At the University of Idaho, Laurel Lynch\u2019s Computer Applications in Biophysical Systems class is using Agrian\u2019s platform on a day to day basis. As Ag Systems Management majors, the students focus on soil management, technological innovation to maximize profit, welding and irrigation, and more, all through a practical, hands-on method of teaching. Agrian offers educators the entire platform so that they have access to each and every one of Agrian\u2019s features. According to Professor Lynch, their features of focus have been: <\/span><\/p>\n With the help of Agrian experts, Lynch\u2019s students were set up with individual accounts with two mock fields placed in different regions in no time. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhat\u2019s fun is having them create a variable rate map, but then have them think about how they would interpret that. Moving beyond just the colors, and think about how many zones are reasonable, to have more zones in a North Idaho field or a South Idaho field and why, bringing in their understanding of soils and variability at the field level, has been really enjoyable. Taking what Agrian spits out at you and then using your brain to interpret it,\u201d Lynch explained.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Lynch\u2019s students even had the experience of a hands-on lab led by Client Success Manager Lindsey Andrews, where they were taught to find and create their own farms in the program, to simulate a realistic scenario rather than working with mock-up fields.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Lynch expressed her class\u2019s appreciation and curiosity for all of what Agrian offers, such as record keeping and compliance features. Enabling students with the skill of navigating a precision agriculture platform opens up the door for learning to continue. Many of the students have access to equipment on family farms enabled with variable rate of fertilizer, but didn\u2019t have the base knowledge to put it to use before Agrian in the Classroom. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s becoming a required skill to be able to use precision ag technologies,\u201d says Regional Sales Manager for Agrian in the Boise, Idaho region, Adam Daggs. With many large ag retail companies based in this area, the University of Idaho has become a large feeding ground for agricultural career development. As an ag student at the University of Idaho in 2008, Daggs himself used software in the classroom. Because most universities don\u2019t have the funding to purchase the latest developments themself, he prides himself in providing the students of today with the best learning experience possible, at no cost.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Having access to Agrian in the classroom pushes the talent pool to new heights and forces graduates of the university to be in tune with technology, which is exactly what ag employers need, Daggs explained. Even if agriculture students decide to take a different path upon graduating, a greater knowledge of software systems will be useful in almost any industry imaginable. \u201cThe goal [of Agrian in the Classroom] is that if we give it to the students, then they\u2019ve had exposure to the program and will possibly take it to their future careers, especially those who go back to family farms or run their own operations because they\u2019re familiar with it,\u201d says Andrews. Beyond this, students who begin careers in ag retail are also likely to carry their experience with them, as they begin to recommend software and tools to relieve pain points for their customers.<\/span><\/p>\n\n
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