The 21st century farmer has a much different toolbox to work from. In addition to pliers, vice-grips and a crescent wrench, the new toolbox includes computers, satellites and cell phones. The farm office is likely to be the cab of a combine, tractor or pickup truck—all three depending on the time of year.

In 1994, the Ag Tech 2000 exhibit at the Wisconsin Farm Progress Days brought together for the first time a diverse group of technology providers, with the idea of showing how these components of site-specific management could be organized into a system for practical implementation on the farm.