Farm technology Archives - Agri-EPI Centre

Tag Archive for: Farm technology

Holistic farming platforms to support agri-businesses

Three years ago, Glas Data founders Rob Sanders and Colin Philipson saw a need to help farmers produce larger quantities of better produce in a sustainable and cost saving manner. They tailored an existing platform to the agricultural industry and launched software system GlasCore. This system was specifically designed to help farming businesses control and monitor all aspects of their farm and process, ensuring they capture and isolate any potential problems before they became major issues.

Agri-EPI met with member Glas Data to find out more about their technology supporting farming businesses, the collaboration with hardware providers and their plans for the future:

 

Q&A with agri-tech innovator Glas Data

This high tech system, can be explained in three stages:

  1. Hardware – form of installing sensors that captures real-time data (example: Temp of milk)
  2. Gateway – Wirelessly and securely collects the data.
  3. Software – GlasCore displays this data in a readable and easy to understand manner.

With this whole system being wireless and automated, all our client need do is log on to their dashboard from the comfort of their home or on the go on their phone to see all the real-time readings and track their farming data.

The great thing about GlasCore is that yes it aggregates data from sensors, but it can also  aggregate data from other sources, such as the NMR (National Milk Records). This allows for the data to be imported really easily and displayed, for example, by cow. We have current users who can now access and review the protein, fat, milk levels etc in individual cows. Then, with one of our most recent exciting updates, they can visualise these cows in one graph all separately and be able to easily track the highest performing, and different levels in comparison to one another.

Depending on the business targets and aims our system can help in a myriad of ways. We sit down and talk with each potential client and customer and ask them for their targets and goals, this way we are able to customise their dashboard to achieve this. From monitoring key metrics to alerting someone of a potential issue, GlasCore, is customised to the clients needs.

What is key to note is that GlasCore draws together all of your business data, from freezer and fridge temperatures, to water and energy usage, to monitoring whether a door is open or closed, GlasCore brings this into a easily accessible versatile dashboard.

This year has proven the importance of the UK farming industry and how we need to ensure the best care of our animals, produce, and entire process from the feed we provide our animals to the best quality in processing products. UK farmers work tirelessly long days and harder than ever to ensure this and we want to help them. Our software is designed to provide business and personal reassurance and peace of mind which I think is important now more than ever. Farmers care so much for their animals and farms, we need to help care for them but giving a little help where we can.

The various features within the system, and can be really tailored to the clients needs and use. Some tools and aspects may not be as essential depending on the usage.

  • Mapping: Through the RPA, map out your land parcels, hedges, field boundaries and names into one easy to use map. Visualise your buildings, landmarks and then pin your sensors to their specific locations. (Expand)
  • Real-Time Alerts: Setting up specific alerts from your live data incase a temp goes too low, or a large amount of water is used to prevent failures, leakages and ensure your business is looked after 24/7. You chose the parameters and create the alerts to what you need. Receive a text or email when something spikes.  (Expand)
  • Visualisations: Real-time data is great, but here you can visualise this in a helpful way that allows you to notice spikes, compare data, and track its progress. (Expand)

The UK farming industry is becoming more and more important with everything going on in the world. Something we have been working thoroughly on is water monitoring and early leak detection. Through monitoring key metrics and providing a substantial overview of usage, we can detect leakages early and also find ways to conserve water and form a more sustainable way of farming. There is much more detail to this, but our system presents all of your data in a way that you can use it to take action.

The farming industry has taken incredible steps over the last decade and is reaching for a low carbon and sustainable way of working, providing more produce of better quality. Through this many people have IoT devices (Internet of Things) and smart sensors all collecting data, but no platform to review, track and notice trends for this. This is where GlasCore comes in! Working with companies that allow us to provide over 70 different LoRaWAN sensors and gateways to collect the data, we have the whole package.

Our development team work continuously to develop and provide more and more exciting features. One of my tasks is to ask our customers and clients what they want from their dashboard and if we cannot already provide that service, work with the development team to create a solution and place this in to our development pipeline. We have actually just had a large update over the weekend, that I will be creating tutorial videos for to showcase the new functions.

Our aim as a team and company is to help farmers take control of their data, massively increase the data they manage so that the decisions they make are as informed as possible, and in the long run analyse all the data and generate insights that are completely tailored to them.

 

More information

If you would like to understand more about the on-farm software solutions on offer, please contact Glas Data by using the following contact details:

Email: hello@glas-data.com
Phone: 07485 017650

45 Lemon Street
Truro, Cornwall
TR1 2NS
United Kingdom

Farm software solutions to enable farmers’ decision making

With national and international expertise and reach, our partners are drawn from throughout the UK and beyond, with hands-on farming, agri-tech and academic specialisms. We would like to introduce to you: Landmark Systems.

Landmark Systems is the market leading provider of farm business management software, designed to provide farmers with easy-to-use tools that help them stay compliant and make the right business decisions. They have provided award winning software and Mobile Apps to farms across the UK for over 30 years. Covering all elements of farm business management, Landmark helps growers and producers to streamline administrative work, while collecting crucial farm financial performance data – to form the basis of future business decisions.

Software product range

The software range covers financial, cropping and livestock records and can be used in the cloud or installed on a PC.

Accounts and budgeting

The KEYPrime range has products suitable for all levels of business complexity. From simple cashbook accounts, to large multi-enterprise operations with diverse reporting and user needs. The entire range comes with comprehensive management reports facilitating decision making and forecasting.

“You need to trust a program and that means trusting what it can do for you. That applies to KEYPrime Intro…. Now that we have [my son] Joe fully involved I have more time to embrace and enjoy what technology can do for us.” ~ Jim Dufosee, Wiltshire farmer

Crop records

Geofolia, with its Mobile App, is used by more than 23,000 farmers worldwide. Developed by our parent company ISAGRI, it provides growers with an easy to use tool to produce detailed information for example stock management and crop satellite analysis. Records are updated live from the field with a smartphone. Field, variety, crop and farm performance can be monitored with reports, or more visual on-screen graphs and dashboards.

“Compared to the platform that we were using previously, we have found Geofolia very user friendly. It also saves a great deal of time as staff can have jobs sent via their mobile with the highlighted fields, the machinery to use as well as any further instructions.” ~ Jeremy Padfield, West Sussex farmer.

Livestock records

Cattledata makes updating births, deaths, sales, movements and the medicine book quick and simple to do and makes light work of updating national databases. The newly introduced Cattledata Mobile App has already proved itself on farm and was a 2020 Royal Highland Show product award winner.

“Having Cattledata on my phone means I can see exactly what has happened to any cow. It’s a real bonus not having to rack my brains or go back to the PC. I am able to record things on the go, so I don’t forget them.” ~ Stephen, Inverness farmer

On-farm live accuracy software

Administration and record keeping are an essential element of running a farm business. In some cases, keeping these records digitally is required by law – the business VAT return for example. However, farmers using software across their businesses will equip themselves and their successors for the control needed in today’s uncertain economic climate. We aim to give rural businesses the products to make fast decisions based on ‘live’ accurate information.

The software is designed with three things in mind:

  • Ease of use | Technology should be accessible for everyone.
  • Saving time | Understanding that most farmers prefer to spend their time in the field, rather than the office.
  • Better decisions | Allowing the time spent on keeping records to help farmers make informed decisions about the future of their business.

Landmark Systems has dedicated local consultants, trainers and a telephone support team to ensure clients get the most from their software.

More information

If you would like to understand more about the on-farm software solutions on offer, please contact Landmark Systems by using the following contact details:

T: 01798 877100
E: info@landmarksystems.co.uk
6 Swan Court, Station Road, Pulborough, West Sussex, RH20 1RL
Open 5 days a week Mon – Fri – 9.00 am to 5.30 pm