Implementing Tech and Data Capture in Your Agriculture Business

Let technology solve your biggest ag data capture concerns

When imagining growers and ag workers, the first images that come to mind may not be of the latest technologies or vast levels of data capture, but it may be time to change your perspective. In today’s climate, with growing populations and changing weather patterns, the science behind agriculture has never been more important. With plant and agricultural scientists working around the clock to find new ways to produce more food with fewer resources it’s the perfect time to bring new tech and better data capture into your ag business.

From advances in farm data capture to better harvest yield predictions, the job description for growers has changed dramatically in recent decades. The focus on doing more with less to emphasize sustainable farming practices is spreading far and wide, and if your business isn’t yet embracing these advances, you’re putting yourself at a disadvantage. From planning your planting season to managing your team, there are new solutions available to help you manage your business better.

Planning for the Future

Forecasting within the agriculture industry is always a bit of a gamble, but you can start leveraging technology to give yourself an edge over Mother Nature. Better data capture is key to building a better plan for your fields in the future, and reflecting on input data to see where things worked well, and what needs a change for the upcoming year. This can take a variety of different forms.

Monitor Inputs

Use digital solutions to keep track of everything going into your fields, including what you don’t have control over. With digital systems, you can easily track how much of a specific fertilizer or pesticide you’ve used, but you can also track detailed weather patterns including temperature and humidity levels, total rainfall, as well as your existing watering schedule. 

Tracking Soil Conditions

While you have control over what goes into your soil, you don’t have control over how every plant responds to it. Keep a running digital log of your soil conditions, how well it’s holding moisture or draining, as well as pH levels, to see how this can be impacting your crops. With a digital log, you’ll always have visibility into how your soil handled your regimen, with the ability to spot trends throughout the season.

Keep Labor Costs Under Control

A farm is nothing without the people who work it, but understanding your staffing needs can be an ever-challenging task. With digital tracking, not only can you keep better insight into your employee timesheets, but you can also use the total hours worked to better forecast your needs for the weeks, months, and seasons ahead. With top-tier platforms, you’ll be able to pull your timesheet information directly into your business management platform and automatically calculate labor costs and predictions.

Supporting Your Entire Team

Getting ahead with technology doesn’t just stop at your crops, the benefits can extend throughout your entire workforce; from those in the field to everyone in the office. Embracing digital and mobile solutions can also give your team an advantage through better collaboration abilities as well, while also providing more opportunities for transparency within your business.

Improve Collaboration

Keeping your team on the same page is key to a successful business, and ag businesses are no different. Farm management software can provide opportunities to keep all your captured data housed in one location, while individual apps with integrations can easily feed data into your management system or database. With all your captured farm data feeding into the same location, you have better opportunities for reporting, analytics, and insights into your business.

Facilitate Communication

Solid communication is key to a thriving business, and new tech hitting the market can make it even easier for your team to communicate quickly. Aside from advances in devices, you’ll now find multiple apps and platforms that give your team the ability to work online or offline, meaning they can keep their data capture accurate, without the need to find a connection to enter their workday information.

Data Availability Anywhere

With digital solutions, the biggest advantage is having your data be detailed, accurate, and available wherever you need it. When your crop and labor information is available from any device, at any time, you have the ability for your whole team to view what information they need anytime they need it. Best-in-class solutions will also give you the ability to restrict data access to only those who need it, ensuring vendor and client privacy.

Prioritizing Safe Working Conditions

Safety is key in every organization, but ag businesses face even more risks than most industries. New technologies give your team the ability to stay safe, track vehicle maintenance, and keep a detailed audit log for predicting risky situations in the future.

Track Equipment Inspections

Heavy machinery and ag workers go hand in hand, but if you’re not tracking detailed maintenance logs and inspections, you’re putting your team at risk of machine failure or an accident. Digital checklists or logs can ensure that your team performs routine safety checks, and tracks detailed maintenance logs so you know the status of every piece of equipment.

Plan for Hot Working Conditions

It’s no secret that ag work is hot and tiring work, and keeping yourself and your workers safe throughout hotter seasons should be a top priority. From better communication tools for regular check-ins with solo workers to break tracking and weather alerts, new tech solutions may be the key your business has been missing when it comes to worker safety.

Minimize Input Reactions

With up-to-date digital forms, you can keep an accurate record of everything your team has used in any given area of your growing fields. This means better insight, that’s always available, to ensure your team doesn’t over-apply or cross-apply dangerous combinations of inputs. Not only will this save your team money on over-applications, but it can also keep your crops and your team safer.

About GoFormz

GoFormz is the one-stop shop for your ag data needs. Whether you’re tracking machinery and safety inspections or reviewing and approving digital timesheets, GoFormz can help you take your paper processes to the digital realm. Complete with offline mobile forms, your ag team won’t have to worry about an accessible connection or carting around a laptop. Get detailed, actionable insights into your growing season with GoFormz.