Precision agriculture is defined as all aspects of the new emerging technologies, such as biotechnology, computers/telecommunications, animal technology, and precision farming that allow an agriculturalist to organize and maintain data for maiing decisions about precise production units. A two year Associate of Applied Science Degree in Agriculture and Food Technology was achieved by Hawkeye Community College as a Phase I project funded by a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant. Hawkeye Community College along with Kirkwood Community College and Lansing Community College is currently validating and implementing a coordinated precision agriculture curriculum in the Midwest. This precision agriculture model design incorporates modules and courses in precision farming, environmental science, and geographic information systems with a core of applied mathematics and science courses to augment the Agriculture and Food Technology curriculum. Thus, this increases the flexibility of the Agriculture and Food Technology curriculum for use by other community colleges in the Midwest. Five additional participating Midwestern community colleges each are developing a certificate program, implementing the current program, or integrating the agriculture technology program into current agricultural programs. Each of the participating community colleges is forming a linkage with K - 12 school(s) and a university. By expanding the use of this curriculum to K - 12 schools, mathematics and science skills can be enhanced through application of precision agriculture. Preservice teachers and current teachers are being offered workshops in precision agriculture technology and conferences to coordinate discussion on articulation between educational levels. An outcome of this effort is a coordinated Precision Agriculture curriculum that provides a seamless career pathway while providing mathematics and science skills necessary for technological advanced careers.
