When every day is different, reliability matters

In agriculture, no two days are the same. Weather is unpredictable, labor is scarce, and operational costs continue to rise. From crop production and poultry farming to post-harvest handling and animal feed production, producers are under pressure to do more: faster, safer, and with a greater focus on animal welfare and environmental responsibility.

 

It's a constant balancing act between productivity, compliance, and resilience. ABB supports agriculture with advanced automation and electrification technologies that help build more reliable, efficient operations. From powering ventilation systems in poultry houses to optimizing energy use in feed mills and animal feed processes, ABB helps agricultural operations run consistently, day in and day out. Because when conditions are unpredictable, consistency is your most valuable asset.

Overcoming key challenges in modern agriculture

As the agriculture industry evolves to meet rising global demand, it faces increasing pressure to improve productivity, sustainability, and resilience. From resource inefficiencies to climate-related disruptions, addressing these challenges is essential to ensure food security, reduce environmental impact, and support long-term growth.

Power reliability in remote or off-grid farms

Power interruptions in rural areas can disrupt feeding, lighting, and climate control, directly impacting animal welfare and productivity.

Maintaining optimal air quality and ventilation

Poor airflow in poultry houses leads to heat stress, ammonia buildup, and higher mortality. Ventilation systems must adapt in real time to changing conditions.

Controlling energy use while maintaining performance

Fans, lighting, and feeding systems run constantly. Without control and visibility, energy waste adds up quickly, hurting margins and sustainability goals.

How we can help you

Offering

Tailored offering for agriculture

Variable speed drives for barn and greenhouse ventilation

Keep conditions stable

ABB variable speed drives (ACS180, ACS280, ACS580) with ABB PLCs ensure precise fan and pump control in tough agricultural environments. With IP66 protection, they deliver stable temperatures, cleaner air, optimized water circulation, and lower energy use — improving productivity and animal welfare across barns and greenhouses.

Monitor and optimize farm energy use in real time

Cut waste, improve efficiency

ABB Ability™ Energy and Asset Manager helps reduce energy costs and supports sustainability goals across farms, greenhouses, and agri-facilities.

Weatherproof switchgear and reclosers for remote areas

Keep power stable

ABB's outdoor vacuum reclosers and compact switchgear are built to protect rural networks from faults, surges, and weather-related outages.

Farm-duty motors for grain dryers, fans, and irrigation

Built for tough conditions

Rugged ABB motors designed for grain handling, ventilation, and irrigation deliver long-lasting, efficient performance across seasons and weather extremes.

Solar pump drives for off-grid and hybrid irrigation

Reliable water, lower energy cost

The ABB ACQ80 solar pump drive uses MPPT to run submersible or surface pumps directly from PV or in hybrid PV + grid/genset setups. Built-in pump functions—dry-run protection, sleep/boost, level/pressure control, soft-fill—keep flow stable while minimizing energy use.

Resources

Largest Swiss rice mill monitors energy distribution digitally

La Riseria is expanding and renewing its production facilities in Ticino. This company, owned by Migros, Switzerland’s largest retail company, is pursuing a comprehensive sustainability program. La Riseria relies on ABB's digitally monitored low-voltage distribution system, a first in Switzerland.

Boosting efficiency in agriculture and irrigation

Solutions for sustainability and productivity

Efficient irrigation and reliable ventilation are essential for modern agriculture. ABB drives, motors, and PLCs help farmers reduce energy use, improve water management, and create stable conditions in barns and greenhouses. Discover how integrated solutions support productivity and sustainability across the value chain.

Encapsulated windings in food-safe motors

Keeps moisture and bacteria out

Motor windings are sealed to prevent ingress during high-pressure cleaning.

Solutions proven to boost sustainability, reliability and safety in the greenhouse business

ABB's advanced solutions can help your greenhouse business improve sustainability, increase reliability and improve safety across the entire value chain, from farm to fork.

Alternative protein: powering up energy-efficient, reliable production

By Lei Gommers, Global Business Development Manager, ABB Drives

Our world's growing population and the threat of climate change have elevated food security concerns. According to the United Nations (UN), we will have a global population of 9.7 billion by 2050, and this poses an unprecedented challenge in ensuring sufficient protein supply — an essential macronutrient for everyone.

ABB digital technologies help Bavarian smart farm participate in the national energy trading market

Pilot project between ABB and Allgäuer Überlandwerke GmbH is part of a wider initiative to bring energy and e-mobility sectors together

MPS is making egg farming more sustainable, supported by ABB’s drives technology

Better control of ventilation fans, pumps and conveyors saves energy, cuts waste and provides healthier and safer conditions for the chickens. All of these represent important steps towards more sustainable egg production, with ABB drives playing a crucial role.

Improving power efficiency and cutting costs

A combination of the latest technologies and excellent collaboration between specialists from UFA, Bühler and ABB in Switzerland has led to an impressive solution that reduces the power consumption of electric drive systems in an animal feed plant by more than 50 percent.

ABB in action