Sen. Raphael Warnock took a ride on an unusual tractor late last week. The driver held up his arms in the classic “Look, ma, no hands!” pose, but Warnock was never in any danger.
Warnock, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, visited the University of Georgia’s Iron Horse Farm in Greene County for a demonstration on the latest in precision agriculture technology, including the self-driving tractor that he took for a spin.
Farmers today can increase their profits with a wide array of high-tech equipment. Satellite-connected smart devices can allow them to track data on soil conditions and intelligently place seeds, water, fertilizer and pesticides exactly where they need to be, saving resources and money.
But new technology often requires troubleshooting, and Warnock said he’s aiming to fix a connectivity bug within the latest agriculture hardware.
There is no standard way for these devices to share data with one another, so farmers could find themselves with a soil monitor in the ground that is unable to communicate with the tractor they need to spread fertilizer, making it less convenient and costlier to adopt the new technology.
Last month, Warnock and South Dakota Republican Sen. John Thune introduced legislation to create a working group to study creating standards to ensure different devices can connect. Warnock is working to get the measure included in the 2023 Farm bill, which Congress passes every five years to set the nation’s food and agriculture policy. The current bill is set to expire in September.
“The profitability margin for farmers is so narrow that every little bit helps,” Warnock said. “And we saw today the huge difference that this technology is already bringing, but it could be much better.”
After the tech demos, Warnock sat around a table with a group of north Georgia farmers who said they’ve seen success incorporating new technology, but precision agriculture has its hurdles. In addition to connectivity issues, the equipment is a major financial investment, and some said the rural broadband required still needs work.
Source: albanyherald.com
Photo Credit: istock-ekkasit919
Categories: South Dakota, Government & Policy