55 Years And Counting From The Tractor Seat

 By Bill Whitman

 With the average age of the farmer and rancher in the United States between 62 and 64, depending on who is reporting, a number of concerns are revealed. We can point out how the responsibilities of the farmer/rancher has become such that less than 1 percent of the population of the United States needs to feed the other 99 percent and a significant part of the world. But this article is focused on how technology has become an integral part of the production of agriculture today.

How does the older generation help the younger generations approach such a wide array of options in integrating technology into the family farm? The younger generations have grown up with “screens” and rely on them to solve problems and make their lives easier. Being in my 60s, my wife and I contributed to this ourselves. Money seemed to be no object, just get the kids the latest and greatest video game.

So how do we decide how much (if any) of this technology to bring into our lives, our farms and ranches. In a previous article I noted that I watch a number of FarmTubers. One of the benefits of watching these videos is often seeing the latest and greatest of technology at work. From seed monitors on our planters (brought on the scene 40 years ago) to steering our equipment in the field, RFID tags in our livestock to unmanned AI technology, everywhere we turn we see it and in many cases… we want it, and the younger generations want it more.

Here’s where thoughts from the rocking chair may help young farmers. All this technology costs a great deal of money. I hear 20 grand a unit commonly used per unit for GPS in tractors and harvesters. Without a doubt, a lot of this technology would make our lives less complicated, but is it worth the investment? Every farmer and rancher needs to look at introducing the technology and related costs as an investment. It is really just that, and investment that is evaluated by the return or savings it represents. As neat as it is with all the whistles and bells, it really is an academic decision.

Without a doubt GPS has introduced nearly every farmer to the opportunity to save money and justify the expense. Even in our area of south central Indiana where farms are relatively small and it’s not so easy to quantify the expense, it still works. Even the forage farm, livestock farm, of 250 acres or more can easily justify minimal GPS use. With fertilizer, herbicide and fuel costs rising, every foot of skips or overlaps costs us money. It honestly doesn’t take long to see the return. There are numerous vendors of GPS equipment to help better understand the pros and cons. Where this becomes more confusing is the multi-thousand dollar upgrades to planting and harvesting equipment. Way beyond my understanding but clearly worth a look.

So, from my seat, having someone in the industry show you exactly how their technology is financially justified is essential. Then you must take that information and apply it to your operation. The newer the technology, the slower I would be in embracing it, knowing that improvements will be required, usually from your checkbook, and secondly, the cost invariably comes down over time. As with most business decisions, “measure twice and cut once.”