Venture capital firms toting cash from agricultural heavyweights Monsanto Co.MON -0.32%, Syngenta AGSYNN.VX +1.23% and Rabobank Group this week sunk tens of millions of dollars into farm-focused technology startups.
The startups, Blue River Technology and Farmobile LLC, are among a raft of companies that aim to transplant data-crunching techniques and low-cost hardware from Silicon Valley to the Farm Belt, pitching equipment and services that can help farmers raise bigger crops while using less fuel and chemicals.
Image: Iowa farmer Jason Rouse adjusts the Farmobile data-collection device in his combine. Information gathered in real time allows farmers to monitor operations and fine tune decisions. PHOTO: SARAH HOFFMAN FOR THE WALL STREET JOURNAL for The Wall Street Journal
