Labelle, Florida — Wayne Simmons’ citrus grove doesn’t have many screens, but a closer look reveals elements of artificial intelligence at work.
“Since the invention of the Internet, we have been able to go online to check prices, commodity futures markets, and more,” Simmons said.
Extension economist Kimberly Morgan works with growers in Southwest Florida. Her goal is to equip students with a range of artificial intelligence tools that will help them stay ahead of their competitors.
“The more I know what consumers want, what retailers are paying, and how much shipping costs, the better I can get what I grow at a better price,” Morgan said. It will make us more competitive to enter the market,” he said.
One of the most popular tools is Agtools.
“It’s basically a dashboard for the grower audience, so to speak,” Morgan said. “It includes all the different decision-making factors that growers typically make when they’re trying to figure out, ‘What do I do with the tomatoes I planted?'” Based on trends, how many green beans will we plant in the future?”
Knowing when to grow, harvest and ship products helps growers optimize their spending. Simmons uses similar technology in his citrus orchards to track the use of fertilizers and other materials.
“I apply the exact amount to the exact area of the wood,” Simmons said. “Of course, given the cost of materials, fertilizers, herbicides and pesticides, we don’t want to overspray. It’s not good for the environment or our wallets.”
Even water that’s hard to come by during Florida’s dry season can be tracked with the help of technology
“We have a soil moisture sensor in the ground, which tells us how much water is in the root zone retention area,” Simmons said. “And we base our irrigation on that, so we can identify more accurately and save money or use more water when needed.”
Farmers who grow staple crops such as corn and soybeans are already using AI and even satellites. Over time, the technology will become available to small producers as well. For now, Morgan says the tools they have will help Florida growers differentiate themselves.
“We go to farmers markets a lot and we buy because we like the farmer and we like the story. “This tool enables producers in Florida to say, ‘We’re a farm in Florida, we’re a family farm,’ and buyers have access to this information at Walmart and Publics. will help.”
