No rotary phones on the farm.

If you are someone who thinks that technology and farming are as separate as the twin beds on The Dick Van Dyke Show, think again. Twenty years ago technology was planted (sorry, but I had to use it) in the farm industry and has been growing leaps and bounds ever since.

As broadband reach expands (and the size of products shrink) the ability for farmers to manage their crops, fertilizer, weather reports, sprayers and more—from their cabs— becomes increasingly easier and more efficient. The latest technology has section control capabilities for both sprayers and planters.

A representative from Raven Industries, an Ag technology company, recently told me that wireless is the item to have. “A hot item for Raven is our wireless technology for our field computers—being released this summer. This gives not only access to the web, but file transfer capabilities between machine and office, vehicle observation, remote service support (a Raven service tech can access the field computer from our office), and a few other things are coming as well.”

There is a wide variety of fascinating and truly futuristic technology being developed today. In this era of conservation and efficiency, technology will continue to introduce new and creative ways for farmers to get more out of every acre, stalk and seed. As we proceed into the next decade, the wonders of technology will show themselves in ways we can’t even begin to imagine.

One area to watch for consistent growth is among the savviest users of technology… the farmer.