Phrases like “There’s an app for that!” and “Google it” have become everyday expressions reminding us that technology is influencing common tasks in our daily lives. The story is no different when it comes to Michigan agriculture. Recent advancements in technology have made their way to the field. Whether you like it or not, modern agriculture is now inundated with flashy screens and monitors mounted on all sorts of farm equipment. These tools play a crucial role in improving farm efficiency by providing real-time data that’s collected and cataloged from our machinery. The term precision agriculture is used to encompass the numerous sensors, computers and electronics found in agriculture today. We use the data from these tools to more effectively manage the variations across fields and cropping systems.
Challenges persist in modern agriculture even with the promise that technology is the solution. Farmers are grappling with rising input costs for seeds, fertilizers, land and rent, while increasing market volatility adds uncertainty to the prices they get for their commodities. “If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it” is a quote often attributed to W. Edwards Deming, a twentieth century economist. Farmers long managed their operations successfully without direct measurement of every systematic component. However, to achieve greater production efficiency, the measurement and monitoring of these systems enhances our ability to understand and implement practices that encourage greater environmental and economical sustainability.
Read more from Michigan State University Extension here.
The views and opinions expressed are those of the author’s and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of C3.
