Our appetite for downloading mobile apps is staggering, and there appears to be no slowdown in sight. In fact, iOS app downloads could exceed 100 million per day by 2017, according to mobile analyst Horace Dediu.
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Yara CheckIT
This app from Yara North America gives users a unique and quick way to determine crop nutrient deficiency by visual comparison. CheckIT has data and pictures of 20 important crops in the U.S. market and the most common deficiencies for each crop. The app also gives corresponding nutritional advice when the deficiency has been identified. CheckIT will be a valuable tool for farmers, distributors, retailers, agronomists and crop advisors. (Android, iPad, iPhone, Windows)
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Mix Tank 3.0 (Update)
Offering a new, simplified design, Mix Tank 3.0 from Precision Laboratories now includes Mix Sheets, a feature that captures product use rates, field size, spray volume and tank size. The new feature also helps prevent mixing problems, as use rates are now calculated automatically after entering basic information. Mix Tank 3.0 also offers additional tools such as weather integration, which captures real-time data to maintain accurate spray logs and documentation. (Android, iPhone)
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FarmLogs
FarmLogs makes it incredibly easy to keep track of everything that happens in the field in real time. Developed by AgriSight, the mobile app allows farmers to log records as they work in the field, in the shop or anywhere else. Field activities such as planting, fertilizing and harvesting can be quickly logged and tracked right from the GPS-enabled mobile app. Multiple team members can track activities and make updates in real time. (Android, iPad, iPhone)
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Seeding Rate Calculator
This app from Beyond Agronomy helps you calculate how much seed is needed to produce a desired plant population when calibrating your seeder. Simply enter the desired number of plants, total known weight, germination percentage and mortality percentage to calculate the seeding rate. (Android, iPad, iPhone)
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Case IH MyShed (Update)
Powered by Partstore.CaseIH.com, MyShed provides parts manuals, assembly diagrams and part number lists for your machines. Quickly find Case IH equipment parts to create a parts list that you can easily send to your favorite dealer. The app also includes other tools that make it easier to manage your machines from any location, at any time. The updated version allows users to select a dealer with zip code and locator map, and learn what’s new with product alerts and video. (Android, iPad, iPhone)
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Pioneer Field360 Notes
Pioneer Field360 Notes pinpoints your field location via satellite imagery so you can record notes or photos on the spot. Instantly organize your crop scouting information by location to save or share, putting timely growing season info in your hands with your preferred mobile device. DuPont Pioneer customers can see field boundaries right on the map and record notes tied to each field. Customers can also send and receive notes from their local Pioneer team. (Android, iPad, iPhone)
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AgraScout
Designed and developed by Neucadia, AgraScout enables seamless, simultaneous communication between the scout and the customer as well as sales, product supply, application and billing. This comprehensive data management and communications tool can be used by retailers, consultants, sales reps and others to track and report conditions in a particular farm location. (Android, iPad, iPhone)
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Grain Calculator
This app allows you to easily calculate the amount of grain stored in a round bin. With a minimum of bin diameter and wall height, it will calculate the number of bushels or tonnes of grain. By default, the grain peak height will automatically calculate, and test weight and grain moisture will be set to standard values based on the type of grain. You can adjust any of those factors to produce a more accurate result. Plus, you can save the measurements and results to your mobile device for later retrieval. (Android)
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Pesticide Recordkeeping (PeRK)
Developed by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) Extension Pesticide Safety Education Program, PeRK provides an easy, step-by-step process for entering pesticide application data and meets all Nebraska recordkeeping laws for private and commercial/noncommercial pesticide applicators. Location is found by GPS or manually entered. While the app is developed with Nebraska in mind, it can be a useful tool for keeping records in any state, according to UNL. (Android, iPad, iPhone)
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FarmLogic Dry Grain Calculator
The FarmLogic Dry Grain Calculator from TapLogic assists users in making the decision to dry their grain, blend loads to reach optimal moisture levels or deliver the grain as is. Users select a grain crop and enter the initial weight and grain moisture percentage, then the app calculates the grains weight if it were at its optimal moisture level. Users can then compare their data to make informed grain-marketing decisions. (Android, iPad, iPhone)
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CHS Grain Trading
This app allows easy access to CHS grain terminals, soybean processing plants and select service center bids. It enables producers to make, monitor and manage offers to sell corn, soybeans and wheat electronically. The app also provides market information with the ability to create and manage futures-only, basis-only and cash offers. (Android, iPad, iPhone)
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Manure Pit Calculator
The manure pit capacity estimator allows users to estimate the remaining capacity in a round, square or rectangular pit. The app uses input to calculate the surface area together with the distance from the contents to the top of the pit. With additional depth information, it also calculates the empty capacity as well as the amount of current contents. (iPad, iPhone)
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Field Tracker Pro
This app from Farm-Apps Inc. allows farmers to record seed, fertilizer and spray requirements ahead of time and then have this information at their fingertips in the field when time is of the essence. Multiple year field data allows the farmer to check field history ‘on the spot’ to assist in making a better decision today. (Android, BlackBerry, iPad, iPhone, Windows)
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ScoutDoc (Update)
ScoutDoc is a user friendly field scouting app for crop consultants, field scouts and farmers, and now features GPS map and pin drop functions. Developed by AgNition, the app allows users to create or import a field map and save information collected when scouting or inspecting field crops. (iPad, Android version available soon)
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AgDNA
AgDNA is designed to help growers with farm planning, recordkeeping, boundary mapping, GPS coverage maps, live equipment tracking, scouting observations, in-field communications, data sharing and more. All data is synchronized with the secure AgDNA online cloud storage account allowing activity records and setup details to be retrieved from a Web browser or any other AgDNA-enabled device. (Android, iPad, iPhone)
This download frenzy has also had a huge impact on agriculture, with mobile app stores now overflowing with applications specific to our industry. But for every useful app, there are likely several that will be abandoned after one use. Consider 53% of ag retailers say they are using less than 20% of the total number of agriculture-related apps they’ve ever downloaded on their tablets on “at least a weekly basis,” according to a recent CropLife Media Group study.
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To help you choose the right agriculture apps for your already overpopulated mobile device, I’ve researched the latest ones to hit the market. For the purpose of this list, I selected apps that were introduced — or significantly updated — in 2013 and have a good chance of helping ag professionals do their jobs more efficiently in 2014. View the slideshow below to see which apps made the cut.
Honorable Mention
CropLife magazine. Okay, so I’m being slightly biased here. But CropLife magazine IS the trusted, exclusive information source serving the agricultural distribution channel. Retailers, distributors and manufacturers in the agriculture market rely on CropLife to understand how trends and events both inside and outside the industry will impact their businesses and the farmer-customers they serve. This free app combines the content that our audience respects and trusts with the interactivity and convenience of the iPad. Learn more here.
Optimizer 2.0 (update). The new function from Advanced Ag Solutions LLC models anticipated irrigation to reduce data entry for farmers and their crop advisors. It is part of the company’s Optimizer 2.0 app, which also recently unveiled the ability to download variable rate files to control seed and nitrogen rates within the field in its Solver feature. The app utilizes weather forecasts and soil moisture levels along with crop needs and common practices of area farmers to estimate when the farmer may have turned on or off his irrigation pivot. The software then allows the user to easily edit irrigated rates and timing in cases where estimates of irrigation might be off. (Available on most devices)
Apache on the Go. This mobile app from Equipment Technologies enables users to learn about the features and benefits of the Apache sprayer with a virtual 360 walk around, detailed specs and photos and videos on each Apache sprayer model. (iPad)
CP Products Calculators. These mobile apps allow users to set up calculations for all CP’s nozzles, both for aerial and ground. Need to know what is the best tip for your aircraft? CP Products’ calibration app will help you figure it out. Meanwhile, the flow rate calculator app will help users determine the best tip and orifice for their sprayer. (Android, iPad, iPhone)
totheshelf. This mobile app from Agrotypos SA links growers to traders and vice versa. totheshelf intends to build a global network of agricultural products sellers and buyers. Farmers, cooperatives, wholesalers, brokers, importers, exporters, industry, retailers and anyone who involves in animal or plant products trading can download the app and seek new customers or business partners. The app is available in all countries and in two languages, English and Greek. (iPad, iPhone)
VRPETERS (Vehicle Rollover Prevention Education Training Emergency Reporting System). Developed by University of Missouri researchers, VRPETERS can detect vehicle collisions, side and rear overturns and rollovers due to centrifugal forces while turning curves. In case of an accident, VRPETERS transmits emergency notifications to predefined contacts automatically. VRPETERS can save lives by changing the human behavior as a training tool; providing warning messages to the operator to prevent an accident; reducing the deployment time of rescue teams; and providing the GPS coordinates, the date and time of an accident. (Android, iPad, iPhone)
Climate App. This University of Nebraska-Lincoln app helps agricultural producers track key temperatures. The Climate App publishes maps that show recent highs, lows and soil temperatures. The High Plains Regional Climate Center in UNL’s School of Natural Resources released the app to keep agricultural producers aware of the temperature ranges that could affect production timelines. The Climate App’s homepage currently presents five options: “Maximum Temperature (F) yesterday,” “Minimum Temperature (F) yesterday,” “7 Day Average Soil Temperature (4″),” “1 Day Soil Temperature (4″),” and “1 Day Precipitation Total.” Each option links to a map with a color scale that indicates the corresponding local information. (Available on most mobile devices)
iCropTrak Soil App. Replacing its PrecisionEarth mobile app, Cogent3D has introduced the new iCropTrak Soil sampling app. iCropTrak Soil can go from login to your field sample in three clicks; add new growers, farms, field boundaries and zones from the iPad while in the field; and export soil sampling results while in the field using one button via e-mail to the lab and customer using synchronization with the cloud, other iCT users and export to iCloud. (iPad)
Looking for more agriculture apps? Be sure to check out these other lists:
11515 Best New Agriculture Apps Worth Downloading In 2014
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Matt Hopkins is Senior Online Editor for the Agribusiness Group at Meister Media Worldwide (MMW), including such brands as CropLife, CropLife IRON, AgriBusiness Global, Global Agtech Initiative, and Cotton Grower. He is responsible for managing an array of digital products, including newsletters, websites, video, and social media. Hopkins originally joined MMW in 1994 as an editor for Greenhouse Grower magazine before transitioning to Business Manager of its MeisterPro division. He has a Communications Degree from Cleveland State University. See all author stories here.