The transfer, sharing and analysis of digital data is to become faster and more efficient through a collaboration between Hutchinsons and Bayer.
Hutchinsons Omnia and Bayer FieldView users will be able to synchronise data between the two systems, allowing growers to increase knowledge and improve decision making on their farms.
Many farmers cite the lack of communication between precision platforms, hampering the ability in accessing and evaluating data, and ultimately strategic and tactical farm management decisions. This collaboration will allow growers to do more with the data they are already generating, not only improving crop management for optimised yield and returns but also shaping farm strategy for a more sustainable business.
Max Dafforn
Bayer’s Max Dafforn says the collaboration is logical given the synergies between the two platforms. “Omnia’s precision agronomy tools combined with FieldView’s data capture makes the analysis of variable rate applications quicker and more effective. Effectively users will have streamlined data collection and the ability to overlay yield data with variable rate application information quickly and accurately. Farmers will be able to utilise their data to generate Cost of Production maps within Omnia and make better farm management decisions.”
Oliver Wood of Hutchinsons believes the data shared between the two systems will help growers optimise decision making and focus on key areas of a farm or field. “Cloud-syncing Omnia and FieldView data will help growers visualise and analyse data more effectively, giving new insights on crop management strategies and operation effectiveness. This will help growers improve poor performing field areas, or identify alternative uses.”
Once the linkage between the two platforms is in place field boundaries will be synchronised between the two platforms, eliminating the need for manual file transfer or duplicated data entry. Yield data, captured real-time in FieldView, will import automatically into Omnia, meaning seamless data transfer without the need of portable storage devices. It also eliminates the inconvenience of dealing with different yield file formats, saving significant time.
Oliver Wood
The Omnia Precision Agronomy platform is already in use on over 4000 UK farms covering over 1m hectares. Omnia users will be able to trial FieldView from the beginning of June providing sufficient time for the setup and familiarisation with the platform, enabling data flow for harvest 2021.
One enterprise already benefiting from both platforms is G H Hoyles Ltd, Long Sutton, Lincs.
The business was an early adopter of the Omnia platform, and last season started trialling Climate FieldView.
The entire farm was mapped using Omnia, including non-cropped areas, and assistant farm manager Henry Richardson uses it for variable rate seed and fertiliser plans, and mapping PCN areas which is partly managed by variety and increased fertiliser rates.
He sees Omnia as an easy to operate, convenient, platform. “It’s seamless. The Plant Vision scanner works perfectly with our sprayer, allowing us to detect changes in biomass and highlight potential problem areas. We also use these NDVI images to create fertiliser plans in Omnia. Likewise, the Connect App links up perfectly with the drill to plan and implement variable rate drilling.”
He expects seamless connectivity between the two platforms to make the evaluation of variable rate applications easier. “Our success has been built on trialling, evaluation and benchmarking to refine farming practice, and that needs to continue with the challenges that lie ahead and continuing weather volatility. Simplified data sharing between Omnia and FieldView will allow us to evaluate any field area efficiently and accurately, helping us improve management decisions.”
Further integrated functionality is planned for the future. This will increase access within the two platforms extending the benefits across the farm, adding enhanced field insight to further refine crop management decision making.
