Growing more food with less chemicals

Abstract

The overuse of agricultural chemicals cuts into farmers’ incomes, generates tons of greenhouse gas emissions, and represents a major source of water pollution. Some companies say they can solve these problems by using drones, satellites, and artificial intelligence to give farmers a clearer picture of what’s happening in their fields and help them apply only the chemicals they need. Proponents of this approach argue that it has the potential to dramatically reduce the use of chemicals on farms. In response, large agricultural firms are shifting toward a business model in which farmers pay for the outcome, such as a field free of weeds, rather than a specific chemical. These tools could make the food system more secure and less harmful to the environment. But they won’t have any impact if farmers don’t adopt them. Jon Walz’s century-old farm in Stapleton, Nebraska, has 300 head of cattle, corn fields, and other