Not long ago, the idea of having a farm-grown information technologist — an IT — had most of us snickering. It was as preposterous as harboring ET — you know, that squatty, long-fingered extraterrestrial movie star.

But time and technologies are changing at warp speed. Data isn’t just what’s scribbled into shirt-pocket notebooks — that next-gen’ers now wouldn’t be caught dead with.

Androids and Apples (iOS) now drive our smartphones and tablets. Cookies — the digital kind — aren’t tasty.

Clouds don’t just float in the sky to visually foretell of weather changes anymore. They store data and download it at lightning speed.

Telematics isn’t sluggish long-distance data transfer; it’s instant wireless digital transmission in real time. High-flying aircraft, even drones, can now use advanced difference vegetative index heat sensors to detect beginning plant stress symptoms up to two weeks before you’d spot them in the field.

Radio frequency identification isn’t even space-age tech anymore. Cattle and hogs have been wearing RFID tech for years. And we’re only on the first wave of a digital ag revolution.

So where am I going with this? All this technology requires IT savvy.

6 reasons to grow your IT expertise

Today’s larger farms have at least one IT expert — raised or hired. If you don’t, here are a few reasons why it will be imperative in the near future, if not now.

• How many times have you had to ask a next-gen’er to fix a computer hardware or software problem, be it in your office or on your phone, tractor or combine? If you’re already paying for such services, you’re moving toward a designated IT expert.

• What data is required for your certified nutrient management, conservation and food safety plans, and who can write those plans?

• Who will interpret data generated via precision technologies for your crops and livestock? If “what data?” is your response, you’re letting sizable profit margins escape.

• Who will lead your farm’s equipment and tech innovations? In ‘Hottest’ planter tech tool for 2017, we share details about what’s likely to be a planting game-changer — Precision Planting’s Smart Seedfirmer.

• Most milk producers already know about labor-saving robotic milkers. While robotics replace human-powered milkers, tech-savvy human brains are still required. In Boumatic rolls out America’s newest robotic milking system, you’ll find details about Boumatic’s new double-box system. It raises U.S. competition to five brands and should help bring costs down.

• Perhaps the strongest, most immediate need for IT expertise is due to cybersecurity risks. A major system breach or loss would deal a death blow to many farm businesses. That’s why some larger agribusinesses have at least two IT experts and backup systems for backup systems.

The bottom line: Farms that harness coming digital technologies will have a clear competitive edge over those who don’t.

Bite-sized morsel

Getting ahead always involves getting up early, anticipating future needs and working smarter — not necessarily harder.

About that 50-mile political climate ‘fence’

Last month’s column, tagged as “50 miles outside of … is a different climate,” drew a number of phone calls and emails. Most, but not all, agreed. I expected that.

It seems my so-called perimeter fence separating the political climates may have been off by 40 miles. So this is one of those rare “fess up when ya mess up” retractions. As a central New York farmer put it: “You ‘set’ that fence too far out. Just 10 miles out of Ithaca, it [the political climate] is a whole different world.”

Another caller insisted that I only inflamed division, and added: “Many good people live inside the metro regions, and we [agriculture] need their support.” She was right. But I urged you to be patient, tolerant and persistent with those who aren’t patient, tolerant and persistent. And I thanked her for taking time to share her thoughts.

Still another caller suggested our only hope is a national referendum to set congressional term limits. Bully for that idea! It would be tough to accomplish, though. Entrenched politicos and supporters will fight it tooth and nail.

“50 miles outside” stressed the importance of politicians being Americans first — not Democrats or Republicans. That’s where the ideological fence has been erected. If you missed it, you can still read the commentary in April’s issue or click here.

No 2017 custom rate survey in Pa.

It happened again. Pennsylvania budget bean counters decreed there’s no money to fund a 2017 custom rate survey by Pennsylvania’s National Agricultural Statistics Service office.

Funds were scraped together to run the 2016 survey. We posted it at 2016 Pennsylvania custom rate guide arrives. You can find the spring and summer rates in your May 2016 issue and fall and winter rates in September’s issue.

Up to this point, Pennsylvania has been the only Eastern state to do an annual survey. If you feel those rates are important for your business, send a nice note to Ag Secretary Russ Redding. And explain why it’s important — yes, even if you farm outside the Keystone State.