Episode 004: Farmer Focus - Harvest Edition

Farmer focus podcasts are designed to do exactly what the name implies - focus on the perspectives of farmers. In this episode, four farmers from three different farm operations share their perspectives on how digital agriculture currently plays a role in their harvest operations and how they are using yield data to improve their farming practices. These farmers also offer some suggestions for technologies that would help them operate more efficiently. Toward the end of the episode, each farmer speculates on how digital agriculture might affect their operations in the future. Learning from a diversity of farmer perspectives on digital agriculture usage is important for researchers, professionals, and farmers alike, and that's exactly what this episode delivers. One of the primary conclusions from this episode is that when it comes to digital technologies it is all about finding the technologies that work best for your operation. Right now, that means that these growers are identifying whatever software is available to help them - whether that software is specialized for agriculture or not - and piecing it together to create their desired solution. As we look toward the future of digital technologies in harvest, it's clear that these farmers already have a vision for how digital agriculture will help shape their future operations. "It's [Climate Corporation's FieldView Program] kinda my little pocketbook that a lot of guys used to carry, and it's nice cause I can access it from anywhere in the world at anytime." - John Oehlerking "I really think it's important to own your data, so I would recommend keeping control of it as much as possible whatever that entails for their farm. … Data is a new revenue stream for farmers." - Angela Knuth "If we had an app, that was always updating people's positions, wait times for trucks, delivery information. . . A lot of what we're using is free, and just piecing that all together to make everything work." - Phil and John Christenson E-Mail: farmbits@unl.edu Twitter: @NEDigitalAg Samantha's Twitter: @SamanthaTeten Jackson's Twitter: @jstansell87 Opinions expressed by the hosts and guests on this podcast are solely their own, and do not reflect the views of Nebraska Extension or the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.