimize animal growth and wellbeing. Tracking data adds transparency and traceability to the production process. In this way, the meat trial will explore the advantages of IoT technologies for farmers and for the production chain as a whole.

With the vegetable sector amounting to around 10% of the total agricultural output value in the EU, vegetables represent one of the most important food categories in European supermarkets. Farmers face numerous challenges in their efforts to guarantee a continued supply. Most importantly disease and pest control, the competition with weeds and the preservation of soil fertility.



In order to support the long-term growth of the sector, the vegetable trial aims to demonstrate how the cultivation process can be automated, using an intelligent combination of sensors and data analysis. These IoT technologies will be tested under different conditions, ranging from fully-controlled indoor greenhouses to semi-controlled greenhouses and open-air, non-regulated vegetable cultivation.



Special attention will be given to organic farming, where weed control is a specific challenge. Reliable traceability throughout the supply chain and the simplification of certification systems is also included in the trial.

The cultivation of fruits represents a demanding task for farmers. Harvest time and selection is crucial for the quality of the product and the requirements in terms of resource-use, logistics and disease/pest control are high. Aiming to improve production processes, the fruit trial showcases the uptake of IoT technologies throughout the fruit supply chain: at the field, in logistics, in processing and at the point-of-sale.



Specifically focusing on the production of table grapes, wine and olives, the fruit trial will show how IoT technology can improve each step in the production process. Sensor data (e.g. weather stations, multispectral/thermal cameras, stem water potential, light micro-climate measures, fruitful indexes), cloud-based systems for monitoring and early warning systems to control pests/diseases (e.g. variable rate spraying, selective harvesting) can help to improve quality and increase yield.



Additionally, traceability devices (e.g. RFID, multidimensional barcodes, 3D labels) and smart packaging enable condition monitoring during storage, processing, transportation and on the shelves. The incorporation of IoT technologies in the fruit supply chain has the potential to reduce pre- and postharvest losses, lower input, improve quality, achieve higher distances and improve product traceability (including protected designation of origin).

Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) is key to satisfy the increasing world-wide demand for good quality animal products in combination with responsible farming. To reduce environmental impact, diminish resource use and increase animal welfare while at the same time intensifying productivity is the imminent challenge faced by the dairy sector.



Since the abolition of milk quota in 2015, milk has been subject to heavy price fluctuations. In order to remain competitive on the world market, the European dairy sector needs to improve its production processes. The dairy trial addresses this challenge by combining real‐time sensor data gathered from neck collars with GPS, machine learning technologies and cloud-based services to create more value in the dairy chain.



Data on the feeding patterns of cows will provide input to detect health issues at an early stage, for example. Quality data to calibrate sensors remotely will improve milk quality monitoring. In the dairy trial, IoT technology helps to use resources more efficiently, ensure high quality milk, improve animal welfare and decrease environmental impact.



The use-cases will utilize the platform 365Farmnet to enable the seamless exchange of IoT data and services.

Arable farming represents the largest agricultural sector in the EU in terms of acreage (60% in 2013) and number of primary production holdings. The sector has important ambitions, such as increasing production for food, feed, bio-based products and energy with the same or less input. At the same time, the sector faces several challenges. Stopping loss of soil fertility, prevent the pollution of groundwater and tackle disease/weed resistance for example. Against this background, a more sustainable food value chain is a necessity.

IoT technology enables precision farming. In the use cases we link existing sensor networks, earth observations systems, crop growth models and yield gap analysis tools to a variety of databases. This combination of information creates effective, standardized actuation protocols (‘task maps’) for machines and robots. Focusing on the cultivation of three main crops (wheat, soybeans and potatoes), in different European regions and climate zones, the trial includes activities along the cropping cycle. With the help of IoT technologies, data on key variables such as the soil, climate conditions, growth of plants and weed, disease or pest prevalence can be combined in a meaningful way.

The innovative farm management systems in the arable farming trial address urgent challenges, such as the efficient use of pesticides, fertilizers and energy. The smart combination of data also enhances transparency and food safety along the food chain.