Marc Printz is the COO and Co-Founder at Farmblox, which gives farmers tools to build their own farm automation system, connecting in-field sensors and equipment to a simple app to quickly identify problems and automatically trigger fixes to improve productivity.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of AgFunderNews.
When many people hear the word “agtech,” they immediately envision futuristic farming innovations: drones gliding over sprawling fields, autonomous tractors navigating rows with mathematical precision, or complex dashboards filled with data visualizations that wouldn’t look out of place in a NASA Mission Control Center.
For many farmers, however, that image feels distant, unfamiliar, and intimidating, and too often, agtech seems designed for engineers and Silicon Valley entrepreneurs, rather than those solving real problems on the ground.
The truth is, agtech doesn’t have to be complicated; more importantly, it shouldn’t be. But over the years, it’s been packaged and promoted in ways that make it feel inaccessible and even threatening to farmers.
What agtech needs is a reintroduction—not as some distant, high-tech revolution, but as the natural next step in the evolution of farming tools. It needs tools that are as intuitive and reliable as a good pair of boots and a drill.
Agtech at a crossroads
When the tractor was first introduced, many farmers were hesitant and some even mocked it as unnecessary. Why replace feet and hands that had done the job for generations? But over time, the value became undeniable as tractors multiplied farm productivity rather than replacing the farmer, as some feared. That shift didn’t happen overnight; it took real-world proof, word-of-mouth trust, and time.
Today’s agtech industry is at a similar crossroads, with many modern ag technologies that are incredibly practical. Think moisture sensors that help irrigate efficiently, weather monitors that detect changes before they impact yields, and systems that can identify equipment failures before they cost the farmer a season. These tools are meant to reduce the guesswork, lighten the load, and make the already demanding job of farming just a little bit easier. It’s not about replacing the farmer. It’s about strengthening their hand—giving them the data and automation to make better decisions faster, and with more confidence.
I’ve spent countless hours talking with farmers across the country. One theme comes up again and again: hesitation. Many farmers worry that adopting new tech might be too difficult, as some of them consider themselves not tech savvy (“I’m not good with computers, it’s not for me”). Others are worried it will mean losing control over their own operations. They fear it will be too expensive, too complicated (“these tools are intended for Silicon Valley engineers”), or simply not built with their daily routines in mind.
They’re right to be skeptical—the industry hasn’t done a great job of meeting them where they are.
Far too often, agtech is marketed like it belongs on a showroom floor instead of in a barn. Flashy demonstrations and slick interfaces mean little if they don’t translate to the realities of day-to-day farm work. The best technology shouldn’t make a farmer’s job harder—it should disappear into the background, working quietly and effectively, without needing constant attention or troubleshooting.
I learned this the hard way. As one farmer put it, “I usually have gloves on my hands that are covered in mud or something worse, I can’t use my hands for a computer. I don’t own one and I don’t know how to use one.”
I realized that what farmers really needed was something reliable, simple, and built to survive a tough season. At Farmblox, we acknowledged this by making our product easier to use and better suited to tough, outdoor tasks, and made sure it solved an actual problem. That’s when farmers really began to show interest and things started to scale.
Building empathy for farmers
If we want agtech to reach its full potential, the industry must rethink not just what we build, but how we build it and who we build it for. That starts with a commitment to usability and empathy for the farmers. No more complicated setup processes that require hours of training. No more assuming that farmers want to spend their evenings reviewing charts and graphs. Let’s create tools that integrate seamlessly into a farmer’s routine, that solve one clear problem at a time, and that prove their value from day one.
Farmers don’t need another flashy pitch or promise of farming transformation. They need tools that work—consistently, efficiently, and without fanfare. They need technology that earns their trust, not just their attention. And they need to know that the people building these products understand the realities of their work, not just the theory.
Farmers are some of the most innovative problem-solvers out there. It’s time to take the fear out of farming with technology. Agtech doesn’t need a revolution. It’s just a smarter tool in a farmer’s toolbox.
The post Guest article: Agtech is not a revolution, it’s a farm tool appeared first on AgFunderNews.
