FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 16, 2025
Contact: Antonette Kamara, foodworkers@berlinrosen.com
New Report from the HEAL Food Alliance Exposes Precision Agriculture as a False Climate Solution, Calls for Investment in Real Farmer- and Community-Led Practices
In the report, HEAL calls for increased federal investment for farmer-centered climate solutions, including cover cropping and agroforestry
National (September 16, 2025) – A new report released today from the HEAL (Health, Environment, Agriculture, Labor) Food Alliance highlights precision agriculture as a costly distraction from proven climate solutions that entrenches corporate power while putting small and mid-sized farmers at risk. The report reveals that despite the industry hype, these tools don’t deliver meaningful climate or environmental benefits. The HEAL Food Alliance also urges elected leaders to redirect public funds from precision agriculture into farmer-centered practices that promote widespread, equitable access to resources.
The report comes amid growing support by the Trump administration and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for precision agriculture techniques, and as Congress continues to support precision agriculture legislation and programs.
“Big Ag wants us to believe that high-tech machinery and corporate data systems are going to improve how we farm and solve the climate crisis,” said Celize Christy, Member Engagement Lead at the HEAL Food Alliance. “But what we have seen is more pesticide use, more dependence on fossil fuels, and farmers’ sensitive information in the hands of a few corporate giants. That is not climate justice. We need investments in more climate-friendly solutions led by farmers, farmworkers, and impacted communities.”
HEAL’s report, Precision Agriculture: A Costly Distraction from Real Climate Solutions, finds that despite billions of dollars being spent on precision agriculture and ag tech, such as drones, AI, sensors, and satellite systems, this technology fails to reduce chemical use and address climate change. Instead, precision agriculture technology funnels billions in taxpayer dollars to corporations like Bayer and John Deere.
Key Findings
Despite industry promises, precision agriculture fails to deliver for farmers, communities, or the planet. Key findings from the report include:
- No real reductions in input use: Despite decades of promotion, precision agriculture has not decreased fertilizer or pesticide use. Overall usage has actually increased.
- Environmental costs: Precision agriculture technologies rely on energy-hungry data centers, mined minerals, and high water use. Instead of solving the climate crisis, this tech creates new environmental harms.
- Drives consolidation and pushes out small farmers: Precision agriculture is designed for large-scale monocrop systems. The high costs and poor fit with diversified farming lock out small and BIPOC farmers while agribusinesses capture the benefits and taxpayer subsidies.
- Undermines farmers and working people: Automation displaces farm labor and weakens farmers’ knowledge and independence. At the same time, corporations gain more control over land, data, and production.
- A poor use of taxpayer dollars: Billions in federal support for precision agriculture primarily boost corporate profits. These subsidies do little for farmers, working people, or rural communities.
“The increasing commitment to precision agriculture technology will only make it more difficult for small to mid-scale farms to exist, much less thrive” said Rob Faux, Communications Manager, Pesticide Action & Agroecology Network and Farmer/Steward – Genuine Faux Farm in Iowa. “Increased reliance on these technologies support farm consolidation and ever increasing synthetic inputs, including pesticides and fertilizers. Meanwhile, those who would like to be a part of the next generation of food producers, find themselves unable to access land, infrastructure and capital to effectively enter the profession. Instead of the focus on precision ag, our investment would have more long-term benefits if we focused on building a food and ag system that supports smaller, diversified farms.”
HEAL’s report underscores that real climate solutions already exist in practices that small and diversified family farmers, including BIPOC farmers, have been leading for decades. This includes agroecology, organic farming, crop and livestock integration, and community-driven conservation.
HEAL’s Recommendations: Redirect public funding away from corporate-controlled technology and toward proven, farmer-centered practices:
- Investing in cover cropping, agroforestry, and integrated crop-livestock systems.
- Expanding conservation programs that are oversubscribed and underfunded.
- Supporting BIPOC and small farmers with equitable access to resources.
“We already know what works: farmers and working people using practices that restore soil, protect water, and strengthen our communities,” said Christy. “Congress has the chance to put resources where they matter most – into real, people-centered solutions that create a healthy food system for all of us.”
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About the HEAL Food Alliance
The HEAL (Health, Environment, Agriculture, Labor) Food Alliance is a national multi-sector, multi-racial coalition. HEAL is led by its member-organizations, who represent about two million rural and urban farmers, ranchers, fishers, farm and food chain working people, Indigenous groups, scientists, public health advocates, policy experts, and community organizers united in their commitment to transform our food and farm systems.