The Rise of AI on Farms: Technology Can Compliment—Not Replace—Human Expertise

Farms and major food companies use AI to improve efficiency and forecast demand. Still, developers said that training AI for different uses is only possible with support from knowledgeable workers.

NASHVILLE, TENN. (RFD-TV) — Use of artificial intelligence (AI) is widespread across today’s farms and is quickly finding a home in some large food companies. Several major players in food production have already made AI a key part of their operations, including McCormick, Cargill, and General Mills. Those companies use AI to blend ingredients, do product development, and even forecast demand.

Industry leaders say the technology will not replace workers entirely, but it will have a significant impact on how operations move forward.

Analysts believe using AI to complement human judgment will be key. As more farmers adopt AI, there’s also a focus on ensuring that information is neutral and free of bias. According to tech developer John Kempf, doing so could require a significant step back.

“There are all types of bias that can occur,” Kempf said. “There can be just the bias of having 60 peer-reviewed papers saying one thing, and then three or four other papers saying something that is in direct conflict or in direct contrast to those. You also have a bias of recency versus historically. So Fieldlark doesn’t make recommendations for anhydrous ammonia, for example, or potassium chloride, because it’s looking at the broad array of evidence and the additional externalities and saying there are much smarter, much better ways. We haven’t given it any instructions, for example, to take a biological agriculture approach or to give it a regional agriculture approach because it needs to be bigger than that.”

Kempf told aginfo.net that AI training needs to be macro-focused and have a global perspective.

Related Stories
The President’s trip to Asia this week follows a trade mission by the Iowa Soybean Association. Farmers say they were reminded that U.S. soybeans have an international reputation that can be easy to take for granted here at home.
The U.S.-Japan tech pact signals long-term investment in bio-innovation, connectivity, and secure supply chains — all of which can strengthen rural manufacturing, ag exports, and digital infrastructure critical to the next generation of farm productivity.
Farmers who rely on H-2A workers will see a few key changes to speed up the process and make it fairer. On the ground, producers say labor issues create shortfalls in otherwise productive harvests.
John Appel with the Farmers Business Network (FBN) joins us for a closer look at the 2026 Crop Protection Market Outlook Report.
Industry leaders representing more than 40 nations gathered to discuss the future of ethanol and other corn-based products.
Farmers display a unique optimism — planting with the expectation that weather, basis, and prices will improve by harvest — asserting that the profession is an identity, not just a job.
Imported lean beef continues to play a critical role in U.S. hamburger and ground-beef production, with any added volume from Argentina serving as a supplement — not a market overhaul.
R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard joins Market Day Report for his insight on the USDA’s plan to strengthen the U.S. beef industry.
RFD-TV Markets Expert Tony St. James breaks down the USDA’s newly unveiled plan to rebuild the US beef herd and the industry’s spectrum of responses to it.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Sen. Roger Marshall discusses the Senate’s unanimous passage of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act and what expanded milk options could mean for students and dairy farmers. Industry groups say it is a win for student nutrition and dairy producers.
Supplemental Disaster Relief Program Stage Two will disburse around $16 billion, approved by Congress last year. Sign-ups begin Monday, and producers have until April to return applications.
Farm CPA Paul Neiffer explains the USDA’s Stage Two Supplemental Disaster Relief Program, including application details, deadlines, and guidance for rural producers.
Singer-songwriter Shea Fisher joined the program to discuss her latest projects and her appearance on the Dirt Diaries podcast.
CattleCon 2026 kicks off February 3 in Nashville. Kristin Torres with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association joined RFD-TV to share more about what’s ahead at this year’s event.
Heavy rains are wreaking havoc on Argentina’s farmland, leaving nearly 4 million acres at risk and delaying corn and soybean plantings in one of the world’s top grain export regions.
Agriculture Shows
From soil to harvest. Top Crop is an all-new series about four of the best farmers in the world—Dan Luepkes, of Oregan, Illinois; Cory Atley, of Cedarville, Ohio; Shelby Fite, of Jackson Center, Ohio; Russell Hedrick, of Hickory, North Carolina—reveals what it takes for them to make a profitable crop. It all starts with good soil, patience, and a strong planter setup.
Champions of Rural America is a half-hour dive into the legislative priorities for Rural America. Join us as we interview members of the Congressional Western Caucus to learn about efforts in Washington to preserve agriculture and tackles the most important topics in the ag industry on Champions of Rural America!
Featuring members of Congress, federal and state officials, ag and food leaders, farmers, and roundtable panelists for debates and discussions.
The goal of “Where the Food Comes From” is as simple as its name implies — host Chip Carter takes you along on the journey of where our food comes from — and we don’t just mean to the supermarket (though that’s part of the big picture!). But beyond where it comes from, how it gets there, and all the links in the chain that make that happen.
Join markets specialist Scott Shellady, better known as the Cow Guy, as he covers the market-close, breaking down headlines that drive the commodities and equities markets with commentary from respected industry heavyweights.