Precision Agriculture Is the Future of Farming | by John Campbell

I recently read an article on Forbes.com that proclaimed “The Future of Agriculture? Smart Farming.” That statement seemed obvious and the article cited some well-known facts; the world’s population is growing, those people are going to eat more and there’s a finite amount of land and water to produce that food.

The article suggested that one way to meet the world’s food needs is through “precision agriculture.” Precision is defined as the degree of refinement with which an operation is performed. Precision is what Valley_® Irrigation was founded on. Valley started an entire industry based on giving farmers the equipment they need to be paradoxically more efficient and more productive. 

Precision irrigation tools can benefit an operation in many ways. For example, center pivots irrigate in circles, but, unfortunately, many fields aren’t round. Adding corner arms to pivots can extend irrigation into the corners of the field, substantially expanding irrigated acres. More acres mean more crops.

Corner machines operate with great precision, relying on GPS Guidance for track-on-track accuracy. Did you know that Valley offers two excellent corner machines to extend your acres? The VFlex™ Corner is designed for growers who want options – with more customizable features than any other corner on the market today. Meanwhile, the Precision Corner^® offers the most sophisticated, high-tech options.

Today’s computerized control panels give growers unprecedented control over their irrigation machines. With advanced control panels, such as the Pro2 and Select2, growers can determine how their pivot irrigates, when it irrigates, how often it irrigates and even where it irrigates.

The latest advances in precision agriculture are coming in the form of remote monitoring and control. The ability to control pivots from a smartphone, table or computer can virtually eliminate trips to the field. This technology not only saves time, fuel and water, it is a game changer in quality of life, allowing growers to spend time with family rather than driving to fields to check on pivots. Valley BaseStation3™ is the most innovative irrigation management solution available. Did you know that you can take the BaseStation3 native iOS (iPhone, iPad) or Android apps for a test drive with the new “Demo” mode? Just download the free BaseStation3 app and click on the Demo button.

Perhaps the ultimate in precision irrigation comes in the form of Variable Rate Irrigation. This technology lets farmers control water application rates in field sectors, or even zones (more than 5,000 zones with Valley VRI Zone Control). VRI provides the ability to apply just the right amount of water exactly where it’s needed.

There’s no question that these kinds of advances are the future of agriculture. Tech-savvy growers are adopting these practices at accelerating rates and see the benefits in their yields and bottom line.

Valley Irrigation is proud to have started the industry and to continue leading the way today. We are The Leader in Precision Irrigation_®. Period. 

---

John Campbell Advanced Technology Product Manager John Campbell coordinates all of the Valley remote control and monitoring technology products, including BaseStation3. John lives in north Omaha, where he pursues his many hobbies, including classic cars and running.