Idaho Looks To Expand Precision Ag Education Efforts Thanks to CHS Foundation Gift

Thanks to a recent gift from the CHS Foundation, the University of Idaho plants to promoted precision agriculture to the next generation of farmers. Nanci Lilja, President of the CHS Foundation says precision ag is going to be more important in tt he future as the farm sector focuses more and more on sustainability.

“I think that precision ag is really key there in helping us optimize our land use conserve our resources, and create those efficiencies that are going to allow us to produce more food while maintaining our resources.”

With the $272,676 gift announced earlier this month, the U of I will establish a new certificate program allowing students to better understand the technology, applications and benefits of precision ag in everyday production. On top of that, the funds will allow the school to create a program targeted at high school Ag teachers.

“A week long very intensive summer workshop on precision ag that that they’re going to offer up to high school teachers so they can start to get the beginning of an understanding of precision ag and can figure out ways that they can incorporate those lessons into their classrooms," Lilja added. "And hopefully inspire some passion in some of those classrooms for students to peruse that kind of career.”

The U of I was one of seven schools to receive funding targeted at precision ag, impacting an estimated 10,000 students.

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