“Ear molds are a possibility every year,” says AgriGold Agronomist Leslie Lloyd, and those storing corn on-farm need to know if they have mold before harvest. “You certainly wouldn’t want to contaminate a 60,000-bushel bin with 5,000 bushels of corn from a hot spot,” Lloyd cautions.  

Scouting fields ahead of harvest helps farmers avoid the hassle and slowdown associated with downed corn. “Avoiding those issues limits time in the field, saving them fuel, time, and labor,” says Justin Schneider, an LG Seeds agronomist in Michigan. “Natural gas prices are extremely high, and the best way to leave your corn out there in the field the longest is to scout.”

Lightweight, low-cost agricultural robots could soon transform data collection and field scouting for agronomists and farmers.