Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Iowa Learning Farms November Webinar: Advances in Precision Agriculture

Date: Wednesday, November 14th, 2012

Start: 11:30 am End: 12:15 pm

Location: Online webinar

Contact: Carol Brown, 515.294.8912, cbrown1@iastate.edu

The Iowa Learning Farms’ monthly webinar will feature Iowa State University associate professor of agriculture and biosystems engineering Amy Kaleita, who will offer a snapshot of the cutting edge and future needs of precision agriculture including:

  • Tiny, inexpensive, smart sensors that monitor agriculture operations
  • Communication systems: getting data from the sensors to its users
  • “Internet of Things” for agriculture: cataloging and tracking data to make it usable
  • Overt and invisible applications: “Apps” and how farmers may possibly use them
  • Nimble equipment: moving toward ag equipment that is multifunctional and site-specific
  • Options for the developing world: how can technologies be accessible for agriculture in areas of the world that have smaller farms, budgets and profit margins.

Amy Kaleita’s research is in the area of information technology for precision conservation. The natural environment is highly variable. Being able to determine what land management strategies will be the most suitable in a particular location requires that we be able to characterize the variable factors at an appropriate scale and synthesize data with respect to their influence on hydrology. Her research includes the design of sensing and monitoring systems and utilization of such data in modeling and decision support systems. Kaleita holds a BS degree in agricultural engineering from Penn State, an MS in civil engineering from the University of Illinois with an emphasis in hydrology, and PhD in agricultural engineering from the University of Illinois.

The webinar is part of a series, hosted by ILF, held on the third Wednesday of each month. The webinars are held over the noon hour through Adobe Connect. All that is needed to participate is a computer with Internet access. The topics discussed will be beneficial for technical service providers, watershed project coordinators, Extension specialists and anyone else interested in the topic of the month.

Related information

Listen to the archived webinar [Adobe Connect archive site]

View other ILF webinars  http://www.extension.iastate.edu/ilf/Webinars/

About Iowa Learning Farms: ILF is a partnership between the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Iowa State University Extension, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Iowa Natural Resources Conservation Service, and Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the US EPA (section 319); in cooperation with Conservation Districts of Iowa and the Iowa Farm Bureau.