Data Management

Inside The Tax Return of Your Farm's Future

Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:31:52 GMT

The traditional process of preparing agricultural tax returns has long been defined by manual data entry and the complex reconciliation of income. However, the integration of artificial intelligence into financial systems is ushering in a more sophisticated era of tax management. For the modern farm, the future of filing lies in a seamless pipeline where software handles the heavy lifting of data organization, leaving the high-level strategy to human experts.

Comprehensive Data Integration

The foundation of a modern tax return is the accounting system. Platforms like QuickBooks, Xero or specialized farm management software are becoming increasingly autonomous. In the near future, these AI agents will do more than simply record expenses; they will analyze them in real-time.

With direct links to bank feeds and digital invoices, AI can categorize expenditures with precision. It can distinguish between capital investments, such as machinery or land improvements, and standard operating costs like seed and fuel. This continuous synchronization means by the end of the fiscal year, the financial records are already in a format that mirrors the requirements of a tax return.

Automated Document Reconciliation

A significant portion of tax preparation involves matching — ensuring the farm’s internal records align with the documents issued by third parties. A preparer of a farm tax return may spend more time making sure all of the income is in the right box then planning to optimize the income tax level.

AI is uniquely suited to handle this high-volume verification. The system can automatically ingest Form 1099-PATR (cooperative distributions), 1099-G (government subsidies) and other Form 1099s and W-2s and verify them against recorded deposits.

If a document is missing or a figure does not match the ledger, AI identifies the specific discrepancy immediately, allowing for a targeted correction rather than a manual search through months of records.

The Role of Human Oversight

While AI provides the technical framework for the return, the final stage remains firmly in human hands. Once the software has mapped the data to the appropriate tax schedules, it produces a comprehensive draft for professional review.

This allows the farmer or a tax consultant to transition from a data entry role to a strategic advisory role. Instead of spending hours verifying line items, the human reviewer can focus on critical tax planning decisions including accelerated depreciation choices or income averaging that require professional judgment and an understanding of the farm’s long-term goals.

The result is a more accurate, defensible and efficient tax filing process. By automating the clerical aspects of the return, AI allows agricultural producers to maintain focus on their operations while ensuring full compliance with the evolving tax laws.

Ask These Questions Before Taking the Plunge on New Precision Ag Tech

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 22:52:11 GMT

Editor’s note: This is the fourth of a series on questions growers should ask before investing in new ag tech. Because fresh produce is a high-value segment of agriculture, there are a lot of options available to spend money on, but asking the right questions before a purchase can save time, money and headache.

A lot of tech out there today either runs on data, generates data or both. Whether this is a connected internet-of-things-style irrigation sensor or a logging program to keep track of driver miles or a system that tracks harvest records that ties to payroll, there are some questions you should ask if data is involved in a new ag tech purchase.

They include:

Do I have what I need for this tech to be useful to me?
How usable (and actionable) will the data be?
How can I use that data with artificial intelligence (AI)?
Is this tech (and its supplier) right for me?
Does it work with my business’ workflow?

No. 1: Do I have what I need for this tech?

This one might seem a bit basic, but it still bears asking. You can’t really have a useful “internet of things” system if, for example, you can’t get an internet connection out to your orchard.

Lack of connectivity was a reoccurring issue that Liz Turner, marketing and special project coordinator for Croptracker, a precision ag tech software provider serving the fresh produce industry, encountered in her work early on.

“People were not taking into account that a lot of the data capture needed to happen where there wasn’t a lot of signal. And so missing data became an issue,” she says. That pushed Croptracker to develop offline data collection strategies. So, if your answer to “Do I have sufficient connectivity for this system to work?” is no, then you should likely ask the ag tech supplier if they have a system that can handle offline data collection.

But checking in on if you have what is needed for a data-focused ag tech system or solution can be less direct too. Because it takes a lot of data to help get the most out of data-focused ag tech, Chris Higgins, general manager of Hort Americas, a components and materials supplier for CEA growers, stresses the importance of having historical data well organized.

“Five years ago, I would have said that the largest growers were not even ready to have the tech conversation because their data was unorganized,” he says. The large growers have gotten organized since then, he adds, but smaller growers are still struggling with data.

“The smaller growers are battling the fact that, ‘Oh yeah, one guy knows all of this data.’ Now getting that guy to sit down and put it into an Excel spreadsheet is very, very challenging,” Higgins says.

Turner specifically recommends growers have an eye to the future of data — i.e. AI — when they think about the organization of their historical data.

“Thinking about ways that you’re organizing and maintaining your historical records, even without a big clear vision about how AI is going to replace XYZ processes in your operation, is really important because that historic data can become really valuable for future AI uses,” Turner says.

She urges growers to think about how their historic records and data, things like production practices and fertilization records versus yield records, might fuel a personalized predictive model in the future.

“It’s important to consider that you’re not just capturing [that data] for now or for a government regulation,” she continues. “You can be capturing it for the future. That historic data that’s specific to your farm and your location and your varieties is very valuable to you and should be treated as such.”

No. 2: How usable will the data be?

This was the most common recommendation from all sources The Packer talked to when it comes to investing in a new precision ag system or data-generating sensor. It’s a key question because, if the data coming out of the system isn’t usable to you, there’s little point in investing in it.

Unusable data will just become an expensive dust (or storage space) collector, as Steve Mantle, CEO and founder of Innov8.ag, a data- and AI-focused tech consulting group that works with permanent crop produce growers, experienced.

“There was one grower I met with recently who had a stack of basically two reams of paper soil fertility reports, and you could tell they’ve been sitting there for several months,” he says. The grower told Mantle he’d “paged through” the data a bit, “but, it was clear that it wasn’t really actionable for them. It stopped at the owner’s desk. It hadn’t trickled down to those other tiers that actually could make a difference with that data.”

Turner also highlights the importance of the data being usable to the right people in your organization. This involves thinking about who will be using the data and what format that data should take to be most useful to them.

“For the most part, people at a desk making decisions about packing or quality or sales aren’t going to be able to look through every single QC form,” she says. “So it’s thinking about not just ‘I need all of this information,’ but ‘I need my sales desk to be able to look at a single screen and read that information in a way that can actually action on it.’”

Actionability, the correct next step, is the key difference between useful tool generating usable data and a cluttered dashboard according to Roy Levinson, commercial lead for digital farming and water meters at Netafim North America.

“Remember that information is great, but if you don’t have the tools to actually execute on the information you are gathering, you are wasting resources,” he explains. “Be sure that if you are implementing a tool that gathers information, you then will also have the ability to apply changes because there is nothing worse than not having the ability to do anything when you know you should.”

No. 3: What can the data do with the help of AI?

Mantle recommends growers ask AI-related questions of their suppliers when it comes to selecting a new data-generating ag tech product or system.

For example, he suggests growers ask how the data, once extracted, could be used and translated by non-proprietary AI tools.

“I think a really good way to ask tech providers is: ‘How can I use other tools like large language models that are relatively accessible to people now to input and think about this data differently?’” he suggests.

“If the answer is you can’t or haven’t thought about it or ‘Let’s have a discussion about it,’ then maybe you’re not talking to the to the right guys,” he adds.

No. 4: Is this tech and its supplier the right one for me?

Mark Lukenbill, commercial leader at MileMaker, a trucking-focused software solutions arm of Rand McNally, also suggests growers ask some specific questions about the suppliers of any data-focused ag tech under consideration. For example, what is that supplier’s security history?

“Security is important,” he stresses, adding that growers should ask about data breaches and potentially steer clear of companies that have had them.

When it comes to the specific sensor system or program or other precision ag item you are considering, Lukenbill also urges growers to ask: “Will this put me into tech debt?”

“For instance, if I go buy an iPhone 11 right now, I’m in tech debt because even though it’s a new phone to me, that phone’s going to be obsolete in two years,” he explains.

The risks of going into tech debt by investing in older technology include the limitations of that older technology compared to competitors, plus needing to upgrade more often and sooner than otherwise, Lukenbill adds.

“Implementing especially big, big tech inside your business is a big undertaking,” he continues. “It’s going to create a lot of friction. There’s costs. The fewer times that you can do it over X period of time, the better off you’re going to be.”

No. 5: Does the tech work with my (team’s) flow?

Speaking of the potential of causing friction in your business or on your team, Turner recommends growers ask if a system or new data-generating tech item works with how things already work on your operation. She pointed to wisdom learned in supporting berry growers with harvest tracking and payroll solutions.

“[Berry pickers’] pay depends on them moving quick, so delays where you are making them wait and stop so that you can take account of that inventory is detrimental to everyone’s productivity,” she notes. “Is your software able to support that speed or does it slow it down?”

She gave the example of an inventory system that allows for quick picker badge scan followed by scanning in of the berry totes compared to a system that requires someone to type even one number into a device. While the former allows everyone to move in their rapid flow, the potential slowdown of the latter could mean it’s more efficient for everyone “to count everything at the end while the workers are doing something else,” she explains.

“Whereas the benefit of having it in real time means that traceability is more secure, it’s more one-to-one, you’re less likely to make mistakes,” Turner says. “But if that process is too slow, then it’s not worth it.”

Basically, if a potential new system or device doesn’t work with the existing workflow, it might be skipped, bypassed or otherwise not used to its fullest potential. Which means the team or people who will have to use it need to be consulted, she says.

“The biggest things that we try to get people to ask is ‘Who should be involved in making the decision?’” Turner says.

This usually translates to ‘Who’s going to be the most impacted?’ she adds. “Our most successful onboarding for payroll processes and inventory tracking and things like that happen when the person who’s going to use that data for reporting and payroll is in conversation with the person who’s on the field capturing that data.”

This usually means bringing in, at least, the field supervisors into the decision soon “so that they can test out the flows,” Turner says.

Next week’s installment of the Tech Questions series will dive into this topic even more by focusing on what questions growers should ask their team before investing in new ag tech. Catch the rest of the series here:

John Deere-Sentera Tie Up: Here’s What We Know So Far

Tue, 27 May 2025 15:40:37 GMT

John Deere has announced its acquisition of Minnesota-based aerial optics innovator Sentera. Although specific details are few and far between this early in the process, here’s what we know so far:

The two companies have a long history. John Deere was the first enterprise customer Sentera signed onto its system over a decade ago, and the two companies have had an API link in place between Sentera’s drone management software and John Deere’s Operations Center since 2016.
Financial details are not being disclosed. We do know the deal is not subject to any further regulatory or shareholder approvals.
In a similar fashion to the Blue River Technologies and Bear Flag Robotics acquisitions, Sentera will maintain its independence as a free-standing business unit. Once fully integrated into the Deere family, Sentera will operate under the John Deere Intelligent Solutions Group (ISG) framework. Sentera leadership will remain at its St. Paul, Minn., headquarters.
For the time being, no major changes are planned for either company as we head into the heart of the summer crop scouting and spraying season. The two companies anticipate having more details to share about the nuts and bolts of the acquisition this fall.
The two groups are a natural fit. Sentera is aggressively marketing its SmartScripts drone weed mapping program, and the technology is complimentary to John Deere’s Operations Center and its See & Spray and ExactApply application technologies. One driving force behind this deal, Farm Journal is told, is Deere’s motivation to integrate more real-time agronomic data into its Operations Center platform, and Sentera’s aerial data capture capabilities can help make that happen.

(John Deere)

A deal to lift both boats. John Deere has built up a deep bench of artificial intelligence, machine learning and autonomous technology expertise within ISG, and Sentera has a long track record of aerial sensing and camera payload innovation. Considering how many cameras and sensors are included from the factory on new John Deere machines and within its Precision Upgrades retrofit kits, there should be a healthy cross pollination of sensor and camera innovation between Urbandale, Iowa, (where ISG is based) and St. Paul, Minn.
Sentera can help make See & Spray even better. SmartScripts uses drone-based imaging to scan a field and build a weed pressure map which is then loaded onto the sprayer’s in-cab computer. Now the sprayer operator can see exactly where weeds are in the field and focus their spraying efforts there first. There’s also a logistical and planning aspect to SmartScripts: by knowing exactly how many weeds are present in the field, and even what type of weeds are there, an adept operator can have the right active ingredients premixed and the exact amount needed loaded into the tank or staged nearby in a tender truck to keep that sprayer running all day long.

“Farming is becoming a very sensor and data-centric business, and in our opinion, there isn’t anyone doing it at broad scale today better than John Deere,” says Eric Taipale, chief technology officer, Sentera. “The way we can bring these data-driven insights and improve grower outcomes — it’s just what we’ve always been about. It’s what John Deere is all about. There’s such a great mesh between the two cultures, the objectives and the mission of the two organizations.”

Joseph Liefer, global technology marketing lead at John Deere, adds, “We’re excited about how this complements our existing portfolio with See & Spray, and then not just that (product). Now a farmer with an individual nozzle-controlled sprayer from any manufacturer can also leverage this technology. A drone can fly their field, generate a weed map, turn it into a prescription in Operations Center and the machine can go execute the plan. From an ag retailer standpoint, that might have a mixed fleet, and this gives them more tools in the toolbox to do targeted application for growers and help them save on herbicide. We view this deal as complementary to our overall tech strategy.”

Your Next Read: MAHA Report’s Surprising Stance on Glyphosate, Atrazine Explained

With FSMA 204 delay, companies have more time for digital transformation

Thu, 17 Apr 2025 18:25:36 GMT

On March 20 the Food and Drug Administration moved the compliance deadline for the Food Traceability Rule, also known as FSMA 204, from January 20, 2026, to July 20, 2028.

This reprieve was greeted as good news by companies struggling to determine how they were going to collect, track and report the required information, according to a news release from Inteligistics. However, the actual requirements of FSMA 204 remain unchanged.

FSMA 204 requires reporting within 24 hours of certain critical tracking events and key data elements — CTEs and KDEs. This requirement not only applies to each company notified by the FDA of a foodborne illness outbreak or food recall, but also for the companies from which they received the product or ingredients and the companies to which they shipped the product.

CTEs are triggered any time a food product moves (including from one location to another at the same company), is transformed (e.g., cooled or processed) or is handled significantly.

“Looking at their existing record-keeping and data collection, many companies got a reality check on how much there is to do, not only within their own four walls, but with their supply chain partners as well,” said Inteligistics CEO Gary Fleming. “At the same time, companies were beginning to see how the data could be used to improve operations, so they are continuing to move forward.”

Much of the product tracking and record-keeping of perishable products as they move from field to consumer has historically been manually recorded, captured in unconnected applications, or not been captured at all, according to Inteligistics. This limits the ability to spot bottlenecks and problems that could be costing companies significantly.

Assigning a GTIN and traceability lot codes and applying Produce Traceability Initiative labels to each case is the first step in creating a tracking mechanism, the company said. Collecting all the data into a system that can track, report and analyze all the end-to-end data is the ultimate goal.

This digital transformation automates data collection and tracking across data platforms to enhance visibility, efficiency, agility and decision-making — transforming traditional processes into intelligent, data-driven operations. For companies producing and selling perishable products, this reduces costs, labor and waste, according to Inteligistics.

“FSMA 204 was created because the FDA was not able to quickly perform trace-back and trace-forward investigations,” Fleming said. “This meant that tainted products remained in the supply chain for a longer period than was necessary, resulting in more people getting sick and additional people dying.

While delayed, FSMA 204 will solve problems by speeding up FDA investigations, resulting in quicker, more precise conclusions, which will help save lives, prevent unnecessary hospitalizations and minimize exposure to companies and the broader market affected by recall notices, he said.

“Beyond the food safety elements, the data capture and sharing now available from Inteligistics gives the industry visibility we have not had before, which enables us to be more efficient and strategic, reduce supply chain management costs and address problems that affect all our bottom lines today, while we prepare for FSMA implementation,” Fleming added.

Google’s Parent Company Alphabet Disperses Its Ag Tech Subsidiary

Thu, 12 Sep 2024 15:35:00 GMT

Announced earlier today, Mineral, Alphabet’s ag company, will wind down its operations.

“Mineral will no longer be an Alphabet company, and our technology will live on inside of leading agribusinesses where they can have maximum impact,” said Mineral CEO Elliott Grant in a blog post.

Mineral was founded in 2018 as part of X, the moonshot factory of Alphabet, and it had about 100 team members.

What did Mineral develop and build:

• an image database of more than 17 crops in every stage of growth in multiple environments.

• A four-wheeled semi-autonomous rover platform with multiple configurations and the core functionality as a data collection machine.

• in-field harvest analysis and post-harvest crop condition ratings for berry crops in partnership with Driscoll’s

• a geospatial analysis platform that has collected more than 450 million acres of farmland.

• Phenotyping databases and analysis

• And additional machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies.

Here’s a link to previous coverage about Mineral.

Driscoll’s has confirmed it will license the tech it partnered with Mineral to develop.

“Mineral had partnered closely with Driscoll’s - the world’s leading berry company - to develop AI tools to improve crop phenotyping, better forecast yields, optimize quality inspections, and reduce food waste in the supply chain. Some of the technologies we developed have now been transferred to Driscoll’s and will be integrated into their systems to help achieve their sustainability ambitions. Driscoll’s is the first agribusiness to receive Mineral technology, and is a first step towards ensuring that our breakthrough technologies achieve the greatest impact,” Grant said.

In closing he gave an analogy of the company’s name to the how it can be applied as a verb in the agricultural context:

“In soil science, mineralization is the process by which the nutrients in organic matter are released in a form that makes them available to the plants around them. I think this is a fitting metaphor for the new chapter of Mineral - as our technologies will be mobilized into the agriculture ecosystem, with the goal of making it more sustainable, and more resilient.”

3 hi-tech tools that are helping solve perplexing labor puzzles

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 18:55:12 GMT

While automation and artificial intelligence have taken many industries by storm in recent months, labor for the vast majority of specialty crop agriculture is still accomplished by human hands. Ask any farmer with dirt under their nails and they’ll confirm that growing food is exhausting, labor-intensive work.

Farm tasks such as planning the season, seeding, transplanting, cultivating, harvesting and transporting fresh produce — not to mention problem-solving challenges that come along the way — is over and above a full-time job for a farm manager. Completing these tasks efficiently and ensuring profit margins can perplex even the savviest entrepreneur.

Often, the most expensive investments a grower will make on their farm operation are in people, not fancy toys and tools. And while agtech has yet to crack the code on the produce industry equivalent of ChatGPT, several clever businesses are piloting new technologies that help growers hone labor efficiencies, improve clunky workflows, eliminate redundancies and level up communication across the supply chain.

Saving time by communicating in the cloud

The logistics of farming over many acres can create inherent communication hurdles. Jotting down notes with pen and paper, while helpful, doesn’t provide timely updates for your fellow farmer located 10 acres due west. While phones and walkie-talkies can be handy in a pinch to deliver need-to-know details, nothing compares to an app that is available and synced with up-to-date information sitting in the back pocket of everyone on the team, updating in real time.

What’s more, GPS tracking embedded into communication apps can share time-sensitive information that is site-specific, empowering farmers in the office and the field alike to make informed decisions about what’s happening and where it’s at in a moment’s notice.

Farm management software AgSquared is one of the farmer-focused apps helping growers track farm operations and labor in the cloud.

Not only does the app keep up with farmworker hours, breaks and location, but AgSquared can also track inputs like pesticides and fertilizers, mapping location and logging application times. The app can also analyze farm operations from a bird’s-eye view and calculate costs, said Kevin Hannigan, vice president of sales for AgSquared.

“The field guy just needs to click a few buttons and you can track costs fairly accurately and send notifications to the entire team,” Hannigan added.

The software is sold as an all-in-one farm management software subscription package that empowers more transparent, productive and profitable farms.

After the fresh produce has left the farm gate, the communication shifts from the harvest crew to the logistics and farm operation team.

Tive , a tech company that specializes in tracking produce shipments, offers produce-tracking software products like the Tive Tag and Tive Solo 5G tractors that give visibility into shipments as they are happening and sends alerts if there’s an issue.

“At Tive, we believe that the biggest challenge facing producers and retailers is visibility — because you can’t fix what you can’t see. When you can track your perishable shipments in real-time, you can see where they are and what condition they’re in, and you can take immediate action to reduce spoilage, minimize waste and improve customer satisfaction,” said Lauren Seigel, senior marketing programs manager for Tive. “With never-ending supply chain disruptions, visibility is the key to success.”

Another tech company catering to produce shipping and logistics, Procurant recently partnered with Uber Freight to digitize truck brokering, offering a software product called Procurant Ship. What was once smoke and mirrors, through a collaboration with Uber Freight, now grower-shippers can get a quick view of transparent cost profiles and real-time shipping via a digital dashboard.

Procurant Ship allows grower-shippers to see Uber Freight’s transportation rates and to secure load shipments, all while responding to an active purchase order.

“This partnership is a game-changer for grocery retailers and their produce suppliers, and it will bring much-needed relief to an industry struggling with rising transportation costs and truck availability. With this partnership, we move one step closer to a more cost-effective and streamlined fresh food supply chain,” said Procurant CEO Eric Peters.

A robotic technology that zeros in on automated solutions

Once the farm has dialed in communication, robotics technologies like automated harvesters, timed fertilization and irrigation, and drone monitoring can significantly reduce the amount of time spent inspecting, monitoring and cultivating crops.

Carbon Robotics , an AI-powered robotics agriculture tool company, just released a fully automated laser that can precisely target weeds. The tool, coined LazerWeeder, targets thinning and weeding for over 40 varieties of crops, according to a news release.

“LaserThinning is a breakthrough approach and delivers benefits that are an order of magnitude better than existing solutions,” Matt McGuire, general manager at JV Farms, said in the release. “This technology is revolutionizing how we handle weeding and thinning, bringing dependability, speed and accuracy to our farming practices.”

Juan Calderon, director of farming operations at Duncan Family Farms, agreed that the machine creates on-farm efficiencies.

“The LaserWeeder is a consistent solution that enables us to effectively manage weeds so we can put our focus, labor and resources toward other important operational tasks,” said Calderon.

This technology, helpful for direct-seeded crops, like leafy greens, and cole crops such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collards, kale and kohlrabi, can reduce dependency on hand labor or herbicides.

“With our pace of innovation, we offer a software extensible tool that addresses farming’s most pressing challenge — weeding — and expands to tackle other problems such as thinning,” Paul Mikesell, CEO and founder of Carbon Robotics, said in the release. “The LaserWeeder enables farmers to accurately execute crop thinning and weeding without disturbing crops or soil, helping to improve crop yields and soil health.”

Procurant Ship debuts at the IFPA Global Produce and Floral Show

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 20:47:44 GMT

ORLANDO, Fla. — At the 2022 International Fresh Produce Association’s Global Produce & Floral Show Oct. 27-29, some companies arrived with creative booth displays, others announced product innovations, and a few arrived with news about exciting projects and collaborations.

This year, Procurant, a software company focused on creating global food supply chain innovations, came to the show packed with a new partner, Uber Freight.

The collaboration between the tech leaders leverages Uber Freight’s logistics platform, embedded directly into Procurant software. The feature, called Procurant Ship, is available to any produce supplier registered with Procurant.

“This partnership is a game-changer for grocery retailers and their produce suppliers, and it will bring much-needed relief to an industry struggling with rising transportation costs and truck availability. With this partnership, we move one step closer to a more cost-effective and streamlined fresh food supply chain,” said Eric Peters, Procurant CEO.

Like the digital transformation of Wall Street’s trading floor from in-person bidding to digital displays of real-time exchange, this partnership between Uber Freight and Procurant is intended to create transparent cost profiles, along with real-time shipping visibility. The ultimate goal of Procurant Ship is to take the headache out of managing freight for producers, growers and shippers, Peters said.

Procurant Ship will enable suppliers to view Uber Freight’s transportation rate and secure shipment of a specific load while responding to an active purchase order. This feature also provides access to available carrier capacity to streamline carrier selection and allow real-time, in-transit shipping visibility.

“It’s imperative that produce suppliers are able to reliably source cost-effective, safe and reliable transportation services,” said Matt Menner, head of 4PL sales-east for Uber Freight. “And as freight rates remain volatile, new technologies can help ensure food stays fresh and arrives on time.”

Technology Is … Harvesting Data to Make Management Decisions

Tue, 26 Oct 2021 01:01:32 GMT

Data-driven decisions use facts and metrics to help you make smarter decisions. But what if the data you’re using is bad?

The line between good data and bad data is easily blurred. Simply, bad-quality data is inaccurate, out-of-date or hard to access.

Since the 1990s, Terry Griffin, agricultural economist and precision agriculture specialist at Kansas State University, has studied yield monitor data from thousands of fields. He offers stark observations.

“If it comes off a combine, it’s bad data,” he says. “It was measured incorrectly by a huge machine wobbling through a field. If we have 50,000 observations, 20,000 are misleading. That’s not the end of the world, as we can clean that data and detect erroneously measured observations, but normally farmers don’t do that.”

POST-HARVEST ANALYSIS

Typically, it takes about 45 minutes to process a field, Griffin says. This includes flagging data outliers for analysis or omission. To the machine data, you want to incorporate the meta data, which can include personal observations, random field notes and more.

Meet with your team once harvest is complete and have them bring maps and memories, suggests Farm Journal Field Agronomist Ken Ferrie. He and Griffin provide these tips for analyzing yield data:

1. Do not send yield maps to be analyzed by someone outside your farm. Only your team, including consultants involved with decision making, know what happened.

2. Use raw data, not contoured or “smoothed out” maps. Yield maps must show yield spatial variability. Set up seven to 10 ranges (yield increments) with equal points, whether the variation in a field is 15 bu. per acre or 50 bu.

3. Confirm consistent conditions. The combine should be operated in similar conditions to which the yield monitor was calibrated. For example, Griffin says, an abrupt change in speed results in a spike, up or down, in yield data. “These outliers can be seen by examining percent change in ground speed between yield data observations within a transect. Flag this data.”

4. Overlay soil type and topography on yield maps. This will help identify the cause of yield swings.

5. Compare yield data with pest records. Specifically analyze ear size and ear count.

6. Don’t rely on average yields. Dry areas will yield higher in wet years and vice versa. “Averages don’t necessarily reveal management zones,” Ferrie says.

Technology is … different for every farmer. Find stories, videos and resources below to learn how to make smart technology investments.

Technology Is … Transforming Data Into Actions

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 19:22:18 GMT

Well-organized and protected farm data can pay dividends

The sheer volume of data collected each year on your farm would probably blow your mind. From yield results to soil sample results to seeding rates, you can quickly be flooded — or drowned — by data insights.

For this reason, you need a plan to collect, analyze and store your farm’s data, says John Fulton, precision agriculture specialist for Ohio State University Extension.

“When creating a farm digital strategy, establish where and how farm data will be stored and organized,” he says. “The longer data sits, the less valuable it becomes to the user.”

Ensuring data can be shared with trusted advisers who can analyze it to develop recommendations will maximize the data’s value, Fulton says.

INVENTORY AND ORGANIZE

The first steps to develop a digital strategy include documenting what you have, Fulton says. Answer these questions:

What digital tools are you currently using?
If not using digital tools, do you plan to use any in the future?
How do you share data?
What, person and/or entity, do you plan to share data with?
What data is required to share?
What is your objective for the data being collected?
What tools do you plan to use to meet those objectives?
What is your internal plan to store, archive and secure data?

STORE AND ANALYZE

Once you do an inventory of your data, develop a storage plan. Fulton provides these tips:

Catalogue data first by year, and then by crop, field or farm, as appropriate for your operation.
Store an original copy of data both on-farm and off-farm.
Hard copies of data should be in a locked, fireproof safe.
Online data should be password-protected. Use any available cybersecurity features.
Ensure data can be accessed from a convenient location (the cloud, a phone, computer, etc.).
Develop a process to digitize any manually collected or handwritten data.

Technology is … different for every farmer. Find stories, videos and resources below to learn how to make smart technology investments.

(Farm Journal)

Cyber Threats Are A Real Threat To Modern Agriculture’s Expanding Digital Infrastructure

Wed, 12 Jan 2022 13:05:40 GMT

A malicious cyberattack in late May 2021 forced the shutdown of all of JBS’ beef plants and many of its pork and poultry plants. This attack on the world’s largest meat processor spotlighted the vulnerability of another critical American industry. This time, agriculture was the target.

According to the Harvard Business Review, the amount that companies paid to hackers grew by 300% in 2020. In the first 10 months of 2021, just six ransomware groups were responsible for breaching the cybersecurity defenses of 292 organizations. From those attacks, these criminal organizations had tallied up more than $45 million in ransom money.

Of all the cyberattacks and ransomware attacks in 2021, the breach of Colonial Pipeline in late April had the most news coverage. A ransomware group known as DarkSide with ties to Russia was responsible for the attack that shut down 5,500 miles of pipe and halted the flow of countless barrels of gasoline, diesel and jet fuel from the Gulf Coast to the Eastern Seaboard. To avoid further disruption, Colonial Pipeline eventually gave in to the ransomware group’s demands and paid the group $4.4 million in bitcoin.

Agriculture Is An Easy Target

Experts warn that as an industry, agriculture has a very soft digital underbelly that’s easily breached due to very limited investment in cybersecurity to date.

For an industry that is betting the farm on becoming increasingly digitally connected and automated, this should set off alarm bells in all sectors and all levels of agriculture—from the back 40 to the halls of Congress. As more devices are hooked up to networks and more tasks are turned over to automation, the opportunity and potential reward for cyberattackers will only grow exponentially during the next several years.

According to Vantage Market Research, the size of the global agricultural robot market is expected to reach $15.93 billion by 2028. That’s up from $3.63 billion in 2020 and represents a compound annual growth rate of 20.31% during the forecast period—2021 to 2028.

A private industry notification issued by the FBI’s cyber division on Sept. 1 listed five major attacks that occurred in the food sector since November 2020. The list included everything from a bakery company to a well-known beverage company to a large farming operation. Two more attacks—on grain co-ops, Iowa’s NEW Cooperative and Minnesota’s Crystal Valley—came less than a month after the FBI’s warning.

As with many of these “events,” the aftermath involves plenty of finger-pointing. In the fallout of the JBS attack, a good deal of blame was shifted on the government for not creating cybersecurity guidelines and compliance mandates for agriculture.

Sens. Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst from Iowa recently went to the floor of the Senate to stress that more must be done related to cybersecurity within agriculture. They advocated: “Agricultural security is national security.”

It is foolish to think government alone can fix the issue or prevent future attacks. But, government can develop guidelines and performance goals. One of the first things that could be done is to adopt standards related to manufacturing automation equipment that is secure by design. IoT devices need to have additional security measures before they are deployed to the field. Because of the lack of a law, both the users and manufacturers blame each other for not adopting even minimum security measures for these pieces of equipment. This issue has become a significant cybersecurity liability.

What you can do

The rest of us must become increasingly aware and vigilant in fighting this war. Pardon the pun, but one could “lose the farm” because of an unforeseen cyberattack. Whether you are a CEO of a multilocation co-op or an individual farmer who has connected your operations and data to the “cloud,” you are a target, and this threat is not going to go away.

ThroughPut.AI, Inteligistics partner to use data and AI to aid fresh produce industry

Tue, 11 Jun 2024 18:07:07 GMT

ThroughPut Inc. says it has formed a strategic technology alliance with Inteligistics that aims to use data and artificial intelligence to foster supply chain improvements for the agricultural industry.

“The benefits of moving data off manual documents and into digital format should be clear to anyone familiar with technology and automation,” ThroughPut Inc., an industrial AI supply-chain decision intelligence company, said in a news release. “The exciting part is learning what AI can do with this data.”

Palo Alto, Calif.-based ThroughPut.AI — in collaboration with Pittsburgh-based Inteligistics, a digital visibility solutions provider for fresh food supply chains — will enable growers, suppliers, carriers, distributors and retailers to significantly improve the speed, accuracy and efficiency of their supply and cold chain operations, the release said.

ThroughPut.AI addresses inefficiencies in areas ranging from harvest and pre-cooling, packing and shipping, in-transit visibility, temperature monitoring, route optimization, dwell time, shipment unloading and storage, mis-picked product and the resulting inventory inaccuracies to FSMA 204 compliance tracking, according to the company, which noted that each of these inefficiencies negatively affects profit margins, customer service, sales, brand reputation, quality, shelf life, food safety and overall operations.

“We’re delighted to partner with Inteligistics as we look to expand our capabilities for our clients in the critical food and agriculture industry. Food and ag supply chain networks cater to long-suffering perishable goods with siloed data systems and dated supply chain operations due to the inherent challenges of short shelf-life and large fluctuations in demand,” Seth Page, ThroughPut Inc. chief operating officer and head of strategic partnerships, said in the release. “Their older siloed legacy solutions of yesteryear don’t address today’s complex and volatile supply chain challenges. By partnering with Inteligistics, we can stitch together and optimize the huge amounts of existing disparate data with Industrial-grade AI for better results.”

“Our partnership with ThroughPut.AI will empower members of the agricultural industry to leverage data for timely, intelligent decision-making resulting from unparalleled visibility at each leg of the supply chain and accompanying analytics required to make better decisions,” Inteligistics Chairman and CEO Rao Mandava said. “We are in a new era that can provide never-seen-before capabilities to address problems of the past and fortify ourselves from problems in the future. With our combined capabilities, our customers will immediately see the benefits of how we can usher them into this new era.”

Measure to Improve launches software solution for growers working with Walmart, other retailers

Mon, 16 Oct 2023 13:20:37 GMT

Measure to Improve , a Salinas, Calif.-based sustainability consulting firm, is poised to launch a software solution designed to help growers respond to Walmart and similar buyer surveys efficiently and effectively, according to a news release.

One of MTI’s Core Programs and Services is Buyer Survey Support, which supports clients in responding to buyer sustainability information requests accurately, completely and confidently, the release said.

Having worked with growers on these requests, MTI says it sees how challenging, time-consuming and confusing the collection and reporting of this information can be. Data is often required from multiple sources and locations and must be analyzed and interpreted in a limited amount of time.

“The produce industry faces unique obstacles related to seasonality, multiple cropping systems and complex production systems that make it more difficult to respond to surveys designed for a broad range of agricultural suppliers,” Measure to Improve CEO and founder Nikki Cossio said in the release. “After years of collaborating with our clients throughout the fresh produce supply chain, the critical need for an all-encompassing software solution to address these challenges became apparent.”

In 2022, MTI began looking for partners capable of developing a software solution tailored to these needs and found alignment with CropTrak and iDecisionSciences . Both companies provide a user-friendly tool that simplifies data collection and aggregation and enhances the value of this information as a management and decision-making resource, the release said.

CropTrak is known for its easy-to-use, grower-friendly data solutions, and IDS for its data analysis, aggregation and transformation along produce supply chains, according to the release. Combined with MTI’s sustainability expertise, the collaboration brings a new tool to the industry, the release said.

“Several of our major customers have used CropTrak form-based software to collect survey metrics for sustainability initiatives in recent years,” Landon Morris, CropTrak vice president of marketing, said in the release. “The leading perspectives from MTI and IDS together allowed us to develop a standalone application built specifically to address this growing market need.”

The MTI, IDS and CropTrak collaboration has accelerated CropTrak’s commercialization timeline for a survey-focused application to support growers, suppliers and retailers, the release said. The solution will automate and streamline various manual steps involved in data gathering, input, aggregation, analysis and interpretation.

The solution also facilitates real-time data collection for growers, enabling them not only to be prepared for survey requests, but also to use the gathered information for informed management decisions, the release said. Among the software’s benefits will be the capability for aggregators to engage in peer-to-peer comparisons with the aim of collaboration and sharing best practices within the industry.

“We are excited to partner with MTI and CropTrak on a supply chain solution that supports growers,” iDecisionSciences CEO Diane Wetherington said in the release. “Our joint efforts will enable the seamless exchange of sustainability insights across the entire supply chain and help ensure that consumers are well-informed about the ongoing sustainability initiatives to produce their food. As with food safety, sustainability is an ongoing journey that we all acknowledge as crucial for safeguarding the availability of healthy food in both the present and the future.”

Measure to Improve says it is currently conducting a limited software release to a select group of existing clients. The tool is scheduled for public release in 2024.

Report Provides New Farmer Insights on Farm-Level Data Collection and Sharing in 2021

Tue, 11 May 2021 21:17:19 GMT

Several challenges prevent farmers from collecting and sharing data on their production practices, but there is ample opportunity to empower farmer’s digital transition, according to new research from Farm Journal ‘s initiative, Trust In Food , and The Sustainability Consortium (TSC).

Farm-level production data plays a critical role in conservation and sustainability efforts for food, fuel and fiber supply chains. Despite this importance, according to previous TSC research , only 8% of food and beverage companies who could report data said they have visibility into on-farm practices.

To close the gap, Trust In Food and TSC surveyed American farmers on their perceptions of data collection and sharing. The resulting report, “Farmer Perspectives On Data,” highlights insights from nearly more than 600 farmers in 42 states.

Key findings include:

There is a significant digital gap.
- More than half of all respondents (62%) said they do not rely on farm management information systems (FMIS) exclusively. Almost a third of respondents (28%) said their primary data storage method is paper or another non-digitized method. Of those that do not use digital, only half have considered transitioning to digital.
Trust issues are significant, but lenders are the most trusted data holders.
- 73% of respondents do not trust private companies with their data, and 58% do not trust the government with it; conversely, 71% do trust their financial institutions with data.
Satisfaction with FMIS outputs is mediocre.
- Less than half of all respondents who use FMIS (47%) report being entirely satisfied with its outputs.

“The future of agriculture is connected,” said Amy Skoczlas Cole, executive vice president, Trust In Food. “Everything from profitability to sustainability depends on a digital transformation. However, our research continues to reveal disconnects between farmers and digital data. The insights in this report provide a road map for accelerating the integration of digital tools in ways that put farmers first.”

“These findings can empower digital ag and food companies, retailers and financial institutions to understand and support farmers in their digital data transition,” said Teresa Garcia-Moore, technical development manager of Food, Beverage and Agriculture, The Sustainability Consortium. “The digital transition will be essential to unlock sustainability opportunities throughout the supply chain, and TSC is committed to supporting our members and partners in their journey to continuous improvement and sustainability.”

View the full report or for more information contact Drew Slattery at dslattery@farmjournal.com or Erika Ferrin at erika.ferrin@sustainabilityconsortium.org .

Silo expands capital program for produce industry

Thu, 08 Sep 2022 19:49:55 GMT

Silo, a produce industry-focused software company that allows wholesale distributors and shippers to automate operations, react to market trends and access capital, continues to expand its capital solutions after securing up to $100 million in uncommitted financing from Jeffries, a New York-based diversified financials services company, on June 30, 2022.

The Jefferies financing will empower Silo to expand its “produce-forward capital solutions further across the industry,” the company said.

With offices in San Francisco and New York City, Silo offers a consultative and produce-focused funding and cash flow management experience to distributors and shippers looking to invest back into their business.

“We’ve started with our customers and worked backwards in designing our capital solutions to focus on the unique challenges the produce industry faces,” said Jeff Butler, general manager of Capital at Silo. “We’re dedicated exclusively to fresh produce, and we strive to deeply understand our customers. We understand the landscape and our technology platform is built to help businesses grow. In many ways we are better equipped to be a long-term strategic technology and capital partner as the industry evolves.”

Through Silo Instant Pay and Silo Credit Line, customers are able to experience a flywheel effect across their growth potential, said the company.

“Silo’s Instant Pay is my top-secret bridge and facilitator of new business,” said Cesar Garcia, sales director at New Mundoexport Fruits, Inc., in a release. “In four months, we’ve been able to expand into new products and build relationships with 10 new customers. The ability to pay upfront in cash has translated to better quality and higher profits for our business.”

For an industry already operating on slim margins, the Silo and Jeffries partnership is a timely one, said the company, adding that rising interest rates are disrupting the ability of growers, shippers and distributors to access capital at favorable rates. The result, says Silo, is lower margins and stunted growth as well as higher prices and lower supply for consumers.

“At Silo, we focus on business workflow efficiencies – logistically and financially,” said Ashton Braun, Silo CEO and co-founder. “Cash-flow challenges continue to be one of the biggest reasons great companies aren’t able to meet their growth potential. We’re on a mission to change that.”

Since securing the financing with Jefferies, Silo says its capital program has shown consistently accelerating growth. “At Silo, we’re problem solvers,” Butler said. “For those who recognize the impact of cash flow dips or [for those searching] for a more collaborative business lender, these solutions were built for you.”

Using data and technology, Silo says it offers seamless, automated and discrete access to cost- effective working capital to equip businesses in the produce supply chain with the software, financial tools and industry connections necessary to thrive.

Jennifer Sanchez appointed as Church Brothers' first director of planning and data integrity

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 21:41:34 GMT

Salinas, Calif.-based Church Brothers has promoted Jennifer Sanchez to the new role of director of planning and data integrity. This move is designed to enable Church Brothers’ strategic plan to increase adoption of crop planning technology, revenue management and customer service-related tasks, according to a news release.

Sanchez has played an integral role at Church Brothers over the past two years as director of corporate marketing. In addition to her marketing responsibilities, she has stepped into projects that streamline processes and ensure consistent quality of data across the organization. With Church Brothers’ increased focus on planning with Throughput AI and continued desire to provide the highest level of customer service, this new role will serve as a hub for managing sales and operations planning processes for the company.

“Jennifer has fantastic organization skills, understands data structures and has already tackled some major projects for us. She fully recognizes how high performance processes ultimately define our service levels, which is why we are excited to place her in this role,” Rick Russo, senior vice president of marketing and sales at Church Brothers, said in the release.

Sanchez’s more than 20 years’ experience in marketing, sales and category management roles with leading companies in agriculture make her uniquely qualified to lead the planning and data integrity role that will work with departments across the organization, according to the release.

Eurofins Scientific breaks into produce, opening labs in Salinas Valley

Fri, 27 Jan 2023 20:47:01 GMT

Global testing company Eurofins Scientific is expanding its U.S. laboratory services to assist the produce industry.

Headquartered in Luxembourg, Belgium, Eurofins offers product testing, water testing, risk assessments and shelf-life reviews, with experts available to jump in to time-sensitive situations.

The laboratory testing company has also partnered with the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California to bring Eurofins’ food safety and testing solutions to the produce industry. It plans to achieve this by bringing additional laboratories and technical services to the Salinas Valley in California, according to the release.

Related news: Food safety remains top of mind in 2023

Quality lab services are critical to the fresh produce industry as they support efforts to produce safe, plentiful and nutritious food. Recognizing the need for more lab capacity, the Grower-Shipper Association sought to facilitate Eurofins’ entry into the Salinas Valley by accommodating needed laboratory and office space, supporting microbiological lab work as well as additional technical services.

The foundational support from the association will help Eurofins expand lab capacity and support continuous advancements in producing safe and nutritious food in the Salinas Valley region, according to the release.

2024 AgTech Predictions: 5 Trends To Watch

Tue, 09 Jan 2024 16:51:10 GMT

In 2023 the agricultural industry faced challenges from extreme weather to supply chain issues.

Ron Baruchi, CEO of Agmatix, outlines the key trends he anticipates impacting the agricultural industry over the coming year:

#1 - Generative Artificial Intelligence in AgTech

Of all the 2024 trends in digital agriculture, the role played by Gen AI, or generative AI, is likely to be one of the most significant. The potential of Gen AI on the global economy is already being calculated in trillions of dollars. There is a historic opportunity to optimize processes, cut costs, and importantly, fuel innovations through improved modeling to fuel decision-making. Companies are already using Gen AI through Digital Crop Advisors, allowing agronomists to distill agronomic data into actionable recommendations for farmers.

These tools enhance crop management by analyzing big agronomic data, providing AI-supported insights to optimize production practices. This helps farmers understand patterns affecting the performance of crop varieties and production on their specific farms, and tracks climate trends to help farmers become more resilient to the changing climate.

#2 - Using Digital Twins to Optimize Field Trials

An interesting 2024 trend is increased integration of digital twins into field tests and field test planning. A digital twin is a digital model or a virtual representation of an actual physical product, system, or process. These allow researchers and designers to experiment as though they were handling its physical counterpart, reducing the need for expensive and time-consuming field trials.

Generating real-world data is a costly and time-consuming process, averaging more than 150 studies and over 11 years to register a new active ingredient. From 2010-14, developing a new crop protection product cost around $286 million, of which, $47 million (approximately 16%) was budgeted for field trials.

Synthetic data can enhance the performance of digital twins. Based on real-world data, synthetic data can supplement data gaps, significantly reducing the time, cost, and effort in bringing new agricultural products to market. These tools provide a competitive edge for agricultural input suppliers seeking regulatory approval, or seed companies that rely heavily on experimentation to improve their seed genetics.

#3 - Technical Innovation in Regenerative Agriculture

Greater technical innovation and research into regenerative agriculture will continue over the coming year. Essentially mimicking natural process and biodiversity on agricultural land, the ultimate aim of regenerative agriculture is to improve soil health in order to boost yield.

To address the challenges of climate change and feed a global population of over 8 billion, regenerative agriculture is vital. Digital tools use accurate, up-to-date data to create tailored regenerative agriculture solutions. These consider soil conditions, weather conditions, microclimates, and current crop growth or land use, as well as individual budgets and local regulations.

Platforms offering site specific data will likely reign supreme in 2024. A view of sustainability that extends beyond simple carbon metrics and one-size-fits-all solutions is necessary and will enable the establishment of realistic, actionable objectives for growers, promoting sustainability and formulating strategies tailored to local environments.

#4 - Managing Data with Advanced Cloud Solutions

Innovation in agriculture is often data-dependent and the cloud gives researchers the ability to collate, manage, and extrapolate information from data in a way that was previously unimaginable. Anticipated exponential growth in farm data emphasizes the transformative impact - IDC has estimated that by 2036 the amount of data collected on the farm will increase by more than 800-percent. Cloud tools enabling real-time access to field trial data reduces trial duration and cost, and the volume and scope of trials can be increased.

Cloud applications span every aspect of agriculture, optimizing crop management, soil insights, multi-season crop monitoring and analysis, and leveraging local knowledge for decision-making. Cloud-based solutions foster collaboration between researchers, agronomists, and farmers, providing R&D companies with an efficient, cost-effective and scalable solution.

#5 - Innovation Across the Agricultural Spectrum

Agriculture’s innovative history is turning towards sustainability and environmental protection, marking a transformative era. The new year will see progress in climate-resilient crop development.

At the farm level, digital technologies empower farmers to process and use the data they collect. AgTech solutions can help farmers and agronomists measure and demonstrate the return on investment of agricultural technologies. Amidst global challenges, stakeholders using AI and machine learning will drive unprecedented innovation in food production.

About the Author - Ron Baruchi, President & CEO, Agmatix

With over 20 years of experience in the technology sphere, Ron is passionate about using data to solve complex problems. He has used his expertise in technology and AI with Agmatix to improve crop yields and quality while limiting environmental impact.

Data Opens Up New Solutions At The Farm Gate

Fri, 15 Mar 2024 17:51:35 GMT

Farm Journal’s Smart Farming Week is an annual week-long emphasis on innovation in agriculture. The goal is to encourage you to explore and prioritize the technology, tools and practices that will help you farm smarter. Innovation today ensures an efficient, productive and sustainable tomorrow.

Whether it’s planting, spraying, soil sampling or harvesting, data is everywhere on the farm.

“Historically, what we’ve done is look backward at what happened, but that doesn’t tell you what is going to happen,” says Mike Tweedy of Pattern Ag.

Today, data isn’t just being collected. It’s being mined, processed and integrated with a world wide web of information.

“We’re getting to the point where growers expect us to help them take data and turn it into insights. But more than that, they want insights that are actionable,” says Andy Folta, Bayer U.S. product marketing manager, Climate Fieldview. “They want an output for the data they’ve been collecting for years or decades.”

That includes insights discovered with the help of artificial intelligence.

“I think we have a lot of opportunities to push insights into actions,” Folta says. “With AI and some of those predictive models, we can bring opportunities to the grower or their trusted adviser and say you should look at this specific practice on this specific field.”

Bayer and Climate FieldView isn’t alone in its pursuit of digital farming solutions. NASA is also working to turn satellite data into actionable decisions for producers.

“The science NASA has funded has gone into so many different agricultural applications. Google Maps and a lot of this stuff had its foundation off of NASA data,” says Alyssa Whitcraft, executive director of NASA Acres. “Initially, Cropland data layer developed in a partnership between USDA and NASA. Foreign ag statistics and WASDE reports also have a huge component of satellite data that feeds into them and is powered by NASA observations.”

Improving satellite resolution and increasing computer or computational power is now helping scientists at the space agency look at other solutions for agriculture.

“Now we’re looking at precision nitrogen recommendations or pest and disease mitigation, those different kinds of capabilities,” Whitcraft says.

One way BASF is using satellite imagery is to track a field’s biomass development overtime. They’re using these layers in a new platform called Xarvio, which could help speed up the trusted adviser’s recommendation process.

"[Xarvio] is going to turn that information into a recommendation without having to go through five years of trial work on farm,” says Scott Kay, vice president of BASF.

The platform will be available for agronomists and retailers to support recommendations for farmers.

“The more data points we can get, the better chance we have of making the correct choice — especially when a variety or a hybrid is involved,” says Chris Conner, general manager of Waters Farm Supply.

More Smart Farming content for you:

Here’s How to Bridge the Data Gap With Your Ag Retailer

8 Field Activity Data Types You Need to Collect Now

6 Tech Tools and Trends To Watch In 2024

Execulytics unveils new market share reporting system

Tue, 12 Nov 2024 20:25:24 GMT

Canada-based Execulytics has unveiled its newly enhanced Proxy Market Share Canadian Produce Intelligence System .

The upgraded platform retains the comprehensive market share analytics of the previous version, while introducing powerful new features, according to a news release.

“Canada represents a critical market for both domestic and international businesses,” said Mike Mauti, managing partner of Execulytics. “Despite its importance, the Canadian produce industry is severely underserved in terms of consumer and retail intelligence. Our improved Proxy Market Share service addresses this gap.”

Key new features include:

Annual, quarterly or monthly national and regional tonnage data.
Seasonally adjusted truckload volume estimates for major retailers across core fruit and vegetable categories.
Complete consumer profiles for each product category.

With this tool, stakeholders such as growers, shippers and importers can replace reliance on guesswork with precise, Canadian insights, Execulytics says. This allows for informed decision-making and targeted strategies t approach Canadian retailers effectively, according to the release.

“Clients often ask how Proxy Market Share can help elevate their performance,” Mauti said. “My response is simple: use the system to gain a deeper understanding of the Canadian retail and consumer landscapes. By doing so, companies can craft customized strategies that not only enhance their market penetration but also demonstrate a commitment to understanding the Canadian business environment.”

Rabo Carbon Bank Takes Pilot Program to Three States, Partners with Continuum Ag

Thu, 02 Sep 2021 16:23:38 GMT

In January 2021 Rabobank launched the Rabo Carbon Bank and has since been launching pilots in three categories: carbon farming, supply chain decarbonization and carbon reduction in retail.

As part of the Rabo Carbon Bank initiative, Rabo AgriFinance, a Rabobank subsidiary, is operating the pilots with farmers in three states. The pilot farmers are being advised by Continuum Ag for its soil health/agronomic advisement and carbon sequestration baseline measurements.

The practices being implemented are rooted in regenerative agriculture practices and include:

Reduced tillage or no-till
A variery of cover crop plantings
Planting cash crops “green” into living cover crops
More robust crop rotations
Precision agriculture planting, applications of fertilizer and crop protection products, and/or irrigation
A transition to natural fertilizer

“We will know the impact of our practices on carbon in the soil. No one else in the marketplace I’ve talked to is doing it that way and measuring,” John C. Barnes of Barnes Farming Corporation, a pilot participant said. “Some of the practices we’re already doing, but our management team are going to have opportunities to be exposed to some new ideas, some cutting-edge practices, that maybe would not have been economical on their own but with carbon payments become feasible.”

Rabobank shares these are the farmers, locations and crops enrolled in the pilot:

Barnes Farming Corporation (North Carolina) – broccoli, peanuts, potatoes, soybeans, sweet potatoes, tobacco, watermelons and wheat
Bruihler Farms (Iowa) – corn and soybeans
D&D Horras Farms (Iowa) – corn and soybeans
Jeffrey McDoniel Farm (Arkansas) – corn, rice and soybeans
Miles Farm (Arkansas) – corn, cotton, rice and soybeans

“Feeding the world more sustainably is about continuous improvement. Every farm has a unique sustainability journey that has defined their success as a contributor to the food supply chain thus far,” Cristian Barcan, sustainability officer for Rabo AgriFinance and regional Rabo Carbon Bank officer said in a news release. “We’re helping our clients monetize a natural feature of their farms – the plants’ ability to capture carbon equivalents from the air – while improving their fields with healthy, nutrient-dense, biologically-enhanced, carbon-rich soils. The expected result is improved yield with lower costs and lower environmental impact.”

ContinuumAg will consult with each individual farmer in the pilot and provide tailored practices for soil health and carbon sequestration.

“As a farmer-led company, we are ecstatic to be a partner of the Rabo Carbon Bank. Rabo’s long-term vision and value proposition aligns with that of participating farmers and Continuum Ag,” said Mitchell Hora, founder and CEO of Continuum Ag. “We all seek more sustainably produced food, but these efforts will fail if the family farm isn’t also economically sustainable.”

New app for indie produce retailers provides actionable, real-time data

Mon, 19 Jun 2023 18:41:29 GMT

For the little grocery store standing on its own, there’s no data division providing insights that direct produce business decisions. Resources are limited.

With that in mind, some startups are brainstorming solutions.

Empower Fresh, a cloud-based software solution for independent produce retailers, offers a toolbox of tips and trade resources in the competition with large grocery chains, according to a news release.

Developed in Kansas City, Mo., the application can be accessed from any web-connected device, serving independent retail produce operations from buyers’ offices to the backroom cooler and display floor.

Produce buyers and merchandisers can use it from their office computers for detailed information impacting gross profit, product shrink and competitive positioning, as store managers and clerks are cued by smartphones or tablets to boost ongoing, efficient backroom operations and competitive retail produce displays, according to the release.

Empower Fresh founder Anthony Totta is from a third-generation family grocer in Missouri. He’s consulted for three decades with growers, shippers and retailers — particularly independent grocers — to improve their profitability.

Listen: Matt King of Simplified Trade on properly executing produce promotions on “Tip of the Iceberg Podcast”

The Empower Fresh concept was born as Totta observed disadvantages independents face in competing with broad-based data mining at the fingertips of well-staffed, large corporate produce operations.

The proprietary software solution delivers real-time, actionable intelligence to help fresh produce teams make critical strategic daily business decisions impacting fresh produce department performance, according to the release.

Totta said in the release that Empower Fresh data helps independent operators to “know what they didn’t know they didn’t know.” The app enables produce professionals to look forward as they drive their departments, instead of looking backward to see what already happened.

Totta extends the driving comparison to a GPS navigation parallel: When a driver turns right rather than left, the GPS immediately offers an alternate route to get back on course. Empower Fresh can help produce operations find the best course to efficient and profitable produce operations, he said.

'The future is relative for everybody,' says Martha Montoya of Agtools

Thu, 13 Jul 2023 14:35:36 GMT

“The future is relative for everybody,” says Martha Montoya, CEO of Agtools, because it depends on where you want the produce to end up — each place is affected by different tariffs, trade agreements, political effects, trade routes, pests, diseases and climate issues.

This “Tip of the Iceberg” podcast episode is hosted by ZAG Technical Services , part of an agtech series.

Agtools helps clients:

Delight their customers with enhanced sourcing decisions.
Identify and understand trends and how they affect your bottom line.
Know what is impacting your commodities around the world.
Make better decisions with actionable insights.

With a long list of boards, conference panels, globe-trotting job duties and an education in chemistry and biology, Montoya has learned to use analysis that studies the phases that will impact how the crops come out and volumes. And she has an alert system.

“The hardest part of this isn’t the data. It’s getting the industry to adjust their brains to understand the data to find solutions for the future. We have literally two psychologists in the company and one sociologist,” Montoya said.

She wanted research on how farmers adopt technology.

Related: What’s the real ROI on social media for produce retailers, suppliers?

“This industry is at such a fast pace, and attention span is so limited that we have to run with them, almost like ... imagine a psychologist running with the patient, because there’s no time to understand it,” Montoya said. Agtools clients have hardly any breaks in a day and are handling screaming customers sometimes.

“Agtools is really about more than the data. It’s about how our brains are starting to adapt to this new technology. The customers come with those pain points, and we go deeper,” Montoya said.

Related: ‘Tip of the Iceberg’ podcast: Introducing a tech series with ZAG

Sysco and iFoodDS team up to offer FSMA 204 solution for suppliers

Mon, 18 Dec 2023 16:29:03 GMT

Sysco and iFoodDS will partner on a proof-of-concept project to explore solutions that enable Sysco and its supplier base to capture, store and share data required by the Food and Drug Administration’s Food Safety Modernization Act 204 Food Traceability Rule, according to a news release .

“As the global leader in food service, Sysco has a responsibility to ensure compliance solutions can be implemented for use across its broad supplier network,” Charles Leftwich, Sysco’s vice president of food safety and quality assurance, said in the release. “We are pleased to partner with iFoodDS to explore a FSMA 204 compliance solution that creates a safer, more efficient, and transparent food supply chain that is effective for our U.S. supplier partners and our customers.”

Sysco said in the release that its goal is to implement a flexible, scalable, interoperable traceability solution that provides suppliers with flexible and pragmatic options for sharing data required by FSMA 204.

“At iFoodDS, our team excels in partnering with large-scale enterprises with an extensive network of suppliers,” Scott Mathews, CEO of iFoodDS, said in the release. “As the only traceability platform with a proven and scalable solution, iFoodDS can make FSMA 204 compliance easy for Sysco and its broad network of supplier partners.”