AI in Florida agriculture will improve farming, create careers and put better food on your table

Fewer than 2% of Americans live on a farm, so the other 98% can be excused for a misperception of farming based on YouTube reruns of “Green Acres.” Here’s the reality: 21st-century American agriculture is a high-tech enterprise. Since the days of farmer-president Thomas Jefferson, American farmers have relied on cutting-edge technology to provide more nutritious food more affordably for American families.

That’s why the University of Florida is pioneering new programs in artificial intelligence to make the Florida farmer more productive. At the same time, these efforts show the way to new career paths for high school and college students who have never considered farming. And we can use AI to protect the environment — and farmers’ finances — by using only what fertilizers and pesticides the crops actually need rather than wasting them and, worse, letting them wash into Florida’s precious waterways.