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Ways smarter tech can accelerate livestock genetic progress

I started writing about the case for smarter tech in cattle and sheep breeding programmes a while ago, and quickly realised there was more than would fit in a single blog post. In my previous post I described how technology can help us increase the pace of genetic progress, by: Measuring what we can’t easily […]

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The case for smarter tech in cattle and sheep breeding

My first job in livestock performance recording was with the Genetics Section, as it was called, at Ruakura Research Centre in New Zealand. I worked part time while studying at university, transferring research trial data off the government mainframe on reel-to-reel tape, and writing inbreeding coefficient calculation software. The genetics section was based in an […]

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How DataLinker streamlines agricultural technology connections

Information is the life-blood of today’s businesses and will enable the transformations occurring in the agriculture and food business sector. Historically, information has only been exchanged between businesses at the transactional level (such as shipping notices and invoices), while richer data that could differentiate products, demonstrate environmental compliance, and optimise business value has remained isolated […]

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Are you making authentic supply chain promises?

If you’re in the food business (whether that’s retail, food service, processing, farming, or supply), consumers are asking questions about your supply chain. Of course, they may not be asking you directly, and they may not be asking your retail or food service partner, but they are asking: on social media, on recommendation sites such […]

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Farmers love technology, fear misuse

Increasing numbers of farmers see technology as useful and important to their farming businesses, and farmers are looking to invest further in new technology over the coming years. Despite this, lingering concerns about data sharing, privacy and control remain. According to the October 2016 Commonwealth Bank of Australia Agri-Insights Survey of 1600 Australian farmers, 70% […]

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How on-farm data and analysis can support credence attributes

Can on-farm technologies and “big data” support food and fibre product attributes that consumers value? In a previous article I noted a Hartman Group study that suggested that consumers are interested in attributes other than just the look and price of a product, wanting to know: What ingredients are in the food or beverage product […]

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Why invest in tech for farming?

Every second business writer today seems to be talking about ag-tech, big data, and the internet of things. If you’re an agriculture sector organisation, or a company servicing or purchasing from primary producers, you might be forgiven for thinking you missed a day in the office and overnight farming has become a connected, automated, artificially-intelligent […]

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Is connectivity interrupting your agricultural vision?

The last few years (even the last few months) have seen a surge in organisations exciting us about what farmers will do with sensors and mobile devices. We’ll be able to collect data with drones flying above our fields and tiny devices scattered across our farms. We’ll collect data with smart ear-tags and boluses in […]

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What do consumers know about your supply chain?

Consumers. A jaded and cynical bunch. I include myself in that statement. Just last weekend, a lovely salesperson was extolling the praises of a new smoothie product (“would you like to try it sir, it’s packed with fruit”), while I was remembering comments from my children about the level of sugar in smoothies and trying […]

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Getting the most from farm data

Increasing pressure from commodity returns, input costs and environmental compliance means that farming today relies on consistent, quality decision-making. Good information, viewed properly to gain insights, is the life-blood of great farm decisions. Unfortunately, the most useful data is often hardest to collect and interpret. Pasture information relies on pasture walks (or drives); stock condition […]

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Building APIs for your agricultural product

Providers of products, services, or data in the primary production sector are under pressure from their users and partners. Everyone wants to exchange useful pieces of information (data) rather than forcing farmers and customers to read information from one application and retype it into another. They not only expect data to flow, but applications to […]