2014 Precision Ag Top 5 Technologies

Since precision agriculture burst onto the agricultural landscape back in the mid-1990s, the one constant has been simple — nothing remains constant year after year. Invariably, some new technology or advancement in hardware/software has come along and displaced (or at least overshadowed) what had previously been hot.

For evidence of this phenomenon, you need look no further than PrecisionAg magazine’s annual listing of the top five precision agriculture technologies. When our magazine has compiled the Tech Top 5 each year, there usually are one or two recently introduced technologies that have made the listing.

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Until this year, that is.

Once the comments from our precision agriculture insiders were tabulated for 2014, the Tech Top 5 was identical to the one we published in our 2013 Fall edition. What’s different, however, is the order of importance for each of these technologies.

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As for why this might be the case, there seems to be two schools of thought, according to our market watchers — one negative, the other positive. On the negative side, some precision agriculture experts feel that the recent slowdown in the amount of money flowing into the agricultural market could be playing a factor in this lack of change.

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“I believe another factor this year is lower commodity prices,” says Sid Parks, manager of precision farming for GROWMARK, Bloomington, IL. “This will negatively impact growers’ bottom lines and farm income, affecting their willingness to pay for new services and technologies. This will become more of a challenge for service providers to promote, although that is often where the growers will most benefit from this investment.”

[Related: Top 5 Precision Agriculture Technologies For 2015: Data’s Day]

On the positive side, however, other market analysts believe the reason the top five precision agriculture technologies have remained unchanged between 2013 and today has more to do with how effective (and profitable) they’ve proven to be over the past year.

“These five top tech trends have incredible synergy,” says Jeremy Wilson, technology specialist for Crop IMS, Effingham, IL. “As each of these technologies continue to develop over the next few years, the opportunities for growers to increase production and be better stewards of land will abound.”

No matter which explanation is best, the bottom line is these five precision agriculture technologies lead the pack in industry buzz and grower-customer usage for 2014. So, without further delay, here are this year’s Tech Top 5, ranked one to five!

Ag Eagle UAV 1. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVS)

Last year’s No. 5 precision agriculture technology took a huge jump in 2014 to No. 1, which probably comes as a surprise to no one who’s regularly followed the marketplace the past 12 months. Since coming into their own a few years ago, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have been the most talked about, reported on and in-the-field discussed technology on the planet. In fact, speaking of trade shows, not only were UAV companies some of the most common fixtures at this year’s InfoAg Conference in mid-July, but whole trade show events were devoted exclusively to these flying technology marvels.

“UAV use on the farm continues to be a popular subject,” observes Harold Reetz, president of Reetz Agronomics, LLC, Monticello, IL. “Experience with using UAVs is showing some real opportunities. They can reduce the time and expense of scouting fields for determining crop conditions, and especially for documenting the extent and locations of serious crop problems that need to be addressed with ‘boots on the ground.’”

Tim Norris, manager of Ag Info Tech, LLC, Gambier, OH, agrees. “This technology shows a lot of promise in my opinion,” says Norris. “The ability to see your fields from the aerial perspective in real time is monumental. The resolution of the images is much greater with a UAV vs. satellite as well. We can see old tire tracks from a previous operation and row-by-row problems with our planter. The crop diagnostic potential with these systems is just starting to get figured out.”

According to Reetz, the fact that UAVs have received so much attention is a testament to their potential, given the fact that Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rules prohibit their use. “FFA’s delays in addressing regulatory questions is slowing progress, but not affecting interest,” he says.

While agriculture waits for FAA to finalize its regulations regarding UAV usage, Reetz says this is giving manufacturers of these products to improve not only the reliability of their equipment but the software that helps guide them as well.

Still, not everyone PrecisionAg talked with held UAV potential in such high regard. “While UAVs are getting a lot of attention, I’m less optimistic they will provide commercially viable solutions in the next year,” says Sid Parks, manager of precision farming for GROWMARK, Bloomington, IL. “Lots of people will enter the market space, but the novelty will wear off. Most UAV solutions offer just a picture, and managing the data will be a challenge.”

Variable Rate Seeding2. VRA Seeding

Moving into second place on this year’s Tech Top 5 countdown is variable-rate application (VRA) seeding. “VRA is still hanging on as more and more growers experiment with this technology,” says Jeremy Wilson, technology specialist for Crop IMS, Effingham, IL. “The recommendation processes have improved over the years and as they continue to be more refined, the adoption of this practice will continue to increase.”

As was the case during 2013, part of the reason VRA seeding continues to receive so much attention ties back to The Monsanto Co.’s ongoing FieldScripts program implementation among growers and ag retailers. “VRA seeding has received a lot of attention, thanks to Monsanto,” says GROWMARK’s Parks. “The company has promoted heavily and expanded the interest levels. More people will be adopting, but the value for the extra work and investment has been difficult to prove.”

Interest in VRA seeding during 2014 was also helped along by a few product enhancements as well. One of these has been the introduction of electric drive seeding from several manufacturers. “These electric drives far exceeded my expectations on adoption,” says Ag Info Tech’s Norris. “The appeal to the grower of removing drives, chains, bearing drive shafts and clutches is high because of the maintenance that each of these pieces requires. If one of these components has an issue, it can greatly reduce your singulation, which results in a yield decrease.”

Looking ahead, Reetz Agronomics’ Reetz expects VRA seeding to remain a popular precision agriculture technology because of what more should be done with it. “So we now have the possibility of variable-everything on the planter,” he says. “We can vary the seed population and depth and change the genetics on-the-go. But can we answer the questions ‘what to vary, when and why?’ A lot of research and experience is still ahead. But we will learn how to turn these tools into profit-makers.”

Farmer on computer3. Data Solutions

In third place among the Tech Top 5 for precision agriculture is data solutions. However, according to Reetz, the fact that this category finished behind UAVs and VRA seeding doesn’t diminish the importance data solutions plays in the grand scheme of precision agriculture.

“Data has always been the centerpiece of precision ag,” he says. “That will not change. Detailed, site-specific data are what builds site-specific management.”

Crop IMS’ Wilson concurs. “The move to create ‘Big Data’ datasets has to be the most significant trend so far for 2014,” he says. “Several companies are working to build large datasets to offer solutions to the industry centered on accumulating data, de-identifying data for various purposes and applying social media-like ad revenue models as appropriate. Words can’t even explain the amount of money that has been spent to develop these products over the past 12 months, and venture capital funds seem to be rushing to this space hoping to fund the next Google or Facebook.”

Of course, adds Wilson, this move to cultivate more “big data” solutions has created both opportunities and challenges for growers and their service providers. “New awareness is being raised as to the way these businesses will operate and just how both service providers and producers may be affected,” he says. “Producer consistency groups as well as regulators in Washington, DC, are excited about the potential these new technologies bring. But at the same time, they understand there is a need for new ways to better understand the exact nature of how these businesses will operate and interact with customer data.”

Still, reminds Reetz Agronomics’ Reetz, data solutions don’t have to go big to be effective as a precision agriculture tool. “There may also be huge value for focusing on ‘little data,’ such as the grower’s own accumulation of site-specific data from their own fields,” he says. “What many growers need is a service provider that can help them to organize all of the site-specific data from each field and integrate it with the soils and weather data bases available — as well as information from the ‘big data’ services — and then interpret the integrated data into decision-making tools that help reap the benefits of all of these data. Whoever brings such a service into the marketplace will have customers lining up. It wouldn’t replace the ‘big data’ services. It would actually be a path to making them more useful to growers.”

Google Glass4. Smart Devices

Last year’s No. 1 on the Tech Top 5 for precision agriculture, smart devices, took a fall this year to No. 4. But according to Reetz, this has more to do with just how common smart devices have become in today’s world than a commentary on their importance to users.

“Do we — and will we — notice how much they have become almost indispensable? Probably not,” he says. “Smartphones are at the center of all of this. When was the last time you sat down in a meeting or at a table with a group of five or more people where at least half had their smartphones in front of them? And how much has that improved our access to information, customers, co-workers and clients?”

Of course, hardware is only half the equation when it comes to smart device adoption in the world of precision agriculture. According to Reetz, the introduction of new apps also is fueling growth in this area. “The smart devices are important, but the explosion in new apps gives them power,” he says. “That is fertile ground for new ways to get information in the hands of potential users. They can help users collect, analyze, interpret and share information. They can help users use that information in making decisions. How long will you have to wait before the wearable device such as Google Glass and other smart devices gain similar critical positions in our lives? Not very long!”

Crop IMS’ agrees that app creation is really driving the use of smart devices in agriculture — and should continue to do so in the foreseeable future. “The acceptance of these smart devices by growers is unbelievable,” he says. “Through my travels and speaking engagements this winter and over the summer, I would say the adoption rate is nearing 80%. Technologies such as Google Glass and others will allow an off-site user to have a first-person view of things that once could only be experienced in person. This has the potential to redefine how a service provider works with their growers.”

John Deere R4045 Cab5. In Cab Solutions

Rounding out the Tech Top 5 for 2014 are in-cab solutions. According to Reetz Agronomics’ Reetz, many of the recent developments in this area tie directly back to efforts to capture “big data” and improve data management solutions.

“Quality data leads to quality information that translates into reliable decisions,” he says. “Communication with on-board sensors, monitors and controllers is a critical link. When all the components in the system can communicate reliably and speak the same language, you are off to a much better start.”

Reetz adds that manufacturers have been making good progress in developing such systems for the industry’s equipment cabs. Furthermore, he expects more advances to appear during 2015 and beyond as new technologies are streamlined.

“Data loggers that collect data from all components and ‘send it to the cloud’ offer some interesting options,” says Reetz. “Those data can be shared with various advisers and service providers that can access the data and help move toward the decision phase, as well as documenting field activities for future reference. The human element and associated possibilities for error are greatly reduced in such systems.”

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Avatar for Paul Paul says:

Run an algorithm comparing this list to headlines and articles and I think you will have a pretty high correlation.

[…] also is a farmer — deeply involved in the agriculture market. He’s an expert on precision AG — and has closely tracked how UAVs are impacting […]