According to AgWeb, use of smartphones and tablets is higher among farmers than among the general American public. That’s because us farmers know a good tool when we see one!
Both Apple and Google offer a wealth of agriculture-related mobile apps. Whatever questions you need answered when you’re out in the field, there’s probably an app for that. These are a few of the best reviewed, most widely recognized choices. Take a look and see if one or two of these might make your business run a little smoother this year.
All of these are available for either Apple iOS or Android devices.
Grower’s Edge
From the creators of the website by the same name, Grower’s Edge provides local, personalized information to farmers. Access cash prices and market quotes, market commentary, hyperlocal weather, news and more.
John Deere Field Connect
John Deere worked with South Country Equipment to develop this tool to access what they call “crop intelligence.” They combine data, tested knowledge, and weather information into actionable results. It interacts with soil moisture monitors to help you make timely irrigation decisions, eliminate overwatering, and save money.
AgSquared
The better you can measure results, the better you can plan for the future. AgSquared provides farm planning tools that let you do just that. It lets you keep records of everything that happens on your farm and displays it in easy-to-read displays. Use it to plan a planting schedule, calculate seed order, layout fields, and more.
Toggl
Manage your labor force and keep everyone communicating with Toggl. It can help you organize your team for the most efficient workflow. It generates attractive graphs and charts to help you see how your human resources are being used and where you can make improvements.
AgriSync
Use your phone or tablet to get input from advisors from different companies with live video. Get support quickly, such as when equipment breaks down or technology glitches. The advisor can see any issues you need to show them, via the camera, and capture the images if needed.
Pocket Rain Gauge
This app lets you know rain amounts all at once. Find out how much it rained at multiple locations over the past 24 hours. Refresh up to once an hour. You can even provide user feedback to help the company, Agrible, continue fine-tuning its processes. Link Pocket Rain Gauge to your Morning Farm Report account for instant access anywhere.
Reduce Bee Poisoning
Without bees, agriculture is in serious trouble. This app lets you consult Oregon State University’s searchable pesticide tables. It lists 150 insecticides, fungicides, miticides, slug killers, and growth disruptors to find out what will or will not harm the bee species local to your area.
PHOTO: Pixabay / CC0 Public Domain