Farm406

49 farm406 A combine is outfitted with GPS technology to collect data points, map out fields and measure crop yield. Precision agriculture technologies can be used for livestock management. Cattle wear collars that can measure metabolic data, how much they eat, and more to better understand how to implement supplements into their diets strategically. of the art in answering fundamental questions in artificial intelligence and machine learning." Maxwell and Sheppard believe precision agriculture is the way of the farming future. As a result, the image of farm management might change dramatically. "I think that future farmers are going to be people who understand they are producing data about their system, and they're not relying so much on outside information that is averaged over large areas across the state," Maxwell said. "ey'll be people that understand how to run scenarios with simulation models that we can produce given the knowledge we gain based on their systems. ey can say, 'What if next year is dry? What if we get a flash drought or extra moisture?' ey can start to see the range of conditions and adapt. "I tell farmers I am just trying to make you a beer gambler." Improving field management is just one example of the many ways the College of Agriculture provides vital information and access to precision agriculture, an approach that is relatively new in Montana but booming across the country. "Precision agriculture technology has given us tools that enable us to understand what is going on in the fields, like soil acidification, soil fertility differences across the field, soil- borne pathogens in certain areas, and more," said Sreekala Bajwa, vice president of agriculture and dean of the College of Agriculture. "We have many kinds of sensors to monitor our fields, gather data on field conditions, as well as soware tools to manage the data. Today's variable-rate machinery has the ability to apply the right amount of inputs at the right place on the field. With autonomous systems, you can control field operations, such as turning your pivot irrigation system on or off. All these technologies focus on increasing the efficiency of agriculture production." Researchers see numerous ways to employ precision agriculture in Montana. Tools such as GPS, drones, and geographic information systems (GIS), can help with farm planning, field mapping, soil sampling, tractor guidance, crop scouting, variable rate applications, and yield mapping. GPS allows farmers to work during low visibility conditions such as rain, dust, fog, and darkness — sometimes from the convenience of an office or home. Precision agriculture technology is not only reserved for the agronomy side of agriculture. e tools also apply to livestock management. When Tim DelCurto joined the college's Department of Animal and Range Sciences in 2016, he toiled on research that could benefit the beef cale industry in Montana. DelCurto, who is the Nancy Cameron Endowed Chair in Range Beef Cale Production, conducts research with Oregon State University and the University of Nebraska, using precision agriculture tools to learn how ranchers can extend grazing periods, optimize beef cale production with limited forage space, and implement supplements strategically into cale diets.

• Cover