A family company started by a farmer grew over a quarter century to become a recognized name in agriculture across the nation. Now that Tremont, IL-based Precision Planting has been acquired by AGCO, the focus will shift from farm components to software development and global innovation. (Journal Star)
Tag Archives: technology
TRANSFORMING AGRICULTURE
Experts say big data and new technology are offering farmers more information than ever, driving farming into a digital agriculture age. “We’re really in early days of digital ag and big data,” said Steve Sonka, professor emeritus of agriculture strategy at the University of Illinois. “And so, for the first time, really ever, in production… read more
FARMING IN A BOX
Shipping containers have been turned into housing, art, even playgrounds. Now, a Boston company is recycling them into high-tech mobile farms as part of a new wave of companies hoping to bring more innovation to agriculture. Freight Farms and other indoor agriculture companies are looking to meet the growing demand for high-quality, locally grown and… read more
PRECISION FARMING
Ohio State University ag engineer John Fulton says today’s technology is only as good as the information it collects and ultimately, how it’s used to make better on-farm decisions. He estimates that only about 15% of U.S. farms utilize “prescriptive farming” practices, which includes working with third-party service providers for data management and analysis.
MILLENNIALS LIKE INNOVATION
Millennials won’t hesitate to abandon loyalty for better products and services, according to a survey conducted on behalf of Experian Consumer Services. This generation embraces technology and are quick to try new offerings – at the expense of loyalty, according to the survey.
AUTO TECH
Cadillac will be the first brand to bring vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication technology to production with its 2017 CTS mid-size sedan. It’s a first step to self-driving cars.
DOW UNIT OPENING RESEARCH SITE AT UI
A subsidiary of Dow Chemical Co. is opening a facility in the research park at the University of Illinois’ Champaign-Urbana campus. Dow AgroSciences and the university announced the opening on Monday. The facility will focus on the intersection of technology and agriculture, as reported by the Associated Press.
APPLE RIDING IPHONE’S SUCCESS
Wall Street analysts estimate another powerhouse performance from Apple when it reports its quarterly financial results Tuesday. Analysts estimate Apple will report a hefty $10.3 billion in profit after selling $49 billion worth of iPhones.
PRIVACY ISSUES
Apple CEO Tim Cook told a White House tech summit this week, he’s concerned how some tech firms use data. According to Cook, “Some of the most prominent and successful companies (in Silicon Valley) have built their businesses by lulling their customers into complacency about their personal information.” He thinks it’s wrong.
FARM TECH STARTUP
Farmers Business Network, or FBN, is a farmer-to-farmer information network founded a year ago in Silicon Valley by a team of technology and agriculture veterans. Headquartered in San Carlos, Calif., FBN was founded in April 2014 with its first data collection coming from farmers in Monmouth and Galesburg. It has expanded to 17 states and… read more