Farmers who embrace technology are reaping the rewards
Over the past couple of decades the agricultural industry has undergone significant changes as the advancement in technology has marched forward allowing farmers to streamline their business, diversify and change the way they work.
In the first half of the 20th century rapid evolution with machinery raised productivity allowing fewer farmers to work more land. Now with the progression that has been made through the internet and satellite based equipment, todays farmer is a long way from being a man or woman reliant solely on labour and machinery, as computers have become integral in the tasks of planting, harvesting , feeding livestock and managing the business.
The level to which different agricultural companies invest in the technological change will be made by the individual businesses, however, Nigel Parsons, Managing Director of West Sussex based agricultural software company Landmark Systems, which produces the KEY range of products, believes that the advancements are being wholeheartedly embraced:
As much as GPS technology has helped with general farming, computer and software developments have enabled the farming industry to be not only more efficient with their work but also become more profitable.
Nigel continued:
Software is now available for everything from recording field accounts, stock control and livestock sales to calculating VAT, managing an audit trail and keeping up with rent demands.
All this is enabling farmers and estate managers to have much better control of operations, spending and management.
Revesby Farms and Revesby Estate in Lincolnshire are two businesses managed and owned by one family which has welcomed technological change and sees it as a vital ingredient for constant progression.
Peter Wiggins-Davies (one of the family members) commented:
Our technology uptake has certainly been large. All of the family members and the farm manager Chris Baylis are very enthusiastic to utilise as much practical technology as possible. Out of the office on farm, this has included collating information from yield, soil and nutrient mapping techniques using GPS receivers to pin point individual field areas enabling inputs to be targeted for the specific requirements improving the margin over input cost. GPS guidance systems are now used for all primary cultivations and sowing of crops ensuring absolute accuracy between individual machine bouts optimising full output potential from both operator and machine whilst reducing operating and labour cost of the equipment.
Within the office Landmarks KEY accounts and KEY property software have enabled extremely accurate budgeting and accounting. The accuracy has enabled us to look at every enterprise in isolation and truly evaluate its profitability. It is fair to say that the structure of the business has changed as a result. We have found that Landmarks accounting software works extremely well alongside our electronic information management system TBSLs Docuware. Now we file everything electronically, thus enabling all of our information available at the flick of a mouse. The intention is to go paperless for the 2010-2011 financial year. It has to be understood that we have much respect for the history of the estate, we feel that our technology and understanding of our own business is also helping us improve on our history, for the next generation.
Software which has been produced specifically for the agricultural industry can enable farm business planning and management to be made a lot simpler with the majority of programs consolidating and linking the required tasks.
Technology will continue to play a big part in the rural business sector and can be more easily justified by return on investment in administrative and professional fee savings than in the past as prices of hardware and software have come down and there is more pressure on tighter management, Nigel Parsons concluded.
Landmark Systems produce KEY Accounting software and KEY Property Management Software throughout the UK in both the rural business and non-rural property sectors. Well known as a market leader in the provision of software for any size of business in the rural sector, the products are aimed at the small and medium sized business in the property sector. It is well established (formed in 1987) and KEY software is operating in over 2000 user sites. Landmark is a provider of software solutions, but the company has been built on a strong culture of customer support and training so that users are encouraged to use their system effectively and to feedback their upgrade and development needs.