Farming and the distribution of food and agricultural products has become more and more complex and more and challenging than ever. Arable Labs, a Central Jersey company is making smart farming and distribution possible with its technology that helps farmers manage their crops through satellite imaging, weather forecasting through Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning techniques.
Established in 2010, in addition to farmers, the company serves all of the businesses along the entire spectrum of food and agricultural production that include global food companies, agrichemical giants, insurers, lenders, international communications firms, universities and government and non-governmental organizations.
“Today, the reality is that in the U.S. alone, a billion acres are farmed. There are two million farmers and about 15,000 crop advisors. That means there’s literally no way that anybody could spend more than a couple seconds per acre per year,” Wolf said.
Smart Farming
Arable’s data and analytics technology, which makes it possible for farmers to engage in what might be considered ‘smart farming’ helps farmers and the food distribution companies they supply access vital, to up-to-the-minute information to more efficiently and accurately meet the demand and enjoy a better profit margin.
“Today, farmers only get about 10 cents of the food dollar, where a century ago, they got 30 or 40 cents because they utilized their own power, made their own manure, saved their own seeds, and didn’t use chemicals, so they basically got to keep the fruits of their livelihood and that's where American tradition of the yeoman farmer came from, especially here in the north-east,” Wolf said.
With mechanization, chemical fertilizers and improved seeds there is a loss of sovereignty and farmers get to keep only about a dime out of every food dollar. Adding to the complexity are the types of food grown and by whom.
“What Arable is doing is giving farmers information that lets them achieve better efficiencies on the farm and often have a healthier relationship with the people that they're providing foods to,” Wolf said. Eu.mycentraljersey.com recounts how he added that especially in New Jersey, when we think of agriculture, we're thinking about what are called specialty crops.
