Occupation: Precision Agriculture Technicians

Precision Agriculture Technicians

Apply geospatial technologies, including geographic information systems (GIS) and Global Positioning System (GPS), to agricultural production or management activities, such as pest scouting, site-specific pesticide application, yield mapping, or variable-rate irrigation. May use computers to develop or analyze maps or remote sensing images to compare physical topography with data on soils, fertilizer, pests, or weather.

19-4012.01 | 22 tasks | 10 job titles
Reported Job Titles (10)
  • Agrintelligence Specialist (Agriculture Intelligence Specialist)
  • Agronomist
  • Agronomy Consultant
  • Crop Consultant
  • Crop Specialist
  • Precision Agriculture Analyst (Precision Ag Analyst)
  • Precision Agriculture Specialist (Precision Ag Specialist)
  • Precision Agronomist
  • Precision Farming Coordinator
  • Precision Technology Agronomist (Precision Tech Agronomist)
Core Tasks (22)
  • Document and maintain records of precision agriculture information.
  • Collect information about soil or field attributes, yield data, or field boundaries, using field data recorders and basic geographic information systems (GIS).
  • Use geospatial technology to develop soil sampling grids or identify sampling sites for testing characteristics such as nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium content, pH, or micronutrients.
  • Divide agricultural fields into georeferenced zones, based on soil characteristics and production potentials.
  • Install, calibrate, or maintain sensors, mechanical controls, GPS-based vehicle guidance systems, or computer settings.
  • Create, layer, and analyze maps showing precision agricultural data, such as crop yields, soil characteristics, input applications, terrain, drainage patterns, or field management history.
  • Compare crop yield maps with maps of soil test data, chemical application patterns, or other information to develop site-specific crop management plans.
  • Analyze geospatial data to determine agricultural implications of factors such as soil quality, terrain, field productivity, fertilizers, or weather conditions.
  • Identify spatial coordinates, using remote sensing and Global Positioning System (GPS) data.
  • Analyze data from harvester monitors to develop yield maps.
  • Apply precision agriculture information to specifically reduce the negative environmental impacts of farming practices.
  • Demonstrate the applications of geospatial technology, such as Global Positioning System (GPS), geographic information systems (GIS), automatic tractor guidance systems, variable rate chemical input applicators, surveying equipment, or computer mapping software.
  • Draw or read maps, such as soil, contour, or plat maps.
  • Recommend best crop varieties or seeding rates for specific field areas, based on analysis of geospatial data.
  • Prepare reports in graphical or tabular form, summarizing field productivity or profitability.
  • Provide advice on the development or application of better boom-spray technology to limit the overapplication of chemicals and to reduce the migration of chemicals beyond the fields being treated.
  • Program farm equipment, such as variable-rate planting equipment or pesticide sprayers, based on input from crop scouting and analysis of field condition variability.
  • Participate in efforts to advance precision agriculture technology, such as developing advanced weed identification or automated spot spraying systems.
  • Analyze remote sensing imagery to identify relationships between soil quality, crop canopy densities, light reflectance, and weather history.
  • Advise farmers on upgrading Global Positioning System (GPS) equipment to take advantage of newly installed advanced satellite technology.
  • Contact equipment manufacturers for technical assistance, as needed.
  • Identify areas in need of pesticide treatment by analyzing geospatial data to determine insect movement and damage patterns.