Earlier this week, the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission unveiled its strategy to “Make Our Children Healthy Again which highlighted the critical role of precision agriculture technology in giving farmers the tools they need to enhance sustainability through the more efficient use of land, water, fuel, fertilizer, and pesticides.
AEM has engaged with members of the MAHA Commission, led by Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, and EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin on the benefits of precision agriculture technology and its role in improving public health, strengthening food security, and supporting rural economic development.
AEM shared the findings of the recently released study The Benefits of Precision Agriculture in the United States with the MAHA Commission as it worked on its second report. Earlier this year we hosted Calley Means during our Precision Application Field Demo Day in Newburg, Maryland, where we provided him with a firsthand demonstration of how modern precision spraying, conservation practices, and autonomous equipment help farmers reduce inputs while also boosting crop yields and protecting the environment. More recently, AEM hosted Secretary Kennedy for a discussion about precision agriculture technology during his visit to the Great American Farmers Market in Washington, D.C.
“The Association of Equipment Manufacturers applauds the Make America Healthy Again Commission for recognizing the critical role that precision agriculture technology plays in ensuring that future generations grow up in a cleaner, healthier, and more resilient America,” said AEM Senior Vice President of Government and Industry Relations Kip Eideberg. “Precision agriculture technology not only enhances agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability but also improves public health outcomes by reducing the amount of pesticides applied, improving air and water quality, and supporting the production of more nutritious food. AEM looks forward to continuing working with the MAHA Commission to advance the adoption of precision agriculture technology and support its efforts to build a healthier, more resilient future for all Americans.”
AEM’s relentless advocacy in support of precision agriculture technology paid off as the MAHA Commission report recognized the critical role that equipment manufacturers and farmers play in ensuring that American food is the healthiest, most abundant, and most affordable in the world. Notable references to precision agriculture technology in the strategy include:
- Precision Agricultural Technology: USDA and EPA will prioritize research and programs to help growers adopt precision agricultural techniques, including remote sensing and precision application technologies that will further optimize crop applications. The research and programs should emphasize ways in which precision technology can help to decrease pesticide volumes, improve the soil microbiome, and have a significant financial benefit for growers.
- Precision Agriculture: USDA and EPA will launch a partnership with private-sector innovators to ensure continued investment in new approaches and technologies to allow even more targeted and precise pesticide applications. This can support increased crop productivity and reduce the total amount of pesticides needed. These partnerships should focus on precision application methods, including targeted drone applications, computer-assisted targeted spray technology, robotic monitoring, and related innovations
By positioning precision agriculture technology as a powerful, data-driven approach to reducing environmental exposures, enhancing food system sustainability, and improving rural health outcomes, AEM has also positioned itself as an indispensable partner to the MAHA Commission and the Trump Administration. With the new strategy in hand and bipartisan support for greater adoption of precision agriculture technology growing on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue, AEM is seizing the opportunity to enhance agricultural productivity, bolster environmental sustainability, and help ensure that all Americans have access to nutritious and affordable food.
