UPSKILLING
GRAND FARM
How
MICROSOFT
Is Enabling Into Ag Tech
S
ince Microsoft purchased Great Plains Software in 2001, the tech giant has had a major presence in North Dakota. Now one of the largest employers in Fargo is working with farmers on how its technologies can be a platform for agriculture. We caught up with Taya Spelhaug, Microsoft's Tech Spark North Dakota Manager, about the work they're doing with ag tech.
168
MAY 2019
Q: What is Microsoft's vision for agriculture? A: Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and organization on the planet to achieve more, so our work is really about building the tools that can make others more successful in what they are trying to achieve. That is our vision for digital transformation taking part across our economy, where our customers' success is how we measure our success. That includes the transformation taking place in agriculture and how modern farms are harnessing technology to
increase crop yields and improve how land is sustainably used. FarmBeats is an example of the potential for precision agriculture where we are providing farmers with access to Microsoft cloud and AI technologies, enabling data-driven decisions to help improve agricultural yield, lower overall costs and reduce the environmental impact of production. When Microsoft and FFA announced our Blue 365 partnership bringing technology, science, research and entrepreneurship programming