What will the future bring for food and farming?

“Congratulations on your 25th anniversary!” said the first email I opened on a recent workday. It was a small message to describe a big personal milestone, a quarter century as an ag journalist at the Iowa Farm Bureau.

I’ve met so many incredible farmers and visited so many different farms over my career. I’ve suited up in coveralls to enter hog barns; marveled over restored wetlands on farms; and enjoyed all the cheese, bacon and burgers offered to me by generous Iowans.

I’ve also seen many changes in Iowa food and farming over the past 25 years. Just for fun, I’m sharing a few of what I believe are the biggest changes during my career. 

Precision agriculture

Tractors and farm equipment today are equipped with GPS and precision agriculture technology, which helps farmers manage their fields down to the square inch.

Precision agriculture also helps farmers spoon-feed their plants a precise amount of fertilizer at the right time and at the right place.

By precisely applying crop protection products, these state-of-the-art technologies reduce the environmental impact of farming and help make farming more sustainable. 

Animal care

Today’s livestock barns run like smart homes to keep farm animals safe, healthy and comfortable in all kinds of Midwest weather.

For example, pig farmers use smart farm technology to control the lighting and temperature in the barns, automatically opening or closing ventilation curtains to adjust air circulation.

Farmers also receive alerts on their phone if, for example, in the middle of the night the temperature in the barn isn’t optimal for the pigs. 

Conservation progress

Iowa farmers are stepping up to the challenge of improving Iowa’s water quality.

Iowa now leads the nation in conservation wetlands; pollinator habitat; conservation tillage; grassed waterways; filter and buffer strips; and bioreactors, which naturally filter nutrients from water at the edge of fields.

Through ongoing research and innovation, Iowa farmers are committed to continuous improvement on the farm. Learn more at ConservationCountsIowa.com.   

I’m excited to see what the future brings for Iowa agriculture. I expect even greater changes, likely within the next five years, as precision agriculture and A.I. innovations quickly improve.

Admittedly, the hardest part of this job is that my mistakes are often embarrassing and extremely public.

Like farmers, I’m always looking to learn and get better, day by day.

What keeps me going is the hope that my work might help more little girls - just like me, a long time ago - experience the joy of growing up on an Iowa farm.

Learn more about author Teresa Bjork here.