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
Lawmakers and experts react to the Administration’s long-awaited announcement of “bridge” aid to stabilize farms and offset 2025 losses until expanded safety-net programs begin in 2026.
Joe Peiffer with Ag & Business Legal Strategies advises farmers on end-of-year financial planning, including preparing records, avoiding common credit mistakes, and evaluating equipment purchases for 2026.
Lewie Pugh with the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) discusses the gap in truck driver education programs and how it impacts road safety and supply chain economics.
Cattle imports from Mexico remain stalled amid the New World screwworm outbreak. At the same time, Tyson closures add pressure on Nebraska producers and markets ahead of the USDA’s upcoming Cattle on Feed Report.
USTR Jamieson Greer signals a narrower trade deal with China, adding more market uncertainty. The Farm Bureau also supports reviewing China’s missed trade commitments under the Phase One.
Water access—not acreage alone—is driving where irrigation expands or contracts.
The FAO Food Price Index for November fell by more than 1 percent in November, marking the third straight month of declines.
Buying a real Christmas tree directly supports U.S. farmers facing rising import competition, long production cycles, and weather-driven risks.
Kip Eideberg with the Association of Equipment Manufacturers details its campaign spotlighting the people who build equipment vital to farming and food manufacturing.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) economist Danny Munch joined us on Thursday’s Market Day Report to break down the scope of the U.S. Christmas Tree industry and what growers are up against.
Canadian tariffs would raise costs for potash, ammonia, and UAN, increasing spring fertilizer risk.
Lewis Williamson with HTS Commodities breaks down the outlook on grain storage and domestic supply chain strength as producers weigh planting decisions with forthcoming federal aid.
Experts say flooding the zone with more money could have unintented consequences without opening new markets for planted crops and inputs under significant pressure.
Julie Callahan was nominated earlier this summer by President Donald Trump, and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told lawmakers she is ready to hit the ground running.
Dr. Jeffrey Gold, President of the University of Nebraska, joined Rural Health Matters to outline a few key reminders for parents about keeping kids healthy during the holiday season.
Agriculture Shows
Hosted by Pam Minick, “The American Rancher” focuses on the people and places that make ranching an American lifestyle. This half-hour magazine format series features livestock producers and their ranches, animals, and ranching practices.
For the latest information on how to take your operation from good to great, tune into Ag PhD. The program includes a wide range of agronomic information from how to maximize your fertilizer program & tiling to stopping those yield-robbing insects and crop diseases and more.
RFD-TV is always creating new ways for rural America to educate and to be educated. RURAL AMERICA LIVE, the network’s longest-running self-produced program, is certainly no exception.