An Ord college student is turning agricultural technology into a growing business — and earning statewide recognition in the process.
Adam Knapp, a University of Nebraska–Lincoln agribusiness student from Ord, recently won first place in UNL’s annual New Venture Competition with his custom drone spraying company, Knapp Custom Ops LLC.
The competition drew a record 84 teams from across the university, with students competing for more than $80,000 in donor-funded prizes.
Knapp’s business provides aerial drone application services for farmers in the Valley County area.
“It’s a drone spraying business,” Knapp said. “I offer custom application service business to farmers in the Valley County area. So the main thing I do is fungicide and insecticide. And then I also spray pastures, spread cover crops, and then do some small herbicide spraying around farm yards and stuff like that.”
Knapp said precision agriculture technology continues to reshape farming operations and create opportunities for businesses like his.
“It’s a huge game changer,” Knapp said of modern ag technology.
He said his operation stood out in the competition partly because the business is already operating successfully.
“One of the biggest things was just the traction I had in the first year — the amount of business I did and amount of revenue — and also offering a service that is needed,” Knapp said. “It’s filling a gap in the area.”
Knapp recently completed his sophomore year at UNL and plans to return to central Nebraska after graduation.
“That’s the plan,” Knapp said of farming and continuing to grow the custom application business.
The $15,000 grand prize will help fund upgrades to his drone equipment ahead of the next growing season.