New smart-farm network aims to connect Yuma agriculture

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) - New technology could soon give Yuma farmers more ways to monitor and manage their fields through a new smart-farm network being tested at the University of Arizona Yuma Agricultural Center.

Researchers, industry partners and local growers recently gathered at the center to learn more about the technology and how it could be used in Yuma agriculture.

The center is serving as a pilot site for the network, which is part of a broadband project covering more than 160,000 acres of agricultural land in Yuma County.

The project includes 34 towers, with about 24 expected to be installed during the current phase of construction.

The network is designed to provide reliable connectivity in the field. That could allow farmers to remotely manage irrigation pumps, monitor water pressure, check fuel levels and track equipment.

Connor Osgood, manager of agricultural technology at the Yuma Center of Excellence for Desert Agriculture, said the project is about creating infrastructure that can support multiple technologies rather than relying on one tool.

"The fundamental way to think about all of this too is that it's not any one technology, but rather it's the infrastructure that allows us to create an ecosystem," he said.

That connectivity could eventually support sensors and other tools capable of collecting information about field conditions.

Researchers say connected sensors could help monitor soil moisture, equipment activity and other conditions. That information could eventually help farmers better understand crop water needs and identify potential pest or disease pressures earlier.

Tanya Hodges, Executive Director of the Yuma Center of Excellence for Desert Agriculture, said the project represents significant progress in a relatively short amount of time.

"Where we've been over the last, even just two years, we've come a long way, and I really applaud again Yuma County for managing the project and the work that's being done," she said.

The long-term goal is to create a connected system where different technologies can work together and provide farmers with more information in the field.

For Yuma agriculture, researchers say the network could help pave the way for more connected and efficient farming operations.