Innovations in farming technology: ‘see and spray,’ automated tractors

MINOT, N.D. (KMOT) - Agricultural technology has a new invention on the horizon.

Michael Bischoff, owner of AgTech located at Devils Lake, said multiple farm tech companies are working on technology that spots weeds and sprays only the weeds. John Deere’s version calls it “See and Spray.”

Bischoff said no company has released it for purchase yet, but several of them are working on it.

”You’re starting to see more people get upset with pesticide use. If they can reduce it down to just the weed area. The overall amounts would be probably 10% of what they were,” said Bischoff.

He added that it depends on certain passes.

Bischoff said in addition to that, automated tractors that turn on their own are in the works.

He said these technological shifts help decrease human labor needed, but he’s unsure by how much.