As a rule of thumb, technology solutions fall into six categories:
1. Sensing technologies
2. Software applications
3. Communications systems
4. Telematics/positioning technologies
5. Hardware systems
6. Data analytics solutions
These six categories provide layers of data to leverage for the sake of productivity, sustainability and profitability.
Sensors
When it comes to sensing technologies, John Fulton, professor at Ohio State University, puts sensors into five buckets: storage, machine, remote sensing, in-field and automation monitoring.
Because of the uptick in on-farm storage, Fulton says the options and capabilities of grain storage sensors have multiplied.
Tech guru Steve Cubbage encourages farmers to use monitoring technology to reliably and safely keep an eye on grain condition and avoid issues that deduct from their bottom line.
“In the heat of the battle, you don’t have time to babysit a lot of things,” he says.
Machine sensors provide deeper insights into how a farm operation executes its many duties throughout the year.
“These sensors provide feedback so farmers can look at field-level activities and profits to make changes,” Fulton says.
Remote sensing, whether by ground or air, is readily accessible through retailers and precision ag service providers who offer imagery of in-season field diagnostics, Fulton says.
That extra set of eyes and data layers allow you to make informed decisions. For example, replant decisions can be based on population and emergence maps. Remote sensors can serve as early warning systems and scouting tools to monitor weed and disease pressures.
In-field sensors provide data direct from the field — from weather, moisture and even nutrient information to organic matter and bulk density baselines that shed light on soil health.
Artificial intelligence and sensing technologies have enabled spot spraying and selective spray applications.
“This technology has arrived for post-emergence applications of inputs, and we will see new capabilities on ground rigs and drones,” Fulton says.
While the first round of technologies focused on weeds, he says watch for innovation specific to insects, particularly traps and cameras that can report bug counts and species.
For the next three to five years, Cubbage sees a reliance on ground-truthing data, but the future is relying more on artificial intelligence, which leads to automation monitoring.
“It’s great to have a spray drone or an automated machine in the field, but we have to further develop capabilities to monitor and tend to those machines. You have to have a person managing the systems, and the greatest value to the business is better support for that individual,” Fulton says.
Software
Sensors generate data, which needs to be analyzed and prepared for output. That requires software, which Fulton says will become more cloud-based.
“It’s important, from a data insights standpoint, to see what’s happening in your operation — agronomically and logistically,” Cubbage says. “Technology can’t just be used in search of a problem. It has to tell you what you need to know so you can prioritize — that’s what you’re paying for.”
Telematics
It’s possible to send, receive and store data thanks to telematics.
“Telemetry and wireless connectivity continue to be assets that improve job efficiencies for machines,” Fulton says. “Machine data gets transported to the cloud at the conclusion of field jobs, it’s saved and then available to access.
“More growers are finding value in connecting their equipment with their dealership. Whether it’s a planter, tractor or combine, the service technician can remotely access a machine to make sure they have the parts they need before heading to the field for service. Some repairs can even be done remotely.”
As Cubbage describes, the day-to-day value of machine metrics to farmers is that they are able to evaluate the performance of their machines in the same way they compare corn hybrids.
“Machine efficiency and economics is a big stone left unturned, and sensors and wireless technology are changing that big time,” Cubbage says.
Analytics
Positioning technologies and software have enabled new analytics to raise the bar. In fact, Fulton says, profit mapping is now table stakes.
“Benchmarking is also becoming more common — it makes farmers think on a field-by-field basis, and they can’t assume being profitable in one field means the same for every field.”
Data also augments our memories and solidifies assumptions as facts.
“Farmers see the data and can ask themselves what happened in this area or field and what can I learn,” Fulton says. “In some cases, data even helps trip the memory, which ultimately helps farmers make the most informed decisions possible.”
