A new report from a farm industry alliance showed high-tech ag practices in Iowa and the Midwest do not reduce pesticide and fertilizer use as much corporate ag operations suggest. Instead, some small farmers say precision agriculture takes a one-size-fits-all approach to the state's diverse croplands.
Precision agriculture employs GPS technology, drones and artificial intelligence to maximize yields on every acre of farmland.
Rob Faux, a diversified crop farmer from Tripoli, said it can work for large corporate farms but when it comes to small operations like his, understanding the nuances of the land is more important for maximizing yields. He contended precision ag is taking the skill out of farming.
"The very argument that precision ag folks will make is that it's supposed to allow you to respond to with precision to very small parts of your farm," Faux pointed out. "But what it is doing is the exact opposite. It's trying to force everything into 'This is perfect for growing corn,' or 'This is perfect for growing soybeans.'"
The report from the Health Environment Agriculture Labor, or HEAL Food Alliance, said precision ag favors large, macro-crop farms at the expense of small, diversified operations like Faux's, and displaces farmworkers. HEAL is calling on policymakers to encourage investments in practices to restore soil, protect water and strengthen local farming communities.
Precision ag proponents said it also reduces pesticide and fertilizer use but Faux countered he sees more chemical use on large neighboring farms and an uptick in practices increasing soil erosion.
"It's not really helping us in the ways that precision ag said it's supposed to be helping us," Faux contended. "It's not accessible to most farmers. And frankly, it's not responding to what the land needs. It's simply attempting to change things, change the land."
The HEAL Food Alliance believes a changing climate will mean lower crop yields in the future, which will necessitate even more chemical use to keep crop yields on pace with demand. It noted since large farms started using precision ag in the 1990s, fertilizer use has actually increased.