Flip, flip, corn, soybeans, pigs, cows, flip, flip. Stop! “Smart Phones to have ag “apps” soon.” The headline grabbed my attention as the perfect pairing between technology and agriculture.
Tech is all the talk in the agriculture industry
From those of us not hands on the forefront of farming (I did detassel corn for a summer in middle school if that counts), the two sectors are usually separated in our minds. The stereotypical image of farming is more archaic than progressive. More like oil and vinegar than BBQ and corn on the cob.
However, the agriculture industry is one of the most progressive sectors implementing technology quickly. It’s necessary for the growing demands in global food and fuel. According to the Population Reference Bureau, current global population is expected to grow from the current 6.8 billion to 9.2 billion by the year 2050.
While I waltz around with apps on my phone like Mashable, Dwolla and Angry Birds, there are some work-changing apps via the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA). This comes out of improved functionality of the Object Modeling System (OMS), a system that frames agro-environmental computers for modulate building. Farm Talk Newspaper say what? In other words, the system pairs powerful cloud computing of large data centers with science for faster computation.
According to the article, “The phone’s GPS locates the field’s coordinates and connects to the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation version 2 model service in the cloud to calculate soil erosion under various agricultural management practices.”
No matter where you work, it’s apps like this that affect our quality of life. Sustainable, environmental conservation is important to us both now and in the future. Individuals and agriculture businesses are taking the right clicks forward for farmers to integrate top-notch tech. Now, if someone could only figure out an app that gives us fresh Peaches & Cream sweet corn year-round, we’ll all be in business.
