How 5G promises to revolutionize farming

Over the next several years, superfast 5G mobile networks promise to shake up a variety of industries, particularly those on the cutting edge, including technology and automotive. But 5G, the wireless successor to today’s 4G, may also revolutionize the farming industry, which has long been slow to adopt new innovations.

Wireless sensors connected through 5G could monitor field conditions and detect when crops need watering, pesticides, or fertilizer, experts say. It could also help with tracking livestock and guiding agricultural drones and self-driving tractors.

“5G has the potential to have a transformative effect on the global economy through a number of different verticals, and farming certainly is one of the most prominent ones to consider,” says ABI Research analyst Leo Gergs.

The end result for agriculture, in theory, would be improved crop yields and higher-quality produce. But actually making the promise a reality is unlikely to be quick or easy.

While major wireless carriers Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile are racing to install 5G, they’ve so far focused only on metropolitan areas because of their high concentration of potential customers. It will take years before their 5G networks are widely available in rural areas, meaning most farmers will have to wait.

“5G will probably not have a tangible impact on farming for three to five years,” says Bill Morelli, an analyst with IHS Markit.

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