A decade ago, Iowa-based AgWorks released a product call the Smart Gun. Essentially a ruggedized handheld computer, the Smart Gun was designed to help the custom applicator to track and record all the critical steps involved in doing an...

Pastoral agriculture in New Zealand produces more than a third of all internationally traded dairy products, about 20% of all internationally-traded sheep and 10% of beef. For a country smaller than the size of Nebraska with a population of four...

Every day there is a news item that reinforces the importance of food security in our lives. Just a few days prior to writing this article there was the announcement that salmonella bacteria had once again been found in...

Every day there is a news item that reinforces the importance of food security in our lives. Just a few days prior to writing this article there was the announcement that salmonella bacteria had once again been found in...

The recent, if brief, warm snap in the Midwest seemed to have warmed up some grower activity, and folks I talked to felt a bit less uneasy about the season ahead. Of course, it's a long road til harvest...

Made by Ranch Systems, the RanchCam is a solar powered electronic camera system that allows the user to keep an eye on remote locations, day or night, from anywhere in the world. The system uses wireless technology to transmit images...

Switzerland is characterized by valley, hill, and mountain landscapes. About one-third of the land is arable, while two-thirds is grassland. Plot sizes and farms tend to be small. Precision agriculture in the classic sense of sensor-supported management of grid...

Switzerland is characterized by valley, hill, and mountain landscapes. About one-third of the land is arable, while two-thirds is grassland. Plot sizes and farms tend to be small. Precision agriculture in the classic sense of sensor-supported management of gridor...

Much is written about the contributions of large organizations in driving advancements in agriculture. But the industry also has benefited tremendously from the entrepreneurial spirit and drive of many individuals, working on their own or with small groups, providing...

Traceability is defined as the "ability to trace and follow a food, food-producing animal or substance intended to be, or expected to be incorporated into a food or feed, throughout all stages of production, processing and distribution." Defining traceability...

Consumer's demands for a greater selection of products and services at all times of the year - at a lower price point - are driving companies to look for sources globally. Safety concerns (food, toys, clothing, etc.) of products...

More than 30 years ago, while cleaning out my grandparents' attic, I came across a number of crystal radios in various stages of assembly. It appeared that my grandfather was intrigued with the new radio technology of the 1920s...

Show me the money. That was the challenge many crop producers issued to providers of precision agriculture technology in the 1990s. Most farmers weren't about to be sucked in by new bells and whistles they felt didn't hold any real...

I believe the 2007 growing season will be recognized as a pivotal point for precision agriculture in the U.S. I base this belief on a number of converging socio-economic and technical trends. The socio-economic trends include larger farms, non-traditional...

About a year ago, in the backwoods of southwestern Georgia, I was part of a small group of precision agricultural enthusiasts driving late at night to a hotel in a rural town. The lack of familiarity with the terrain,...

It's been an interesting four months since we began talking to agriculture manufacturers, universities, associations, agronomists, and growers about our new new initiative, the PrecisionAg Institute. We decided to launch the program because we were getting so much encouragement...