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UNL brings new digital hub to provide producers additional resources

The University of Nebraska president says the institution’s new digital ag hub could be a game changer for the industry.

Dr. Jeffry Gold says agriculture continues to evolve, and the endeavor could help producers stay head of the game. “Whether it’s due to satellite imagery, drones, robotics, fertigation systems ect, the use of digital technology has become what was optional and peripheral at one time to absolutely essential to agriculture.”

The hub was launched at this year’s Husker Harvest Days and will bring together University stakeholders, industry parters and entrepreneurs to develop and scale technology for irrigation and nutrient management, livestock systems, automation, AI and other tools.

He tells Brownfield, “The digital world depends on upon high-quality data processing that can help our farmers and ranchers make most out of their production, but we’re also talking about not only exporting food and products around the world and feeding America, every acre counts.”

Gold says it addresses key problem producers face who utilize different platforms. “It’s ubiquitous of independent silos of platforms that don’t talk to each other and make work instead of eliminating work.”

He says the goal is to deploy the hub through the University’s extension services and eventually scale it throughout the Midwest.

“What we have not really done is to get out to every single producer in the state and make sure they have access in an affordable way to the latest and greatest technology.”

Dr. Jeffrey Gold: