Prairie farmers work hard to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to field-level productivity. Crop rotation, healthy soil and the right blend of inputs are all part and parcel of that success. Keeping track of the data associated with these factors can be difficult, but doing so efficiently can help guide effective decision making.
Enter Co-op’s AgZone FIELD. This all-in-one platform puts farmers in the driver’s seat of real-time decision-making like never before.
The dirt on your dirt
While there are many integral parts of a successful growing year, nothing is more important than the soil underneath a farmer’s boots. With AgZone FIELD, success starts with soil testing. An up-to-date analysis of what is, or isn’t, in the soil allows for a more precise series of inputs ahead of spring seeding.
Currently, the federal government is offering a subsidy to more than offset the cost of typical soil testing through its On-Farm Climate Action Fund.
“It’s beneficial to the farmer to do soil sampling so they have an idea of the nutrients left in the land,” said Adam Diakow, Grow Team member at Pincher Creek Co-op. “It’s a pretty simple no-brainer to get that done.”
By having an up-to-date micro- and macro-nutrient analysis, farmers can make calculated purchasing decisions on the inputs they require. Soil test analysis provides comparative information about a field’s nutrient uptake and removal for this year versus the year prior (when a soil test is completed annually). The soil tests and analysis are carried out in conjunction with a field mapping exercise. Reviewing the soil test results helps provide information to build a strong plan aligned to your farm’s goals.
In-season data changes the game
One of farmers’ favourite aspects of AgZone FIELD is the ability to see in-season data that could literally make or break a crop’s potential come harvest time. Integrated through satellite imagery, AgZone FIELD regularly captures images of your field.
Farmers can then view a heat map of the field that shows trouble spots, for example, low spots, drought, or drowned-out areas, and address these issues directly.
“I can show farmers a crop based on imagery and with the colour breakdown, explain if this is good growth or bad growth,” said Diakow. “The scouting feature is really handy that way.”
Whatever it is, farmers receive that information immediately and are then able to get into the field the same day and make critical management decisions. Geo-referencing easily shows farmers the exact location to find trouble spots or pest hotspots.
Cross-platform capability with unmatched security
Knowing that every farmer is using data drawn from various platforms, AgZone FIELD was designed with that in mind. The software works with other proprietary brands and seamlessly migrates data from other platforms into AgZone FIELD with ease, whether it is seeding, spraying or harvesting data.
Once that data is held within AgZone FIELD’s cloud system, it resides there in perpetuity, so growers can view information from any year, field or season they want. The safely encrypted data can be accessed anywhere, and at any time, by farmers and their Grow Teams.
The best part? It’s as secure as it gets. Co-ops never sell farmers’ data to third parties. Whatever data you harvest, you keep. Whether you prefer to access your data through a Grow Team member or the easy-to-use app, secure options are available.
Long-term planning and marketing
Once the field work is done for the year, it’s time to market harvested grain and plan for next year. With AgZone FIELD, a farmer can add their next set of crops and yield goals and insert numbers for marketing purposes. The software will produce a data set to show costs per acre and give growers an understanding of what each field is going to need to produce to achieve your particular goals.
AgZone FIELD can calculate and make recommendations based on your projected yields for your specific crop. The program will also explain what you need for your nutrient package.
As farmers understand year-over-year performance from their fields, smarter, more calculated adjustments can be made to achieve greater in-season success in subsequent years.
“With tracking of herbicide resistance, carryover and fertility management, that’s the biggest plus,” said Diakow. “By tracking that information year-over-year, it’s a long-term benefit to our farm customers.”
Year-end reports are created, and advisor meetings are held annually to ensure that the next year is always better than the year prior.
“It shows we care and we’re trying to take care of their fields the best we can,” said Diakow. Soon, the AgZone suite of digital tools will grow to cover other aspects of your farming, including an online portal to review invoices and product offerings with a path to purchase and delivery details. All of this, in a central platform that can be accessed wherever you are.
