The most recent tech solutions being tested on Sorensen’s 3,000-acre farm are focused on capturing and analyzing data that can be used to revolutionize the agriculture industry. “We began with yield monitoring,” he said. “We capture what’s going on when a crop comes out of the field, and we analyze data and plan what the crop should look like next year.” The latest monitoring means that crops can be studied at every stage of development – from when the seed is laid to its growth and even what happens to it when it’s pulled from the ground and travels to a client. The planters and row units he’s using are all outfitted with GPS. Even the seeds are being pushed into the soil with sensors that ensure they are planted at the same depth and with the same pressure. According to the USDA, there are about 2.2 million farms in the U.S. covering more than 922 million acres. If an average farm has more than 400 acres, the potential this new technology offers is truly game-changing even and especially for the little guy. Of course, convincing longtime farmers who are used to doing a lot of the backbreaking work the way their fathers and even grandfathers have done it isn’t always easy. With the average U.S. farmer in his 60s, change can and often takes time. “There are a number of folks who are not interested in learning something new,” Sorensen admitted. And there’s sometimes a divide between the generations, especially since farming is still very much a family affair. Younger farmers may be a lot more eager to embrace the latest technology while the patriarchs with the checkbooks are often a harder sell. “The main selling point is the cost savings and efficiency,” Sorensen said. “We can save a farmer 20 percent on cost of input by using new technology. Right out of the gate they’re going to put 15 to 20 percent back into their bank account.” GPS-enabled equipment now drives virtually all agriculture. This means farming can happen well after dark without any additional staff. “Before GPS,” said Sorensen, “farming was a sun- up and sun-down operation.” Next, he anticipates autonomous vehicles will also push the industry forward. For farmers, one of the biggest limitations has always been the cost of labor. But Sorensen said, “All of the major manufacturers are on the verge of releasing autonomous tractors that you can program and send to the field to run 24 hours a day.” He also anticipates that the size of farming equipment, which has gotten larger in size over the years, will shrink down again.
Arlin Sorensen, HTS Ag
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CompTIAWorld | SPRING 2018
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