OUR STORY

The agriculture sector in the US and globally is transforming into a data centric industry that relies heavily on high-speed broadband connectivity to boost productivity and enhance supply chain efficiencies.   From its initial beginnings to adjust fertilizer rates and guide tractors using GPS, precision agriculture applications today enable farmers to reduce costs, increase profitability, enhance resource management and improve environmental sustainability.  

 

These benefits are expected to grow and help farmers remain economically sustainable as broadband deployment and adoption expands to more farms nationwide. Precision agriculture applications range from real-time monitoring of high value crops and livestock to field moisture and watering management to robotic equipment that identify and eliminate pests and weeds in the field. Many more applications to reduce input costs and improve management will likely emerge as the agriculture sector continues to explore broadband enabled applications and use cases.

 

The Enabling Precision Agriculture in North Carolina project is an initiative led by Professor Nicholas Didow at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School in partnership with Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist Jason Ward at the North Carolina State University’s Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, as well as several other precision agriculture and broadband deployment and adoption experts and leaders in the state and nationally.

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The initiative was funded by USDA North Carolina Rural Development’s Rural Business Development Grant program which supports projects that create new businesses and investment opportunities in rural communities. The Enabling Precision Agriculture in North Carolina project aims to create new broadband enabled jobs in the agriculture sector in rural Eastern North Carolina.

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Jessica Zufolo, jazindc@gmail.com

Jessica has served numerous senior leadership roles throughout federal government and non-profit sectors for over 25 years. Jessica previously served as the Deputy Administrator for the Rural Utilities Service (RUS) at the U.S. Department of Agriculture where she helped oversee a $65 billion federal loan/ grant portfolio that finances rural broadband networks, precision agriculture, electric utility, smart grid projects. Jessica earned her MBA with Honors from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

 

Nicholas Didow, PhD, Kenan-Flagler Business School, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, nick_didow@unc.edu  
Professor Didow teaches marketing strategy and market research at UNC Chapel Hill.   He also has led many economic development projects in rural North Carolina including: the Golden LEAF Rural Broadband Initiative -- the $144M middle mile fiber optic broadband deployment from 2009-2013 serving 67 NC counties and now managed by MCNC; last mile Internet service provider projects in Elizabeth City, Franklinton County, Person County, and Union County; projects for the NC Department of Commerce, NC Christmas Tree Association, and the NC Sweet Potato Commission; and several tourism-based economic development projects for the five historic waterfront towns located in the Albemarle Sound Inner Banks (IBX) region.   He also played a role in launching cellular service and wireless text messaging in US market locations.
 

Jack McNairy, Executive Vice President, Harvey & Gas jhmcnairy@lharveys.com
Founded in 1871, Harvey Fertilizer & Gas Company provides agricultural products and services to growers across eastern North Carolina through its ag retail locations, cotton gins, a seed conditioner, and Tidewater Energy retail propane outlets. Harvey Fertilizer & Gas prides itself on hard work, knowledge, progressiveness, and strategic planning to put our customers first.  Jack received his both his undergraduate degree and MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Jason K. Ward, PhD, PE, Assistant Professor, Biological and Agricultural Engineering - N.C. State University jason.ward@ncsu.edu
Jason Ward is an assistant professor and Extension specialist in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering at NC State University where he leads the Advanced Ag Lab. His research and Extension program focus on advancing agricultural technology, sensors, equipment, robotics, and data management, and making precision agriculture technologies more accessible and valuable.