By Brian Marshall, vice-president of DeKalb County Farm Bureau

On our farm north of Kansas City, we incorporate new technology into our daily operations. When I came back to the farm in 2002, I didn’t envision farm work would include spending a day trying to fix a problem downloading data from our combine to my computer. Cutting-edge tech equipment for the farm does sometimes have drawbacks, but it has ushered in a new world of benefits that outweighs its complications.

Like other farmers, we use Global Positioning Systems (GPS) to handle a multitude of different field functions. The sprayer we use to apply weed and pest control products is equipped with GPS-based auto steer, and we use a new computer-assisted method of application that manages droplet size based on the product we are applying. One of our most important pieces of equipment, however, is the planter because it is very difficult to fix a poorly planted crop. We have added aftermarket parts, including a precision monitor to track everything from seed placement to the amount of force used to put the seed in the ground.

For years farmers have used technology to keep track of increasing amounts of field data. While the industry has been experimenting with GPS and monitoring technology for well over a decade, the recent improvements in “prescriptions” for farms hold considerable promise. Soil types vary widely on farms across the Midwest. With the technology available today, we can merge 10 years’ worth of data and combine it with advanced soil maps to get a more complete picture and make better management decisions. This data can be used to design a tailored program, or “prescription,” for each acre and help compensate for soil diversity in a field.

While companies have collected and analyzed agronomic data for some time, the amount of real-time information we can collect now is staggering.  It is a big change that is cause for both excitement and concern. Several agricultural equipment firms have introduced technology whereby the data from combines is uploaded every few seconds to the Cloud. Real-time yield data is available to whoever controls those databases. If a large agribusiness firm had access to real-time information from 1,000 or more combines randomly spread across the Corn Belt, that information would be extremely valuable to traders dealing in agricultural futures.

But more important is the “big data” issue of property rights. Who owns and controls the data? A farmer’s information is valuable, so farmers should have a say in and be compensated when their data is sold. Farmers need to protect their data and make sure they bargain wisely as they share it with suppliers and interested companies.

Perhaps of more concern are other parties unrelated to agriculture who may like to have a look at specific data generated from farms.  It’s not hard to imagine that the Environmental Protection Agency, or any of the environmental organizations that prey on our industry, might like to get their hands on these records.  There is legitimate concern that these groups may try to seize farm records from law abiding farmers via the courts.

The future looks impressive in terms of technological advancement in agriculture.  The age of “big data” is here, and while the chance for wrongdoing exists, the potential for improvements in our industry abounds too.  The most important thing on this front is for farmers to make sure we are at the table when industry leaders and politicians discuss this issue.  You may not share my interest for real-time data collection, but I think we can all be enthusiastic about farmers’ use of technology to increase efficiencies, better manage inputs and ultimately better serve consumers.