How to Use GPS in Farming

When you think about a GPS device, you rarely think about farming. You think about farming as old, even ancient, technology, something connected with the land. Farming makes you think of oxen and hand plows, not global positioning systems and satellites.

Instructions

1. Place a GPS receiver on top of your tractors in order to pull in location signals. The GPS receiver can then communicate with a computer add-on to the tractor. The computer can tell the tractor whether it should be tilling, harvesting, planting or spraying, depending on its programming.

2. Combine data gathered by GPS devices and systems with data regarding moisture, crop yield, weed density and soil samples. Use the data to determine the best tractor routes, pesticides, fertilizers and seeding density.

3. Optimize planting with GPS-generated maps. These maps tell you which regions of a field are least productive. Use more fertilizer and seed in these areas to increase production, or even take them out of production.

4. Utilize GPS systems alongside automated tractor steering and operating systems to automate tractor operation and farm 24-hours a day. This can cut herbicide loss due to evaporation by applying it at night when winds are calmer.

Tips & Warnings

• While small farms can use GPS systems in farming, larger farming conglomerates will benefit most from this technology.

• GPS technology is well complemented by other technologies such as cattle-detection devices, lightbars and GPS software. Each additional technology increases the farmer's return on investment.