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"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." -- Arthur C. Clarke
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"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." -- Arthur C. Clarke
Questr Automation is a National Science Foundation Innovation Corps company
Questr Automation LLC is a veteran-owned, West Virginia-based technology startup dedicated to modernizing the family farm using practical, affordable automation. We become a farm's "Central Nervous System," unifying disconnected hardware—from environmental sensors in broiler houses to precision irrigation for almond orchards—into a single, easy-to-use platform. We pair hands-on field know-how with modern tools to help producers save time, cut labor costs, and protect their bottom line without the headache of managing complex technology.
We believe modernization shouldn't be a gamble. Through our ROOST Farm Automation Pilot Program, we offer a low-risk path to adoption that puts the farmer in the driver's seat. We start with a comprehensive on-farm assessment, help line up funding (leveraging USDA and WVDA subsidies) to offset costs, and handle the complete installation and training process. ROOST is farmer-driven and results-oriented, proving the ROI with simple, no-nonsense analytics so farmers can focus on farming, not IT.
Schedule a time to talk to our founder, Dave Oberting, here:
Questr Automation LLC is a veteran-owned, West Virginia-based technology startup dedicated to modernizing the family farm using practical, affordable automation. We become a farm's "Central Nervous System," unifying disconnected hardware—from environmental sensors in broiler houses to precision irrigation for almond orchards—into a single, easy-to-use platform. We pair hands-on field know-how with modern tools to help producers save time, cut labor costs, and protect their bottom line without the headache of managing complex technology.
We believe modernization shouldn't be a gamble. Through our ROOST Farm Automation Pilot Program, we offer a low-risk path to adoption that puts the farmer in the driver's seat. We start with a comprehensive on-farm assessment, help line up funding (leveraging USDA and WVDA subsidies) to offset costs, and handle the complete installation and training process. ROOST is farmer-driven and results-oriented, proving the ROI with simple, no-nonsense analytics so farmers can focus on farming, not IT.
Schedule a time to talk to our founder, Dave Oberting, here:
Questr's Economic Impact: Strengthening the Rural Core
Questr Automation serves as a dual-engine for local economic growth. We don't just modernize agriculture; we build the human infrastructure required to sustain it. Our impact is measured in two specific ways: Farm Viability (The Hardware) and Workforce Retention (The Apprenticeship).
1. The "Hardware Effect": Securing Farm Viability Agriculture is the economic bedrock of our region. When family farms struggle, the local economy struggles. Questr distributes automation equipment that directly impacts the local circulation of dollars:
Questr Automation serves as a dual-engine for local economic growth. We don't just modernize agriculture; we build the human infrastructure required to sustain it. Our impact is measured in two specific ways: Farm Viability (The Hardware) and Workforce Retention (The Apprenticeship).
1. The "Hardware Effect": Securing Farm Viability Agriculture is the economic bedrock of our region. When family farms struggle, the local economy struggles. Questr distributes automation equipment that directly impacts the local circulation of dollars:
- Profit Retention: By reducing labor costs and minimizing input waste (feed, water, energy), we increase the Net Farm Income of local producers. Profitable farmers spend money locally—on trucks, hardware, and services—rather than sending it out of state to pay for inefficiencies.
- Asset Protection: Our systems protect the region’s most valuable biological assets (poultry flocks, cattle herds) from catastrophic loss. This stability ensures that farms remain operational for the next generation, preventing land from being sold off for development.
- Competitiveness: By equipping local producers with the same "Big Data" tools used by corporate giants, we ensure West Virginia farms remain competitive in the global market.
- "New Collar" Job Creation: We are creating a new category of employment in Hardy County: the Farm Automation Technician. These are high-wage ($45k-$60k), high-tech careers that do not require a four-year degree, making them accessible to local high school graduates and veterans.
- Skill Transferability: The skills our apprentices learn—low-voltage electronics, networking, drone piloting, and robotics—are highly transferable. We are building a tech-savvy workforce that benefits not just agriculture, but local manufacturing, utilities, and emergency services.
- Youth Retention: By offering an exciting, high-tech career path inside the county, we give young people a reason to stay and build their lives here, rather than moving to urban centers for opportunity.
"I was skeptical about 'smart farming' at first—around here, that usually just means 'expensive.' But Questr didn't try to sell me a spaceship. They just showed me the numbers. We automated the ventilation adjustments in my broiler houses based on real-time ammonia levels. My propane bill went down because I wasn't over-venting, my birds weighed out heavier, and I hit the top integrator pay bracket for the first time in two years. The system paid for itself in two flocks. It’s not just technology; it’s common sense."
— 3rd Generation Poultry Grower, Hardy County, WV
— 3rd Generation Poultry Grower, Hardy County, WV
"I run 80 head of Angus on some pretty rough ground in the Potomac Highlands. I used to spend two hours every other day just riding fences and checking water tanks. It felt like I was working for the truck, just burning diesel. Questr set us up with their tank monitors and fence sensors. Now, I check the herd from my phone while I'm having coffee. Last winter, the system alerted me that a tank heater had tripped a breaker at 3:00 AM. I fixed it before the water froze over. That one alert saved me a busted pump and a lot of stressed-out cows."
— Cow/Calf Producer, Pendleton County, WV
— Cow/Calf Producer, Pendleton County, WV
