February UF 2014

Page 4

Ag Summit teaches technology

The conference center at the North Dakota Farmers Union state office was filled to capacity with participants for the 2014 Precision Ag Summit held Jan. 20-21.

BY ANNE DENHOLM, NDFU

Nearly 350 people attended the third annual Precision Agriculture Action Summit on Jan. 20-21 at the North Dakota Farmers Union Conference Center in Jamestown, N.D. The event was an opportunity to learn about trends and practices shaping the industry. This year, the conference featured two educational tracks focusing on crop and livestock management technologies. During the crop management track, participants learned about soil variation, crop prescription maps, pesticide application technology and precision animal technologies. The livestock management track focused on precision animal technologies, animal tracking and health sensors, genomics and reproduction technologies and robotics and imaging technologies. North Dakota Farmers Union President Mark Watne said, “This was an excellent conference and we were pleased that so many producers took part in learning more about precision agriculture. NDFU is committed to bringing this type of education to the state and we will continue to offer workshops like this on issues that affect family farmers and ranchers.” Participants received hands-on experience and valuable education to incorporate precision agriculture into their own farming efforts, which 4

helps improve production from plan is not needed. existing resources. Industry Vice president of Development experts and practitioners gave for Basecamp Networks Bruce presentations about applications, Rasca and AdFarm Director of equipment and information. Digital Strategy Josh Lysne have Vendors provided demonstrations been testing Google Glass during and showcased their wares. the last year. The device has not The main stage speaking been released to the general public agenda included panel discussions but has been used as a prototype that addressed topics like around the country to selected unmanned aircraft systems in participants in order to perfect the agriculture, the economics of technology and usage. Both Rasca precision agriculture and how new digital technologies like Google Glass are impacting the farming world. Google Glass is a wearable computer in an eye glass frame. It performs like AdFarm Director of Digital Strategy Josh Lysne and Vice President of Development for Basecamp Bruce Rasca an interactive demonstrated Google Glass at the summit. smart phone with voice and touch command but has the ability and Lysne applied to be part of the to take photos and video, search test group and were awarded the the internet, save data and send opportunity to purchase the devices information. The monitor projects from Google. an image in front of the user’s right Rasca explained, “I care about eye and looks like a TV screen farmers and I’m in the business of above the natural line of vision. It is technology. I entered the contest by powered by both Android and Apple writing a few sentences about how I devices so that a separate data would envision using Google Glass. Union Farmer • www.ndfu.org


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