Transforming US Agriculture: Perspective Directions for Development

Abstract

The escalation of global problems in the XX1 century, such as limited natural resources, climate change, environmental protection and food security, stimulates the technological renewal of world agriculture, its transition to high-tech production methods. The US agriculture is not left aside in this transformation. Today this country is one of the world leaders in terms of the implementation of innovative solutions in agriculture. Information, bio-, nano-, and robotic technologies transfer makes agricultural work more efficient, and replace human labor. Innovative technologies in Precision Farming like artificial intelligence, GPS, drones and fine-grained data on topography, soils and other aspects of farmland allow farmers to target specific areas with fertilizers, pesticides and water, instead of blanket spraying. It results in Vertical farming offers many benefits that traditional farming cannot. It uses much less land, allows to grow regional or seasonal crops anywhere, year-round in the controlled environment. As a result, consumers (especially those in urban areas typically far from traditional farmlands) can have easier access to fresher, locally grown vegetables, berries, microgreens. One third of American farmers are using a few or all precision farming technologies. While vertical farming has a small market share yet, but it has huge growth potential as environment control, and crop production technologies are improved and production costs, especially energy costs, are reduced.