TUE AM News: WI ag scientists developing AI applications on the farm; Study explores impact of CO2 removal technology

May 7, 2024

— Agricultural scientists in Wisconsin are advancing new AI applications on the farm, ranging from tracking animal movements for signs of disease to using drones and other automated equipment to monitor crops as they grow.

Greg Cisewski, dean of Northcentral Technical College’s School of Agricultural Sciences, Utilities and Transportation, yesterday discussed these and other applications during a meeting of the Governor’s Task Force on Workforce and Artificial Intelligence in Wausau.

“Talking about getting increased yield on our fields to grow more with less, so as we look to do that, we are trying to make sure every kernel of corn we plant is in the right spot so we can maximize our yields,” he said.

Some of this work is being conducted at NTC’s Agriculture Center of Excellence — the only working dairy farm and learning laboratory in the Wisconsin Technical College System, he noted.

“We also utilize our artificial intelligence to do some predictive analytics,” he said, noting the college is constantly tracking cows’ weight, milk production and other factors. “This is building tables and tables of information that we can bring out and utilize with our robots and other equipment to make predictions on where we need to go.”

All pastured animals at the center wear remote monitoring collars that allow scientists to track precise data, including how they’re chewing and walking. This information is being collected into a large database to inform decision making, and Cisewski says it helps cut down on the need for manual fieldwork as well.

“We optimize our feed, we optimize our milkings to make sure our cows as they’re producing, we help them produce quickly and without any stress,” he said.

Troy Runge, associate dean for research in the UW-Madison College of Agricultural & Life Sciences, highlighted a similar application that enables monitoring on a level that’s not possible using human workers. Using video cameras installed at dairy facilities, an AI system is able to map its body structure and predict the health of the animal based on how it moves.

“If you have hundreds and thousands of cows, you may not be able to have your eyes on each cow each time,” he said. “And having a computer, an AI program that’s actually monitoring health — it could be for mobility, it could be if they’re in heat, it could be for other issues, if they’re feeding, if they’re being social, if they’re happy. Happier cows actually have been shown to be more productive cows.”

While this application can offer a new level of understanding for farmers, Runge noted it takes a massive amount of data and “high-throughput” computing power.

Meanwhile, Cisewski noted automated milking machinery and feeding systems for cows eliminate the need for a “third shift” working at night.

“Our staff is there from six in the morning until five at night, and the rest of the time, the robots take care of the place,” he said. “So we really want to make sure we’re saving that labor and providing that quality of life for our farm staff.”

Along with collecting and sharing data, the automated feeding machinery also dispenses feed only at specific times to reduce waste, according to Cisewski.

As applications like these continue to reduce the need for human intervention in certain aspects of farm work, Runge underlined the importance of developing the workforce alongside AI technology. He noted the university is training many data experts and computer scientists to meet the AI needs of industry.

Looking ahead to future applications of AI, Cisewski said NTC is exploring “robotic gardening,” in which a system mounted above the plant beds will handle weeding, watering and other tasks. He said the plants raised in this environment will be compared with others, to determine the possible impacts of the technology in this space.

Other technologies being explored include deploying semi-autonomous tractors and using drones for spraying fields with chemical applications, he said.

Also during yesterday’s task force meeting, NTC President Jeannie Worden touted the college’s work to incorporate AI into its curriculum across all of its degree programs, and create a new short-term certificate for this summer that leads to a technical diploma and then an associate’s degree. Plus, the college is using AI for its own internal business practices, she said.

“I know I can speak for my counterparts in the Wisconsin Technical College System, that we all recognize the importance of AI and our role in preparing our students to be knowledgeable for the AI workforce,” she said.

— Techniques to remove carbon dioxide from the air could offset massive amounts of emissions in the coming decades, but only if they develop as quickly as other fast-growing technologies.

That’s the conclusion of a new UW-Madison study published recently in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. It was led by Assistant Prof. Morgan Edwards of the La Follette School of Public Affairs and PhD student Zachary Thomas at the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies.

Researchers found direct air capture with carbon storage, or DACCS, could remove nearly 5 gigatonnes of CO2 per year by 2050 “if it follows the path of rapid-growth technologies” such as solar panels. But if the technology only grows as fast as natural gas pipelines, for example, it may be able to remove just 0.2 gigatonnes per year, the researchers found. By comparison, global CO2 emissions were above 40 gigatonnes last year, according to the release.

The study team used the Historical Adoption of TeCHnology, or HATCH, database to follow the growth of hundreds of other technologies from the past “with strategic similarities” to DACCS to develop their model. Thomas says the wide range of possible paths “highlights the uncertainties inherent” in forecasting future technology adoption.

Meanwhile, Edwards notes a growing number of countries, corporations, local governments and universities are setting net-zero targets for carbon.

“We know we will need to rapidly reduce CO2 emissions at the source, but technologies like DACCS that can remove CO2 directly from the atmosphere could also play an important role,” she said.

See the release.

— Federal officials have announced more than $83 million for lead pipe replacement efforts in Wisconsin.

The EPA is providing the funds to help the state identify and remove lead service lines, reducing the risk of lead exposure and related health problems. The funding comes from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and is being provided through the federal agency’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, according to the release.

In a statement on the funding, Gov. Tony Evers touted his efforts to remove lead pipes in the state and ensure access to safe drinking water from the tap.

“Lead exposure and poisoning are serious public health threats, and with the help and support of our federal partners, we’re going to build on our efforts to replace lead pipes, keep kids and communities safe, and build a healthier, cleaner Wisconsin for everyone,” he said.

Water utilities in the state have replaced or taken out of service more than 73,000 lead service lines since 1998, and 37,000 of those were replaced or turned off since 2018, according to a Wisconsin Policy Forum report from last year.

Still, more than 150,000 lead service lines in Wisconsin continue to deliver drinking water in at least 92 communities, WPF found.

See the release.

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— Organizers for the gALPHA Urban League program are seeking applicants for the four-week business accelerator in Madison.

The free program works with Black founders and other entrepreneurs of color “from high tech startups to main street small businesses,” providing education, mentorship, networking and other resources, according to a recent email. It will run from May 20 to June 18.

The gener8tor program, which also involves the Urban League of Greater Madison, is also seeking entrepreneurs looking to join the Black Business Hub community in Madison.

See more program details and find the application here.

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