Technology
Modern irrigation tools move closer to automation
Growers still bear responsibility for irrigating specialty crops, but technology offers a few helping hands for the task. Sensors detect moisture in the air or soil. Weather networks record historical temperatures. And free-to-download phone apps... more »
Partners to study opportunities for berry improvements through gene editing
Pairwise, a growing agriculture and food company, has formed a public-private partnership to learn more about the diversity of berries and advance opportunities to offer healthier, more sustainable varieties. The partnership with the U.S. Department of... more »
John Deere rolls out new 5115RH, updates 5GN and 5GV specialty tractors
John Deere has added a new tractor to its specialty lineup – the premium high-crop 5115RH – and made ergonomic updates to its model year 2020 5GN and 5GV tractors. John Deere offers a new... more »
App helps fruit growers in Eastern US diagnose disease and insect problem
Walking through his peach orchard, a farmer notices something he has not seen before on the leaves of a few trees. He quickly pulls out his cell phone and accesses the MyIPM smartphone app. Through... more »
John Deere launches heavy-duty compact utility tractor
Designed with the operator in mind, the new John Deere 3D Series compact utility tractors, including the 3025D, 3035D and 3043D models, offer a powerful, affordable and easy to use solution for a wide range... more »
Michigan governor, MDARD to allow commercial solar panels on farmland
On June 3, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) Director Gary McDowell announced MDARD’s decision to allow land currently enrolled in the department’s Farmland and Open Space Preservation Program... more »
Virginia Tech’s SmartFarm Innovation Network builds farm of the future
On the farm of the future, drones will fly over forests and crops to communicate with robots embedded in harvesting equipment on the ground. Sensors on livestock and in field crops and forest lands will... more »
Bioscience beckons, offers new traits for growers, consumers
Talking to researchers and companies about their genetically-engineered projects for specialty crops is a little bit like a trip to a grower’s dream world. Imagine ground cherries that stay on the plant until harvest, potatoes... more »
