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Farmers lament lack of integration between systems

24 May 2012

Farmers lament lack of integration between systems

Hamilton, NZ - Leading Farm management software provider, Farmax, announced today that it is taking a lead role in the industry to integrate its products with some of the most popular on-farm software systems in the industry.

“We’ve recently surveyed our farming customers and 65% told us the most frustrating thing for them is when software systems don’t integrate. This means they often have to enter data twice, which keeps them at their desk longer than necessary and away from doing other jobs on farm.

“This is a common issue with almost every software programme farmers use today. Farmax is taking the lead by collaborating with other software providers so that the data collected in one can be easily shared with our Farmax farm modelling and monitoring systems.

“We urge other software providers in the industry to follow suit. Farming software systems and tools need to simple and easy to use, while maximising the benefits delivered versus the effort required to use them. The companies creating them need to work together to integrate and share data between applications.

“In this day and age, with the technologies we have available to us, Farmax believes there is no longer any excuse to make farmers enter data twice into a software application and we’re doing something about it,” say Mr McEwen.

Farmax is a software tool used in both the sheep/beef and dairy industries. The system gives farmers and their rural professionals the information they need to maximise efficiency and profitability on farm. The system allows for detailed scenario analysis, planning, monitoring and performance reporting.

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Mr McEwen says Farmax is also working closely with its development partner, Rezare Systems, to look at how it can mobilise the entry of data by giving farmers devices that remove them from the constraints of the desktop computer.

“Some devices on the market, such as smart phones, create opportunities to not only enter data, but also view information relevant to decision making on farm. That allows informed decisions to be made on the spot - in the paddock or shed. This saves time and allows more proactive decision making,” says McEwen.

Mr McEwen says his team believes the lack of integration of software systems has kept New Zealand farmers from adopting technology quickly.

“While the uptake of computerised systems by today’s farmers is increasing, adoption is relatively slow as compared to other industry sectors. The primary reason for that, we believe, is the complexity of systems plus their lack of integration with other on-farm applications.

“When the effort required to learn, drive and enter data into a system exceeds the benefits farmers receive, you can’t blame them for investing their money in other tools, like dairy shed automation, that gives them a more immediate and tangible return,” explains Mr McEwen.

Mr McEwen is urging other companies providing computer based tools to farmers to sit up and took note of farmers’ frustration.

“All companies in the industry, Farmax included, need to understand how the farm operates, what farmers’ needs are and develop their products accordingly. There is too much of a ‘this is the way it should be’ attitude, without consulting the end user– the farmer. That is a dangerous trap to fall into,” says McEwen.

Mr McEwen says Farmax will announce a number of integrations over the next six months, with two announcements being made at the 2012 National Fieldays.

ENDS

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