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 Introduction
Quick
Facts A Day in the Life Farm Tech Trek
Scavenger
Hunt Newsroom Mystery
Photo
Ag Resource Library |
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| "A farmer in America, the hero of the agricultural economy,
rides in a portable office on his tractor. It's air-conditioned, has
a phone, a satellite-driven GPS location device, and sophisticated
sensors near the ground.
At home, his computer is connected to the never-ending stream of
weather data, the worldwide grain markets, his bank, moisture detectors
in the soil, digitized maps, and his own spreadsheets of cash flow." |
Agriculture today is high-tech. As a matter of fact, many agricultural research scientists work with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Earth Observing System. The EOS is a series of satellites gazing down on our planet making observations of the climate, land surface, biosphere, solid Earth, atmosphere, and oceans.
These
satellites
help farmers examine fields for crop damage, map soil conditions,
and look for changes in the environment that could affect farming.
Geographic Information System
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Many farmers use computers, spreadsheets, and geographic information system (GIS) software to analyze data and create maps. These maps can include information such as soil type, pH, nutrient levels, and land features such as hills.
Global Positioning System
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Read the story about a boy named David who attached a GPS receiver to his bicycle as he mapped a bike route around his farm.
How might people use GPS for hiking, hunting, boating, camping and flying?
Introduction
Quick
Facts A Day in the Life Farm Tech Trek
Scavenger
Hunt Newsroom Mystery
Photo
Ag Resource Library 
Satellites
continuously transmit signals that are monitored by ground stations
worldwide. These signals can be detected by anyone with a GPS receiver
in their hand, car or tractor.