Founder of Better Food Ventures, Rob Trice said that advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) have the potential to have a massive impact across the agricultural sector. However, there will be steps to take along the way. Following a panel discussion on “Unlocking the Value of AI on the Digital Farming Journey” at the Organic Grower Summit, Trice emphasized the need for AI to have a strong, standardized presence across productions.
Trice admits that the transition from traditional farming practices to the use of artificial intelligence is a big one. “The biggest barrier to the adoption of digital agriculture in general is the farmer’s notebook and the three-ring binder,” said Trice. Additionally, more work needs to be done to verify the efficiency of technology in the industry, he said.
Yet, the possibilities of the involvement of AI in agriculture are blossoming. Trice shared that many small issues can be solved quickly with the implementation of AI, such as asset management, deployment, resources, and optimization.
“The holy grail of automation is harvest,” said Trice, as it is one of the most demanding activities required of farmers. It’s there that AI could have a profound impact on agriculture. “Once we’ve achieved that with the automation and AI, that’s going to be when we’ve done what we need to do,” said Trice.
One of the primary challenges confronting farmers regarding AI is the quantity of data it is capable of supplying. It can be overwhelming for producers to understand which aspects of that data are valuable to their operation. The need for actionable data, information that will lead the farmer to make a change in the field if something goes wrong, is imperative when using AI in crop production. “I need an alert to tell me something is wrong, that I need to go check on something,” Trice said.
The prospect of AI having a place in farming productions is imminent as there is an increasing demand for efficiency, automation, and productivity in the industry. Trice sees AI as an integral part of the future for feeding the world.
Contributing Author:
Lauren McEwen
AgNet West Intern