Precision technology in the barn: Where are we, and where are we going?

Technology drives so much of the modern economy. From app-based food ordering to online banking to the idea that someday we may be ferried about in autonomous vehicles, our lives are increasingly aided or driven by technological advancement. What about livestock production? Are food animal producers keeping pace with the developments in automation, innovation, big data or artificial intelligence?In this episode we talk with a pair of technological innovators in food animal production about the state of technology in barns, and what’s coming in the years to come.Jon Hoek is president of Summit SmartFarms, a company focused on the integration of human capital and technology solutions for protein producers. Jon and his colleagues work with livestock producers to better manage their animals and employees – and how the animals and employees interact. Scott Whitlock is President of Flexware Innovation, a 25-year old software and automation technology integrator.Scott grew up on a pig farm and uses his firm’s production and manufacturing integration experience to augment Summit’s focus on people, culture, and process.This episode of Feedstuffs In Focus is sponsored by Arm & Hammer Animal and Food Production and their #ScienceHearted podcast, “Food Chain Chats.” Each episode is a #ScienceHearted discussion about the topics that matter most in the world of animal and food production—and food safety. Subscribe wherever you find your favorite podcasts.