Soil biological life is the biggest indicator of good soil health.

“There have been no sightings of soybean gall midge in Ohio.” – Dr. Kelley Tilmon, Associate Professor and State Specialist for field crop entomology at The Ohio State University

“If we can look all through the growing season, and identify stage gates, where farmers have to make decisions; and then we can bring this A.I. to bear, I think it changes how we look at UAV’s and the value they can bring to agriculture.” – Dr. Scott Shearer

Farmers need data that leads to decisions they can take action on. With funding through a grant from the Ohio Soybean Council, Dr. Scott Shearer, and Dr. Mark Loux began looking at how this technology could be beneficial to Ohio’s farmers.

Most cover crops need a minimum of 60 days of growth before cold freezing winter weather limits growth. 

“It is an eat or get eaten world out there in trade.” – USDA Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Affairs, Ted McKinney

“We came in and looked at the issue and looked at what the law says, and what the courts told us to do.” – Andrew Wheeler, Administrator, U.S. E.P.A.

Research has shown that cover crops and earthworms can effectively loosen compacted soil better than subsoiling equipment.

“Healthy soils keep our nutrients recycling, plant available, and result in less nitrogen pollution.”