2024-04-08 |
The Agricultural Trends to be Aware of in 2024
The agriculture industry is always changing and evolving, but it seems to be going through a seismic change right now. There are all kinds of factors at play that are impacting the industry both for good and bad. This includes things like technological development, climate change, economic instability, and consumer trends.
It can be hard to keep up when there is so much changing in the world of agriculture, which is why it is helpful to be aware of some of the biggest trends that are shaping the industry in 2024. For agricultural businesses, these are the trends that you need to have a strong understanding of right now.
Sustainable Food Production
Sustainable food production may be the biggest trend shaping the agriculture industry in 2024. There is growing demand from consumers for food produced by eco-friendly methods, so agricultural operations are having to adapt. Of course, this is also important for minimizing impact and protecting the planet. There are a number of ways that agricultural businesses can reduce their environmental impact, including:
- Solar power
- Organic farming
- Conservation tillage
- Crop rotation
- Packaging-free label lasering
Vertical Farming
You do not have to be an agricultural expert to know that there are very serious threats facing the industry in the future. Issues like land scarcity, climate change, and water availability need to be addressed now before they become major issues that affect the globe. Vertical farming is one practice that is gaining traction that can address these concerns. Essentially, this is a space-saving technique involving growing crops in vertically stacked layers. The biggest vertical farm in Europe grows a staggering 1,000 tonnes of food annually, so this is clearly an area that will see continued growth.
Blue Laser Weeding
Another interesting trend that is gaining traction in 2024 is blue laser weed removal. Technology continues to play a major role in all areas of agriculture as it can greatly increase efficiency with farm automation and precision agriculture, speed up production, and even reduce costs. Blue laser weeding is a great example of this as it offers advantages over more traditional forms of weeding, such as chemical weeding or CO2 laser weeding. Organic weeding highly absorbs blue light, which ensures that blue laser weed removal uses low optical powers to remove weeds without damaging crops. Using a laser for weed control can streamline this process and reduce energy usage.
Data Analytics
Data analytics will continue to play a major role in agriculture (and just about every other industry) in 2024. This can be an incredibly useful tool for agricultural businesses as it can provide deep insight into many aspects of the operation, enabling professionals to make data-based decisions to optimize their operations. This can include things like yield monitoring, soil health monitoring, and pest and disease management. On top of this, data analytics can also be used from a business standpoint in terms of market analysis and supply chain optimization.
These are a few of the biggest trends shaping the agriculture industry in 2024. It is a fascinating time in this industry, as so many factors are changing it, both for good and bad. These are the trends that you need to be aware of and keep an eye on in the months and years to come.
