Cooperative Ventures, a venture capital fund formed in late 2021 by CHS Inc. and GROWMARK, on Nov. 4 announced its first investment in Sabanto, a hardware and software company that develops autonomous capabilities in tractors. Sabanto, founded in 2018, is deploying fully-autonomous machinery performing row crop field operations throughout the US.
“We’re very enthusiastic about the strategic benefits presented by the Sabanto investment,” said GROWMARK Director of Innovation Heather Thompson. “The labor shortage in ag retail is a very real problem. Autonomy presents an exciting solution, but adopting autonomous equipment creates a new set of challenges for traditional operations. By partnering with Sabanto, GROWMARK and our FS cooperatives have the advanced opportunity to test and learn the impacts of this cutting-edge technology.”
Sabanto is currently focused on retrofitting 60 to 200 horsepower tractors to operate autonomously. Cooperative Ventures said Sabanto has proven its ability to automate a variety of row crop field operations, including planting, tillage, spraying, and mowing over thousands of acres throughout the Midwest.
“While many autonomous equipment startups are focused on specialty crops, we believe Sabanto’s focus on row crops presents a tremendous opportunity for farmers and our member owners,” said CHS Director of Innovation and Sustainability Ben Van Straten. “This truly is an evolution of agriculture, with the potential to lower equipment and labor costs for farmers and ag retailers by using smaller tractors that are more fuel efficient while further improving sustainability through less soil compaction.”