Ag: A Continuously Evolving Industry
I am a life-time resident of Fairmont, MN, other than going to electronics technical school in Minneapolis. My current status is Founder and Chairman of the Board for Kahler Automation Corp. I have spent my life’s work supplying electrical and automation solutions to agricultural operations in rural America from hog production, grain handling systems, corn and soybean processing and fertilizer/herbicide delivery systems across the United States.
My years as an electrician before starting to do ag automation in 1980, exposed me to many unique insights into the agriculture operations of our area and how they impact the local economy of a rural location. As the years have passed, ag operations are utilizing more and more electronics and computers. This requires people with technical skills to install and service this technology both on mobile equipment and at the grain elevator and fertilizer/ herbicide plant. Employment opportunities in rural America are abound in the technology applications that are being embraced by all sections of the agricultural industry including crop production, livestock production and the processing of these products for consumption.
A sampling of the technologies that the ag industry is currently implementing is the IOT (Internet of Things) where grain stored in bins, livestock health, or crop status in the field can be monitored via the internet on a computer in the farmer’s office. All of this is being developed in the shops and labs of many rural located companies who are looking for skilled, technical people to assist in the development and implementation of these exciting technologies.
One of the many important and exciting projects that GreenSeam is implementing is a campaign to help current students become aware of the interesting and exciting career opportunities that are available in the ag industry and how they can prepare for one of the many high tech positions constantly opening up in rural America. GreenSeam is a coordinated effort supported by many ag-related industry partners working together to tell the story about what the ag industry is all about and I am proud to be a part of this effort.
