MONTE VISTA — San Luis Valley farmers got the opportunity to hear about new technologies that hold potential to make their operations more efficient.

Jaron Hinkley of Barn Owl Drone Services and Dave Ridge representative of Farmers Edge USA gave a presentation on concepts that are now being utilized in the world that is digital agriculture at the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee on Tuesday. There were approximately 15-20 producers in attendance.

The goal of Farmers Edge is to help producers run more efficient businesses and see improved crop yields through the use of technology and data. Founded in 2005 by Canadians Wade Barnes and Curtis McKinnon, Farmers Edge has seen tremendous growth within the past three years. The company had one new hire per business day in 2017.

The basic principle is relatively straightforward. The company centers it practices around how it can best help farmers use data to be able to make more informed and better farm management decisions. Another key concept is how producers can use their resources most efficiently for a maximum yield while saving time and money. Farmers Edge now employs over 550 employees across five countries. Ridge pointed out that Farmers Edge was “started by farmers, and it exists for farmers.”

As of 2018, Farmers Edge has gathered data from approximately 50,000 fields. As a result, producers are learning how they can maximize their operations.

Services that Farmers Edge provides include soil sampling, Variable Rate Technology, hardware/software, and support. Should an operation want to utilize the technologies offered, they enter into a contract with Farmers Edge. Through the use of satellite imagery, farmers can learn about everything from the health of their crops, to soil moisture, to the amount of fuel that that their equipment uses.

There is also a complete support team that is available should any issues arise with the process. Through analyzing and interpreting the data that is recorded, farmers can have the potential to drastically improve their crop health/yield. While digital agriculture is a relatively new industry, Hinkley and Ridge seem excited to share what they are learning and how it might change agriculture for the better.