The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center has won a $1.5 million competitive Build to Scale grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) to support the Center for AgTech and Applied Location Science and Technology (CATALST). The project aims to capitalize on the demand for new precision agriculture technologies by tapping into the St. Louis region’s expertise in agtech and location science to fuel innovation and entrepreneurship and advance commercialization.

Vantage Canada is acquiring Trimble dealership rights and assets from Premier Equipment Ltd. in Ontario. The move, announced Oct. 1, completes the nationwide portfolio for the new Vantage Canada entity that will offer specialized sales and services across the country.

Precision farming platform Semios has raised $100 million in funding to accelerate its R&D and deployment of solutions to help growers worldwide reduce chemical inputs, better manage water, organize farming data and improve crop outcomes.

U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, spoke on the Senate floor on Sept. 20 about her bipartisan Precision Agriculture Loan (PAL) Act. In the speech, Sen. Fischer highlighted the importance of increasing the adoption of precision agriculture technologies for agriculture producers, rural communities, consumers and the environment.