Opinion: Keeping the Agronomy in Technology is an Absolute Must

In today’s day and age, it is exciting to see so many developments in technology that can be applied to the farm scale. Every week we see new companies coming into the ag technology spectrum and with each a new development or concept can be applied to becoming more efficient in day-to-day operations on the farm. With so many developments, products, and services coming out it can be difficult to evaluate what works best on each acre across the farm. Datasets alone can be overwhelming and confusing, and with more information coming to the farm each day, keeping a solid agronomy foundation is critical to long-term success.

One of the key things for companies that are successful in ag technology is that they provide excellent technology with foundational agronomy and accessible support to your farm. When evaluating what the next steps are for adopting new technology on your farm, remember the key component is to keep the agronomy in the technology you use. Technology without good support or agronomics can prove challenging to understand and interpret and can provide you with data that can distract you from your end goals. When looking at a dataset, be sure to ask what is happening at the field level and connect the field cause to what you are seeing in any data layer. A dataset may be misinterpreted or even colors being different on a map may throw a decision off if there isn’t a clear understanding from all involved on what the goal is from the technology being utilized.

Advertisement

Technology can make our day to day much easier and quicker to get key information from the farm. Understanding this data and information and how to apply it in the most efficient way is critical to success when using different tools across the farm. Remember that just because something is easier or cheaper, there may be a reason for this and that there will always be a need for foundational agronomy and expertise in precision agriculture to translate these forms of information and technology platforms. A trusted agronomic expert, whether local, national, or global who can help you decode the data and make the right decision for the field is critical to developing your return on the technology that you choose and that is right for your acres.

We are blessed to live in a time where technology in precision ag is exploding for our industry, and the opportunity for producing an even more efficient food supply, more profitably, is within reach for every producer. Be mindful to work with your agronomy experts to determine the best step forward to take in adopting new technologies and be sure to always connect the agronomic dots to success.

MORE BY SCOTT SPECK

Top Articles
Integrating Data-Driven Solutions for Fine-Tuned Climate Control in Indoor Farming

0

Leave a Reply