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The future of agriculture is here, now, and it’s powered by technology, notably artificial intelligence (AI). From large drones that spray crop protectants and monitor crop health to autonomous equipment navigating undulating landscapes with various obstacles, to predictive models forecasting crop and animal production, a new wave of technology is transforming how modern production agriculture operates. For agricultural consultants, this digital revolution presents a complex and perhaps unsettling reality. On one hand, these powerful new tools hold the promise of streamlining tasks, enhancing data analytics and unlocking new levels of efficiency and positive net returns for clients. On the other hand, a quiet anxiety lingers. Could the same technology making ag consultants’ work easier be blindly relied on for ‘black box’ recommendations or perhaps even make their expertise obsolete?
In this article, we will explore this new landscape by asking a fundamental question: Is AI a new tool to be wielded by the modern consultant, a crutch to be wary of leaning on blindly or the ultimate pink slip waiting to happen? We’ll examine how AI is being used in the field today and what it means for the human element of ag consulting.
AI As a Powerful Ally, Not a Threat
Preliminary, overarching statement: AI is a powerful tool, enhancing the ag consultant’s role. Far from a replacement, AI is rapidly proving itself to be a powerful tool that enhances, rather than diminishes, the ag consultant’s role. It’s an upgrade to the traditional toolkit, allowing for a level of insight and precision previously unattainable.
AI is transforming data analysis and predictive modeling. Consultants have always dealt with complex variables, including weather patterns, soil composition, variations in feedstuffs and market fluctuations. AI can process these vast data sets at a scale and speed that are simply beyond human capability. This allows consultants to move from reactive advice to proactive, data-based strategies. For example, an AI model can analyze years of yield data alongside weather forecasts to predict optimal planting dates with remarkable accuracy, offering a deeper, more reliable layer of intelligence for grower clients.
This enhanced analysis directly contributes to the continuing rise of precision agriculture. By integrating AI with technologies like drones and ground-based sensors, ag consultants can gain a micro-level view of their clients’ fields. AI-powered systems can identify nutrient deficiencies or pest infestations in specific zones of a field, enabling consultants to recommend highly targeted interventions for planting, fertilizing and irrigation. Smart collars on livestock collect and transmit data to a central system where AI can predict oncoming illness before human eyes detect it. This isn’t about automating the consultant’s job; it’s about giving them the ability to provide more precise and effective advice than ever before, optimizing resource use while enhancing production.
Finally, the most immediate benefit of AI is in efficiency and time savings. Many of the routine, time-consuming tasks that consultants face, such as data entry, basic reporting and compiling reports, can be automated by AI. By offloading these low-value activities, consultants are freed up to focus on what they do best: building strong client relationships, developing sophisticated long-term strategies and providing the nuanced, on-the-ground expertise that technology can’t replicate. In this sense, AI acts as a force multiplier, allowing consultants to scale their expertise and focus on the human element that remains central to their profession.
Avoiding the AI Crutch
Next, let’s caution about using AI as a “crutch,” the perils of overreliance. While the transformative potential of AI in agriculture is undeniable, there’s a growing concern that overreliance on these intelligent systems could turn a powerful tool into a limiting crutch. Ag consultants, with their deep-seated expertise and intuitive understanding of the land, face unique risks if they lean too heavily on AI without maintaining a critical perspective.
One of the primary dangers lies in deskilling and the erosion of critical discretion. If consultants become overly dependent on AI to process data and generate recommendations, they risk losing the nuanced, hands-on knowledge and critical discretion developed over years of practical experience. This ‘tacit knowledge,’ the ability to read subtle cues from the soil, the plants or the livestock that AI might miss, is invaluable. An ag consultant might accept AI’s output without fully understanding the underlying logic or questioning its assumptions, (‘black box syndrome’), potentially leading to suboptimal decisions if the AI encounters conditions outside its training data.
Furthermore, AI models are only as good as the quality and completeness of the data they are fed. In agriculture, data are often messy, inconsistent or biased, reflecting specific regions, farm sizes or conventional practices. If the input data are flawed, incomplete or not representative of a particular agribusiness’s unique conditions, AI’s recommendations can be inaccurate or even detrimental. Ag consultants need to remain vigilant in verifying data sources, understanding the limitations of the models and applying their human judgment to interpret and contextualize AI-generated recommendations. Without this critical oversight, an ag consultant might inadvertently base crucial advice on unreliable or inaccurate information.
Another significant challenge is the potential loss of the “human touch” and degradation of client relationships. Production agriculture remains inherently a relationship-driven industry built on trust, shared experience and personalized advice. While AI can automate tasks, it cannot replicate the empathy, understanding and trust that a human ag consultant provides. Overreliance on remote, data-driven interactions could diminish this personal connection with agricultural producers, who often value face-to-face discussions and the intuitive guidance that comes from an ag consultant who deeply understands their specific farm’s history, personnel, challenges and goals. The unique, localized and qualitative factors of agricultural production often require a level of contextual understanding that current AI struggles to grasp.
Finally, there are practical barriers related to cost and accessibility. Advanced AI tools often come with substantial upfront investments and ongoing operational costs. This can create a technological divide where smaller ag production entities or consultants with limited resources may struggle to adopt these solutions. As AI becomes an indispensable tool for effective ag consulting, those without access to it could be at a significant disadvantage, exacerbating existing inequalities within the ag sector.
The Fear of Replacement
Lastly, let’s address the anxiety of replacement. Is AI coming for ag consultants’ jobs? The whispers of job displacement are perhaps the most unsettling aspect of the AI revolution for ag consultants. The fear of the pink slip is not entirely unfounded, as the landscape of basic ag consulting services is indeed changing.
We are already witnessing the rise of automated services and AI-driven platforms that can offer basic agricultural advice at a fraction of the cost. These platforms leverage vast data sets to provide generalized recommendations on planting schedules, fertilizer applications, pest identification or even total mixed ration formulations. For routine queries or farms with simpler needs, these automated solutions may present a competitive alternative to traditional human-led ag consulting, potentially capturing a segment of the market and putting pressure on ag consultants who primarily focus on data gathering or analysis.
However, this perceived threat is also a powerful catalyst for the ag consultant’s evolving role. Instead of viewing AI as a direct competitor, consultants should recognize it as an opportunity to elevate their value proposition. The future of ag consulting isn’t about being the data gatherer; it’s about becoming the master interpreter of that data. Ag consultants should shift from simply collecting information to synthesizing AI-generated insights with their unique understanding of local conditions, grower relationships and complex, multifaceted problems that AI cannot solve on its own. They must become strategists who translate complex AI outputs into actionable, human-centric advice and problem solvers who navigate unpredictable challenges that no algorithm can fully anticipate, what I have termed “management-actionable intel.”
Future-Proofing the Ag Consultant
To truly future-proof their careers, ag consultants must embrace AI as a powerful accomplice, not a replacement. This requires actively engaging with AI tools, understanding their capabilities and limitations and integrating them seamlessly into their workflows. More importantly, it requires a focus on cultivating uniquely human skills that AI cannot replicate:
• Complex problem-solving: Addressing unforeseen challenges, integrating diverse variables that extend beyond typical data points and developing innovative solutions for nuanced, agribusiness-specific issues
• Critical discretion and intuition: Evaluating AI outputs with healthy skepticism, an experienced eye, understanding context and relying on years of accumulated knowledge and gut feeling
• Communication and relationship-building: Fostering deep trust with clients, actively listening to their concerns, articulating complex strategies in an accessible manner and providing empathetic support, qualities essential for genuine partnerships
• Adaptability and lifelong learning: Staying abreast of rapidly evolving AI technologies and agricultural practices, continuously expanding their skill set to remain relevant in a dynamic environment (e.g., joining a professional ag consultant organization)
By strategically leveraging AI for efficiency and insight while doubling down on their irreplaceable human attributes, ag consultants can not only survive but thrive in this new era, proving that the value of human expertise remains paramount.
The journey through the evolving role of AI in agricultural consulting reveals a clear path forward. Rather than an inherent threat or a weak crutch, artificial intelligence stands as a transformative force with the power to redefine the profession. We’ve seen how AI can vastly enhance data analysis and predictive modeling, enabling ag consultants to provide more precise and proactive advice. It automates mundane tasks, freeing up valuable time for high-value activities like strategic planning and client engagement.
The future of agricultural consulting undoubtedly belongs to those who embrace this technological shift and learn to effectively leverage AI. The future successful ag consultant will wield AI as a sophisticated tool to augment their existing skills, not allowing it to replace the fundamental human elements of their expertise. Ag consultants who view AI as a collaborative assistant, rather than a looming replacement, will be best positioned to thrive.
Ultimately, the true and enduring value of an ag consultant in the AI age will be found in their innate ability to synthesize cutting edge technology with their uniquely human expertise. This synergy, combining AI’s analytical power with human critical discretion, intuition, communication and complex problem-solving, will be the driving force behind resilient and profitable outcomes for their clients, ushering in a new and dynamic era for the profession.
