Joe Hossle doesn’t worry any more about his diesel fuel tanks running empty, how much corn is in his grain bins or whether he locked up his machine shed before going away for the weekend.

That information, and much more, is just a few clicks away on Hossle’s smartphone through a remote monitoring system in­­stalled this year on his grain and livestock farm just outside of Emerson.

The smart-farm technology enables the 58-year-old Hossle to monitor water and feed levels for his cattle, control thermostats and door locks, manage grain bin capacity, check fuel tanks and view live and recorded video surveillance of his buildings, equipment, crops and livestock.

"It simply amazes me," said Hossle. "It’s really unimaginable what we can do out here. If I’m in Omaha and can’t...