Preserving the environment and developing agricultural products that do not harm unintended targets are top priorities for many scientists and farmers. It’s a new era of crop management known as precision agriculture. It maximizes productivity while minimizing energy use and environmental impacts. One of the major challenges being addressed by precision agriculture is over-fertilization. Support from the National Science Foundation (NSF) has led to the development by startup SupraSensor Technologies of a novel sensor to detect nitrate fertilizer in soil. The SupraSensor device is designed to give farmers a highly accurate, virtually constant stream of data on nitrate levels. Part of the National Science Foundation Series “Science Nation.”