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The Cotton Gin
Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin to transform cotton into a useable product by removing the cotton seeds from the cotton fiber. -
Iron Plow
Thomas Jefferson inventor of the first iron plow. It is a flat V-shaped iron piece that must have been mounted somewhat insecurely on wooden blades and handles to serve as working edges. -
Seed planter
Blair received his patent for his mechanical corn seed planter. Blair's corn planter resembles a wheelbarrow with a chamber fixed to the bottom that disperses the seed. After the seed is dispersed, rakes attached to the back of the wheelbarrow drag over the seed to cover it with soil. -
Barbed Wire
The original creator was Glidden, but the man who patterned it was Ellwood. Glidden experimented with a grindstone to twist two wires together to hold the barbs on the wire in place. The barbs were created from experiments with a coffee mill from his home. Later Glidden was joined by Ellwood who knew his design could not compete with Glidden's for which he applied for a patent in October 1873. -
Vertical Farming
Vertical farming puts a twist on the traditional, horizontal type of agriculture we have familiarized ourselves with. Vertical farming involves farming on vertically stacked layers, which in turn allows farmers to produce much more food on the same or even less amount of land usually required. Gilbert Ellis Bailey created this. -
Automated irrigation systems
Automated irrigation systems are a technological advancement in agriculture that allows for more precise and efficient water usage. These systems use sensors and data analytics to monitor soil moisture levels and deliver water directly to the roots of crops, reducing water waste. Nebraska farmer Frank Zybach invented center-pivot irrigation. -
RFID Tech
Radio frequency identification (FRID) technology has been used to identify animals but is now also being expanded to crops. This technology uses radio waves to capture information on an object. This includes information such as date, time and location, with RFID being able to hold up to 2KB of data. This can be used to track harvesting, storage, and packaging, and makes crops more traceable. -
Tractors
Ben Holt invented the tractor which came to replace the mule as the source of power. -
Gene Guns
John C. Sanford is the original creator. Gene-gun delivery, a handheld form of the biolistic system used for DNA vaccination since the 1990s, consists of propelling DNA-coated colloidal gold microprojectiles toward the tissue surface. Gas-accelerated particles penetrate into deeper layers based on adjustment of the discharge pressure. -
GPS Tech
Roger Lee Easton, Sr. is the original creator. With GPS, farmers can annually navigate to specific fields to collect soil samples or check on the health of their crops. In order to map field boundaries, roadways, irrigation systems, and crop problem areas like weeds or disease, GPS devices gather location data. -
Bee Vectoring
BVT uses commercially reared bees to deliver targeted crop controls through pollination, replacing chemical pesticides with an environmentally safe crop protection system. -
Robotic Milking Machine
Alexander van der Lely and Karel van den Berg are the original creators. It has a robotic arm and an identification system. When a cow enters, it's checked if she's due for milking. If yes, the machine milks her, collects data and sends the milk to tanks. Successful AMS needs good farm management and works best when motivated by feed. -
Drones
The use of drones in agriculture has been a game-changer for farmers. Drones help farmers with mapping and surveying their crops, as well as with crop dusting and irrigation. Farmers can now cover more ground in less time and with greater precision. This technology is helping to increase yields and decrease costs. Also, Japanese manufacturer Yamaha created this. -
Robotic Farming
Agricultural robotics is a technological advancement that utilizes robotics to automate various farming processes. Also, Gary Wishnatzki is the creator of this invention. -
Edete
Established in 2016, the Israel-based company is engineering an ‘artificial pollination-as-a-Service’ solution to bee pollination. Led by mechanical engineer Eylam Ran, the company is developing a way to store pollen and then synchronise pollination using mechanical pollinisers. Edete expects to start generating revenue by 2022 with the intention to take its service to market the following year.