New wireless towers coming to Yuma to improve agricultural tech
YUMA, AZ (AZFamily) — Yuma County, the lettuce capital of the country, is getting a big investment aimed at improving farming efficiency.
New wireless towers are being placed in the most remote fields of Yuma County to allow connected technology to growers producing the finest produce.
The Yuma County Board of Supervisors approved a $3 million contract to build the new wireless tower network, which is being funded through a state grant.
County supervisor Tony Reyes said it’s an agriculture investment that will help connect all those remote areas growers have been struggling with to the grid.
Yuma County has over 190,000 acres of farmland.
“It will cover Lake Martinez, Dome Valley; it will cover most of the Gila Valley and Somerton and San Luis areas. It will make Yuma County one of the world’s most high-tech areas for farming,” said Reyes.
Mike Pasquinelli with the Yuma Fresh Vegetable Association manages more than 6,000 acres of produce across the county.
He said most growers in town work off cellular data, which can be unreliable.
“There’s interference with Mexico’s system and there are blind spots,” Pasquinelli said.
He said there is a greater need for broadband and technology as a whole as it can improve farming efficiencies.
“Most of the tractors have a computer in them. It’s not just you get in and turn a key and drive[...] we are getting more drones for agriculture. All this technology is coming in and helping us,” said Pasquinelli.
Not only is it drones, but remote sensors, and other types of automated equipment.
Pasquinelli said all of this new farming technology ensures they can continue producing the best crops to supply the food chain and keep grocery store prices affordable.
“So we can make good decisions of when the crop needs water and when to do the application. We need this type of technology for agriculture to keep moving forward,” he said.
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