AgTech GIS  in association with Agri-Food Laboratories has been involved in the development of imagery programs for Ontario since 1997. We have had hundreds of thousands of acres involved with near real time aerial imagery/scouting systems, extensive bare soil satellite imagery analysis and crop vigor assessment projects as well as several commercial programs for clients. Our zone management by bare ground imagery analysis has been highly successful when used in conjunction with our quality soil and nitrogen sampling programs.
The requests for digital, geo-referenced imagery is increasing due to the adoption of GPS technology, the increasing number of growers who are implementing computer based record-keeping, the use of yield monitors, and mapping software, either on farm or through a service provider.  The launch of the AgTech GIS - Agri-Food Imagery On-line service brings our extensive collection of Ontario images directly to the user.
Agricultural uses of remotely sensed satellite imagery to date have historically focused on broad macro-based evaluations, such as regional, national, and international estimates of acreage and yield.  However, agribusiness demand for satellite data is shifting to a more micro-based (local area, individual farm, and in-field) focus. Although technology trends, such as the continuing improvement in price and performance of desktop computing, have been a factor, the primary driver in the shift is the increasing adoption of precision farming techniques.
The basis of precision farming is that patterns of productivity are highly variable within a given farm field, and that farm management to this micro-level of variation can optimize yield and input cost efficiency while providing responsible land stewardship. Satellite imagery has important potential applications to farm management information including year-to-year comparisons, assessment of crop stress (weeds, disease);  mapping of damage (hail, floods, etc.) for insurance purposes;  and to provide a backdrop of geo-referenced farm overview maps