Published on 06/13/24

UGA and Grand Farm announce agriculture innovation partnership in Perry, Georgia

By Jordan Powers

Two men stand in a large field, looking out over the land. — Representatives from UGA and Grand Farm survey the future site of the UGA Grand Farm during a May 2024 visit. The farm will harness the power of precision agriculture, robotics and data analytics to increase productivity, conserve resources and ensure food security for future generations. (Photo by Sean Montgomery)

Today, the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) and Grand Farm, a leading innovator in agricultural technology, announced a collaboration to create a robust regional agricultural innovation ecosystem.

Situated on 250 acres in Perry, Georgia, next to the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter and at the heart of the state's agricultural landscape, CAES and Grand Farm are coming together to build the University of Georgia Grand Farm, a working innovation farm with plans to deploy the first field projects in 2025. The farm will serve as a hub for research, education and sustainable agriculture practices and will harness the power of precision agriculture, robotics and data analytics to increase productivity, conserve resources and ensure food security for future generations.

“This collaboration represents the perfect marriage of tradition and innovation,” said CAES Dean and Director Nick T. Place. “By bringing together the college’s world-class researchers and the UGA Institute for Integrative Precision Agriculture with Grand Farm's cutting-edge technologies, we will revolutionize the way we feed and clothe the world’s population.”

Grand Farm will begin working closely with UGA to establish a local team and engage with key ecosystem stakeholders.

“This partnership is a great example of how Grand Farm works to advance agriculture technology and solve grower pain points across varied geographies,” said William Aderholdt, executive director of Grand Farm. “Collaborating with the University of Georgia allows us to leverage their extensive research capabilities and expertise in agricultural sciences, enhancing our ability to innovate and implement solutions that are tailored to diverse agricultural environments.”

The roots of this partnership go back five years when University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue helped inaugurate the Grand Farm during its launch ceremony in North Dakota while serving as U.S. secretary of agriculture. As an alumnus of UGA, he continues to be a proud supporter of Georgia agriculture.

Watch the announcement video on YouTube.

For more information about integrative precision agriculture at UGA, visit iipa.uga.edu. Learn more about the future of Grand Farm at ugagrandfarm.caes.uga.edu.

Jordan Powers is the public relations manager for UGA's College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Authors:

Jordan Powers

Experts/Sources:

Nick Place

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