Published On: 01/17/2019Categories: Agbiosciences

FFA Blue 365 Challenge: Sponsored by Microsoft

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Technology and agriculture? Yes! Help your students learn about precision agriculture and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies with a Microsoft FarmBeats Student Kit.

The National FFA Organization is pleased to announce an opportunity to win two Microsoft FarmBeats Student Kits for your local FFA chapter. The kit is an easy-to-use solution that includes preconfigured Microsoft Azure cloud services and a Raspberry Pi with soil moisture, light, ambient temperature, and humidity sensors to collect data. Data is visualized in an online dashboard that can provide insights to help students understand how to improve productivity, increase yield, and save resources. For example, soil moisture data can be used to enable precision irrigation or ambient temperature and humidity data can be utilized to make smarter decisions about ventilation and cooling.

WHO CAN APPLY?

Any active middle school/high school FFA chapters are eligible. Active chapters are those who have paid dues in the fiscal year of the application.

APPLY NOW

Microsoft and the National FFA Organization will award 50 chapters with two Microsoft FarmBeats Student Kits.

  • Preconfigured Microsoft Azure cloud service
  • Raspberry Pi 3B
  • Grove Pi+ Shield
    • (Raspberry Pi attachment used to connect sensors)
  • 16GB SD card
  • Power supply and cable
  • Ethernet cable
  • Grove sensors that monitor:
    • Soil moisture
    • Ambient temperature
    • Humidity
    • Light intensity
  • Quick start guide
  • Source code and additional documentation provided on GitHub

Online applications will remain open until midnight, EST on February 1, 2019. Award announcements will be made mid-February, 2019. Every applicant will receive the announcement, regardless of the decision.

TO LEARN MORE AND APPLY, CLICK HERE.