Farmers have always faced a variety of challenges, spanning from weather, environmental degradation, regulatory and compliance, costs of production and labor, and the chaos of markets. Precision agriculture allows farmers to easily track all of this data while collecting real-time information that can help farmers respond more quickly to the challenges they face.
WHAT IS PRECISION AGRICULTURE?
By definition, precision agriculture is a farming-management concept based on observing, measuring and responding to inter- and intra-field variability in crops. You may have heard the terms “satellite farming” or “site-specific crop management” used to describe precision agriculture as well. This technology allows you to spot problem areas quickly, contain the problem and treat it with pesticides designed specifically for your farm.
As growers know, agriculture is typically practiced by performing the same task at the same time each year based on a schedule that can rapidly fluctuate depending on weather variability. But by collecting real-time information on soil, air quality, crop maturity, equipment, labor costs, and availability, predictive analytics can be used to empower the grower to make smarter decisions.
READ MORE ABOUT HOW FARMERS CAN OVERCOME WEATHER VARIABILITY.
THE FUTURE OF AGRICULTURE
With $11 million being allocated to agriculture systems and technologies, the agriculture industry will only continue to see more technological advances. Agriculture technologies are changing the industry, allowing farmers to increase their yields while becoming more environmentally friendly. And perhaps more importantly, this surge of technology in agriculture is inspiring a new generation of farmers.
While all of this may seem daunting to implement and manage, companies like Highland Precision Ag are working to make agriculture technology accessible to farmers across the United States. It is our hope that this wave of technological advancement in the agriculture industry not only helps growers overcome complex challenges, but inspires consumers to learn more about where their food comes from.
From scouting your fields with UAV technology to consulting on regulatory and compliance issues, agriculture technology can help you focus on what’s important—maximizing your yield and managing your farming operation.
Take a look at our interview with John Sizemore in Local Florida Grower Reveals How He Overcame His Farming Struggle to learn more about how he’s implementing precision agriculture on his farm.