The Technology Split. I'm Greg Martin with today's Line On Agriculture.
To tech or not to tech, that is the question. How do you handle the onslaught of new technology? Do you embrace it or shun it? Today's landscape is filled with devices that many of us just can't seem to get along without. Cell phones top the list with a variety of devices and features to mp3 players like the i-Pod and then of course is the computer whether it's a lap top of home computer. Technology is available just about everywhere you turn from email lists to text messaging and podcasts. There really is as much available as you would ever want to take.
But what about the ag industry? Agriculture is not really your grandfathers industry anymore. As few as 30 years ago the highest tech tractors had only a radio with a tape player and perhaps a citizen's band radio for communications. Now of course if you don't have at least a cell phone, you are grossly out of touch.
How do you use your technology? Are you interested in getting the latest market information? Weather? The latest headlines? Are you more of sit and read the newspaper, listen to the radio or watch the news on the telly kind of person.
Being in the broadcasting business for as many years as I have, I have been very close to the cutting edge of technology but at the same time, I am not a heavy user. I carry a cell phone that also has a calendar in it but I rarely use that function. It will access the internet but I have never used that. I do send a text message every once in a while but only to my son. I do not own an i-Pod but I think the idea of downloading content like news stories and old-time radio programs is appealing&in addition to listening to music.
Over the next few weeks, I plan on talking with many different people in the Ag industry about how they use technology and I would love to hear from you on the subject. Yes you do&or no you don't and why. Your can email me at gmartin@aginfo.net or just visit our website at aginfo.net.
One thing is for sure, technology will not go away. Look at the self-check lines at the grocery store. Oh and I heard an interesting bit of tech trivia the other day. Did you know that there is more computing power in the average cell phone than there was in any of the Apollo moon missions?
Let's hear what you have to say.
That's today's Line On Agriculture. I'm Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.
