We live in the 21 century when the technologies are developing exponentially. The saying Live and Learn emphasizes that education is extremely essential.

Today the borders for goods and service shifting are almost opened. That is why all world producers have to compete. There is no other choice. Those who do not work in the world market will be replaced.

Nowadays effective agricultural production is impossible without precision agriculture. Its main principle is growth technology optimization and production management for each part of field. Consequently, precision agriculture allows not only to cut down the expenses, increase yielding but also to protect environment.

I would like to share my experience of precision agriculture introducing in the USA. I hope it will interesting for you.

I was engaged in precision agriculture in 1992 in the USA. Since then time I have been in the source of facilities, system, service creation and their integration and this technology marketing.

WHO IS PRECISION AGRICULTURE INTRODUCING IN THE USA?

How is it being done?

• • • Farmers, and their companies
    • Equipment dealers
    • Universities and agricultural department

How:

• • • Services
    • Training
    • Seminars, conferences, exhibitions

For better realizing of precision agriculture introduction lets look at Production Management System. Its main components are earth, plant growth or animal breeding technology, machines and product support services. All of the should be connected.

What made precision agriculture be possible according to technical point of view. Firstly, IT development and its availability. Everything was created on the basis of IT technologies. One of the main components is Geographical Information Systems (GIS). These are the systems of collection, storing, analysis and geographical visualization of geographical data and connected information about necessary objects. GIS is used as an equipment or program product, helping users to search, analyze and edit digital local map and additional information about objects.

The next main component is navigation. Global Positioning System (GPS) – satellite navigation system, that provides distance and time measurement and defines the location in World Grid System WGS 84. It allows in any place of the Earth (except near-polar regions) almost in any kind of weather to define location and speed of objects.

HOW DOES IT PRACTICALLY WORK?

The main rule is to plan working aim.

How should agricultural technics be equipped?

• • • Mechanical vehicle, tractors and all motor transport must have GPS
    • Tractors must have CANBUS/ ISOBUS compatible with airborne systems telematics
    • All combines have to be equipped by yielding monitor
    • All motor transport can be equipped be weighing machine for monitoring and loss prevention.

Mobile connection, the internet, Wi-Fi, high-speed modems, transducers (CANBUS, M2M, non-contact) etc.

All this mentioned technical basis has been developing supported by the government (GPS, GIS), universities and private industry. How are they used by Amerians?
The USA farmer statistics:

• • • • 95% use smart phones
      • 60% have installed interconnected information system
      • 75% are planning to buy or add interconnected systems
      • 83% want to buy monitoring system
      • 80% want to buy software
      • 70% want to buy remote sensing system
      • 50% would like to buy complete package of software program.

Despite of the fact that in the USA the precision agriculture has reached quite high level, it continues developing. The main improving directions:

• • • • Integration
      • Device and software compatibility
      • Mobile connection development
      • New transducers creation
      • Future automation and robotization
      • Wide using of drones.

In conclusion of my blog I would like to add that Ukraine has a really difficult period. At the same time it is quite exciting and good time for agrobusinessmen. It is time for new technology introducing and demonstrating in national and world market. Especially when Ukrainian landowners don’t have to create anything new, it is possibly to use the matured experience.