The Ongoing Saga of Connectivity and IoT in Agriculture

I’ll start by saying this: I have never been completely sure I knew what the Internet of Things (IoT) really is. I thought I did, but was not really sure, because I have heard this terminology used with different meanings. So, for my own sake, I wanted to get a solid definition.

According to Britannica, “IoT is an array of physical objects equipped with sensors and software that enable them to interact with little human intervention by collecting and exchanging data via a network.”

One key point from Wikipedia stood out to me: “IoT is a misnomer since the devices don’t need to be connected to the public internet. They just need to be connected to a network of any kind and can be individually addressable.” So, using these definitions, the network can be wired or wireless.

With that baseline, IoT becomes less mysterious. At its core, it’s just about connectivity.

And connectivity isn’t new. What has changed is the scale, speed, and what IoT is all about: Automation.

When we talk about the ag connectivity, let’s just say that connectivity has been a huge obstacle since I’ve been in the business in the mid-1990s.

Back then, connectivity essentially didn’t exist. Data movement required human activity in the form of carrying floppy drives (720 KB to 1.44 MB capacity), thumb drives (8 MB to 1 TB capacity), or any other storage device that was used or available. In fact, some systems required specific cards with proprietary programming and then imported into a specific, respective software program. It worked, but it wasn’t efficient — or user-friendly.

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Related:

• Emergent Connext and UnCommon Farms Form Strategic Partnership to Expand Connectivity and IoT Solutions for Farmers
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• Connectivity: Solving Agriculture’s Biggest Bottleneck

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In the early 2000s, cellular coverage became the new connectivity — when you could get coverage. Products needed the right SIM card for the geography, enough onboard storage to cache data when you didn’t have a signal, and the ability to upload when a signal finally connected.

Now, it’s 2026, and we’re still wrestling with connectivity. We’re still trying to find the “easy button” that solves our issue of data collection, processing, analysis, and providing insights.

I hate to break the news to you, but there’s still no “easy button,” and I doubt that there ever will be.

But the good news? It continues to get better. Rural cell coverage has improved. Two of the top three ag equipment companies have satellite communications options, and there are new long-range, low power network systems available.

Today we have options, but one size does not fit all!

Just like evaluating any product or service, connectivity requires a needs-based evaluation. We have to make sure we ask the right questions. A few of those questions would be how many “smart” devices are you running? How much are you relying on real-time data and information to make decisions? How much bandwidth is required to operate without interruption? What about the compatibility among the companies/brands connected to the network? How quickly does the data need to be processed and decision-making information returned to the field? In what geography are you operating — and how large is it? And one of the most important questions … what’s the budget?

Additional questions that can’t be ignored are data privacy and security and artificial intelligence.

Avoiding connectivity altogether can create enormous opportunity costs and inefficiencies. At the same time, cybercriminals don’t care how big or small an operation is. If they can access it, they will — and agriculture is absolutely a target.

As you can tell, I’m no IoT expert. I look at things practically. Does it improve the operation? Does it create efficiency? Does it deliver a return on investment?

Sometimes the value is as simple as equipment being connected so maintenance and repairs happen on time. That alone can save thousands of dollars.

And one final reality check.

Just because everything is connected doesn’t mean the work is done. The data still has to be turned into usable, decision-making information. Technology supports operations, but it doesn’t replace operational thinking.

Again, there is no “easy button,” but we are seeing progress in connectivity and the advancement of the new IoT. And there’s real opportunity for those willing to do the work to approach connectivity with clarity and intentionality.