Wilson’s Smart Agriculture Test Bed moves from launch to active trials

By Shappelle Marshall

Summary: Just months after opening its doors, Wilson’s smart agriculture test bed is now hosting its first crop trials and proving out cutting-edge farming technologies in real-world conditions.

When Gig East Source opened earlier this year, the goal was ambitious yet grounded: give eastern North Carolina a place where agriculture and technology could meet in real time. Now, only a few months later, that vision is taking shape across a greenhouse, sensors, and data dashboards that bring the region’s Smart Ag movement to life.

The facility, operated through a partnership between RIoT and the City of Wilson, is currently running a tomato trial aimed at demonstrating year-round growing capabilities in eastern North Carolina. The pilot serves a dual purpose: testing whether specialty crops like tomatoes can be grown outside their traditional summer season, and stress-testing the greenhouse’s full suite of technologies — from environmental control systems and LED grow lights to irrigation automation and data sensors.

“We’re using that pilot to prove out all of the technologies in the greenhouse,” said Greg Dunko, Director of Strategy for RIoT and key contact for the Gig East Smart Ag initiative. “We can monitor all the data and control the system.”

The facility has drawn interest from local growers, agribusiness leaders, and educational institutions. Wilson Community College has already begun running student labs at the site, while Cooperative Extension Services have provided ongoing support.

“From those who are aware of what we’re doing, it’s been incredibly supportive, very positive,” Dunko said. “People are offering time and certainly input and ideas.”

Charlie Bourne, a consultant working with RIoT on the grant, manages day-to-day operations and outreach for the test bed. She described the current setup as well-equipped to support trials, with LoRa sensors, Wi-Fi connectivity, environmental data collection monitoring temperature and humidity, and even a live YouTube feed of greenhouse conditions.

“Everything looks good,” Bourne said. “Right now, we are really well set up to collect data from trials and monitor the temperature and the environment in the greenhouses.”

Beyond the tomato trial, the facility has attracted attention from technology entrepreneurs. An agricultural AI platform pilot is slated to begin in Q1 of 2026. The platform integrates multiple radio technologies and sensor systems, applying AI algorithms to process and interpret agricultural data.
Response from the agricultural community has been cautiously optimistic. “I think people are generally excited and very curious,” Bourne said. “There’s always some hesitation with controlled environment agriculture since not everybody is familiar with it.”

For those unfamiliar with the concept, controlled environment agriculture (CEA) offers farmers a way to manage climate-related risks. In a state that has faced increasing flooding events and heat stress, CEA provides more predictable yields by controlling variables that field farming cannot.

“When you get to control for those climate factors, you can make sure that your yield is safe and guaranteed,” Bourne explained. “We see a lot of potential for the future of CEA in North Carolina and the Southeast in general.”

The team is also preparing to release a feasibility study examining opportunities for specialty crop production in eastern North Carolina. The report will be unveiled at a public event designed to raise awareness among local growers about the facility’s capabilities.

“The goal is really to explore what makes sense for successful businesses or successful farm diversification in eastern North Carolina,” Bourne said. “Agriculture is something that’s already foundational to our state’s economy, so advancing in smart ag and automation can help keep us at the forefront of progress and create some new jobs while keeping our agriculture competitive for the future.”

The facility is actively seeking collaborations with growers, tech innovators, and educational partners interested in testing new production methods or agricultural technologies. Conversations are underway with local community colleges and universities about expanding the site’s educational programming.

Those interested in learning more about trial opportunities or scheduling a site visit can reach out through RIoT or the City of Wilson.