Agricultural challenges rarely fit neatly within one discipline. Improving efficiency, managing inputs, making sense of farm data and evaluating new tools all require researchers, producers, students and industry to work together.
That collaboration was on display Sept. 29 at Clemson University’s fifth annual Clemson Ag Tech Spotlight at the Watt Family Innovation Center.
The event brought together producers, Clemson researchers and students, Extension professionals, agricultural businesses and technology developers for an afternoon of presentations, demonstrations and conversations focused on practical agricultural needs.
Now in its fifth year, the Spotlight continues to create a place where people from across agriculture can exchange ideas, build relationships and see how research and innovation are being put to work.
A Farmer Perspective Opens the Conversation
Spencer McLeod, operations manager at McLeod Farms, served as the Spotlight keynote speaker, bringing a producer perspective to the day’s conversations.
A 2012 Clemson graduate with a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Mechanization and Business, McLeod later completed his MBA through Clemson’s Greenville-based program in 2014. Today, he is the fifth generation of his family helping lead McLeod Farms in McBee, South Carolina.
His interest in agricultural technology began while he was a Clemson student. Coursework in agricultural mechanization introduced him to control systems and the possibilities of using technology to solve practical problems.
He carried that interest back to the farm, where he has continued developing and using tools to address operational challenges, collect better information and improve efficiency.
That path made McLeod a natural fit for the Spotlight.
Rather than treating technology as an end in itself, his experience reflects a practical question producers face every day: What problem are we trying to solve, and does this tool actually help us solve it?
During his keynote, McLeod shared a producer’s perspective on how farms can evaluate, adopt and put new technologies to work in ways that support better decisions, stronger management and real-world results.
His message reinforced a central idea behind CU-CAT and the Ag Tech Spotlight: technology should serve agriculture, not the other way around.
Farmer input is essential to that process. New tools must be evaluated not only for what they can do, but for how well they fit into real operations, existing equipment and day-to-day management.
McLeod’s story also illustrated the connection between Clemson education and practical agricultural problem-solving. An interest sparked in the classroom became part of how a South Carolina farm approaches data, management and innovation today.
Research and Demonstrations in Action
Following the keynote, the Watt Family Innovation Center became a showcase for agricultural research, student projects and hands-on demonstrations taking place across Clemson.
The 2026 Spotlight included approximately 51 presentations, demonstrations and student projects spanning a wide range of agricultural topics.
Presentations covered precision agriculture, sensing and automation, artificial intelligence and data, irrigation, soil and crop systems, agricultural machinery and other areas of applied agricultural research.
Together, they highlighted both the range of work happening across Clemson and its connection to real agricultural needs.
Hands-on equipment and engineering demonstrations gave attendees opportunities to see research and technology in action rather than only hearing about it.
Students also had the opportunity to present their work directly to producers, researchers and agricultural professionals. Those conversations gave students experience communicating their research while helping them build connections with people working across agriculture.
For producers and industry representatives, the event created an opportunity to see what Clemson researchers and students are working on and to share their own perspectives on where research can be most useful.
Industry Partnerships Strengthen the Spotlight
Industry participation is an important part of the Ag Tech Spotlight.
Agricultural businesses and technology companies bring practical knowledge from equipment, production systems, services and commercial agriculture. Producers bring firsthand knowledge of the challenges that matter in the field. Clemson researchers, Extension professionals and students contribute research, testing, education and new ideas.
Bringing those groups together creates stronger conversations about what agriculture needs and how research, education and industry can work together to respond.
The fifth annual Spotlight was supported by Premier Sponsors and Reception Participants AgSouth Farm Credit, AMADAS Industries, Applied Inference Corp., Bay State Milling, GDNA, Herc Rentals, Premium Peanut, the South Carolina Department of Agriculture, Simplot Grower Solutions, TriEst Ag Group and W.P. Law Inc.
The event also received support and participation from BioSensor Solutions, Topcon, Michelin, BSV Association, Cal-Maine Foods, Mixon Seed Service, Reinke Irrigation, SunSource, GrainGuard, CapstanAG and ARAG, Tempest by WeatherFlow, Realize Ascent Labs and DeepAgro as Supporting Sponsors.
That involvement helps make the Spotlight more than a research showcase. It creates opportunities for researchers to hear from industry, for students to make professional connections and for agricultural businesses to engage with Clemson research and emerging talent.
Those relationships help keep agricultural research and technology conversations connected to the needs of producers and agricultural businesses.
Five Years of Building Connections
Reaching the fifth annual Clemson Ag Tech Spotlight represents more than an event milestone.
It reflects a growing network of producers, researchers, students, Extension professionals and industry representatives who are willing to come together around the challenges facing agriculture.
No single technology or research project can address every challenge producers face.
Progress depends on people working across disciplines and organizations.
That is where CU-CAT serves an important role: connecting Clemson research, education and outreach with producers and industry so practical ideas can be evaluated, shared and put to work.
The success of the fifth annual Spotlight could be seen not only in the number and variety of projects presented, but in the conversations happening throughout the afternoon.
From research posters and equipment demonstrations to producer insights and industry connections, the Spotlight is about bringing people together around the work happening in agriculture and creating space to learn from one another.
Putting Clemson Research to Work
The Clemson University Center for Agricultural Technology brings together research, education and outreach to help farmers and agricultural professionals access practical tools, trusted information and Clemson expertise.
The Ag Tech Spotlight puts that mission into action by creating a place where producers can engage with research, students can share their work, researchers can hear from industry and new partnerships can begin.
Learn more about the fifth annual Clemson Ag Tech Spotlight at https://events.cuagtech.com/2026-spotlight/