T-Mobile has been exploring ways to implement QR codes in agriculture and may have found a perfect place to use the codes. The telecommunications company has taken a keen interest in the codes recently, recognizing their abilities to engage mobile consumers. The company has been working with the National Farmers’ Union to place QR codes on animals and scarecrows. The initiative has drawn some controversy from animal rights advocacy groups, but T-Mobile insists that these codes are not harmful to animals in any way.
T-Mobile has teamed with EBLEX, a trade group serving the agriculture industry, to develop a new mobile application that can be used to remotely control scarecrows. The app works by scanning a QR code assigned to a specific scarecrow. The code grants a mobile user access to the scarecrow, which can be moved with a simple touch of the finger. Farmers using the app will also be able to access night-vision cameras located in a scarecrow’s eyes, allowing them to keep an eye on their land at all hours of the day.
The National Farmers’ Union has also begun placing QR codes on livestock. These codes are linked to websites which detail an animal’s vaccinations, medical and treatment history. The codes will be useful to both farmers and inspectors who are concerned with staying up to date on the health of animals.
