Agronomy

Employee spotlight: Brady Haynes

Man in wheelchair gets ready to launch a drone over farm fields.

Agronomist Brady Haynes uses drone technology to scout fields and help him make recommendations to farmers.

Oct 05, 2023

By Kindra Plumb

Brady Haynes is dedicated to helping farmers find solutions to everyday problems. “CHS agronomists bring new technologies and experience to the field,” says Haynes, CHS High Plains agronomist, Holyoke, Colo. “Being there for the farmer with the right plan is critical.”

Haynes uses drone technology to count plant populations, do tassel counts for yield estimations and monitor plant health, which helps him make recommendations to farmers. As someone with a disability, he says drones become his eyes and legs, allowing him to see things a person normally wouldn’t see.

“My experience as a person with a disability working in agriculture is not as different from the average person as you would think, except for some mobility issues,” says Haynes. “You still have to think outside the box and formulate a plan. You use your eyes and your brain more than you’ll ever use your legs.”

CHS assisted Haynes by providing a vehicle with adaptive technology, including hand controls, an easy-access seat and a chair lift.

“The amount of support when it comes to my mobility issues has been extraordinary from my leadership team and coworkers,” says Haynes. “CHS offered resources that not every company would offer.”

Hear more from Haynes in this short video: