The more you can reduce the guesswork, the more profitable your farm may be. That’s where agricultural software comes in.
While there can sometimes be a bit of a learning curve with new technology, the benefits can far outweigh the initial difficulty of learning how to use a digital tool.
What if you could view all your inventory with one quick glance at a screen rather than having to check multiple different storage locations or notepads? Automate reminders for equipment maintenance rather than struggle to keep track of those dates yourself on top of everything else already taking up brain space? Have one hub where all employees record all necessary information so nothing gets lost and you never have to track a worker down for missing info?
A farm information management system will condense all the information you need to make well-informed decisions in your business into one place in a fraction of the time. And with so much background information available at a glance, there’s a higher chance your choices will be the best ones.
Because there is such a wide array of farm information management systems to choose from, let’s break it all down into three categories.
Crop or Field Management:Some software focuses specifically on managing your fields and the crops each produces. These systems are capable of things like monitoring weather and precipitation for you as well as providing real-time satellite images of your fields so you can make decisions from the opposite side of your property or even when you are out of town without visiting the area in question.
Financial Management: If only tracking income and expenses were less messy! If only you could have instant access to ac-curate profit and loss information so you could know whether to jump on that incredible deal for a new piece of equipment – but what if the financial strain is too much?
With financial management software, you can have access to all that information with a couple of taps on your phone. P&L statements, employee wages, budget projections, and planned expenses all right there at your fingertips.
AI and Predictive Analytics for Precision Agriculture:How convenient would it be to look into the future and see what will happen so you can prevent catastrophes and capitalize on successes? While there are sadly no time machines around to enable these kinds of advantages, artificial intelligence and predictive analytics software are the next best thing for you and your farm operations.
Growing Your Agricultural Business
So do you think a little learning curve would be worth it in order to reap the potential benefits of farm information management systems for your operations? There are a variety of options available at different price points. Updating your farm information management systems with new software may be an excellent way to grow and improve your agricultural business.
Kathy Daily is the Managing Director of First Financial Bank’s Farm and Ranch Division. (www.ffb1.com) Mrs. Daily has been an agricultural lender for over 30 years. Contact her by phone at 888-398-4119 or by email at [email protected]. First Financial Bank – Member FDIC
