About the European Conference on Precision Agriculture
The European Conference of Precision Agriculture (ECPA), established in 1997, is a biennial scientific conference held in odd-numbered years, dedicated to advancing research, education, and practice in Precision Agriculture, with particular emphasis on the detection and management of spatial and temporal variability in agricultural systems.
The ECPA Program Committee (ECPA-PC) is responsible for promoting, organizing and supervising the European Conference on Precision Agriculture, ensuring the continuity, quality, and scientific standards of ECPA across editions. Abstracts submitted are first assessed for relevance and scientific merit, and selected submissions are invited to submit full papers. The review process follows standards similar to those used by Precision Agriculture journal: each full paper undergoes peer review by two members of the Scientific Committee and is evaluated by the editor, with revisions requested where necessary prior to final acceptance. Papers accepted through this process are presented as oral contributions at the conference and are published in the ECPA proceedings. Poster contributions follow a separate review process based on submitted abstracts and are presented during the poster sessions.
The 1st ECPA was held in Warwick, United Kingdom, from 7–10 September 1997. Chaired by Dr. John V. Stafford, the conference brought together researchers and practitioners working on the emerging concept of Precision Agriculture and established an important European forum for the scientific exchange of ideas and results in this field. The proceedings of the conference, edited by Dr. Stafford and published by BIOS Scientific Publishers, documented many of the early scientific developments that helped shape Precision Agriculture research in Europe.
Prof. John V. Stafford played a central role in initiating and developing the ECPA conference series. In addition to chairing the first conference, he guided the organization and continuity of ECPA and its Program Committee for many years, up to the conference held in Bologna, Italy, in 2023. As editor of most of the ECPA proceedings, he also helped ensure the scientific rigor and lasting impact of the conference series within the international Precision Agriculture community.
With the retirement of Dr. J. V. Stafford, a renewal process began to ensure that the ECPA continues upholding the high standards he established. One of the outcomes of this renewal is the new ECPA logo, presented here for the very first time. The logo features a satellite symbolizing both remote sensing and positioning/navigation applications. It also includes a ground-based sensor representing proximal sensing, placed over a striped and heterogeneous soil cover to highlight the variability that Precision Agriculture seeks to manage. The tractor illustrates the broad range of technologies involved in the sector. Finally, the logo incorporates both perennial and annual crops, reflecting the diversity of agricultural systems.
