By: Farmobile Editors

Farmobile Talk — Pre-Planting Tips 

Are you ready to roll? Your equipment may be field-ready, but is your data account prepped for the 2021 planting season?

In this episode of Farmobile Talk, Steve Cubbage, VP of Farmobile Service, and Ethan Merck, program manager of Farmobile Service, sat down to discuss “how” to get plant-ready.

With more than 25 collective years in agronomy and consulting, Steve and Ethan have boots-on-the-ground experience of “what it takes” to get ready to roll for a new planting season. 

According to Cubbage and Merck, one of the most important steps for a successful digital strategy is taking the time, prior to the crop season, to ensure that all data inputs and equipment adjustments are correct. This is vital to the accuracy and reliability of data that will be used by farmers and their trusted advisors throughout the growing season. 

Have time? Get your Farmobile DataEngine^SM account plant ready! 

To ensure you start this crop-year right, follow four steps to get ready to roll.

Step 1: Install Farmobile PUC^TM device & antenna

If your PUC device is already installed, skip the first step. Typically, an install takes around 15 minutes to get started by following installation steps.  Install PUC

Step 2: Input seed varieties

Pre-populate your Farmobile account with seed variety with Crop Data Management Systems, Inc. (CDMS) for tracking seed performance. NEW: Pre-populate Seed Inputs

Step 3: Adjust field boundaries

Better boundaries yield more precise EFRs which drive more informed decisions. Draw boundaries in the Farmobile DataEngine platform or send us your boundaries for upload. Adjust Boundaries

Step 4: Check swath width + row spacing 

Optimize the accuracy of agronomic + machine data by providing your planter’s swath width and row spacing for planting activity.  Check Rows

More reasons “why” quality data matters

These tips are helpful for ensuring reliable information, but they could also benefit a farmer’s wallet, as well.  

“First of all, quality data is easier to certify at the end of a planting season,” says Cubbage. “Only certified data is eligible for licensing and revenue opportunities through the Farmobile DataStore^SM exchange.” The exchange is the first-of-its kind data marketplace that allows farmers to license their data multiple times to pre-approved, third-party data buyers. 

“For instance, in 2020, one of the first questions that data buyers seem to ask is for seed variety or brand,” adds Cubbage. “Farmobile’s CDMS standardized list makes a farmer’s data more valuable.”

Beyond Farmobile DataStore opportunities, quality machine data also tells a more accurate story — helping farmers to identify higher- and lower-performing farm equipment. This could result in huge savings, says Merck.

Via the Farmobile DataEngine platform, farmers can compare equipment performance in Machine Utilization Reports or cost of use via the Machine Cost Calculator — two very powerful tools on the dashboard — to determine whether or not “that 120-foot planter was worth the investment.”

“Farmers can gauge the performance of the equipment they are using in the Machine Cost Calculator,” notes Merck. “They can quickly analyze their machine data for fuel usage, run times and add in fixed and appreciation costs to basically evaluate machine cost per acre.”

“This feature, plus quality data, really puts value and visibility directly into the hands of the farmers allowing them to see how their machines affect ROI,” says Ethan. “But you need quality data to do that.”

Let Farmobile help you get ready to roll. Need assistance? Contact Farmobile Support via email (support@farmobile.com) or phone (844.337.2255)

Listen to Farmobile Talk on the go.  Be a podcast follower. Subscribe to “AgData Chat” to get your bi-weekly Farmobile fix. 

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