Agriculture, by definition, is an industry, science, or practice, in which animals and/or crops are raised, for the purpose of providing food. Agriculture as an industry encompasses farmers themselves: the people who work in the field of agriculture.
Agriculture can definitely be considered a science, since measurable outcomes can be predicted. However, most farmers would agree that agriculture is also an art, one that can only be learned through experience, trial and error. After all, animals, land, and weather will not necessarily do what we want or hope they will do. The more attuned a farmer is to the art and science of farming, the better his or her results will be.
The agriculture industry has changed greatly with growth of technology. Computers enabled farmers to track things like animal records and production information. Such data enables farmers to continue to improve their operation year after year. “Big data” has become a popular term within the agriculture industry, and represents the practice of collecting and tracking farming data, whether it’s the farmer’s own data or data from an outside source, and using it to improve processes. Examples include such information as soil conditions, fertilizer requirements, water availability, pest infestations, and much more. The use of big data is predicted to have a huge impact on the future of agriculture and greatly enhance a farmer’s ability to work more efficiently and produce more. Read more about big data in agriculture here: https://www.forbes.com/sites/timsparapani/2017/03/23/how-big-data-and-tech-will-improve-agriculture-from-farm-to-table/#2c0196005989. Because of the predicted success for the use of big data in agriculture, there has been an increase in funding for that particular industry, and it continues to grow.
The field of agriculture has changed over the years. Bigger agriculture operations have consolidated some of the smaller operations. Organic farming has become more popular. However, many of the family farms that started decades ago continue to grow and flourish. No doubt those who implement some of the latest technology will gain an edge and continue to prosper for years to come.
Red Wing Software has been a pioneer in agricultural accounting and payroll software since 1979. Farmers nationwide continue to use Red Wing Software to manage their financial data and process payroll. By using Red Wing Software’s CenterPoint Accounting for Agriculture, farmers can gain information that helps them be more profitable and make important business decisions. To learn more about CenterPoint Accounting for Agriculture, please join a demo today.