How Belkorp Ag’s Precision Ag Team Continues to Blaze the Trail for Modern Farming
10/14/2025
Modern farming needs smart solutions to reduce costs and improve productivity. Belkorp Ag has a dedicated, knowledgeable, and innovative Precision Ag team. We’ve helped hundreds of farmers across California’s Central Valley discover how precision ag can transform and improve their farming operations. Let’s take a closer look at what our team has accomplished and what we look forward to helping farmers, just like you, accomplish in the future.
A Smart Apply system uses LiDAR technology to detect trees and vines in real-time, automatically controlling spray nozzles to apply chemicals only where needed. It can be added to virtually any sprayer. No more overuse of applications like fertilizer or insecticides; your crops will get exactly what they need, when they need it.
Belkorp Ag's precision agriculture team made history by designing and installing the world's first dual-LiDAR, dual-controller smart spray system—the Gallo Vineyards 2-LiDAR 2-Controller Smart Apply System—pioneering groundbreaking crop protection technology. This revolutionary setup allows farmers to spray four vineyard rows in a single pass. That change in tech has multiplied productivity for clients, while still allowing all the chemical-saving benefits of targeted spray technology.
This targeted approach delivers fantastic results for California farmers. In a trial with American Pistachio Growers, farmers achieved more than 60% reduction in chemical usage on almond and pistachio plants with the 2 LiDAR System compared to traditional, manual spray methods. The USDA's entomology testing confirmed that insect control remained just as effective as traditional spraying methods. What does that mean? Farmers save thousands of dollars on chemical costs while maintaining the same level of crop protection.
Precision application goes beyond just knowing where to spray. It requires applying the exact right amount every time. Rate controller systems automatically adjust spray flow based on conditions like terrain slope and vehicle speed. This accomplishes a consistent application across every acre. These systems have traditionally struggled under a dense canopy. However, Belkorp Ag became the first John Deere location to successfully implement RTK rate controller systems under these challenging conditions.
This breakthrough solved a long-standing industry challenge where GPS signals struggled to get through thick foliage from trees and other vegetation. The system, Del Don Farms' RTK Rate Controller Under Canopy, has been installed and running throughout the 2025 growing season with great success. The success of this technology has been so significant that John Deere now uses our methods as the standard guideline for other dealerships nationwide! The President of Global Agriculture at John Deere has also promised Belkorp Ag additional specialized RTK Receivers to help our team further prove the effectiveness of this amazing technology.
Harvest season brings the ultimate question: What are my yields going to look like? Traditional methods only provide broad estimates after crops are hauled away and measured on a scale. However, today's yield monitoring technology delivers more precise, real-time data right when the harvest is happening.
Take our work with tomato harvesters and grape harvesters in California, for example. It shows this technology's multiple applications across different crop types. Farmers now see a heatmap of exactly which parts of their fields perform best, allowing them to adjust irrigation, fertilization, and other inputs based on areas of improvement or areas that are performing well.
We successfully installed this technology in August with Redwood Empire Vineyards, and they have already seen major success in the limited time it’s been used on the job. We’re excited to see how this data helps push the future of precision ag tech that is tailored to vineyard and high-value crop clients.
Belkorp Ag has the best precision ag team in California, and we’re ready to help you understand the latest technology and how it can integrate into your current fleet of equipment.
Our team consistently innovates to bring smart solutions to modern farming. Contact us today or visit one of our Central Valley locations to see how our precision ag team can maximize your yields, lower your input costs, and increase your profitability.