5G Technology Comes to Snohomish County Agriculture

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted a lot of things, including the vital importance of local farm production. Broken supply chains and limited grocery store inventory have caused many communities to become more reliant on local produce and meat. Agricultural producers have had to respond to this increased demand while at the same time struggling with labor shortages and impacts from climate change.

One way for farmers to meet these challenges is through technology. In 2020, Snohomish County received funding through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act to establish 5G communications on two experimental farms: Swans Trail Farms in the Snohomish basin and Andrew's Hay in the Stillaguamish basin. By expanding the internet in these rural areas, farmers can more easily access information that helps them to be more resilient, efficient, and competitive.

The Food Resiliency Project, launched in December 2020, has provided another opportunity to improve technology for farmers. Through the project, Snohomish County has brought food growers and distributors together with companies to develop soil sensors measuring temperature, volumetric water content, oxygen levels and photosynthetic radiation, as well as supply chain and logistics tracking of food from farm-to-table. These innovations help improve the resiliency of agriculture and minimize food service disruptions.

Additional funding is being sought to expand the program to other sectors of agriculture including dairy and vineyards, and to incorporate variables such as the impact of forest fire smoke on production. To learn more about this program, watch the video below, check out the 5G Open Innovation Lab’s webpage, or contact Steering Committee member Linda Neunzig.