Over 400 people attended the ribbon cutting ceremony on December 5, to celebrate the opening of the Alliant Energy Digital Agriculture Innovation Laboratory located on the south side of the ISU Research Park in Ames. The new facility will work to enhance agronomic technology development in Iowa. Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering Professor and ISRC faculty affiliate Matt Darr serves as the lab’s director. 

Speakers at the ribbon cutting ceremony included Iowa State President Wendy Wintersteen, ISU Research Park President Rick Sanders, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship Secretary Mike Naig, Alliant Energy President Mayuri Farlinger and Director Matt Darr.

The 85,000 square foot facility will house the Digital Ag Innovation Team and agriculture-focused business tenants to utilize technology, research and development resources. The lab features designated spaces for students to engage in hands-on experiences. Activities will focus on developing technologies and products aimed at making agriculture more productive, efficient and profitable, such as smart sensors and control systems, precision agriculture, machinery electronics and Controller Area Network bus technology and biomass logistics.

The Digital Ag team currently has 59 products being sold and distributed worldwide, including crop-yield sensors and AI technology to identify empty spaces in crop storage containers.