AG TECHNOLOGY Critical Issues and Recommendations THE GOLD STAR GROUP

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AG TECHNOLOGY Critical Issues and
RecommendationsTHE GOLD STAR GROUP

• March 18 - 20, 2002
• Facilitators Melonee Docherty and Gary Olson

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Overarching Issues In Technology

• Profitability
• Consumer demand
• Safety/Security
• Regulatory concerns

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COMMUNICATIONSCritical Issue 1 The ag
community needs to be literate about technology
to effectively communicate to colleagues,
management, media, customers, and support staff
and to apply technology to solve problems and
make decisions.

• Recommendations
• Use and create case studies of technologies and
  techniques to teach real-world scenarios.
• Incorporate hands-on learning with classroom
  instruction.
• Improve effective communications (e.g.,
  presentation skills, Web sites, interactive
  multimedia, one-on-one, followup, teaming).
• Improve effective educational tools (e.g.,
  distance education).
• Define terms.

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Consumer EducationCritical Issue 2 The ag
community needs to establish a leadership role in
informing the general public about the facts,
benefits, and perspectives of agriculture and
agriculture technology.

• Recommendations
• Start early education for children.
• Encourage industry promotions.
• Develop and implement an information/image
  advertising campaign.
• Focus on education in urban areas (all ages).
• Address consumer education on a global as well as
  domestic level.
• Educate political leaders (all levels).
• Educate the media.
• Educate non-ag educators and administrators.

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Geospatial Information ScienceCritical Issue 3
The ag community needs to develop an
understanding of geospatial information science
to effectively use, implement, and evaluate the
applications and to use current technology as a
tool to effectively learn the concepts and the
innovations of technology.

• Recommendations
• Introduce data collection, data processing,
  statistical analysis, and decision-making.
• Integrate precision ag technologies into
  curriculum.
• Develop standards for use and evaluation of tools.

• (continued)

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Geospatial Information ScienceCritical Issue 3
The ag community needs to develop an
understanding of geospatial information science
to effectively use, implement, and evaluate the
applications and to use current technology as a
tool to effectively learn the concepts and the
innovations of technology.

• Recommendations
• Define concepts, principles, and techniques of
  geospatial science (e.g., cost-benefit analysis,
  geospatial mapping, geographical information
  systems (GIS), physical applications) in
  agriculture and applicable industries.
• Incorporate hands-on learning with classroom
  instruction.
• Introduce competitions into post-secondary
  institutions.

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BUSINESS MANAGEMENTCritical Issue 4 The ag
community needs to analyze profitability,
consumer demand, ecological impacts, and
regulatory considerations in determining the most
appropriate technologies and resources available
and how to use them.

• Recommendations
• Seek both economic and environmental
  sustainability and opportunities.
• Develop and/or study case histories.
• Use simulations for evaluation.
• Use basic business management techniques (e.g.,
  business plan, profit-loss statement, etc.).
• Develop a list of educational materials from all
  available resources (including university and
  industry).

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BiotechnologyCritical Issue 5 The ag
community needs to understand, improve upon, and
educate others on the use of biological science
tools (biotechnology).

• Recommendations
• Explain the uses of biotechnology (historic,
  current, and future).
• Promote consumer education.
• Increase consumer acceptance.
• Promote positive image.
• Continually evaluate and assess the use of
  biotechnology.

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Notes Brainstormed Topics

• Communications 17
• Consumer education 15
• Geospatial information services 14
• Business management/sustainability 13
• Biotechnology 11
• Government role 7
• Cross-disciplinary integration 6
• Technology literacy 4
• Data management/information dissemination 2
• Assessment/measurement outcomes 1
• Safety 0

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Notes (continued) Miscellaneous Thoughts

• Speed of changes in technology makes the issue
  hard to address.
• Unwillingness to adapt/adopt new technologies.
• Government role in agriculture, sharing
  information, regulatory issues.
• Basic computer competencies.
• Lack of business model.
• Funding for technology.
• (continued)

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Notes (continued) Miscellaneous Thoughts

• Identity preservation.
• Security issues.
• Focus on educational outcomes of technology.
• Continuous updating of knowledge.
• Too much data.
• Value added.
• Research and development at all levels two-way
  dissemination of information.

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Technology Group Members

• Milt Luckstead, Jr.
• Paul A. Martin
• Marshall McDonald
• Bill Richardson
• Doug Schueler
• Dennis Selness
• Olexandr Tarika
• Johnny Williams
• Matt Wilshusen
• Vracheslav Zakharov

• Susan Brocksmith
• Roger Carlson
• Bubba Chapman
• Dave Christenson
• Richard Crow
• Scott Ermer
• Noah Freeman
• Bill Hammes
• Jerry Lamers
• Lou Licht
• Bob Lowden