Precision ag firm AGCO is planning the building of a state-of-the-art test farm in Casselton, North Dakota, to develop and test new precision agriculture technologies and high-value retrofit solutions to support sustainable farming.

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, North Dakota, 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.

The Dakota Smart Farm will be a living laboratory to develop and refine technologies that optimise crop production, resource utilisation and overall farm management. The initiative is part of AGCO’s 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.

“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.”