Science and Technology | Page 11

Ecolab, Inc.

Ecolab, Inc., is a public company that provides hygiene, water, and energy products and services. It was founded in 1923 as Economics Laboratory in St. Paul. By 2017, it employed 38,000 workers in over 170 countries, served customers in more than 1.3 million locations, and reported annual sales of $13 billion. It counted among its employees 1,600 scientists and held 6,300 patents.

Remotely sensed maps of a farm field

Remotely sensed image of a farm field illustrating vegetation density, water deficit, and crop stress. Photographed in 2010 by Susan Moran for the Landsat 7 Science Team and USDA Agricultural Research Service.

Color image of a type of drone used in precision agriculture on display at Innov-Agri, an international agricultural trade fair. Photographed by Guilhem Vellut, September 6, 2016.

Precision agriculture drone

A type of drone used in precision agriculture on display at Innov-Agri, an international agricultural trade fair. Photographed by Flickr user Guilhem Vellut, September 6, 2016.

Farm worker adjusting GPS equipment

A farm worker adjusts GPS equipment inside the cab of a planter, June 25, 2009. Used courtesy of the United Soybean Board.

Precision Agriculture

Precision agriculture is a farming method that uses the global navigation satellite system (GNSS), sensors on the ground, and drones in the air to study individual farm fields. With these tools, farmers can fine-tune their approaches to planting, harvesting, and maintaining crops to save themselves time and money. Minnesota farmers have used the technology since the early 1990s to improve crop yields while protecting the health of their soil.