In an industry-first collaborative effort, Agworld, Elders and Western Australia’s (WA) Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) are unlocking the value of collaboration for growers and industry advisors. Where big data is often spoken about in the context of agriculture, rarely is it used yet in a way that truly benefits the industry on a daily basis. This year, with the API integration of the Agworld platform into DPIRD’s PestFax program and the support of the Elders WA agronomy group, the case for wider adoption of similar programs has been proven.
PestFax is a service through which growers and agronomist in the grain belt of WA are notified of insect, disease and weed reports throughout the region, therefore allowing them to combat these pests more proactively. This year, the PestFax team received 2,007 reports in total against a total of 844 in 2017. The new collaboration between Agworld and the PestFax service this season resulted in 1200 of these 2,007 reports (insects, disease and weeds) from Elders WA agronomists using the Agworld platform. By increasing the number of reports by 250%, the PestFax team was able to create better and more accurate PestFax reports.
Agworld Australia and New Zealand General Manager Simon Foley comments: “I often hear industry talks about big data and what it could mean in the future. Seldom though do I hear of big data in action today. By enabling the Elders agronomy group to automatically submit their pest reports through Agworld’s API, Elders have been able to make a real difference to pest reporting throughout WA. Next year, we will invite more agronomists to join the project so that we can continue to increase the number of reports submitted to PestFax. With over 75% of Australian agronomists actively using Agworld in their daily operations, there are many similar opportunities for our customers and the industry to work together with big data to create real value for farmers at the same time as industry insights.”
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Elders Head of Technical Services Graham Page adds to this: “Elders is committed to helping Australian farmers be the most productive they can be, and this is just one example of how we can help farmers excel. Our WA agronomy team provides agronomy services to a range of growers and our agronomists who are in the field every day, scouting for pests and making recommendations to growers. By having them automatically provide valuable input to a tool like PestFax, only enhances their value to growers. We are continuing to develop and use digital tools, like Pestfax, alongside strategic partnerships with industry to ensure client decision making with is constructive, and ultimately leading to better outcomes in the field.
About Agworld
Agworld was founded in 2009 and is a global leader in collaborative farm management, enabling farmers, advisors and third parties to work together on a single platform. Agworld’s industry-leading standardized database makes it quick and easy to create accurate, reportable farm data. With over 50,000 farms and more than 30,000 users across 15 countries, Agworld has the experience, capacity and market presence to support the delivery of innovation to farmers, agronomists and those that serve them.
About Elders
Elders is a leading agribusiness in rural and regional Australia, focused on assisting clients with services and products that help them to achieve their goals. The Elders’ suite of services stretched across marketing options and specialist technical advice across retail, agency (wool, livestock and grain), real estate and agri finance product categories. Elders’ feed and processing business operates a top-tier beef cattle feedlot in New South Wales, an integrated beef supply chain in Indonesia and a premium food distribution model in China. Elders' vision is to be Australia's leading agribusiness creating value for all stakeholders in both Australian and international markets.
