AgTech Adoption in Focus: Real Talk from the Front Lines of Agriculture

At the 2025 Tech Hub LIVE event in Des Moines, IA, more than a dozen Fireside Chats took place between ag tech leaders and editors from CropLife Magazine, covering everything from automation and analytics to sustainability and supply chains. But among these wide-ranging discussions, six conversations stood out for their sharp focus on one of the industry’s most pressing topics: technology adoption. Across these dialogues, a clear message emerged — successful agtech adoption isn’t just about innovation; it’s about solving real-world problems in a practical, profitable, and scalable way.

From Hype to Help: Filtering the Noise

Adam Farmer, CTO at Mercer Landmark, captured a sentiment echoed by many in ag retail: “There are so many companies asking us to help onboard growers to their systems.” With a flood of tools — from AI-based analytics to see-and-spray weed control — retailers face the daunting task of choosing what’s truly valuable.

To tackle this, Mercer Landmark relies heavily on internal reviews and trusted grower trials. “When someone sees a tech solution that aligns with a real need — that’s when we take a serious look,” Farmer said. One unexpected success? AgVend, a customer-facing platform that simplified account management. “One of our growers described it as ‘Amazon easy.’ That feedback sealed the deal.”

Yet the flood of solutions has its drawbacks. “If all I did was meet with vendors, that’s all I’d do,” Farmer noted. That’s why many retailers are prioritizing technologies that solve immediate, tangible problems.

ROI Rules the Field

Ben Sheldon from Raven Industries emphasized that return on investment (ROI) is the primary driver — especially in today’s tight financial climate. “When margins are tight, adoption is driven by ROI,” he said. “When commodity prices are high, we see more investment in convenience and user experience.”

That’s why retrofit and aftermarket solutions are gaining traction. “We’re focusing on enabling growers to adopt new tech without needing to buy entirely new equipment,” Sheldon said. Autosteer, variable rate application, and section control all offer a proven path to ROI, and automation — rather than full autonomy — is the more realistic next step.

CNH Industrial, which now includes Raven, Hemisphere, and Augmenta, is building an integrated stack to support this vision. As Sheldon put it, “There’s massive untapped potential in simply automating existing processes.”

Turning Maps Into Math

One barrier to adoption has been complexity — particularly with satellite and remote sensing technologies. Dave Gebhardt of EarthDaily acknowledged this: “Historically, satellite imagery has been big, complex, and difficult to work with.” But that’s changing.

EarthDaily is shifting its focus to “low-touch or no-touch” analytics, aiming to provide growers and retailers with actionable insights — not just colorful maps. “We’re running pilots that use satellite imagery to predict crop stages like tasseling in corn,” Gebhardt explained. “That enables better timing of fungicide applications — which is critical.”

Improved data consistency is a cornerstone of this transformation. With a new fleet of ten identical satellites, EarthDaily aims to provide daily, high-resolution data that’s accurate and affordable. “We’re focused on ag-level pricing — something scalable, useful, and affordable,” he added.

Building Infrastructure First

Of course, no technology works without connectivity. “Ag is full of smart tech innovation, but somewhere along the way, we skipped the first step: reliable connectivity,” said Mike Roudi, CEO of Emergent Connext. His company builds LoRaWAN networks that allow low-power devices to communicate over 15 to 20 miles.

Their adoption strategy? Start small. “Solve one real problem,” Roudi advised. “For instance, tank monitoring — automating how farmers check fertilizer or water levels. Once they see real value, they ask, ‘What else can this do?’” It’s an incremental, trust-building approach that resonates with skeptical growers.

The Interoperability Imperative

Even with great tech and strong connectivity, lack of interoperability can cripple adoption. Norbert Schlingmann of the Agricultural Industry Electronics Foundation (AEF) addressed this critical issue. “Farmers need machines to communicate through a single in-cab terminal,” he said. AEF’s solution? Rigorous conformance testing and a public ISOBUS database that ensures cross-brand compatibility.

Looking ahead, AEF is piloting a new Agricultural Interoperability Network designed to enable secure, brand-neutral data exchange. But Schlingmann also warned that adoption will require more than technical fixes. “We need both better tools and farmer education. It’s a gradual evolution, not a switch.”

Regional Gaps and Retailer Roles

Paul Bonnett from Nutrien Ag Solutions offered historical perspective and real-world strategy. Referencing the original adoption curve research from Iowa State’s Everett Rogers, Bonnett emphasized that tech must hit three marks: desirability, practical implementation, and local support.

“Even the best agronomy won’t move the needle if it isn’t supported with logistics, product availability, and pricing,” Bonnett said. That’s why Nutrien invests heavily in partnerships and large-scale innovation farms to validate technologies before rollout.

Regional dynamics still play a role, just as they did during the hybrid corn boom. “Larger farms — over 5,000 acres — are much more likely to adopt tech early. Farms between 2,000 and 5,000 acres are also strong adopters. But once you drop below 2,000 acres, adoption drops to about 30%,” Bonnett noted.

The Road Ahead: Slow, Steady, Strategic

What emerged from these conversations is clear: Technology adoption in agriculture isn’t about chasing the latest buzzword — it’s about solving real problems for real people.

From AI and automation to satellite imaging and smart connectivity, the tools are increasingly powerful. But their success depends on clarity of value, ease of use, ROI, and trust in the systems and people behind them.

As Adam Farmer aptly put it, “We’re in the hype phase. Some tools will disappoint, but others will prove themselves.” With thoughtful implementation and collaboration between tech providers, retailers, and growers, the promise of agtech can finally meet its potential — one field, one farm, and one practical solution at a time.