Paul Schrimpf Group Editor, CropLife Media Group

1
Paul SchrimpfGroup Editor,CropLife Media Group
Whats Ahead For Precision Ag
2
About The PrecisionAg Brand

• Serving Agriculture Since 1994
• Initiatives Include
• PrecisionAg.com
• Quarterly Special Reports
• PrecisionAg Institute
• Media Partners, InfoAg Conference
• 2014 Event is July 29-31, St. Louis, MO

3
What Well Talk About Today

• Historical Perspective On Ag Technology
• Where Things Stand Today
• A Look At the Future

4
A BRIEF HISTORY OF PRECISION AG
5
Chapter 1 The Noble Cause1985-1991

• Focus on maximum use efficiency of fertilizer
• Coincided with rise of PCs
• No widely available GPS radar required
• Proof of concept, but not commercially viable

6
Chapter 2 Innovation And Evolution 1992-1999

• Al Myers commercializes the yield monitor for row
  crops
• GPS available, but with selective availability
• Microprocessors increasingly powerful
• The Internet is born
• Early bids at developing interconnected systems
  (Vantage Point, Vision system)

7
Speaking Of Evolution ... From This
8
To This in 15 Years
9
Chapter 3 The Great Disillusionment2000-2004

• The VRA Conundrum no payback on low priced
  fertilizer
• Complexity of technology vs. the simplicity of
  farming (Roundup Ready)
• Farmers vote no faith in recommendations
• Overpromised technology benefits
• This stuff is hard

10
(No Transcript)
11
Illustrating The Disillusionment
12
Chapter 4 Rebirth With Efficiency2005-2009

• Automatic steering explodes
• Boom control technologies
• Improving GPS accuracy
• Planter control
• Agronomy still important but not the primary
  driver for adoption
• Establishing GPS as a core technology

13
Retailer Use of Precision Technology
CropLife Media Group/Purdue University Retail
Adoption Survey, 2011
14
Chapter 5 Connectivity Technologies Emerge
2009-present

• Smartphones and Tablets
• Cellular/Wireless connectivity
• Higher Speed Internet
• Logistics
• Better Technology Compatibility Emerging
• Data collection and storage (and processing) in
  the cloud

15
Whats Driving The Future

• Complexity of agronomy is returning
• Weed resistance management
• Hybrid/variety selection
• Micronutrients/Specialty Blends
• Pressure to Maximize Yield/Feed The World
• Input Stewardship (fertilizers)
• Food Safety/Traceability
• Manufacturer Innovation
• Water Management

16
Whats Driving The Future

• Drive For Sustainability
• Regulatory pressure
• Grower size/ability to compete
• Need to bring growers not using technology into
  the fold

17
Estimated Market Area Using Precision Services (1
of 2)
Note 2014 is predicted use
2011 Base 161
18
Estimated Market Area Using Precision Services (2
of 2)
2009 Base 160
Note 2014 is predicted use
19
(No Transcript)
20
CropLife Magazine/Purdue University Retailer
Survey, 2013