The old saying “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks” is often apt, especially when it comes to on-farm tech adoption. For those unfamiliar with digital systems, high-tech tools can feel as intimidating as they are beneficial. But despite the initial uncertainty, data shows precision technology delivers proven payback.
“Technology is one of those things that is near and close to my heart,” said Austin Gellings, a seventh-generation Wisconsin farmer, as he considered how to keep his operation sustainable for the future.
When he’s not managing his family’s 20,000-chicken operation, Gellings is senior director of agricultural services at the Association of Equipment Manufacturers. In his role at AEM, he understands how precision ag technology can significantly boost farm profitability.
“I’m not going to say, ‘It’s the silver bullet.’ It is by no means the silver bullet,” Gellings said. “I look at it as a tool in the toolbox. It’s about providing farmers with as many options, as many tools in their toolbox as possible, so that they can pick the ones that work right for them.”
Paying for itself
Inventions like autosteer do more than make guess rows pretty — they save money with every pass. A new study from AEM on tech adoption confirms what farmers already know: Since its emergence in the late 1990s, modern precision ag technology has significantly improved on-farm productivity and efficiency.
About 27% of U.S. farmers and ranchers now use precision ag technology, according to a 2023 USDA and Government Accountability Office report. The impact is measurable: Crop yields are up 5% in the last five years. The AEM study quantifies the financial benefit, concluding that farmers can generate an extra $66,000 annually per 1,000 acres by increasing productivity by 5%.
But even if the financial payback is proven, tech adoption isn’t straightforward. Farms are complex operations run by unique people, some of whom might not be as technologically savvy as others. Gellings understands this from personal experience.
The family’s farm is still “pretty early in the adoption curve,” he said. “Maybe we’re a little behind where others might be,” citing generational norms as one reason for their gradual approach.
When Gellings’ grandfather was in charge, he wouldn’t touch a computer screen. A generation later, Gellings’ dad invested in a modern large-square baler about a decade ago, and they’ve been steadily adding more technology ever since.
Gellings expects the shift will accelerate as he’s more involved in the agribusiness.
“I’m comfortable with it. I grew up with a computer. I always had a phone in my hand, or an iPad or what have you,” he said. “I view [tech] as an answer. In order for the three or four of us to continue to produce at the scale we’re producing, and to have a sustainable lifestyle for my family, technology is going to be how it is.”
Older operators who aren’t as comfortable with today’s digital machines can take a cue from the Gellings family: Let the next generation lead tech adoption. It’s a strategy that can pay dividends — research shows that investing in the right precision technology not only boosts yields but often pays for itself.