Engineering for Precision Agriculture - Past Accomplishments and Future Directions

Precision agriculture technologies and systems will significantly change food and fiber production as we move into the next century. Engineers have and will continue to contribute to this field through development of equipment and sensors, application of technologies such as remote sensing and computer modeling, creation and evaluation of precision agriculture systems, and management of technology development and implementation activities. Realization of the potential benefits of precision agriculture -- including both improvements in production efficiency and achievement of water, air, and soil environmental quality goals -- will require a partnership between engineering and other disciplines in both industry and the public sector.