With Precision Agriculture, farmers can collect timely data about their crops at the plant level to optimize how they cultivate each plant and possibly affect each fruit. Data-driven precision is replacing massive mechanization. Startups with advanced automation and control components, farm management software, remote sensing and monitoring, robots and drones, offer solutions that improve efficiency and increase yields, while making better use of land resources.

A $3 trillion industry, Agriculture was until recently largely ignored by venture capitalists. Now Khosla, Kleiner Perkins and others are aggressively targeting the agricultural value chain. According to AgFunder, agriculture technology raised a total of $2.36 billion in 2014. The industry took on $1.04 billion in Q1 2015 alone.

• Will technology make agriculture more sustainable?
• Will the small organic farmers be able to compete?
• Will Precision Agriculture allow California to maintain its leading position in high-value crops such as almonds and grapes in spite of water shortages?

Moderator

Panelists

Lance Donny, Founder and CEO, OnFarm Systems

Jorge Heraud, CEO, Blue River Technology

Brook Porter, Partner, Kleiner Perkins

Ron Zink, Director, On-Board Applications, John Deere