Deciding what technology to upgrade can be a daunting task. Although a bullet-point list of the technology you should prioritize may be helpful, it is not that simple. 

“We have many tools in the toolbox,” says Roger Fry of Benton County, Ind. “Most people think of tools in the toolbox as hammers and wrenches. After meeting with our seed advisers, our fertilizer retailers and our agronomists, they all note we seem to be at the forefront of technology and tools in the toolbox. Those tools can get very precise, very technical, and we embrace it.”

Although Fry says many producers may not have embraced that technology yet, he adds that farming is at a point where you need that technology. It must be a part of your operation.

“If you don’t embrace technology today, you are going to fall so far behind,” Fry adds. “You just can’t fathom spending that much money to catch up, so try to stay as current as you can.”

The short answer

That advice of staying current is Fry’s short answer to this question: What technology should I upgrade before the next growing season? It is dependent on the technology you currently use or are considering adding.

At a minimum, Fry recommends having some sort of data-recording device in every piece of machinery. That way, all your data is housed somewhere. Having a central location for data is vital because data collected by different colors of machinery is typically not compatible, Fry says.

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“They’ve backed us into a corner,” he says. “They’ve put us in an environment where they don’t necessarily talk to each other, brand to brand. So, now we must seek out other options of where to keep our data if we have multiple colors.”

Fry’s advice is to start simple with something like an iPad to gather information on all field operations. Then, get the data where you can see it. This may mean you need to purchase user-friendly software. One example is Climate FieldView. If you have those components, make sure the software is up to date.

Address a problem

The next layer in deciding what technology to upgrade is finding a problem area in your fields. Fry advises using data to figure out what is hindering you the most in those areas. You may find problems without using any data from field records.

“Sometimes, it’s not data-driven,” Fry says. “Sometimes, it’s just how it feels or looks from the combine or tractor cab. You’ve been on that farm for a long time, and you think to yourself, ‘You know, I think we’ve got some issues in this location.’”

He adds that an example may be simply soil sampling in an area that has gone without fertilizer for several years. Sampling will help improve your decision-making without spending money on new technology.

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Finding those limiting factors will help you target the tools in the toolbox that need to be improved, Fry says. That way, you are not blindly upgrading technology without knowing what you need to focus on.

“No. 1 is using the data and technology to find underlying issues or limitations so you can find the problem areas,” Fry says. “No. 2 is once you identify those areas, take the time to dig deeper. It will give you direction on where to upgrade the technology.”