By Scout Nelson
The landscape of agriculture is undergoing a technological metamorphosis, a hot topic at the recent South Dakota Biotech summit. Experts highlighted innovations like precision farming and genetic editing, proving we're in a new era of agrotechnology.
Chad Yagow of John Deere emphasized the shift in agriculture towards precision technology, allowing farmers to optimize resource usage, like providing the perfect fertilizer amount to individual seeds. This move towards high-precision agriculture has seen companies like John Deere transition from traditional machinery producers to cutting-edge tech innovators.
Dealers are now equipped with smart technologies, receiving alerts about potential equipment issues, sometimes even before the farmers themselves are aware. The ability to remotely diagnose and fix problems without visiting the farm physically marks a significant leap.
Additionally, these advanced upgrades aren't just for new machinery; they can be retrofitted to older equipment, making them accessible to farmers not ready for brand-new machinery investments.
Animal agriculture technology has advanced rapidly, thanks to computational advances and less stringent trial processes. One example is a platform technology that can quickly create vaccines by inserting a new virus sequence, like how a Keurig coffee maker works.
Moreover, genetic editing in animals is advancing, creating disease-resistant breeds. Examples include PRRS-resistant pigs and bird flu-resistant chickens. However, this sector faces hurdles, including regulatory barriers and public perception challenges.
Christoph Bausch from SAB Biotherapeutics shared their groundbreaking work, using genetically altered cattle to produce human medicines. Though the regulatory approval was time-intensive, the innovative approach provides a blueprint for future endeavors.
The summit painted a future where technology is central to agriculture, from crop cultivation to animal health. These advancements require investments of time and resources but have the potential to reshape the industry, presenting solutions to some of the longstanding challenges in farming.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-simplycreativephotography
Categories: South Dakota, Equipment & Machinery