As more farmers embrace and expand their precision farming practices, dealerships’ need for specialists and technicians to help customers install, service and troubleshoot the latest technology is rapidly growing.

To assist dealers in their search for the next generation of precision farming dealer, Precision Farming Dealer editors compiled a directory of the top universities and colleges offering precision farming programs and degrees. This list is a lasting resource for dealers to connect with local educational institutions in their area and forge training and employment partnerships. To add a program to the listing, contact Jack Zemlicka at jzemlicka@lesspub.com.

Bismarck St. College
1500 Edwards Ave
Bismarck, ND 58506
Phone: 701-224-5557
Website: www.bismarckstate.edu
Contact: Carmel Miller
Email: carmel.miller@bismarckstate.edu

The college currently offers two precision ag courses in conjunction with its Agriculture, Industry and Technology AAS degree program. The college is considering expanding to a precision ag degree program and plans to hire a faculty member with a precision ag emphasis in the next year.

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Black Hawk College
6600 34th Ave
Moline, IL 61265
Phone: 309-854-1724
Website: www.bhc.edu
Contact: Ashley Middleswarth
Email: middleswartha@bhc.edu

The college offers two-year associate degrees in Agriculture Mechanics Technology and Agriculture Production Technology for students who plan on entering specialized ag fields, including precision ag. These areas focus on traditional classroom and lab settings coupled with internships in the agriculture industry.

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Blue Mountain Community College
2411 NW Carden Ave
Pendleton, OR 97801
Phone: 541-278-5847
Website: www.bluecc.edu
Contact: Preston Winn
Email: pwinn@bluecc.edu
The college offers a two-year associate degree in production ag, with an emphasis on animal science, crop science or agribusiness. Courses include specified coverage of GIS, auto-steer, GPS and precision irrigation.

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Chippewa Valley Technical College
620 W Clairemont Ave
Eau Claire, WI 54701
Phone: 715-852-1394
Website: www.cvtc.edu
Contact: Aliesha Crowe
Email: acrowe3@cvtc.edu

CVTC offers instruction in precision agriculture systems in the Agriscience Technician and in the Farm Business Production Management programs. Courses provide students with an opportunity to actively engage in a production enterprise. Students map their plots, conduct soil tests, then develop a nutrient management plan. Students also get to work with precision ag technology in tractors, planting equipment and harvesting equipment.

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Ellsworth Community College
1100 College Ave
Iowa Falls, IA 50126
Phone: 641-648-8660; 800-322-9235
Website: www.ellsworthcollege.com or www.iavalley.edu/ecc
Contact: Kevin Butt
Email: kevin.butt@iavalley.edu

The two-year program allows students to graduate with an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree. It is a hands-on, intensive course that prepares students to install, train, troubleshoot and repair precision ag systems.

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Fort Hayes State University
600 Park St
Hayes, KS 67601
Phone: 785-628-4368
Website: www.fhsu.edu
Contact: Craig Smith
Email: cmsmith11@fhsu.edu

The college offers a four-year undergraduate ag degree in either ag business or agriculture with an agronomy option. A course on precision ag is offered and students have the ability to get hands-on technology experience on the school’s research farm and intern with local dealerships.

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Fox Valley Technical College
1825 N Bluemound Dr
Appleton, WI 54914
Phone: 920-735-4887
Website: www.fvtc.edu
Contact: Mike Cattelino
Email: cattelin@fvtc.edu

The technical college is developing and planning to offer a new Precision Agriculture certificate starting this summer, which is targeted at the incumbent workforce in agri-business and potential end-users.  They are also developing a new Technical Diploma exclusively in Precision Agriculture, which is slated to start in the 2013-14 academic year.

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Hawkeye Community College
1501 E Orange Rd
Waterloo, IA 50701
Phone: 319-296-2329 x1321; 319-541-2404
Website: www.hawkeyecollege.edu
Contact: Brad Kinsinger
Email: bradley.kinsinger@hawkeyecollege.edu

The college offers three precision ag courses as part of its two-year ag business program. The courses focus on precision farming systems, grid soil sampling, hardware installation, GIS and inputting variable rate formulas.

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Iowa Western Community College
2700 College Rd
Council Bluffs, IA 51503
Phone: 712-325-3481
Website: www.iwcc.edu
Contact: Eric Weuve
Email: eweuve@iwcc.edu

As part of its agribusiness technology program, the college offers a three-credit precision farming systems course that introduces students to emerging technologies such as GPS, GIS and VRT. Students study various systems and applications for precision farming, equipment used, software and economic returns. The school also offers an advanced technology applications course which focuses on spatial data manipulation to allow for GIS analysis.

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Ivy Tech Community College
3101 S. Creasy Lane
Lafayette, IN 47905
Phone: 765-269-5151
Website: http://www.ivytech.edu/agriculture/
Contact: Noah Freeman
Email: nfreeman9@ivytech.edu

Ivy Tech Lafayette Campus offers an Associates of Applied Science in Agriculture with a focus area in Precision Agriculture (60 credit hours).  Five courses (15 credit hours) provide students with hands-on emersion in precision agriculture technology.  Students also take courses in agriculture business, sales and agronomy in the degree program that will prepare them for any number of agriculture technology related career opportunities.

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Kirkwood Community College
6301 Kirkwood Blvd SW
Cedar Rapids, IA 52406
Phone: 319-398-5609
Website: www.kirkwood.edu
Contact: Terry Brase
Email: terry.brase@kirkwood.edu

Ag Geospatial Technology at Kirkwood CC is a hands-on, practical two-year AAS degree (68 credits) for students who want to work in the precision ag industry. Four required courses (Intro to Precision Farming, Intro to GIS, Geospatial Data Collection and Ag Spatial Analysis) provide extensive experience in GPS and GIS and three additional elective courses in advanced software and hardware teach installation, troubleshooting and analysis skills. Certifications in electronics and software are used to assure quality. Kirkwood’s program also includes coursework in data collection, agronomy and computer science. A strong background in math and science is recommended for this program, which prepares graduates for careers as GPS technicians and GIS coordinators.

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Lake Region State College
1801 College Dr
Devils Lake, ND 58301
Phone: 701-662-1652
Website: www.dakotaprecisionagcenter.com
Contact: Paul Gunderson
Email: paul.d.gunderson.1@lrsc.edu

The college offers a two-year precision ag program, through a partnership with the grant-funded Dakota Center for Technology — Optimized Agriculture (DCTOA).

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Lincoln Land Community College
5250 Shepherd Rd
Springfield, IL 62794
Phone: 217-786-2572
Website: www.llcc.edu
Contact: Bill Harmon
Email: bill.harmon@llcc.edu

The Precision Agronomy/Fertilizer Associate in Applied Science degree is designed to prepare students for careers in the fertilizer and chemical industries and includes two work-based learning experiences. Career cluster includes floater truck operator, fertilizer and chemical plant operator, crop scout, soil agronomist and pesticide applicator operator.

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Minnesota West Community & Technical College, Worthington
1450 Collegeway
Worthington, MN 56187
Phone: 507-372-3422
Website: www.mnwest.edu
Contact: Jeff Rogers
Email: jeff.rogers@mnwest.edu

The Certificate in Precision Application Technician is a 26-credit program. Students take a variety of agriculture courses that prepare them for employment in various agriculture fields.

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Mississippi Delta Community College
PO Box 668
Morehead, MS 38761
Phone: 662-246-6516
Website: www.msdelta.edu
Contact: Steele Robbins
Email: srobbins@msdelta.edu

Recent developments in entomology, plant pathology and weed science in conjunction with advanced technologies such as remote sensing (RS), global positioning systems (GPS), geographic information systems (GIS), and variable rate technology (VRT), have the potential to greatly enhance agricultural profitability. In addition, the implementation of this technology can greatly improve environmental quality by reducing the volume of agricultural chemicals applied. The emergence of this technology and the increased demand for technically trained workers to support the technology make it imperative that MDCC offer options through their Agricultural program to address this situation.

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Mitchell Technical Institute
1800 E Spruce St.
Mitchell, SD 57301
Phone: 605-995-7182
Website: mitchelltech.edu
Contact: Evan Eidem
Email: evan.eidem@mitchelltech.edu

A skilled workforce to support the growing industry of precision technology is needed. This two-year program includes courses in computers, GPS (Global Positioning Systems), data collection, agronomy and ag economics. A strong background in math and science is recommended for this program.  Combining aspects of engineering, business, agriculture, energy and technology, this program will meet current and future industry needs.

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Ogeechee Technical College
1 Joe Kennedy Blvd
Statesboro, GA 30458
Phone: 912-688-6034
Website: www.ogeecheetech.edu
Contact: Bill Worthington
Email: bworthington@ogeecheetech.edu

Certificate in Precision Agriculture Specialist. This part-time program is approximately three semesters long and consists of three courses geared toward students in the workforce.

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Parkland College
2400 W Bradley Ave
Champaign, IL 61821
Phone: 217-351-2213
Website: www.parkland.edu
Contact: Larry Thurow
Email: lthurow@parkland.edu

The Associate in Applied Science degree is a two-year program that includes three precision ag classes including precision hardware, application of geographic information systems (GIS) and advanced GIS. In addition to other basic required agriculture classes, two internships are required.

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Ridgewater College
Willmar Campus
2101 15th Ave NW
Willmar, MN 56201
Phone: 320-222-5274
Website: www.ridgewater.edu
Contact: Curt Yoose
Email: curt.yoose@ridgewater.edu

Ridgewater offers three degrees: a two-year associate in applied science degree, requiring one internship; a two-year diploma requiring four internships; and a 19-credit precision farming certificate. All three programs offer practical hands on experience in GIS, GPS and precision farming. Student sponsorship opportunities are available.

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University of Saskatchewan
105 Administration Pl
Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A2, Canada
Phone: 306-966-4050
Website: www.usask.ca
Contact: Mary Anne Ledsham
Email: m.ledsham@usask.ca

The university offers a precision ag course in conjunction with its four- year ag degrees. The course deals with multiple aspects of precision farming practices, including equipment technology, soil sampling and agronomy. The school also sponsors career days for local businesses
and dealerships.

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West Hills College
9800 Cody St
Coalinga, CA 93210
Phone: 559-816-9465
Website: www.westhillscollege.com/coalinga/
Contact: Clint Cowden
Email: clintcowden@whccd.edu

Looking for more than just an electronic/hydraulic technician? West Hills College teaches basic hydraulics and instrumentation, but with a focus on the effects agronomy, soil science, remote sensing, GIS, irrigation and sales have on farm profitability. For the past 10 years, West Hills College has been the tried and true source for hiring GIS, agronomic and manufacturing technicians with an eye on the bottom line.