New technology brings new opportunity
Compared to other industries, technology has been slow to make a big impact on farming. But lately some exciting new developments in technology have come along that could create new opportunities as well as simplify decision making.
One company is working on a way to maximize the value of water rights. To do that, you need to know how much water you have, how much you use, and how much you can sell. A Colorado Sustainable Water and Innovative Irrigation Management (SWIIM) company is creating a method for this, a complete hydrological accounting. With that knowledge growers will be able to sell their surplus water, much like how individuals can sell their surplus solar power back to the electricity grid.
The company says their software, which is being co-developed with the USDA, will unlock a new $150 billion market for water rights. According to the company, currently the only way for a farmer to lease their water rights is to take land out of production. SWIIM overcomes this restriction and will allow farmers to lease their surplus water rights out to someone else. That would be an entirely new revenue stream for growers.
Another company is working on ways to manage your data. The Fresno based OnFarm has created an ag data manager, a platform that is designed to simplify how you handle the information you need to run your farm.
The Grower Dashboard™ is the home for all your information. It’s fully customizable, which lets you keep organized and track key information, equipment readings, and plant or weather conditions in the way that makes most sense to you. You can mix and match data from different sources and make them as simple or complex as you need it.
These are just two examples of how technology is changing agriculture. It’s all part of doing more with less.
I’m Len Wilcox and that’s the Western View from AgNet West.