AGCO announced plans to build a 300-acre sustainable test farm called “Dakota Smart Farm” on the Grand Farm Innovation Campus in Casselton, North Dakota. This rendering shows the Grand Farm’s proposed Innovation Shop, which is part of the larger hub being designed for growers, startups, corporations, researchers, and education groups to demonstrate and research new products, technologies, and smart farming practices. (JLG Architects rendering)

AGCO Corporation, a global leader in the design, manufacture, and distribution of agricultural machinery and precision ag technology, announced plans to build a test farm in Casselton, N.D. This strategic initiative aims to develop innovative farming practices to create a truly sustainable farm, specifically focusing on precision agriculture technologies and high-value retrofit solutions.

The 300-acre operation, named "Dakota Smart Farm," will make AGCO an anchor tenant at the Grand Farm Innovation Campus, which fosters innovative research and technology to solve agricultural challenges. AGCO-owned company Appareo, based in Fargo, N.D., will lead the farm with agronomists, scientists, engineers and agricultural experts to execute agronomic studies and host tours to educate farmers on sustainable and precision ag farming practices.

"AGCO is excited to build the Dakota Smart Farm and dedicate resources to developing sustainable agricultural practices and new technology," said Seth Crawford, senior vice president and general manager, Precision Ag and Digital for AGCO. "By combining the power of precision agriculture with retrofit technologies, we can enable more farmers to achieve higher productivity, profitability and sustainability."

The Dakota Smart Farm will be a living laboratory to develop and refine technologies that optimize crop production, resource utilization and overall farm management. The initiative is part of AGCO's larger purpose and vision to create farmer-focused smart solutions that sustainably feed the world.

In addition to precision agriculture, AGCO's farm will focus on retrofit technologies for many brands of farm equipment. Retrofit solutions allow existing machinery to be upgraded with advanced features and functionalities, enabling farmers to embrace the latest technologies without entirely replacing their equipment. By investing in retrofit technologies such as intelligent sensing, autonomous capabilities and data connectivity, AGCO is making sustainable farming practices accessible and affordable for a broader range of farmers.

Dakota Smart Farm will be contiguous with other plots at Grand Farm's Innovation Campus. Grand Farm is part of a larger education and research initiative to accelerate technology innovations for farms of the future.

For more information, visit GrandFarm.com and www.AGCOcorp.com.

This story also appears on Agricultural Equipment Guide.

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