Richard Arias, RDO’s vice president of Southwest agriculture, announces a partnership with the University of Arizona’s Yuma Agriculture Center (YAC), providing precision ag equipment, technology and training.
“This is really a game-changer for us and the students here at the university's ag research center,” said Samuel Discua, the farm director at YAC. “We’re thrilled to benefit not only from these connected tractors and planters but also from RDO team members’ expertise to learn from data-driven insights.”
Discua shared that this partnership allowed the YAC to update their tractors and other equipment that had worked for more than 20 years at their almost 500-acre test fields. The YAC’s goal of becoming a “smart farm” aligns with RDO’s dedication to farmers to optimize their operations so they can feed the world.
“Our agreement with the research center will provide the center with tractors to run their day-to-day operations for specified hours,” Arias said. “As a beacon of agricultural advancement for our region, it is important that they have updated equipment to make sure they can fulfil the commitments they have to their customers and research goals.”
The YAC leads the region in ag research and trials, focusing on experimental pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers to discover more solutions to get rid of pests and save water. Through both classroom and in-field training, RDO team members like Saul Amezquita, product specialist supervisor and Brant Palmer, precision ag product specialist, can train students on connected tractors and the latest ag tech equipment through tilling, planting and spraying applications
“The YAC serves not only today’s regional farmers through experiential chemical research but also educates the next generation through hands-on training with precision ag equipment and technology,” said Maria Zepeda, RDO’s agronomist based in Yuma. “This spring, several RDO team members provided training on Monosem planters, SeedStar, Surepoint and a DJI Agras T50 drone.”
Zepeda said during the upcoming seasons, students, YAC leaders, and RDO team members will work together in field trials to grow lettuce.
“Our ongoing commitment to area farmers includes being on the front lines of developing the service, support and training to identify best growing practices for the regional conditions,” Arias said. “Through partnerships with our customers, we conduct trials, so they benefit users, and create data sets for better decision making in the future.”
Discua explains this equipment, training and support partnership helps the YAC to expand its capabilities so it can provide area farmers or companies with more access to test equipment.
“We will be able to offer local farmers a place to experience up-and-coming equipment and technologies,” Discua said. “I expect many farmers will be interested in working with us and RDO so we can all learn new ways to efficiently grow crops like lettuce, which feeds all of us in the U.S.”
