Article taken from the Arable Farming
An innovative, online grower ‘hub’ bringing together three key functions – agri-business information, field recording and precision mapping – to deliver users time and costs savings, will be launched to growers at Cereals 2014.
The Axis cloud-based agronomy tool, developed by Agrovista and partners, including Muddy Boots, will collate multiple data sources onto one easy-access platform.
Speaking at a press preview of the new hub at Sir Rupert Mann’s Thelveton Farms, near Diss, Norfolk, Agrovista prevision technology manager Lewis McKerrow said the company’s aim in developing Axis was to help growers run their businesses more efficiently.
“For some time there has been an increasing onus on the industry to find a way of streamlining our record keeping processes and data flow.
“Our intention was always to make the system cloud-based so farmers could access and add to their information via multiple platforms, including smartphones, satellite-mapping equipment and their PCs.“Hosting the information in the cloud also means farmers can give their advisers access to their account for the two-way exchange of information and advice,” he said.
Importance
Cloud technologies have been growing in prominence within the wider business community for real-time storage, file-sharing and web-based communications. According to Mr McKerrow it makes perfect sense for farming to harness the power of the cloud.
“Axis will target a common frustration among growers – the paperwork and record-keeping associated with compliance. While we have been well aware of the efficiency benefits of using precision benefits of using precision farming, we have missed one crucial element – integrating their use with the all-important recording – and reminding – of key dates and times for the field tasks. This management element is lacking in many of the systems farmers are using.
“Axis will be a useful tool for coordinating these types of disparate – but valuable – data sources and will help in the production of complete and accurate records.
“Within the next few years we will find live data connections between tractor and office will be commonplace. Farmers will be able to send prescription plans like spray recommendations in real-time to both the operator and the machinery and will receive the completed data back all as one complete streamlined affair. This type of full farm operation integration is very much the focus.”
Compatibility across the range of IT and precision farming systems used in agriculture can be a limiting factor, but according to Agrovsita, Axis is being developed to work across all systems.
“There should not be limitions to what you can send to or receive from,” said Mr McKerrow.
Access to the hub will be available on three levels: free-of-charge Axis Info, Axis Field Pro, integrated with Muddy Boots’ Greenlight Grower Management system and Axis MapIT Pro. Axis Field Pro and MapIT Pro will be available on subscription.
Key features
Axis
- Free to register
- Online access to agronomist recommendation sheet
- Basic mapping – field boundaries and cropping
- Agrogate section – compliance/NVZ/renewable/SFP
- Varieties – info
- File store
- Labels/data sheets
- Fertiliser market updates
- Chemical store list
- Account information
Field Pro
- Axis Info plus
- Greenlight grower management
- Field recording package
- seed/fertiliser/spraying/machinery records
- GLGM iPad app
- Seven-day Plant systems weather forecast
- Technical library
-1GB cloud storage in File Store
MAPIT PRO
- Field Pro plus
- Google-based farm mapping system
- Complemented by iPhone/iPad app
-Displays fields and crops
- Soil nutrient status view
- Import any GPS data (Q3 2014)
- Build variable rate plans
- Data sharing options
- Planned future developments for MapIT Pro include integration with compliance data and provision of field level weather station data.
An innovative, online grower ‘hub’ bringing together three key functions – agri-business information, field recording and precision mapping – to deliver users time and costs savings, will be launched to growers at Cereals 2014.
The Axis cloud-based agronomy tool, developed by Agrovista and partners, including Muddy Boots, will collate multiple data sources onto one easy-access platform.
Speaking at a press preview of the new hub at Sir Rupert Mann’s Thelveton Farms, near Diss, Norfolk, Agrovista prevision technology manager Lewis McKerrow said the company’s aim in developing Axis was to help growers run their businesses more efficiently.
“For some time there has been an increasing onus on the industry to find a way of streamlining our record keeping processes and data flow.
“Our intention was always to make the system cloud-based so farmers could access and add to their information via multiple platforms, including smartphones, satellite-mapping equipment and their PCs.“Hosting the information in the cloud also means farmers can give their advisers access to their account for the two-way exchange of information and advice,” he said.
Importance
Cloud technologies have been growing in prominence within the wider business community for real-time storage, file-sharing and web-based communications. According to Mr McKerrow it makes perfect sense for farming to harness the power of the cloud.
“Axis will target a common frustration among growers – the paperwork and record-keeping associated with compliance. While we have been well aware of the efficiency benefits of using precision benefits of using precision farming, we have missed one crucial element – integrating their use with the all-important recording – and reminding – of key dates and times for the field tasks. This management element is lacking in many of the systems farmers are using.
“Axis will be a useful tool for coordinating these types of disparate – but valuable – data sources and will help in the production of complete and accurate records.
“Within the next few years we will find live data connections between tractor and office will be commonplace. Farmers will be able to send prescription plans like spray recommendations in real-time to both the operator and the machinery and will receive the completed data back all as one complete streamlined affair. This type of full farm operation integration is very much the focus.”
Compatibility across the range of IT and precision farming systems used in agriculture can be a limiting factor, but according to Agrovsita, Axis is being developed to work across all systems.
“There should not be limitions to what you can send to or receive from,” said Mr McKerrow.
Access to the hub will be available on three levels: free-of-charge Axis Info, Axis Field Pro, integrated with Muddy Boots’ Greenlight Grower Management system and Axis MapIT Pro. Axis Field Pro and MapIT Pro will be available on subscription.
Key features
Axis
- Free to register
- Online access to agronomist recommendation sheet
- Basic mapping – field boundaries and cropping
- Agrogate section – compliance/NVZ/renewable/SFP
- Varieties – info
- File store
- Labels/data sheets
- Fertiliser market updates
- Chemical store list
- Account information
Field Pro
- Axis Info plus
- Greenlight grower management
- Field recording package
- seed/fertiliser/spraying/machinery records
- GLGM iPad app
- Seven-day Plant systems weather forecast
- Technical library
-1GB cloud storage in File Store
MAPIT PRO
- Field Pro plus
- Google-based farm mapping system
- Complemented by iPhone/iPad app
-Displays fields and crops
- Soil nutrient status view
- Import any GPS data (Q3 2014)
- Build variable rate plans
- Data sharing options
- Planned future developments for MapIT Pro include integration with compliance data and provision of field level weather station data.