ARS | Publication request: PRECISION FARMING TECHNOLOGIES: GPS IS JUST THE BEGINNING

Submitted to: University of Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station Publication
Publication Type: Experiment Station
Publication Acceptance Date: September 15, 1995
Publication Date: N/A

Technical Abstract: Implementation of precision farming is proceeding at an accelerating pace in Missouri and across the nation. Precision farming applies a number of technologies new to agriculture, such as GPS (global positioning systems), yield monitoring and mapping, GIS (geographic information systems), and remote sensing. When a producer is considering adopting this practice, it is important to understand the technologies involved and their potential impact on the overall farming operation before committing time and resources to the project. On the other hand, data not collected represent lost opportunities, and taking the steps to get started on the road to understanding in-field variability will pay off later. The new technologies and high-tech equipment are not the most important part of the precision farming approach. The data obtained and the knowledge that this data can provide for improved agronomic management of the producer's fields sare the central concept of precision farming.