Mobile apps have become so integral to our daily lives that most of us can’t imagine living without them. In fact, consumers in more than a dozen markets worldwide are now spending four to five hours per day in apps, according to a recent report from app intelligence firm data.ai. But to truly understand how mobile apps have become the center of our attention, we must first look back at when they finally went mainstream.
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CropX
CropX is an easy-to-use integrated hardware and software system that connects farm data, real-time conditions. and agronomic recommendations, all while keeping farm data in one place for easy tracking and sharing. Install and communicate with CropX soil sensors, CropX telemetry gateways, and many other field monitoring devices, allowing you to track soil, water, and crop conditions with high precision in near real-time. Access agronomic recommendations, tools and data about irrigation, nutrient leaching, soil salinity and temperature, fungal disease risks, spray applications, crop progress and spatial variability, rainfall and ET data, weather outlooks, farm machinery data, effluent and lagoon manure management, variable rate, and more. The latest version is also more scalable and allows CropX to quickly add new features. (Photo: PRNewsfoto/CropX) Android, iPhone, iPad
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Smartwyre Selling Solution
Smartwyre recently expanded its mobile functionality of its Smartwyre Selling Solution. The enhancements give salespeople and crop advisors instant access to accurate quoting and pricing tools in the field to protect margins and reduce competitive selling pressure. Automation of processes reduces administrative tasks for sales and support staff, allowing them to spend more time with customers. With instant, secure access to the most accurate rebate incentive and net cost data, ag retail sales teams now can confidently and instantly quote and book orders wherever they are. Users receive real-time pricing and product information available to share with customers. Net pricing is inclusive of all potential incentives: national, regional, local, and special programs. Submitted quotes are integrated with ordering systems to ensure accurate and timely invoicing. Learn more.
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The GROWERS App
Aligning with GROWERS’ mission to put easy-to-use software solutions in the hands of every farmer and advisor in agriculture, The GROWERS App is a free platform for farmers that allows them to request pricing on farm inputs from retailers and cooperatives, receive and compare offers, then select the best offer and complete the transaction right in the platform. Farmers benefit from gaining access to more options on products and prices from the retailers, cooperatives and input providers which are likely outside their current network or geography. Retailers benefit from being able to increase their sales by gaining access to new customers in the platform without having to increase their sales force – a significant benefit in today’s labor market. Learn more.
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Climate FieldView
Climate FieldView is an integrated digital agriculture tool that provides farmers with a comprehensive, connected suite of digital tools, providing farmers a deeper understanding of their fields so they can make more informed operating decisions to optimize yields, maximize efficiency, and reduce risk. Climate FieldView allows users to seamlessly collect and store critical field data; monitor and measure the impact of their agronomic decisions on crop performance; and manage their field variability by building customized fertility and seeding plans for each of their fields. Android, iPhone, iPad
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Automated FruitScout
Automated FruitScout is an industry leader in Agriculture Process Automation (APA) such as Precision Crop Load Management (PCLM). FruitScout’s easy-to-use mobile app leverages its computer vision technology, enabling growers to scientifically determine their optimal crop load, and saving them from wasting labor and inputs (water, fertilizer) growing suboptimal crops. Automated FruitScout was recently named a Top 10 Precision Farming Solution Provider of 2022. Learn more.
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Panorama (Coming soon)
Panorama by Precision Planting allows farmers an unobstructed view of the data collected in their cab, whether on the app or through moving data to the platform of their choice. Panorama features an API that allows other industry data platforms to create a connection to the Precision Planting system, allowing the data to flow seamlessly from the 20|20 monitor to any platform. Panorama will feature map viewing, reporting, and the ability for a farmer to allow their Precision Planting dealer to provide remote technology support. Panorama will be beta tested in the spring of 2023, in the United States and Canada, with further release plans available later in 2023. Once released, Panorama will be offered through the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, as well as through a browser-based experience.
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FieldAlytics Mobile
FieldAlytics Mobile from Ever.Ag Agribusiness provides a complete agronomy operations platform. Users across an agricultural organization, including growers, can take advantage of work order, scouting, soil sampling, and data layer viewing functionality all from a mobile device. Sales agronomists can create new and view existing work orders, keeping informed of their outstanding activities at any time. Applicators can view their assigned work order jobs and complete them including all compliance documentation. Crop scouts can collect and record scouting events including photos and creating recommendations. Soil samplers are able to create and complete soil sampling events including field boundary collection. Growers can view any data layers such a yield, soil samples, and imagery for any of their fields. These activities keep the entire organization up to date in real-time. In addition, Ever.Ag also recently launched FieldAlytics Engage app to simplify communications between service providers and their growers. iPhone, iPad
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Cropwise Sustainability App
With the Cropwise Sustainability app from Syngenta, users simply follow the steps to define farm operations before the season starts, record practices throughout the season guided by notifications, receive a report of individual and community performance, and share the report with advisors or value chain partners. An easy, structured and outcome-based self-assessment system can help growers to understand their sustainability performance and identify improvement opportunities with minimum data rent efforts. Users can check their community performance real-time and also more detailed analysis in the report to understand their leadership level and competitiveness in sustainability. The hassle of remembering farm activities all season- long is removed by enabling users to capturing each data point quickly in real-time by simply tapping on the notifications. Android, iPhone
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Aeroview InField
With the Aeroview InField app from Aerobotics, farmers gain insights from high-res drone data, leading them directly to stressed trees on the farm. Easily identify, manage, and take action against pest and disease threats with Aeroview InField. Users can track pest, disease, irrigation, and weed problems; take notes, photos, and qualifying and quantifying data; drop a pin at every stressed tree, with GPS-referenced data on a map of your farm; use the app offline in-field by downloading your data at home; assign scout tasks to different users; and download PDF reports after each scout on Aeroview. Android, iPhone
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Agtrinsic
Agtrinsic is a scouting and harvesting analytics app that uses AI for routing of scouts and monitoring of disease pressure. Features include multiple data layers, including in-field instrumentation to feed disease AI; highly accurate emergence modeling; structured scouting inputs that are meaningful and exact; AI-based drone pilot routing; and more. Learn more.
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AGMRI
AGMRI is a Crop Intelligence app from Intelinair that alerts you to what's happening on your fields. Ideal for farmers, agronomists, and crop specialists, AGMRI is an AI platform that combines ultra hi-res imagery with Machine Learning and Computer Vision to deliver a complete and uninterrupted “row-level” detail view of every acre and every field all season long. Clear color-coded and sortable alerts make you aware of yield killing pressures like weeds, low emergence, nutrient deficiencies, equipment skips, and many others. See top problem fields with one touch, get alerted early to developing pressure situations, zoom down to inches on every field to annotate and virtually scout. iPhone, iPad
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FarmLogs
FarmLogs from Bushel is a farm management app to keep digital farm records, monitor field and crop conditions, and analyze a farm’s financial performance in order to lower costs and increase profitability. FarmLogs helps you map fields and automatically provide directions to their location; receive alerts when it rains on your fields, see field-level rainfall and heat unit accumulation and compare the amounts to prior seasons and the 10-year average; automatically track all your field work in one place to keep your records organized, secure, and accessible from any mobile device or desktop; log GPS-tagged scouting notes with photos; view in-season satellite images in NDVI and true color so you can identify yield threats and focus scouting efforts on areas showing signs of stress; and more. Bushel has also recently connected machine data from John Deere Operations Center and Climate FieldView, so farmers don’t need to manually transfer their fieldwork activities and inputs to FarmLogs. That data flows in seamlessly and automatically connects up to become part of the farmer’s profit and loss calculation at the farm, crop, or field level. FarmLogs was also recently integrated with Nori to make it easy for growers to enroll in carbon marketplaces. Photo courtesy of Bushel.Android, iPhone, iPad
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GHX Mobile
Golden Harvest Extreme (GHX Mobile) is a data-driven approach to provide a recipe for success for the products we recommend on your farm. GHX by Golden Harvest allows you to choose the right hybrid at its maximized population for one straight-up, flat per-acre price. You’ll have access to real-time data in one simple app that allows for seamless end-to-end seed management throughout the season. With MaxScript, growers can choose the hybrids that maximize their yield potential without sacrificing anything else. GHX with ServiceSquad includes comprehensive customer service, in-person, on the phone and via collaborative tools on GHX Mobile. From product selection and purchasing to in-season progress and harvest analysis, GHX Mobile provides convenient tools and insights that allow for seamless seed management and decision-making throughout the season. Android, iPhone, iPad
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Traction Mobile
The Traction Mobile app focuses on gathering accounting transactions with an easy receipt capture feature using the phone's built-in camera. Traction Mobile takes the transactions and digital receipts and stores them in Traction Accounting for general ledger reporting and analysis. The benefit is to easily capture every receipt and start a transaction immediately in your account register on any Apple or Android phone. No longer do you have to keep paper receipts, everything can be digitized instantaneously. With Traction Mobile, you can view account balances; enter payments with and without details; take a picture of the receipt and tag it to the transaction; and see all of your most recent transactions. The features on this application are only available to Traction customers or those using a trial version. Android, iPhone
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Agmatix
Through its Agronomic Trial Management SaaS solution, Agmatix allows researchers, agronomists, and farmers to simplify trial data collection straight from the field. The On-Farm Experimentation (OFE) feature enables users to create and manage side-by-side plot trials directly in the app. Get things done faster by quickly creating protocols and checklists, assigning tasks, collecting data, and seeing results immediately via the app. With the additional benefit of viewing trials completed or ongoing near you, Agmatix can connect users with local trial coordinators to expand the available research knowledge of their “virtual toolbox”. Android, iPhone
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The Andersons AgConnect
The Andersons AgConnect app allows producers easy access to real-time information, including electronic scale tickets, contracts, and on holds. The Bushel platform helps agribusinesses quickly share accurate information to producers through a custom-branded application on their smartphone. The Andersons AgConnect app is currently available for customers of The Andersons in Idaho, Colorado, Louisiana and New York. With The Andersons AgConnect app, users can view scale tickets; check futures; track grain contracts; view commodity balances; receive important notifications; see key location information; read the latest market news; and access The Andersons SmartTickets. Android, iPhone, iPad
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iPlant Nutrition
i-Plant Nutrition (formerly Smart Fertilizer) recently launched a mobile application version of its software. The app enables users of the software user-friendly access to their tailored information, advice, and guidance anywhere via their mobile devices. It also allows new customers to do their entire fertilization plan independent of their desktops or laptops. Alongside the pre-existing synthetic fertilizer related offering, i-Plant Nutrition is also providing sensor less-irrigation guidance, a knowledge sharing platform, and will eventually include organic fertilizer recipes and pest and disease management. New features include drainage capabilities, which allows a user to control key parameters for hydroponics irrigation. These include drip and drainage, and media analysis, which allows a user to incorporate soilless substrate in the calculations for the precise fertilization plan. Android, iPhone
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N-Gauge Grain Logistics App
The N-GAUGE Grain Logistics app from CropScanAg brings all the benefits of the CropScan On Combine Grain Analyser Logistics Software functionality to more users across the farm. The N-GAUGE app is designed to connect grain transfer transactions from the harvester to the grain buyer. The Virtual Grain Storage system can be customized to create any type of storage location from grain carts to silos. This enables farmers to track the grain quantity and quality attributes across all storage locations. The data presented on the N-GAUGE app empowers the farmer to optimize grain marketing and contract deliveries based on real-time grain data from the field. Android, iPhone, iPad
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FarmRoad Mobile
FarmRoad Mobile from WayBeyond makes crop data capture faster and easier, particularly for onsite scouting of pests and pathogens. Enter data via the app and instantly share it with your team to make quick, better informed decisions. Pest and disease detection is a key component of FarmRoad Mobile due to the need for swift action once detected in the growing environment. Using the app means scouting staff can take photos, comment, and share with their team to get feedback on next steps. All actions are captured on the FarmRoad platform and positively impacts the quality of yield. Android, iPhone, iPad
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John Deere Operations Center Mobile
John Deere's Operations Center Mobile (formerly MyOperations) takes remote management of your field operations and equipment to the next level. The app connects with John Deere Operations Center, allowing you to evaluate expected vs. actual performance of job execution and machine utilization. Powered by an easy, reliable connection between you and your machines through JDLink Connect, the app enables you to monitor completed field activities that occurred today and yesterday to determine the productivity and quality of each field for a given operation like Seeding, Application, Harvest, and Tillage. The app is truly your solution to view machine and agronomic data anytime and anywhere. Access to these insights into your farm helps you proactively manage your day to improve logistics and productivity, as well as increasing confidence that your jobs are being executed as planned. Android, iPad, iPhone
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AgriSync
AgriSync enables farmers and advisors to connect and resolve support issues on the farm. Farmers can connect with multiple advisors from different companies to submit and receive support in real-time via video. Advisors can manage multiple farmer service tickets through a dashboard and remote video that allows them to see what the farmer sees in real-time. A Web-based customer service dashboard allows the advisor's organization to see open cases, resolution status, and farmer feedback in real-time. Android, iPad, iPhone
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Agworld
The app enables growers, crop consultants, farm staff, precision specialists, and operation managers to truly work as one. Agworld’s document management, data capture tools, farm maps, library of labels and SDS, and communication tools improve your workflow and increase your production efficiency. The app is the most convenient way to access, capture, manage and share your farm data from anywhere. The online / offline app allows you to get things done while in the field, even without an internet connection. The app automatically syncs all your information to your secure account once you are back in range. Agworld is integrated with Microsoft Power BI analytics platform. The latest feature is Frames by Agworld, which is a low-threshold API structure that allows other technology providers to visualize data in Agworld without having to go through the expense of creating bespoke two-way data integration. iPad, iPhone
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AgVend Grower Portal
AgVend's integrated Grower Portal is a custom-branded information and commerce app for ag retailers, designed to strengthen the relationship with your customers by powering your omnichannel grower experience. Your branded Grower Portal, powered by AgVend technology, is an integrated web and mobile application that keeps your customers digitally connected to your business. It provides your growers with the ability to pay invoices, access historical orders, request product prices, and more. Additionally, your customers and sales team will appreciate the convenience and efficiency gains of having this information accessible to them through a mobile application. Learn more.
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BeCrop
BeCrop is a proprietary technology developed by Biome Makers, integrating genomics, AI, and ag data to identify the microbial biomarkers and provide a meaningful explanation of soil function in agriculture, including biodiversity, crop vulnerability and nutrition. Biome Makers offers a microbiological soil test based on genetic analysis and machine learning systems. The BeCrop portal provides all the information regarding a crop in the palm of their hand. Users will find information about parcels, shown through a satellite map; intuitive and easy to understand reports; orders; and comparison tools (co-occurrence and heat mat) for comparing the results of the samples and the soil functionality. Android, iPhone, iPad
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Bushel
Backed by the Bushel platform, you provide producers with accurate, real-time information right from your accounting system. Spend less time fielding clerical phone calls and get down to business faster by starting the conversation informed. The Bushel mobile app platform integrates into grain elevators’ accounting systems to provide growers access to their contracts, scale tickets, prepays, cash bids, and markets. With a focus in elevator-to-grower relationships, growers see their elevator’s brand and data through a white-labeling approach. Learn more.
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Farm Dog
Farm Dog is the productivity platform for profitable agronomists. The one-stop portal provides your business with those tools that save you time in the field and in the office, improve your communication with your clients, and provide the data management solutions that your business requires. From scouting solutions to easy management of your clients’ documents, Farm Dog digitizes your operations in order to improve efficiencies and grow revenues. This allows you to strengthen your personal relationships with your clients. Farm Dog integrates with multiple platforms such as John Deere Operations Center and CDMS pesticide labels, provides imagery and soil features, and is available offline and online on iOS and Android.
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Farmobile DataEngine
The Farmobile DataEngine is a powerful platform to collect, standardize, view, and share data. The free app provides real-time views of machines in fields and access to second-by-second data as it is collected by the Farmobile PUC. The PUC is a cellular-and-GPS device that plugs into a farm machine’s diagnostic port, listens to the sensors, and sends the engine and agronomy data to the DataEngine, where it is organized, standardized and sent to your Farmobile DataEngine account for easy access. It’s your data, collected independently, standardized by Farmobile, and made available to view, share and use. Available only to Farmobile subscribers. iPad, iPhone
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FarmQA
FarmQA is a digital toolset for agronomy that includes crop scouting, treatment recommendations, map layers, and complete reporting functionality. Originally FarmQA Scouting, the functionality has been significantly expanded to be a full-featured platform with mobile and web access. Use Scouting to increase crop scouting effectiveness while scouting standard row crops or specialty crops like grass seed, hops, and grapes. Everything you observe can be documented with efficiency and accuracy. Then, make the best recommendations for disease and pest treatment immediately using Advice. FarmQA Analytics allows you to view trends in real time as data comes in from the field, such as insect counts or corn yields across all fields. Display analyzed data in heat maps or graphical formats. The toolset is designed for agronomy service providers, specialty crop advisors, crop consultants, and agri-service companies like retail providers and regional cooperatives. Learn more.
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Field Prophet
Field Prophet assists in making management decisions about current or impending disease infections in agronomic fields or in turf settings. Models used in the app predict the risk of plant diseases occurring by using statistical models coupled to weather information for user-selected dates. Users can easily input site-specific information about their field into this app, which combines the information with the statistical models and weather to predict risk and thereby guiding the best timing for in-season treatments to manage those diseases of interest. The Field Prophet app currently focuses on two of the hardest hitting field crop diseases: tar spot in corn and white mold in soybeans. App data is now saved to iCloud automatically.iPhone, iPad
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GeoPard Agriculture
GeoPard is a cloud-based mobile app for precision ag data with business intelligence capabilities. GeoPard Variable Rate (VR) prescription maps are used for fertilizing, crop protection, seeding, irrigation, desiccation, and optimization of crop inputs and yield while preserving resources. GeoPard provides offline maps, soil sampling planning, soil sampling results analytics, MyJohnDeere Ops center integration, as-applied data visualization and analytics, automated multi-year field potential zones and in-season field management zones, variable rate application (Prescription/Rx) maps, field and region level satellite monitoring, advanced topography profile, and much more. Android, iPhone, iPad
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Agvance Grower360
Grower360 from SSI gives growers timely access to their information, creating a better relationship with ag retailers by enhancing the customer experience. Grower360 is one of the tools within the Agvance suite of products. Grower360 provides the portal to let customers view their accounts in real-time, see past activity, and view the details needed to make informed decisions. Designed with a “mobile-first” user experience, ag retailers' customers will have access to their data on any device…anywhere, anytime. Growers can view field boundaries, soil tests, maps, weather data, and a detailed timeline of activity for each field. On the grain side, customers will have a real-time view of all grain activity in addition to e-signature on contracts, cash bids, and futures price information. Android, iPhone, iPad
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Phytech
Phytech is a precision ag analytics company, focused on helping farmers to optimize yields by transforming real-time plant data into actionable, yield-enhancing recommendations. The Phytech mobile app is a production optimization solution that integrates plant-data, AI-based recommendations, IoT network, and hydraulic monitoring and automation. Features include clear visibility of plants’ needs, water-demand, health, and growth based on direct plant-sensing; smart AI-based irrigation recommendations; irrigation/nutrition scheduling and planning; and seamless execution of irrigation/nutrition plans. Based on real-time data from the plant, the fruit (in relevant crops), and the irrigation system growers can avoid stress, optimize water delivery, and achieve better and higher yields. Android, iPhone
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Semios
Semios allows you to remotely monitor and manage weather, pest pressure, water, and plant stress in one convenient place to produce a better crop. Get early warnings and instant feedback on frost, disease, and pest management. Gain insight into your daily and weekly operations. See trends, get degree day calculations, and use historical data to get insights into your farm. Set up alerts so that you never miss an important event. New Scout feature allows users to create scout notes, share observations with team members, view and organize notes, and much more. Android, iPhone
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Sirrus
Sirrus helps agronomists and farmers collaborate on farming decisions by making field data accessible and easy to collect. By connecting to the agX Platform, standardized field data is available offline and can be shared with other users and applications. Users can scout crops for pest pressures and easily record and collect observation photos; create and share recommendations from the field; generate PDF reports and share via email or text; soil sample using a grid, zones, or previous soil sampling points; and much more. Android (Beta), iPhone, iPad
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Taranis Scout
With the Taranis Scout app, you can take the power of imaging, analytics, and comprehensive reporting to the field with automatic issue detection and quantified alerts delivered to you and your team anytime, anywhere. Prioritize fields to scout and sample, navigate to areas at risk, and record observations with just a few clicks. Use high-resolution or satellite layers to direct scouting activities, on or offline. Monitor field conditions like rainfall and GDDs, and access a large database of issues — from weeds to diseases, insects, and disorders — to record what you’re seeing. Add geotagged notes, photos, and voice memos to reports to validate services you offer to your client base, then email those reports directly from the field. Android, iPad,iPhone
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Insights by Prospera
Using various types of imagery and state-of-the-art intelligence algorithms, Insights virtually scouts your field and alerts you to crop health concerns (Plant Insights) and irrigation issues (Irrigation Insights) before they become problems. Insights by Prospera, allows you to get real-time notifications of issues in your fields, so you can take immediate action. Reduce input costs by focusing on the relevant areas of your fields. Use the information to adjust your pivots and maintain crop uniformity. Get access to field imagery, for continuous monitoring and analysis, and easily share insights with your collaborators. The app, which was designed to be intuitive and easy-to-use is available on the app store. Android, iPhone
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FarmHQ
FarmHQ from CODA Farm Technologies is a technology platform that includes a small cellular device, sensors, and an app that lets farmers put their mobile irrigation equipment on the same monitoring and control system, giving them more control. FarmHQ constantly monitors the status and speed of your reel, tracking run progress and watching for equipment failures. With FarmHQ, if the reel stops, the pump stops. With FarmHQ, your reel is in control. When the reel stops retracting for any reason, a shutdown signal is automatically sent to the pump. This eliminates timing errors that damage crops and waste water, energy, money, and time. FarmHQ is now available in the Apple App Store. Android (coming soon),iPhone, Web-based
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GROWERS Rally App
GROWERS Rally is a digital sales enhancement platform created to help ag retail stay relevant in today’s competitive sales environment. Get a single view of the customer, including past and present orders, instant product price updates, and sales pipeline management. GROWERS Rally helps retailers connect with customers digitally, creating a professional experience for the farmer-retailer relationship. Learn more.
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E-Luminate Mobile
Golden Harvest farmers now have access to the E-Luminate Mobile app, a digital agronomy platform designed to deliver timely insights directly to farmers from their trusted seed advisors. The E-Luminate Mobile app helps farmers get a real-time look at their farm and see their data in a new way —- all from their iOS smartphone or tablet. E-Luminate Mobile's suite of features includes creating and editing fields and reviewing field data, including yield as planted, imagery, scouting, weather, crop monitoring, and more. Additionally, a farmer's yield data from the John Deere Operations Center and other equipment manufacturers can be integrated into the E-Luminate Mobile app, providing another data input to inform seed decisions. iPhone, iPad
The first iPhone was released in 2007 – and soon after the first Android — and along with it came several pre-installed apps like Notes, Weather, and Calculator. This was just the tip of the iceberg. When the App Store went live in 2008, it “only” featured 500 apps. It now has more than 2 million apps available for download. Google Play started out with 50 apps and now has about 3.5 million apps available.
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Over the past 15 years, developers have created better versions of those mobile apps first launched in the early days of the app stores. Initially, apps were simple to use, offering some basic functions like calculation and recordkeeping. Then developers started to add more functions to stand out from the crowd. Unfortunately for users, this often led to feature fatigue. What began with a useful, focused app, had too many extraneous features over time.
Fortunately, those bulkier, buggier apps have given way to a new development era of doing one thing and doing it well. A key catalyst to this trend has been app integration. Integration – or the process of enabling independently designed applications to work together — has also been quite popular in agriculture. More agtech companies are looking to partner with other app providers to give ag professionals the option of using the complete infrastructure behind their applications, ultimately leading to better results and improved productivity.
“From a developer perspective, it is much easier to create an app as part of an existing ecosystem and as an extension piece of other offerings, rather than as a standalone offering,” says Reinder Prins, Marketing Lead at Leaf Agriculture, which focuses on data infrastructure in agriculture through API services that are used to power many agtech apps. “From data backend to workflow and anything else involved, they don’t have to invent the wheel twice.”
While it used to be trendy for every agtech startup to create their own app, providers are realizing that users don’t want to deal with several different apps each day. Companies also are losing the appetite to invest in an app that only gets minimal usage. Not only is app integration bringing a lot to the table for developers, it is also allowing users to reap the benefits, says Prins, who was Chief Marketing Officer at Agworld prior to joining Leaf this past year.
“The user is the real winner here,” he says. “Nobody wants to use a plethora of apps and end up with data in a bunch of different silos that are not connected to each other. In this scenario, an app can either replace desktop software or become the in-field piece of a larger desktop offering. In both cases, the user will experience an increase in useability and extend their office away from the desk into the field, tractor, or wherever it may lead, without using a different provider or switching to a different ecosystem altogether.”
With more and more agtech providers integrating with other companies, where it makes sense, mobile app users are increasingly being put at the center of development strategies, Prins says. “If users have an agtech app that they already use every day, it can often make sense for other providers to work together with this incumbent provider instead of trying to force users to include another app in their daily routine,” he says.
A great example of successful app integration in agriculture has been the John Deere Operations Center. The popular open platform is now integrated with dozens of other agricultural apps, such as Intelinair’s AGMRI, Golden Harvest’s E-Luminate Mobile, and GeoPard, whereby farm data is connected directly to the Operations Center.
With AGMRI, for instance, seamless integration with the Operations Center is bi-directional: customers can import field boundaries, as planted, as applied, and yield maps directly into AGMRI while sending AGMRI alerts and imagery into the Operations Center. AGMRI users are alerted to emergence issues, early-season weeds, nutrient deficiencies, weather damage, water stress, disease outbreaks, and insect infestations, so they can make data-driven decisions that impact the current season and beyond.
In addition, AGMRI’s integration with the John Deere Operations Center has made it easier for Intelinair to collaborate with other industry leaders, like Yara North America and its Adapt-N nitrogen management tool. Through AGMRI’s integration with the Operations Center, variable rate information can be sent to the machine to precisely apply the right amount of nitrogen in precisely the right place to optimize the yield potential of each corn plant, ensuring an optimized nitrogen use efficiency and a more sustainably grown crop.
“Through a combination of Intelinair’s AGMRI early-season analytics around stand establishment and crop health, coupled with Yara’s Adapt-N science-based nitrogen modeling, we will enhance nitrogen management for corn for the next growing season,” says Tim Hassinger, Intelinair CEO. “Additionally, through this collaboration nitrogen insights will be automatically generated throughout the growing season and customized to management zones within each field. Farmers can adjust if needed to fit their budget, forecast, and management approach.”
“Over the past year, we’ve continued to focus on making FarmLogs the easiest-to-use, most automated farm management software,” says Julia Eberhart, Public Relations & Communications Manager, Bushel. “Integration is at the forefront of our priorities for FarmLogs. By integrating with other agricultural software, Bushel is increasing productivity and saving time for growers. For example, we’re integrating with machine data providers (e.g., John Deere, Climate, CNH), reducing manual entry of fieldwork activities and inputs to FarmLogs.”
Successful integrations don’t happen without a mutually beneficial partnership, something that has been happening quite often in agriculture in recent years. For example, Rantizo, a precision ag company focused on providing drone application systems and services, formed a partnership with EFC Systems to integrate their FieldAlytics software into the workflows for drone application. Customers of both companies will have access to the integration starting this year.
Speaking of Bushel and EFC Systems, those two organizations also recently announced an integration partnership involving EFC’s Merchant Ag ERP software. This integration will allow agribusinesses to provide real-time business information through Bushel’s digital tools including its mobile app and web portal created specifically for agribusinesses.
Intelinair also recently joined the Leaf ecosystem as part of a collaboration agreement to better serve ag retailers and growers. “Through this collaboration, Intelinair adds more efficiency in integrating with OEM data sets, which allows AGMRI to provide more robust data analytics and insights to our customers,” says Kevin Krieg, Intelinair’s Director of Business Development. “This integration allows farmers and ag retailers to more easily access data and track field performance throughout the growing season which ultimately enables more timely decision making.”
Other Trends in Agriculture Apps
So where do agriculture apps go next? As we look ahead to 2023 and beyond, experts from several agtech companies offered their insight into the trends shaping mobile app development and what we can expect to see in agriculture.
One significant trend recently has been data connectivity, which goes hand-in-hand with app integration. “From where I sit, data connectivity is becoming increasingly important,” says Leaf’s Prins. “There are hundreds, if not thousands, of agtech startups out there that have an offering for their specific target audience, and a lot of them look at utilizing, processing, or integrating data from only a handful of key providers in the industry such as John Deere, Climate FieldView, and Planet Labs.
“In other words, these agtech startups almost entirely exist on the premise of being able to use data from a third party, as opposed to creating their own through in-field sensors or other technology, and adding value to this data in some way, shape, or form. This, in my opinion, is a change from only a couple of years ago when everyone seemed to want to deliver some kind of A to Z stand-alone solution. Some companies of course still have this mindset, but things are certainly changing.”
For app providers, Prins says, using third-party data as a base for a new offering is often cheaper and easier than collecting data in the field, and it also makes for quicker adoption. “And for users, the premise of having a new online tool or app pre-populated with their own data is also a lot more appealing than starting to use something where zero data exists yet,” he says.
There’s also been a greater emphasis on creating trust with app users from the outset, says Sasha Shayovitch, Head of Marketing at Prospera Technologies, which powers the Valley Insights app.
“The most prominent trends we are seeing involve a movement toward simple, quick, and intuitive flows, so there is no confusion or question as to what is being viewed or what action needs to be taken,” she says. “In addition, many apps are aiming to create an easier onboarding or ‘get started’ process, as well as showing the user quick value, which builds trust in the experience from there.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected almost every single facet of our world, and the mobile apps space was no exception, says Rob Weber, Marketing Manager at Software Solutions Integrated and the Grower360 app. “The pandemic changed us as consumers, and it had a ripple effect across many industries — ag included,” he says. “Think of how you shop on Amazon from your phone or tablet to quickly reorder or buy something. It is transferring over more and more to the agtech space where our partners and their customers expect a similar experience.”
Bushel’s Eberhart agrees, saying the trend toward mobile technology that promotes digital payments in agriculture is here to stay. “Digital payments will help move money through the agriculture supply chain much more quickly and sustainably than the paper checks that are used for billions of dollars in payments today,” she says. “Farmers won’t have to wait for checks to arrive in the mail. Further, they will be able to quickly pay for inputs, rent, and other farm expenses. And, digital records will make their end-of-year accounting easier.”
Finally, mobile apps that promote sustainability and environmental stewardship are also becoming more common in agriculture. One example of this trend shows up on this year’s list of best agricultural apps — Syngenta’s Cropwise Sustainability app. Featuring the Sustainable Outcomes in Agriculture (SOA) standard, the app enables growers to complete a self-assessment about their practices and receive a performance report, including a sustainability leadership score and actionable insights to identify how they can improve sustainability in their operations.
“Cropwise Sustainability brings together Syngenta, growers, and the industry through step-change improvements in digital ag, data, and analytics to support climate resiliency,” said Erik Fyrwald, CEO of Syngenta Group. “By helping farmers measure, benchmark, and maximize the impact of regenerative agriculture practices, growers can strengthen their sustainable productivity, operations, and outcomes.”
FarmLogs and the team at Bushel is also paying close attention to the evolving carbon market space over the past few years, highlighted by its recently announced integrations with Nori and Cargill RegenConnect. “We’ve partnered with sustainability program providers to make it easier for pertinent farmer-permissioned data to flow seamlessly from FarmLogs to those providers,” Eberhart says. “Using our Farm Production API connection, farmers can opt to share field-level data for consideration or enrollment in programs of interest. This substantially simplifies the process. While only used for sustainability programs thus far, we’re confident that other agribusinesses and their farmer customers can benefit from the ease of information flow provided by the Farm Production API.”
2023 List of Apps for Agriculture
I’ve once again researched and evaluated the newest farming apps available for Androids, iPads, iPhones, and more. The apps listed in the slideshow were either introduced or significantly updated in 2022. I’ve also included several older apps that may have been off your radar but are definitely worthy of downloading. Be sure to check out this year’s list of agriculture apps, many of which reflect the trends identified by our experts. Here’s a breakdown of what you can expect to find in the slideshow, which will receive updates throughout the year.
Total Apps Featured: 39
Recently Added: CropX, Smartwyre Selling Solution
New Apps (released within the last year): 16
Most Common Type: Precision Ag, Farm Management, Customer Service
Want more agriculture apps? Be sure to check out these other lists. If you have a favorite new app that is on my list or one that is not, tell me about it at [email protected] or post a comment below.
71715Best Agriculture Apps for 2023 (Updated)
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Matt Hopkins is Senior Online Editor for the Agribusiness Group at Meister Media Worldwide (MMW), including such brands as CropLife, CropLife IRON, AgriBusiness Global, Global Agtech Initiative, and Cotton Grower. He is responsible for managing an array of digital products, including newsletters, websites, video, and social media. Hopkins originally joined MMW in 1994 as an editor for Greenhouse Grower magazine before transitioning to Business Manager of its MeisterPro division. He has a Communications Degree from Cleveland State University. See all author stories here.