As the Sun approaches the peak of its 11-year cycle, an increase in solar activity has begun impacting Earth in unexpected ways. NASA anticipates this surge in charged solar particles, which began this year, to extend through 2025 and possibly into 2026. This heightened activity has not only brought more frequent displays of auroras but has also created significant challenges for modern agriculture.
Farmers have reported that solar storms, which flood the Earth’s ionosphere with charged plasma, have disrupted high-tech agricultural equipment that relies on GPS for precision navigation. One particularly severe storm in May threw GPS systems off course during a critical planting period. Aurora chaser Elaine Ramstad recounted that, during the event, farmers found their GPS-guided tractors behaving erratically. “Our tractors acted like they were demon possessed,” she said, recalling how her cousins blamed her beloved auroras for their troubles.
GPS systems, integral to modern farming practices such as auto-steering and yield mapping, are especially vulnerable to these solar disruptions. According to John Deere service manager Ethan Smidt, up to 80 percent of Midwest farmers use basic GPS technology, while 50 percent depend heavily on it year-round.
The disruptions are due to solar particles distorting radio signals as they pass through the Earth’s ionosphere. This layer, which typically protects against solar radiation and transmits GPS signals from satellites, becomes volatile during intense solar storms, altering signal density and causing erratic behavior in devices. Ramstad observed that during one such storm, her GPS was nearly a foot off; by evening, her tractor’s auto-steer system was uncontrollable.
Farmers should brace for continued interference, with NASA predicting solar maximum to last for another year or more. However, hope lies in emerging technologies. Engineers are exploring alternatives such as machine learning and AI to help reduce reliance on GPS for future navigation systems.
