by Matt and Bethany Peterson
Technology is changing the game for agriculture and consumers, one weed, one acre, one algorithm at a time.
Meet the Petersons
We’re Matthew and Bethany Peterson, owners of Aligned Ag in Wimbledon, North Dakota. Our 7-month-old son, Stetson, and our pup, Ada, are often by our side as we go about our days.
We’re grateful to work alongside an incredible team that shares our dedication to supporting the farmers we’re blessed to work with.
Through our agronomy center, we work alongside local farmers to provide Pioneer seed, crop protection, and precision ag services, with a shared goal of growing more efficiently and sustainably. We believe sustainability isn’t just a buzzword, it’s a responsibility. We’re continually exploring tools and technologies to help our farmers be more efficient, precise, and environmentally responsible. One great example of that technology in action is John Deere’s See & Spray™.
Smarter Spraying, Cleaner Fields
On a 115-acre pinto bean field in North Dakota, farmers tested John Deere’s See & Spray™ system. Instead of broadcasting weed-killing chemicals over the entire field, cameras identified weeds in real time and treated only those spots, cutting total product used by more than half.
Traditional broadcast spraying applies a uniform rate across every acre, whether weeds are present or not. By contrast, See & Spray™ applies chemicals only where needed:
|
Metric |
Conventional Broadcast |
See & Spray™ |
Reduction |
|
Average Rate (gal/acre) |
15 |
6.33 |
58.10% |
|
Total Solution Used (gal) |
1,725 |
728.3 |
1,002 gal (58.1%) |
|
Acres Actually Sprayed |
115 |
48.2 (41.9% of field) |
58.1% unsprayed |
- More than 58% of the field didn’t receive any product.
- Overall rate dropped from 15 gallons per acre to just 6.33 gallons per acre.
- Savings of roughly 1,000 gallons of product in the field.
Lower input costs and reduced solution runoff translate into cleaner waterways, healthier soil biology, and a smaller environmental footprint.
Stewardship Powered by AI
Reducing volume doesn’t compromise efficacy. Targeted sprays keep resistant weeds in check, protect beneficial insects, and foster long-term soil health. Each drop saved is a victory for sustainable agriculture, cleaner food, and transparent supply chains.
See & Spray™ technology targets only the weeds, instead of spraying an entire field. That means less product used, less water needed, and less waste while still keeping weeds under control.
In one trial, this precision approach made a big difference:
- Herbicides – We used 30-60% less product across all weed control chemicals.
- Water – We saved 973 gallons of water (the same as nearly 20 bathtubs full).
- Overall Savings – In total, 1,002 gallons of spray mix were saved — a 58% reduction — without sacrificing weed control.
For the farmer, that means lower costs. For the environment, it means fewer resources used and less chemical runoff. For you as a consumer, it means your food is grown with smarter, more sustainable practices.
Why it Matters to Consumers
See & Spray™ proves that AI isn’t a replacement for farmers but rather a force multiplier. By marrying human expertise with machine-vision precision, growers can shrink their product footprint, lower costs, and confidently steward the land.
The best eyes in the field may be artificial, but the heart behind them remains entirely human. While today’s crop protection products are rigorously tested and safe for consumers, See & Spray™ technology takes things a step further by minimizing the amount of product used in the first place.
For consumers, that means even fewer inputs applied to the food being grown, while still maintaining the same high standards of quality and safety. It's a win for the environment and a reassuring step forward in transparency and sustainability.
Innovations like this help bridge the gap between how food is grown and the growing desire to know it's being done responsibly, from the ground up. As technology continues to evolve, tools like See & Spray™ open the door to smarter, more sustainable farming practices without compromising results.
At Aligned Ag, we’re excited to be part of that progress. We're committed to bringing innovative solutions to the growers we serve and look forward to continuing to support our farmers with the tools and technologies that make agriculture more precise, efficient, and sustainable for the future.
Matt and Bethany represent District 2 on the NDFB Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee.