If you are driving through the midwestern corn belt you might see small drones flying back and forth over the fields. Some of these will be flying for a technology services company called Taranis which describes its mission as providing “A.I. powered crop intelligence solutions.” They are using increasingly sophisticated and cost-effective drone technology to gather season-long images of growing crops. This represents a potential change for farm management, but first some perspective and background.
Drones are an increasingly familiar technology finding a wide range of uses. It is becoming normal to have drone-based filming of an event like an outdoor wedding or getting drone-based video to feature for the sale of a home or other property. On the more controversial side, drones are playing an increasing role in modern warfare or anti-terrorism actions. In agriculture, drones are also being used in a battle – in that case against yield-robbing pests (insects, weeds, diseases). But drones are also a way to dramatically increase the ability to track the growth of crops and identify nutrient deficiencies. All this information can then guide key farm management decisions.
To understand why this is an exciting new option, consider what it's like to be a modern row crop farmer. These independent businesspeople are often tending several thousand acres of land in dozens of fields spread over an even larger area because much of it is rented ground not adjoining the “home place.” For every field, a long list of decisions must be made each season. For genetics - which crop and variety/hybrid to plant and whether to work in a relay/double crop. For plant nutrition – what fertilizers, at what rates and timings and which efficiency tools to employ? For pests - what preventive measures to employ and what crop protection products to use when and where. For soil health enhancement, whether to use cover crops. All these decisions are influenced by the previous history of that field and by its physical and chemical profile (e.g. slope, soil type, nutrient carryover, organic matter….). Then of course all the best-laid plans can be disrupted by the weather once the season is underway. These decisions can have real economic consequences regarding cost and their effect on the final productivity and quality at harvest, for sale at an unknowable future commodity price. Honestly, we should all be thankful that there are still around 1% of our society willing to take on this complex but indispensable role in society.
This sort of complex and risky endeavour is a reality for farmers, but they don’t typically attempt to navigate it alone. Farmers network with their peers and exchange stories about what has or hasn’t worked on their farm, and they benefit greatly from the applied research conducted by their local university and extension resources. For specific expertise, input farmers commonly rely on “trusted advisors” known as agronomists and/or crop consultants who can take what is known about their fields and provide recommendations. Often these experts work for the local cooperatives or ag retailers which also sell the farmers their seeds, fertilizers, crop protection products and other inputs. There is a potential conflict of interest in having the recommendations come from the marketer of the products to be used, but trust is built over time based on whether the guidance ends up giving the farmer the economic results he/she needs over time. There are also independent advisors.
Written by Steven Savage | 23 Feb 2023
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