Case Study:

Are Farms Becoming Digital Firms?

1-12. List and describe the technologies used in this case study.

GPS (Global Positioning System) is a type of navigation system used on computers

and tablets to manage equipment and give out instructions on planting and
harvesting, mainly by used by farmers. Data analysis technologies determine the
right amount and kind of seeds for planting, they determine how much of
fertilizer,water should be used during the growing season, this is mainly used by
farmers and agricultural firms.Last but not least computerized planting equipment
follows guidance given out by agricultural companies and data collected by farmers.

1-13.In what sense are U.S. farms are now digital firms?

Farmers provide data on field boundaries,soil conditions and historic crop yields
which is used by perscriptive planting. Agricultural data analysis companies are the
ones that analyze this data and the data not only about seeds but also soil types in
different areas. Then also monitor the weather and other contributing factors to give
out advice to farmers how to manage their corps while growing. This company then
sends a file with the recommendations back to the farmer who then uploads this into
a computerized planting equipment.

1-14.How is information technology changing the way farmers run their

business?

All the gathered data from self-driving tractors to aircrafts and other forms of sensors
provide farmers with information about the crop yields, soil moisture and quality. This
technology attributes to saving money and time while increasing crop
yields.Prespective planting lays down the right amount of seeds and fertilizer which
improves the average harvest, which leads to increased profits.

1-15.How do the systems described in this case improve farming operations?

According to Monsanto, data driven planting advice could potentially increase

worldwide crop production by $20 billion/year, but this has not been achieved by
predictive planting yet. New data driven software program`s impact will be small in
good years also because yields will still stay high regardless decisions or the farms
actual size. Technology will probably have a higher impact if the conditions aren’t
propitious. Some farmers have suspicions about the intrusion of big data into their
once insular businesses and about the future steps that these big seed companies
might take with the collected data. Other on the other hand worry about the seeds
price increasing since those companies who developed predictive planting
technology also sells seeds. Their rivals could also be using the data to their own
advantage.
1-16.How do precision agriculture systems support decision making? Identify
three different decisions that can be supported.

FliedScripts is a software application made by Monsanto, that takes into account

variables such as the amount of sunlight and shade, the variations is soil nitrogen
and phosphorous content when trying to determine the type and amount of seed to
plant. This data is analyzed with the genetic feature of the seed and combines all of
this information with climate predictions. Then intructions are made by this which is
then sent to iPads that are connected to planting equipments.With these kind of tools
farmers can easily pin out all of those areas that need less or more fertilizer.This
result in saving the cost of excess spreading and boosts the yield`s performance.

In conclusion, the three decisions prespective planting includes the amount and type
of seeds, the amount of fertilizer to add in each area of the fields and lastly the
weather and other kinds of factors help framers manage crops while growth.

1-17.How helpful is precision agriculture to individual farmers and the

agricultural industry?

The cost of these technologies in order to be able to use these new programs are
hard to afford for small farmers. They need to purchase the service itself and the
additional cost of retrofitting all of the planting equipment they already posses. Large
farmers have an advantage purchasing these items and changing their old
equipments.