U.S. Department of Agriculture
Agricultural Research Service
Precision Agriculture
[Running time: ~ 2:06]

Welcome to Focus on Ag Research from the Agricultural Research Service or ARS. ARS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific research agency.

A new buzzword in agriculture is “precision.” But what does it mean for farmers? Precision agriculture, also known as site-specific farming, is a way of managing farms to ensure profitability, efficiency, and sustainability while reducing environmental impact. 

Precision agriculture incorporates various technologies making farming practices more accurate for growing crops and raising livestock. 

ARS scientists have made important inroads through advances in remote sensing, computer modeling, data acquisition, guidance, decision support systems and other technologies. Research includes targeting crop diseases, testing harvesters and smart pesticide sprayers, irrigation and fertilizer application. 

Potential benefits include reduced water, fertilizer and pesticide use; heathier, more productive crops; cost savings; and better stewardship of natural resources. 

In the animal world, ARS scientists are using monitoring and feeding systems to optimize production. ARS has developed a smartphone app to notify producers of heat-stress conditions and sensors that indicate early signs of sickness in animals. The aim is to help improve animal health, welfare and performance. 

To learn more about this research, visit AgResearch magazine at www.agresearchmag.ars.usda.gov. 

That’s our podcast for today. Thanks for listening.