U.S. Sen. Cory Booker got a first-hand look at Warren Community College’s Unmanned Systems Program on Aug. 25. He was clearly impressed with the scope of the program.

He also came to the college’s Phillipsburg Education Center, where the program is based, bearing good news as he touted a federally funded $699,000 appropriation he is supporting for its Precision Agriculture Technology Project

This initiative, a part of the college’s Unmanned Systems Program, aims to address the agricultural needs of the region – and beyond – by enhancing farmland management.

Dr. William Austin, Chief Pilot and President of Warren Community College, expressed gratitude for the Congressional Appropriation and Senator Booker’s support. He highlighted the potential of the project to introduce innovative farm management practices.

“These practices aim to ensure precise chemical application and land management, leading to increased farm profitability and sustainability,” he said. “The approach also focuses on reducing the use of fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides, which will benefit the environment and result in increased crop yields.

The college, which introduced its Unmanned Systems Program in 2018, has been a pioneer in drone industry education. Sen. Booker was briefed by educators and officials about the college’s efforts to train students in the deployment of drone technology for improved farm management and sustainability. The college boasts a state-of-the-art outdoor flight training center, a fleet of over 75 unmanned aircraft systems, and has secured multiple authorizations from the Federal Aviation Administration for operator training.

The latest initiative by Warren is to expand the Unmanned Systems Program and introduce career pathways in agriculture, focusing on precision agriculture. This technology holds the promise of revolutionizing current farming practices, leading to enhanced profitability.

Precision agriculture uses specialized equipment, software, and artificial intelligence to access real-time data about crop, soil, and ambient air conditions, along with other relevant information such as local weather patterns. Sensors in fields measure moisture content as well as soil and air temperature, and robotic drones provide farmers with real-time images of individual plants, all of which is then integrated and processed with other data to yield guidance for immediate and future decisions.

Sen. Booker expressed his admiration for the program, stating, “Incredible work is taking place at Warren Community College. I am thrilled to witness the progress students and experts are making to assist local farmers in saving money, boosting crop yields, and optimizing land management.”

He also emphasized his role in advocating for the project’s federal funding, amounting to nearly $700,000 in the draft Senate appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2024.

Yvonne Reitemeyer, Warren Board of Trustees Chair and an alumnus of Warren Community College, lauded the funding and the precision agriculture/drone program. She acknowledged Sen. Booker’s support as invaluable.

This initiative at Warren County Community College ultimately will provide students training to access high-paying jobs upon graduation and provide local farmers with more tools for sustainability.