Agriculture Blog

Innovation in agriculture starts with sharing ideas that work. The Call for Presentations for the 2026 Esri User Conference is now open, inviting agriculture professionals to showcase how they’re using GIS to transform farming, improve sustainability, and make smarter decisions. Submit your story by October 24, 2025, and join the global conversation shaping the future of agriculture.

The European Union's Deforestation Regulations will impact agriculture as well. This article explores the impact on the coffee industry in Africa along with solutions coming from the GIS community.    

How can geospatial technology transform the way agricultural finance organizations operate? Our latest webinar showcased practical demonstrations and real-world use cases proving that GIS is helping lenders and insurers work smarter, reduce risk, and deliver greater value to their customers.

It's not too late to register! Join us Thursday, September 25 at 11:00 AM CDT to explore how GIS is transforming agricultural lending and insurance.

Terroir—the idea that wine reflects the unique soil, climate, and landscape where grapes grow—is no longer left to guesswork. At Trinchero Family Estates, GIS technology is transforming how one of America's leading vineyards measures, monitors, and manages sustainable agriculture across 9,000 acres.

Join us on September 25 at 111:00 a.m. CT for a webinar on how agriculture finance professionals can use GIS to enhance risk assessment, streamline claim management, and make data-driven decisions for greater efficiency and accuracy.

If you missed last week's Agriculture SIG at Esri’s 2025 User Conference, here’s a brief summary: the session, led by Mark Dann, Dr. Elvis Takow, and myself from Esri, featured presentations on ArcGIS as an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Platform and how to refocus AI on Agriculture Intelligence. Afterwards, a panel discussion included representatives from AC Foods, Land O’Lakes, and Texas A&M.

The Esri UC 2025 Agriculture and Forestry Social brought together professionals from the forestry and agriculture fields to exchange ideas and strategize for upcoming changes in the sector.

Attendees mingle on the terrace of the Marriott hotel in San Diego during the Esri UC Ag and Forestry Social

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to our sponsors, Remsoft, Spatial Dimension, and EOS Positioning Systems , for their support in making this event a success. 

Irrigation is indispensable for modern agriculture, especially in water-stressed regions where rainfall is unreliable. The recent expansion of irrigation highlights the growing need for precision techniques to utilize water efficiently. Utilizing tools like ArcGIS, the ag community is  developing sustainable strategies that integrate spatial data and advanced models to optimize water use, even in challenging conditions like drought-stricken west-central Texas. Explore the Global Irrigated Area Layer in Living Atlas to understand the distribution and extent of irrigated areas worldwide, helping to inform better water management practices globally.

On June 12th, the North Coast viticulture community came together for the inaugural ArcGIS in Viticulture User Group meeting, hosted at the scenic Silver Oak tasting room in Alexander Valley. With over 20 attendees representing vineyards, wineries, and research institutions, the event marked the beginning of a collaborative network focused on advancing the use of GIS in viticulture.