Industrial Control Systems Drive Precision Agriculture

Summary

Precision agriculture represents a transformative approach to farming, leveraging advanced technologies to optimize agricultural productivity, enhance resource efficiency and promote sustainable practices. Robust industrial control system (ICS) frameworks play a critical role in advancing precision agriculture. This paper highlights the importance of establishing comprehensive ICS standards and enhancing educational initiatives to support the widespread adoption and effective implementation of precision agriculture technologies.

Many governments support the development of precision agriculture technology and sustainable farming practices. Examples include Australia’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry; Canada’s Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) program; the United States Department of Agriculture’s Agriculture Innovation Agenda (AIA) and the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). Also, in the United States, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture funds research projects in smart agriculture.

Despite this support in some countries, however, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has stated, “While precision agriculture technologies, such as variable rate fertilizer applications and yield monitoring, have been available since the 1990s, only 27 percent of U.S. farms or ranches used precision agriculture practices to manage crops or livestock, based on 2023 U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reporting.”

Precision agriculture relies heavily on the integration of various technologies, including GPS, sensors, data analytics and automation. Industrial control systems (ICS) serve as the backbone of these technologies, enabling seamless communication, real-time monitoring and precise control of agricultural operations.
 
[optional pullquote] While precision agriculture technologies have been available since the 1990s, only 27 percent of U.S. farms or ranches used such practices to manage crops or livestock.

The key components of ICS in precision agriculture include:

• Sensors and actuators. These measurement and control devices collect data on soil conditions, weather, crop health and machinery performance, providing critical inputs for decision-making processes that in turn result in actions such as changes in irrigation settings, climate control or movement of planting, harvesting or spraying machinery.
• Data management systems. These centralized platforms aggregate and analyze data, offering actionable insights to farmers for optimizing planting, irrigation, fertilization, application of pesticides and harvesting. Such systems can greatly reduce the workload for those required to complete regulatory reports.
• Automation systems. These systems enable the automation of various farming tasks, reducing labor costs, enhancing precision on usage of fertilizers and pesticides, improving overall efficiency and minimizing impact to people and environment.

The rapid proliferation of precision agriculture technologies has led to a fragmented landscape of proprietary systems and solutions, with a notable lack of standards, as referenced in a 2024 US GAO report. This lack of standardization poses significant challenges, including interoperability issues, data compatibility concerns, maintenance challenges and increased costs for farmers. It also creates safety and environmental risks.
Establishing comprehensive ICS standards is essential to addressing these challenges and unlocking the full potential of precision agriculture in several key areas:

• Interoperability. Developing common communication protocols and data formats to ensure seamless integration of diverse technologies and systems.
• Security. Implementing robust security standards to protect sensitive agricultural data and safeguard against potential threats.
• Scalability. Creating scalable solutions that can be adapted to various farm sizes and types, from small family-owned farms to large commercial enterprises.
• Sustainability. Promoting sustainable practices through standards that prioritize resource efficiency and safety and environmental stewardship.

Enhancing education and training

Realizing the full benefits of precision agriculture will require investing in education and training programs to equip farmers, agronomists and agricultural technicians with the necessary skills and knowledge.
To this end, the International Society of Automation (ISA) advocates educational initiatives including curriculum and professional development, public awareness campaigns and research initiatives that explore new applications of ICS in agriculture.

Collaboration among academic and technical training organizations can be especially helpful for developing specialized curricula that cover the principles of ICS, data analytics and precision farming techniques, as well as sustainable farming concepts.

The integration of industrial control systems is pivotal to the success of precision agriculture. By establishing comprehensive standards and enhancing educational initiatives, we can ensure that precision agriculture technologies are accessible, secure and effective. ISA is committed to leading these efforts, fostering collaboration among stakeholders and promoting the widespread adoption of precision agriculture practices and sustainability concepts.

ISA is the primary developer of a widely used series of international consensus standards addressing the security of industrial automation and control systems. The ISA/IEC 62443 series of standards provides a flexible and comprehensive framework to address and mitigate current and future security vulnerabilities in those systems. These standards are among numerous ISA standards and guidelines that support manufacturing and supply chain efficiency and safety.

As part of its commitment to the education and certification of automation professionals, ISA actively supports global efforts to establish training and competency programs. An example is the Automation Competency Model developed by ISA for the U.S. Department of Labor. This model defines the key skills, knowledge and abilities that automation professionals need from entry level to advanced career level. It is updated regularly to ensure that emerging technologies are included, recognizing that the automation profession is constantly evolving.

Industry leaders, policymakers, academic institutions, sustainability champions and the agricultural community are called to join us in this mission. By working together, we can develop the necessary standards, provide valuable education and training and drive the advancement of precision agriculture for the benefit of farmers and society as a whole.

_{This feature originally appeared in the May 2025 edition of Automation.com Monthly.}