This week, UC Merced hosted the 2024 IoT4Ag Annual Meeting. IoT4Ag is funded by the National Science Foundation and is an Engineering Research Center focused on developing talent and technology to improve precision agriculture.
Over 100 students and faculty from across the country gathered in the heart of agriculture, California’s Central Valley, for this collaborative three-day event. The event featured panel discussions on potential technology adpoters, community college engagement, and inclusive innovation. Over 55 posters were presented by students and faculty. The IoT4Ag team experienced the Valley agricultural system with a tour of Bowles Farming Company in Los Banos, a visit to the newest California State Park – Dos Rios, a tour of the UC Merced Experimental Smart Farm and panel discussion with industry experts.
Students presented posters on their IoT4Ag projects, focusing on robotics, soil sensors, irrigation, plant disease detection, and other technologies aimed at increasing production and reducing agriculture’s impact on natural resources.
IoT4Ag is a collaboration between UC Merced, Purdue University, the University of Florida, Arizona State University, and led by the University of Pennsylvania. Its mission is to develop and implement precision agriculture technologies and train a diverse workforce to address food, energy, and water security.
