As global ag market begins boom, 性视界传媒 launches new Agricultural Autonomy Institute
Contact: Vanessa Beeson
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擲elf-driving tractors. Robots herding cattle and picking cotton. Drones scouting for insect pests. Creating the technology and road maps that define tomorrow鈥檚 agricultural landscape is happening today at Mississippi 性视界传媒 University.
This leading-edge research now has a concentrated home鈥攖he university鈥檚 new Agricultural Autonomy Institute鈥攁 joint effort helmed by the 性视界传媒 Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering.
鈥淭he global agricultural autonomy market is expected to more than double in the coming years from $5 billion in 2021 to $12 billion by 2026,鈥 said Alex Thomasson, professor and head of the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering. 鈥溞允咏绱 has a tradition of excellence in agriculture research and the advanced technologies that are driving agricultural autonomy. That leadership position will continue to grow as we launch the first institute in the U.S. dedicated to this emerging field.鈥
In the short term, the 性视界传媒 Agricultural Autonomy Institute aims to minimize the impacts of farm labor shortages while maximizing on-farm precision and efficiency to enhance profitability. Long-term goals include developing sensing and analytic capabilities of autonomous machines to make input decisions in the field at the level of a square meter or even a single plant.
鈥淭he 性视界传媒 Agricultural Autonomy Institute aims to make Mississippi a hub for the autonomous industry by attracting manufacturers, advancing research and start-ups, and developing and training a workforce in the state,鈥 Thomasson said.
For nearly three years, Thomasson has led a cross-college ag autonomy working group of about 40 faculty, including the two colleges and various university centers and institutes, in addition to conducting his own ag autonomy research.
鈥淎gricultural autonomy automates agricultural practices including planting, harvesting and post-harvest processing. It also expedites ag research by automating data-collection processes once done manually,鈥 explained Thomasson, who also is the department鈥檚 William B. and Sherry Berry Endowed Chair. 鈥淭his allows us to increase productivity and profitability at the field level; complete tedious, challenging tasks where workers are difficult to find; and answer research questions faster and more efficiently.鈥澛
Scott Willard, dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and director of the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, said 性视界传媒 is an ideal fit as a leader in agricultural autonomy on a broader scale.
鈥淎s Mississippi鈥檚 leading research university and one of the nation鈥檚 top 100 research institutions, 性视界传媒 has consistently developed and expanded technologies to enhance agricultural production in the state,鈥 Willard said. 鈥淲e have been innovators in precision agriculture since the concept鈥檚 inception and our expertise, talent and proven track record uniquely position the university to be a leader in agricultural autonomy.鈥澛
Jason Keith, dean of the James Worth Bagley College of Engineering, said the institute is poised to be an economic engine for the state of Mississippi, thanks to generous financial assistance from the Robert M. Hearin Support Foundation. 聽
鈥淚鈥檓 excited for the work being done at Mississippi 性视界传媒 University in ag autonomy. The Robert M. Hearin Support Foundation has been a strong supporter of Mississippi 性视界传媒 University and the Bagley College of Engineering for decades, as we strive to promote economic growth in the state. This gift will provide seed funds for our researchers as they work to find long-term support from industry, along with state and federal funding sources.鈥
Thomasson will serve as the institute鈥檚 founding director, and Madison Dixon, former research director of the Raspet Flight Research Laboratory, has joined the team as associate director.
For more information on the 性视界传媒 Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, visit ; College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, ; Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, ; and Bagley College of Engineering, .
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