By Stephen Smoot
A three-year old publication in the National Library of Medicine entitled “Youth’s (Un) Willingness to Work in the Agriculture Sector” laid out the problem.
“Work in agriculture is hard and not prestigious, and young people tend to leave rural areas in search for alternative activities in urban areas,” it read in the opening paragraph. This serves as a serious global problem for the very field of endeavor that keeps humanity fed.
The National Science Foundation has teamed up with Questr Automation LLC, a new Potomac Highlands firm with the twin goal of expanding automation in farming and using that to encourage more young people to enter the field. Their Innovation Corps (I-Corps in short), according to their website is “an immersive, entrepreneurial training program that facilitates the transformation of invention to impact.”
Through the program, the NSF will help the new company to develop and fulfil its mission. Says Dave Oberting, Managing Director, “our mission has always been to give family farms the same technological advantages that large operations enjoy.”
Questr has developed a program called the ROOST, or Rural Operators Optimization and Systems Trial. While it does not manufacture any products, Questr does facilitate the creation of individualized technology suites to, as their slogan states “work less, live more.”
“What we do is put farm technology in the hands of the farmers who need it, but can’t afford it,” said Obertling. He explained that “we will help you navigate USDA, WVDA, all the alphabet agencies to help you get grants, loans, cost shares” or access to other programs that help farmers acquire the technology.
That technology includes drones with advanced imaging and distribution technology, precision irrigators, soil sensors, automatic feeders and watering devices and more. Obertling described an egg collection device that reduces an hours long task into 45 minutes or so.
Questr will open with six Hardy County farms in the initial pilot project. They will partner with an area community and technical college to create a 10 to 15 person internship program that will train locals in the project. Once ready, they will deploy to the farms in the pilot project. Although aimed at younger students, those of other ages can apply. Obertling, an Army veteran, noted that veterans often bring technology experience that could be relevant.
Local partners already include the Hardy County Commission and West Virginia University Extension service but he is seeking others throughout the region.
Obertling shared that the long term goal lies in using advanced technology to attract young people into the field of agriculture. He explained that he sees the “gameification” of farming as a way to both boost productivity and also get young people into the field.
“With drones,” he said, there are “two big things” in drone technology. First, he described “spraying drones” that can precisely aim pesticides or other substances exactly where needed. Obertling then explained various uses for what he called a “surveillance drone.” These can use imagery to measure the precise height of hay in the field, derive precision information on manure, moisture, or other substances in a field, or even help to locate a wayward cow.
Soil sensors can pinpoint levels of moisture, acidity, and other information.
Obertling stated that in terms of recruiting young people into agriculture, “clearly something’s not working. People aren’t staying on the farm. They’re not wanting to work a 70-hour week. They fear that their body’s going to be worn down by the time they’re 40.”
“Kids don’t want to do the kinds of jobs their fathers, grandfathers, or great-grandfathers did,” he stated, but went on to add that historically, development of technology and advances in farming have gone hand in hand. He stated that he sees young people more attracted to a “more modern, technology driven field.”
He said he can see a day where farmers spend much of their time in a command center, monitoring conditions and operating equipment remotely. Obertling in a release speculated that “automation can save hundreds of hours per year, cut input costs by up to 30 percent, increase yields, and improve resource efficiency.”
“This isn’t just about technology. It’s about stabilizing family farms, creating high-wage technical jobs . . . and proving that rural America can lead in innovation.”
