Sunset or sunrise, traditional or industrialised, niche or commodity? There sometimes appear to be as many opinions and forecasts for agriculture as there are commentators.
When my colleagues and I started Rezare Systems in 2004 we made
We’ve all seen the explosive growth in the use of mobile devices, and it may have encouraged you to think about using mobile software: to reach farmers, enhance your product, or arm your field team. That same growth has also seen changes in
Agricultural data: who holds it, who is using it, and who “owns” or controls it has been recurring news worldwide, featuring in places as diverse as Wall Street Journal, Fortune Magazine, the American Farm Bureau Federation, ABC Rural in Australia, and European Union projects.
A quick summary of the opinions expressed are that increasing use of
Seasonal weather forecasting is a tricky thing – forecasters don’t necessarily have a great track record. This year is interesting as international researchers and the Crown Research Institute NIWA have provided clear, early forecasts for a strong El Niño event. Rezare Systems’ Farm Systems Analyst Graeme Ogle explores the implications for farmers and tactics they should consider below.
Agricultural supply chains have become increasingly complex and for those serving discerning markets, increasingly demanding. Product integrity, safety, and quality attributes are moving from being based on reassurances to evidence and audit.
In the past, a handshake, a solid conversation, a trusted voice on the phone would have provided the necessary
Whether its belching bovines blamed for contributing to climate change, stock access to waterways or the diffuse challenge of nitrate leaching, farming systems in New Zealand are under the microscope.
Not many careers carry the same challenges of complexity as farming. Politics requires substantial adaptability. Consumer marketing and the share market both have challenges of trying to forecast what is erratic and volatile. Manufacturing requires controls over process and product quality. Farming combines all of these, and requires complex, multi-factor decisions that deal with climate and weather, market demand and pricing, as well as the sometimes-hidden feedback loops of biological systems.
Amidst the general concern for New Zealand dairy farmers and their short term prospects, there is a good news story circulating which could increase their income from calves by up to $70/head.
I was privileged to attend and speak at the B+LNZ Genetics Sheep Breeders Forum in Napier, New Zealand recently.
In my previous posts on this subject, I wrote about how New Zealand farming organisations and farmers are attempting to improve how data flows and is used in the agricultural sector.