As a rural Wisconsin gal, I grew up surrounded by farms, have farmers as friends, and even married into a farming family. I get farming — and I get the need for equipment and technology that works. Modern farmers rely on working networks – and if they don’t work as planned, things can go haywire. 

Those who live in big cities expect a reliable network that works all the time, however, a strong network and smart technology play a vital role in rural areas too! Farms across the U.S. are achieving more with smart technology daily. In a small town like Newark, Mo. with a population of 90, a strong signal is crucial in keeping operations running smoothly.

U.S. Cellular is a national carrier that offers coverage where the other carriers don’t, which helps to power operations throughout the farm.

Check out the surprising tech you wouldn’t expect on a farm in this fun video:

Take a look at this video showcasing how Sharpe Farms and Heartland Creamery in Newark, MO. have utilized the strong U.S. Cellular network to improve productivity and efficiency. 

As they say in the video, “Time is money when you’re farming. We’ve proven that we can make the U.S. Cellular [network] work in the middle of anywhere.”

How Smart Tech Can Be Used On The Farm

  • Vehicle/Fleet Monitoring: Modern tractors can have GPS technology that use U.S. Cellular’s network to provide remote monitoring and access to the controls and input/output of the tractors. You may also be able to set up a system to use iPads or other tablets to access information and track the location of each tractor, which allows remote support of the fleet.
  • Irrigation/Soil Monitoring: Variable rate seeding allows you to take soil samples of the fields to formulate a “prescription” based on the data of the nutrients and pH levels of the soil. The prescription is then run by fertilizer spreaders in the tractors which are automatically controlled to provide the correct nutrients to the right spots in each field, providing a greater crop yield. The irrigation system includes 11 pivots that are controlled remotely using an app on smartphones or tablets.

  • Wearables for Livestock:  Animals can be fitted with radio frequency identification ankle bracelets. These bracelets are scanned with a wand device, so you can identify any of the animals on your farm. Helpful information such as the age, vaccinations, and milk fat percentage (for milking animals) can easily be looked up on mobile devices.

When is the last time you visited a farm? Maybe it’s time to take a field trip with the kids, or even walk down and talk to your neighbor to learn something new! Most farmers I know are happy to show you around and let you see how a real farm operates, and maybe even give you a sample of a thing or two produced right there on the farm!