House Agriculture Committee hears update on virtual-fencing pilot for grazing, knotweed control

The House Agriculture Committee on March 19 heard an update on a pilot program using virtual-fencing collars and managed grazing to control invasive vegetation and support farm productivity, and discussed seeking additional funding to expand the project.

The program, run by the AgriTech Institute for Small Farms, tested collar-based virtual fences on several farms in 2024 and produced demonstrations the committee called convincing enough to consider a second-year, smaller-cost expansion. Dan Smith, executive director of the AgriTech Institute for Small Farms, briefed the committee and summarized the pilot and a proposed follow-on budget.

"I'm Dan Smith for the record. I'm the executive director of the AgriTech Institute for Small Farms," Smith said, describing last year's pilots and the institute's plan to continue and extend the work. He told the committee the pilot involved roughly 11 initial sites with eight continuing into follow-up work and that the institute now seeks to add utility sites and a small dairy barn to test use of collars in milking parlors.

Why it…