The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), in partnership with the American Soybean Association, CropLife America, and National Corn Growers Association, has released a study quantifying how widely available precision agriculture technology improves environmental stewardship while providing economic return for farmers.
Precision agriculture leverages technologies to enhance sustainability through more efficient use of critical inputs, such as land, water, fuel, fertilizer, and pesticides. Farmers who use precision agriculture equipment use less to grow more. The Environmental Benefits of Precision Agriculture study highlights how policies and technological advancements can help farmers increase these outcomes.
The study explores five key environmental benefits achieved through precision agriculture technology adoption and, according to John Linder, National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) President, over the past 18 years, the growth in corn and soybean yields has coincided with the widespread adoption of precision agriculture technologies.
Also, according to Kellie Bray, CropLife America (CLA) Chief of Staff, the study also illustrates how the reductions in greenhouse gases shows modern agriculture is part of the climate solution.
As precision agriculture equipment and technologies are more widely adopted it will lead to significant increases in yields and further input savings. The study also highlighted how precision agriculture has increased the productivity of the 4% and how herbicide use has been reduced by 9%.
AEM, ASA, CLA, and NCGA are working together to advance technologies and practices that will bring the potential the study highlights to fruition and for this is fundamental to promote policies that incentivize innovations in agricultural production, improve the infrastructure that makes precision agriculture possible, grow farm income and increase consumer communication about the environmental benefits of precision agriculture.
For further information visit: https://www.croplife.com/precision/study-shows-precision-agriculture-improves-environmental-stewardship-while-increasing-yields/