High tech meets Hard work
A drone rises over open pasture, capturing real-time images of cattle and crops stretching
toward the horizon. Below, a rancher adjusts her grazing plan on a tablet. For her,
this isn鈥檛 futuristic 鈥� it鈥檚 just another day on the job.
Scenes like this are becoming the norm in modern agriculture, where tradition meets technology to feed a growing world. At Laramie County Community College, the new emerging agriculture technology program is preparing students to lead this evolution.
Known as EAT, the program is the newest offering within 猫咪社区APP鈥檚 Agriculture & Equine Pathway. Designed for students fluent in both software and soil, EAT launched in Fall 2025 to address a growing need: bridging traditional practices with advanced technologies to tackle the future of farming.
鈥淚n large-scale operations, you need tech to track every animal and input from conception to consumption,鈥� said Lindsey Freeman, 猫咪社区APP program director and one of EAT鈥檚 creators. 鈥淐onsumers demand transparency - they want to know where their food comes from, how it was raised and its environmental impact. Technology helps producers deliver those answers.鈥�
While precision ag has long been used in crop production, 猫咪社区APP saw an opportunity to extend that mindset to livestock management, conservation, and beyond. That idea led to the launch of EAT, which takes a comprehensive view of tech鈥檚 role in agriculture.
Students can specialize in areas like conservation data analytics, livestock technology and marketing, with plans to add smart farm systems. Courses address real-world issues in agriculture and encourage creative problem-solving through entrepreneurship and hands-on experience. The program even includes an industry immersion class where students visit operations using cutting-edge ag tech.
But tech integration isn鈥檛 just about keeping pace with trends - it鈥檚 about ensuring agriculture鈥檚 sustainability. Producers today must balance economic viability, environmental stewardship and social expectations. Data-driven decisions help navigate those pressures.
鈥淚mplementing tech isn鈥檛 cheap,鈥� Freeman said. 鈥淏ut it leads to long-term stability, reduced waste and proof that producers are doing things right. It鈥檚 an investment in the future, for operations and for consumers.鈥�
With fewer than 2% of Americans in production ag feeding the other 98%, preparing the next generation is critical. Without skilled, tech-savvy producers, the ripple effects will be felt everywhere 鈥� from grocery shelves to dinner tables.
That鈥檚 why EAT welcomes students from all backgrounds, not just those who grew up on a ranch. For someone skilled in IT or data analytics, agriculture may not seem like an obvious fit, but Freeman sees that as an opportunity.
鈥淒o we want an IT person who can learn ag, or an ag person who knows IT?鈥� she said. 鈥淢ost often, we want both - and that鈥檚 what EAT provides.鈥�
Some students come in with no ag background but a strong grasp of data, and they鈥檙e already making an impact.
鈥淭hey may have never set foot on a ranch,鈥� Freeman said, 鈥渂ut they can absolutely improve how operations run.鈥�
For Wyoming, the program also supports economic diversification. Encouraging innovation and entrepreneurship in agriculture offers new career paths in a state long dependent on natural resources. Whether students plan to work for a company, return to the family ranch or start something new, EAT helps them innovate.
The program is part of a broader Agriculture & Equine Pathway at 猫咪社区APP that includes animal science, equine management, veterinary technology and more - all built around applied learning and industry relevance.
鈥淎griculture feeds and sustains every community,鈥� Freeman said. 鈥淥ur students are the ones who will make sure we continue to have access to safe, healthy, abundant food.鈥�
