almonds

Almonds

apples-3

apples

Apples

cherries

Cherries

citrus-4

citrus

Citrus

hops-3

hops

Hops

olives-3

olives

Olives

stonefruits-3

StoneFruits

Stone Fruits

grapes-4

Grapes

Wine Grapes

berries-3

berries

Berries

nuts-5

Nuts

pistachios

Pistachios

walnuts

Walnuts

pecans

Pecans

macadamia

Macadamia

grapes-5

Table Grapes

peaches

Peaches

Fieldin delivers risk mitigation for high value crops.

It’s 7:00 am on a warm spring morning in a pistachio orchard in California’s Central Valley. The spray crews are gearing up for a busy day and week ahead. This will be the first spray of the season for the fourth leaf pistachios. Last year, this application took a crew of five operators 360 hours as they hand-sprayed the young trees to avoid excess waste of materials. This year, they’re eager to try a new approach with Fieldin’s AutoSpray solution.
Since 2013, Fieldin has been paving the way for innovation in high-value crops. Following the <a href="https://agfundernews.com/midnight-robotics-acquired-by-fieldin-to-make-digital-farm-management-more-autonomous">acquisition of Midnight Robotics</a> in 2021, we accelerated our push into the autonomous farming movement. At the beginning of 2023, Fieldin announced the <a href="https://www.precisionfarmingdealer.com/articles/5422-ouster-and-fieldin-announce-largest-deployment-of-retrofit-autonomy-kits-for-autonomous-tractors-following-multi-year-supply-agreement">largest deployment of retrofit autonomy kits</a> for autonomous tractors to date with 100 retrofit kits made available to high-value crop growers. The retrofit kits are powered by lidar sensors that detect where the canopy starts and stops and turns spray nozzles on and off to only spray where needed.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-3030 size-large" src="http://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Copy-of-FIELDIN-FIELD-DAY-32-1024x682.jpg" alt="Fieldin AutoSpray pistachio orchard" width="1024" height="682" srcset="https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Copy-of-FIELDIN-FIELD-DAY-32-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Copy-of-FIELDIN-FIELD-DAY-32-300x200.jpg 300w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Copy-of-FIELDIN-FIELD-DAY-32-768x512.jpg 768w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Copy-of-FIELDIN-FIELD-DAY-32-1536x1023.jpg 1536w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Copy-of-FIELDIN-FIELD-DAY-32-2048x1364.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
With spraying operations being such a critical function for high value crop growers, we’ve been very intentional and targeted in the rollout of AutoSpray. As with any new technology, ensuring that the solution is doing its job requires close attention and collaboration with the teams in the field. Outside of the field operations, it’s important that we also ensure that we’re accurately capturing all of the data to understand the effectiveness of the AutoSpray programs.
To date, the controlled rollout of AutoSpray solutions includes a combined 35,800 acres of mixed crops, including almonds, pistachios, walnuts, and stone fruit. As partners in the journey to autonomy, our team has been working closely with early adopters to ensure successful implementation and impact to growers’ bottom lines. The early results are impressive and show tremendous upside in being able to deliver on the promises that autonomous solutions, like AutoSpray, have been touting for high value crop growers.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-3032 size-large" src="http://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/33-More-area-covered-per-tank-1-1024x574.png" alt="Fieldin AutoSpray customer results" width="1024" height="574" srcset="https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/33-More-area-covered-per-tank-1-1024x574.png 1024w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/33-More-area-covered-per-tank-1-300x168.png 300w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/33-More-area-covered-per-tank-1-768x430.png 768w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/33-More-area-covered-per-tank-1-1536x861.png 1536w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/33-More-area-covered-per-tank-1.png 1966w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
<h3>Savings abound across crop types and tree maturity profiles</h3>
Among the early adopters of AutoSpray, we’ve collected data across blocks of almonds, pistachios, walnuts, and stone fruit, each of which include a variety of young trees, semi-mature trees, and mature trees. As one might expect, the single most contributing factor determining the amount of chemical savings is the size of the trees. In younger blocks, there is a larger gap between trees which translates to more time with the nozzles off when AutoSpray mode is engaged and hence less material applied. In more mature blocks where the trees are larger, there is more active spraying occurring to cover the denser canopy. The graph below illustrates the distribution of AutoSpray chemical savings results across a pistachio orchard.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-3034 size-large" src="http://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/spray-savings-by-block-graphic-1024x631.png" alt="Fieldin AutoSpray savings by block" width="1024" height="631" srcset="https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/spray-savings-by-block-graphic-1024x631.png 1024w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/spray-savings-by-block-graphic-300x185.png 300w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/spray-savings-by-block-graphic-768x474.png 768w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/spray-savings-by-block-graphic.png 1184w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
While the savings may be more substantial in young blocks, the savings we’ve seen in more mature blocks aren’t insignificant. For one grower, they were able to achieve 225 acres worth of material reduction in their large, mature blocks. Another grower saved an estimated $7,000 in chemical savings on a single application in 8-year old pistachios.
<h3>300 hours saved on a single spray application; 33% more area covered with a single tank</h3>
For the pistachio orchard that we referenced at the beginning of this article, the before and after of hand-spraying vs. AutoSpray has them only looking forward. The same spray that took their crew of five 360 hours to complete by hand last year took a crew of ONE only 24 hours to complete with AutoSpray, a savings over 300 of labor hours on a single application.
For another grower, they’re excited about the increased area that they’ve been able to cover on a single tank, which has reduced time and extra engine hours associated with excess refill activities. Without AutoSpray, they were covering 6 rows per tank; and now with AutoSpray, they’re able to cover 8 rows with the same size tank.
Both of these results demonstrate the value that AutoSpray can deliver beyond just material cost savings. Labor and machinery are other critical input cost reductions where AutoSpray is making an impact.
<h3>Early adopter achieves positive return on investment in just 3 months</h3>
With any investment, the key success criteria are the amount and timing of returns. Some of the factors playing into these are more easily measured than others. With AutoSpray, the material (i.e. chemical) cost savings are the most directly correlated and immediate returns that growers can expect to achieve. In fact, one of our early adopters realized a positive return on their investment–in chemical savings alone–in just three months, with still quite a bit more spraying operations remaining in the year. This investment return timeline doesn’t even factor in additional cost savings associated with labor and machinery.
Perhaps the greatest benefit of Fieldin’s AutoSpray solution is its approachability and affordability. Many of the other autonomous solutions on the market require large upfront investments in new machinery. With growers operating on increasingly slim margins, Fieldin has been committed to developing a solution that growers can take advantage of today by leveling up the equipment that they’ve already invested in.
<h3>AutoSpray offers a win-win for sustainability initiatives</h3>
With sustainability being a top priority for growers, the benefits that AutoSpray delivers are having an immediate and broad impact. By reducing the amount of chemicals used in their operations, growers are creating safer environments for employees and their farm ecosystems.
These benefits were highlighted in a feature published by Leading Harvest &#8211; <a href="https://www.leadingharvest.org/triangle-t-ranch">In the Field with Triangle T Ranch</a>. Among other Integrated Pest Management practices, Triangle T Ranch has implemented AutoSpray to improve precision and reduce overall chemical usage. After retrofitting their existing tractors with AutoSpray kits, they reduced chemicals in their spray applications by up to 24% per block in young orchards within the first two months.
<a href="https://www.leadingharvest.org/triangle-t-ranch"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-3037 size-full" src="http://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/IntheField1-1.png" alt="Leading Harvest In the Field with Triangle T Ranch" width="1000" height="523" srcset="https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/IntheField1-1.png 1000w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/IntheField1-1-300x157.png 300w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/IntheField1-1-768x402.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></a>
<h3>The journey to autonomy is just beginning</h3>
AutoSpray is just the beginning of the journey to autonomy, but marks an important milestone towards removing the dependency on an operator in the cab. For the early adopters, one of the biggest advantages that they’ve seen when embarking on this journey with Fieldin is the ability to get immediate value from the AutoSpray solution while also scaling towards increasingly automated processes.
<div style="border-left: 10px solid #2ab9c3; padding-left: 2%; margin-top: 40px;">
“Much of the success with early adopters is that they’re bought into the long-term vision. There’s a strong sense of partnership built on mutual trust. We’re making sure the technology is sound and taking all of our proven results to the next step together.”
Nick Rocca
Head of US Autonomy, Fieldin
</div>
Next steps for these growers is AutoSteer, which we’ll start rolling out with existing AutoSpray customers at the end of 2023. As the name suggests, AutoSteer builds on AutoSpray by controlling the steering function of tractors through blocks, enabling steady steering up and down rows and precision turns between rows. Once the AutoSteer function is dialed in, we’ll look to engage full AutoPilot mode with an operator overseeing functions in the cab, and then onto Fully Autonomous mode where we remove the operator from the cab entirely. This journey doesn’t happen overnight, and there are many considerations at each step.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-3042 size-large" src="http://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/partners-journey-to-autonomy-graphic-1024x365.png" alt="ag autonomy journey" width="1024" height="365" srcset="https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/partners-journey-to-autonomy-graphic-1024x365.png 1024w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/partners-journey-to-autonomy-graphic-300x107.png 300w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/partners-journey-to-autonomy-graphic-768x273.png 768w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/partners-journey-to-autonomy-graphic-1536x547.png 1536w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/partners-journey-to-autonomy-graphic.png 1640w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
While our early adopters will continue to advance on their autonomy journeys, we will also be expanding the rollout of AutoSpray to qualified partners. If you are a grower who is interested in starting your autonomy journey, <a href="http://api.fieldin.com/schedule-demo/">please reach out</a>.

AutoSpray delivers up to 65% chemical reduction per block among early adopters

Resources - Fieldin

Home

Resources

Fieldin

automatic rate control orchards and vineyards

Uncategorized

Uncategorized Archives - Fieldin

Spraying operations in orchards and vineyards involve a complex mix of logistical planning, chemistry, equipment calibration, operator precision, real-time tracking, and verification processes. One small mistake or oversight can translate to extreme consequences for crop health and revenue. With so many factors to consider, a diverse set of spraying automation solutions are helping growers improve accuracy and efficiency in their operations. One such area is in automatic rate control.
Without automatic rate control, many ranch managers and spray supervisors rely on tedious guess-and-check calibration processes to dial in the exact pressure and flow settings to achieve the intended output for a given spray application. Multiply this process across every machine and spray in a given season, and it adds up to significant time spent, not to mention the inherent inaccuracies that come with this on-the-fly approach.
Speaking of inaccuracies, we spoke with a large nut grower in California who conducted an ROI analysis upon first adopting automatic rate control technology. They looked at variability between use reports (pen &amp; paper accounts of how much material they mixed each night) versus the spray recommendations and said they were commonly coming in +/- 25%. They knew this variability was costing them either in wasted chemical or in too little chemical applied which impacted crop quality and yield. Prior to implementing automatic rate control, they had tried to confirm speeds based on their internal calibration methods, but it was too difficult and didn’t provide them with the real-time insights that they needed to correct issues as they happened.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-3183 size-large" src="http://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/ROI-analysis-by-large-CAlifornia-nut-grower-1024x576.png" alt="rate controller roi" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/ROI-analysis-by-large-CAlifornia-nut-grower-1024x576.png 1024w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/ROI-analysis-by-large-CAlifornia-nut-grower-300x169.png 300w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/ROI-analysis-by-large-CAlifornia-nut-grower-768x432.png 768w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/ROI-analysis-by-large-CAlifornia-nut-grower-1536x864.png 1536w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/ROI-analysis-by-large-CAlifornia-nut-grower.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
With precision as the make-or-break for successful spray applications, automatic rate control technologies help remove some of the guesswork, management, and human error that plague many growers today.
<h3>Automatic rate control technologies help improve consistency across machines, operators, and diverse terrain</h3>
With so many factors outside of their control–inflation, water scarcity, weather events, labor availability, market conditions–growers must constantly battle for stability and consistency in their operations. Automatic rate control technologies are one small way for growers to achieve better consistency in their spraying operations, which can have a big impact on overall crop health.
<h4>Overcoming labor skills gaps</h4>
Operating tractors and spraying equipment requires a unique set of skills and training, and comes with a lot of responsibility and accountability. Ranch managers and spray supervisors are constantly working to hire and upskill employees to fit these roles, which means there are often big disparities in experience levels among operators.
One of the most important factors in spray applications is adhering to the prescribed speed on a given spray recommendation. Even small fluctuations in operators’ speeds can translate to big impacts on chemical costs and crop health. Driving too fast leads to under-application, and too slow deposits too much material on the crop. Automated rate control technologies compensate for speed inconsistencies by adjusting the flow accordingly.
<h4>Compensating for variability in diverse terrain</h4>
Automated rate control technologies have added benefits in orchards and vineyards with variable terrain. “Hilly operations create highly variable application rates. Changes in travel speed can translate to 40% variability in rate applied. Rate controllers adjust flow to compensate,” <a href="https://sprayers101.com/controller-air-assist/">states Mark Ledebuhr</a>, spray technology expert and co-author of Airblast 101: Guide to Effective and Efficient Spraying.
<a href="https://sprayers101.com/controller-air-assist/"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-3165 size-large" src="http://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Hilly_Terrain_graphic-1024x512.jpeg" alt="spraying in hilly terrain" width="1024" height="512" srcset="https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Hilly_Terrain_graphic-1024x512.jpeg 1024w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Hilly_Terrain_graphic-300x150.jpeg 300w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Hilly_Terrain_graphic-768x384.jpeg 768w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Hilly_Terrain_graphic-1536x768.jpeg 1536w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Hilly_Terrain_graphic.jpeg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
Image Source: <a href="https://sprayers101.com/controller-air-assist/">https://sprayers101.com/controller-air-assist/</a>
Mark goes on to say, “Even a modest improvement represents a quick return on investment. Equally important, a more consistent application reduces the risk of higher residue levels on the uphill and improves crop protection on the downhill.”
<h4>Right-sizing chemical usage</h4>
With chemical costs skyrocketing in recent years, growers can’t afford any waste when it comes to spray applications. At the same time, they don’t want to be left with a surplus of materials that would indicate under-application. Automated rate control technologies are an excellent way to ensure the right amount of materials are being applied across all spray campaigns. This plays a critical role in regulatory reporting, budgeting, planning, and sustainability initiatives.
<h3>Are U.S. growers playing catch-up with global peers?</h3>
Rate control technologies are not new, but their adoption varies dramatically across the globe. For example, in Australia, where there is high turnover in labor from year-to-year, rate controllers have become somewhat standard among orchard and vineyard operations. However, in the Western U.S., adoption has lagged substantially in comparison. In fact, in the previously referenced <a href="https://sprayers101.com/controller-air-assist/">article</a>, Mark Ledebuhr says, “less than 10% of air-assist sprayers have rate controllers.”
Some of the reasons cited for the lag in adoption include:
<ul>
<li>Poor experience in the past: Many growers have tried rate controllers on air-blast sprayers at some point in their career, and some will say that they didn’t see the expected value. Whatever the reason for the poor experience (e.g. using mismatched components, receiving poor guidance on effective use, mistrust in data, poor visibility into what the rate controllers were actually doing), rate control technologies on air-blast sprayers have come a long way. Installations are easier, maintenance is minimal, and intuitive interfaces streamline the operational components.</li>
<li>Investment cost: With tight margins crippling many growers, investment decisions center around necessity and ROI. Some view rate controllers as a nice-to-have, claiming that they can do a nearly equivalent job by adhering to strict processes and protocols. While some teams may be able to get close, it’s always advised to conduct a proper analysis with real data to expose potential opportunities for improvement. Rate controller advocates claim that the ROI is clear and quick.</li>
<li>Perceived maintenance and calibration requirements: One of the common objections to rate controllers is the perception that they require burdensome schedules of maintenance and complex calibration processes. Based on some of our recent conversations with growers on both sides of the rate controller adoption line, there doesn’t seem to be a clear delineation as to one being more or less complex than the other. All spray equipment requires regular cleaning, maintenance, and calibration, regardless of whether rate controllers are in use or not.</li>
<li>Speed, pressure, and nozzle performance: While rate controllers are good at making minor, on-the-fly adjustments to pressure to maintain consistent application volumes, pressure should not be used to make significant changes to flow rate. It’s important that operators understand the relationship between changes in pressure and nozzle performance and their effects on spray coverage. Additionally, real-time speed alerts can help keep operators within the rate controller’s threshold of pressure adjustments. (For a more in-depth read on this topic, <a href="https://sprayers101.com/relationship/">check out this article</a>.)</li>
<li>Adapting instructions to block profiles: Rate controllers require operator inputs in order to adapt the specs of a given spray recommendation to individual block characteristics (e.g. row width). For many growers who struggle to retain consistent, skilled labor, relying on operators to input the correct settings and ensure that the rate controllers are doing their jobs introduces too much risk into the operation. Emerging technologies that automatically deploy instructions to equipment are helping remove the risk of human error while also streamlining the flow from spray rec to task execution.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Why now is the right time to invest in Auto-Rate technologies</h3>
Times are tough for many high value crop growers, and tough times call for innovative measures. Due to the critical role that it plays in farming operations, spraying is not an area where growers can cut back on spending. In fact, as one of the most important and expensive operations on the farm, it’s the precise area where growers should be focusing their investments on optimization.
To identify opportunities for optimization, growers must first understand their current situation. Here are some starting questions to help assess whether Auto-Rate technologies might present opportunities for improvement:
<ul>
<li>How do you measure actual applied rates today? How confident are you in the accuracy of this data?</li>
<li>How do you ensure operators are driving the instructed speeds during spraying operations? If they’re off, how do you assess the impact to costs and crop health?</li>
<li>How are you calibrating your spraying equipment today to ensure proper application rates? How much time does this take you throughout the season?</li>
<li>How variable is the terrain in your orchard or vineyard? If hilly, how are your operators adjusting for uphill/downhill speeds to keep application rates consistent?</li>
</ul>
<h3>Extending the benefits of Auto-Rate solutions</h3>
Rate control technologies on their own offer many advantages for growers. However, they are most effective when integrated within a comprehensive, highly automated, end-to-end spraying program. From scouting and spray recommendations to resource planning, precision execution, and robust insights, automation that is powered by robust ground-truth data helps growers streamline and verify the full cycle of their spraying operations, giving them peace of mind that every spray is done right.
<div style="background-color: #e9e9e9; margin-top: 40px; padding: 10px;">Fieldin will work with a few select clients this year to implement and integrate advanced Auto-Rate technologies as part of our end-to-end spraying automation solutions. Reach out to your Grower Success Manager or <a style="color: #2ab9c3;" href="http://api.fieldin.com/contact/">contact us</a> to learn more.</div>

<a href="https://www.cmcfarming.com/">Crop Management Company</a> (CMC) is one of the largest and most trusted citrus orchard management companies in the San Joaquin Valley in California, overseeing field operations for over 6,000 acres of mostly citrus and some pistachio orchards from Fresno to Arvin. Owned and operated by fourth generation farmers in this region, CMC has deep roots and experience in the valley.
As Director of Operations at CMC, Alex Esparza is responsible for asset management and helping develop plans and practices for all of the activities carried out in the field. He’s officially been working at CMC for five years but has been around farming–and CMC in particular–for most of his life, as his father spent 28 years working at CMC.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-3062 size-large" src="http://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Alex-Farm-Manager-1-1024x683.jpg" alt="Alex Esparza Crop Management Company" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Alex-Farm-Manager-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Alex-Farm-Manager-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Alex-Farm-Manager-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Alex-Farm-Manager-1-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Alex-Farm-Manager-1-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
<div style="border-left: 10px solid #2ab9c3; padding-left: 2%; margin-top: 40px;">
“Being able to have a direct impact on the quality of our orchards is the most rewarding part of my role, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Making the right decisions out in the field requires access to all sorts of information, which technologies like Fieldin help provide.”
Alex Esparza
Director of Operations, Crop Management Company
</div>
<h3>Fieldin helps CMC avoid mistakes and achieve better consistency in spraying operations</h3>
Pest and disease control is perhaps the most critical and consuming activity for citrus growers. To keep these pressures in check, they employ a strategic and rigorous spraying schedule throughout the year.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-3065 size-large" src="http://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/DELANO-10-1-1024x768.jpg" alt="citrus spraying operations" width="1024" height="768" srcset="https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/DELANO-10-1-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/DELANO-10-1-300x225.jpg 300w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/DELANO-10-1-768x576.jpg 768w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/DELANO-10-1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/DELANO-10-1-2048x1536.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
When CMC adopted Fieldin over 5 years ago, they were trying to gain better control over consistency in their spraying operations in citrus orchards. At the time, they had limited visibility over their spray applications, many of which occur through the nighttime hours to avoid extreme summer heats. They were stuck trying to wrangle reports from their field crews and driving around blocks looking for signs of errors. Sometimes they would uncover occurrences of skipped rows or incorrect speeds, but there was little confidence that they were catching everything that might be holding them back.
Once Alex’s team started using Fieldin for monitoring and reporting, they immediately realized the value of the solution. “Fieldin gives us a complete view of what our equipment is doing out in the field so we can confirm live that we are performing to our standards based on the planned tasks,” says Alex. “Fieldin has been helpful in creating more transparency and accuracy in our company.”
One particular feature that the CMC team has found beneficial is Fieldin&#8217;s ability to link their spray recommendation information to the execution of the spray task. This is helpful for real-time and historical data, as well as informing task planning based on Restricted Entry Intervals (REI) and Pre-Harvest Intervals (PHI).
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-3067 size-large" src="http://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/link-spray-rec-to-spray-task-1024x432.png" alt="spray recommendation citrus orchard" width="1024" height="432" srcset="https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/link-spray-rec-to-spray-task-1024x432.png 1024w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/link-spray-rec-to-spray-task-300x127.png 300w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/link-spray-rec-to-spray-task-768x324.png 768w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/link-spray-rec-to-spray-task-1536x648.png 1536w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/link-spray-rec-to-spray-task-2048x864.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
<h3>CMC achieves 28% efficiency gain across all mechanized activities with Fieldin</h3>
Over the 5 years that CMC has been leveraging the data that Fieldin provides, they’ve made steady, significant efficiency improvements that have helped them do more with their resources. Across all of their mechanized activities, they have increased their overall shift working efficiency by 28%, which has helped reduce their total labor and machine costs. In spraying operations alone, they’ve improved their shift working efficiency 23% since they started using Fieldin.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-3069 size-large" src="http://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/how-is-efficiency-measured_graphic-1024x272.png" alt="measure efficiency in orchard" width="1024" height="272" srcset="https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/how-is-efficiency-measured_graphic-1024x272.png 1024w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/how-is-efficiency-measured_graphic-300x80.png 300w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/how-is-efficiency-measured_graphic-768x204.png 768w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/how-is-efficiency-measured_graphic.png 1318w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
To achieve these improvements, the CMC team has implemented processes whereby supervisors open the mobile app at regular intervals throughout the day to evaluate things like speeds, acres covered, and excessive downtime. This is in addition to system alerts that send notifications of critical deviations from pre-defined thresholds. Their mechanics also leverage the app to locate equipment in the field when repairs are needed.
<h3>More informed decisions helps make better farmers</h3>
When asked what single word he would use to describe Fieldin, Alex sums it up with practical. “The software is very easy to use in the field or in the office and helps bridge a gap of data that is needed between both field and office.”
Data has always been at the heart of farming, but modern solutions like Fieldin make it easier for growers to surface and harness the precise information they need to make better decisions.
<div style="border-left: 10px solid #2ab9c3; padding-left: 2%; margin-top: 40px;">
“Fieldin helps us be better farmers in a time when agriculture is evolving.”
Alex Esparza
Director of Operations, Crop Management Company
</div>

Crop Management Company improves working efficiency by 28% in citrus orchard operations with Fieldin

In the USA, only 20% of fruit farmers have a stable labor force that they can rely on &#8211; according to the <a href="https://www.growingproduce.com/magazine/american-fruit-growers-state-of-the-industry/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">American Fruit Grower’s annual State of the Industry survey</a> released in July 2022.
This means that for the majority of fruit growers finding and retaining qualified farm workers is an ongoing challenge with labor costs being a big part of that. While the minimum wage has increased year over year, knowing they’re in demand, many farm workers are asking for even more &#8211; sometimes up to twice as much! And it&#8217;s not just fruit growers facing these struggles. The broader grower community, including nuts, vineyards, and hops, are trying to navigate the same challenges.
For growers already operating on slim margins, doubling wages isn’t an option. Instead the trend is looking at how agriculture technology can help them become more efficient and productive.
There are two possibilities:
<ol>
<li>Find ways to optimize farm labor to increase productivity and keep costs manageable, or</li>
<li>Transform operations towards more autonomous farming which allows teams to do more with their resources and reduces the skill requirements for operators.</li>
</ol>
For many growers, autonomous farming might be viewed as a possibility for the future, but right now they’re looking for a solution that enables them to work with what they have to improve operations. There’s a willingness to invest in agricultural technology, but growers need to see any investment making an impact on operations and their bottom lines.
Gaining greater visibility to all operational activities is a huge benefit which is why smart farming technologies in particular are very attractive as a technology to improve productivity.
<h4>Why smart farming is becoming the manager’s favorite tool in orchards and vineyards</h4>
Even the best farm managers can’t be everywhere all the time. They can plan and delegate, even check in during the day, but most of the time actual productivity can only be checked at the end of a shift. Even then, you&#8217;re often relying on human-provided reporting, which is subject to gaps and errors. Did all the rows get sprayed that were meant to? Was the right amount and type of pesticide used? Were there any problems on shift and which activities didn’t get completed as a result of those problems?
With a smart farming operations platform, sensors are installed on existing machinery and farming implements to track all activities. This activity data is sent to the cloud where it can be accessed by managers on their mobile devices with the goal of improving productivity and meeting growing targets.
For example: Identifying the optimum speed for effective spraying and being able to track that through data helps managers plan and monitor activities more precisely. Most importantly, completing the activity accurately reduces the chances of having to respray again later in the season, saving on material and labor costs.
These small corrections may not seem like much, but they all add up to impact the bottom line by reducing labor costs and improving productivity as well as reducing waste.
In terms of labor, having access to operational data helps managers identify the optimum work rate for each activity and piece of machinery to maximize the efficiency of labor hours and resources. It can highlight which workers are reaching this optimum work rate and this can then be used as a baseline to identify opportunities for further improvements and efficiencies.
<h4>How visibility increases more than just productivity on an ongoing basis</h4>
The benefits of having a smart farming operations platform aren’t limited to only improving daily operations. The data collected from multiple activities gives a broader overview of all operations and helps with forecasting and reporting.
For example: When preparing ESG-related reports, it’s easier to pull data on the different types of machinery used and associated engine hours to calculate carbon emissions. In the case of spraying, protocols and even days and areas where spraying took place can be more accurately reported on. Aside from reporting requirements, if there are ever disputes with neighbors on specific spraying or farming activities, this data forms part of a solid defense that can’t be easily disputed.
For growers looking to ensure they can maintain profitable operations the most important benefit of having this data is that it becomes a baseline for future improvements. For each growing season, every piece of farming machinery and equipment and each labor activity, the data delivers a more accurate picture of where the grower is making gains and losses.
<h4>Labor challenges aren’t going away, but productivity improvements are still possible</h4>
For the most part, the shortage of skilled farm workers and demands for higher wages are beyond the control of growers. It doesn’t lessen the impact, but it also doesn’t mean that there aren’t ways to optimize labor costs and increase productivity.
Labor productivity remains a core element to growing profitability and agriculture technology such as a smart farming operations platform, can be the enabler. Ensuring that farm workers complete daily activities accurately and in a timely manner supports this. Having greater visibility into what’s happening helps managers identify what’s going right, what’s going wrong, what needs to be changed and what’s working to improve productivity.
Getting out in the field is important for increasing visibility into activities, but a manager can’t be everywhere all the time &#8211; unless they have smart sensors installed on machinery and equipment. Then they can have visibility in their pocket. A quick check on their mobile phone can give them an overview of what all the machinery and operators are doing, and if their activities are on track.
Increased visibility into operations is giving both family farmers and enterprise growers access to data that can make a real impact on the bottom line.This helps them become more efficient with labor and more productive with farming activities, and in the process they gain greater control of their levels of productivity and operating costs.
The future of farming is learning how to leverage data to make more informed decisions and become more productive. Nobody expects to use their mobile phone or computer without the latest operating system. Similarly, the growers getting ahead in the industry will be the ones making data-based decisions for growing activities. Their farms will have operating systems and data will be at the heart of it all, continuously informing ways to improve based on growing activities of past seasons and learning from that baseline.
Smart farming is about much more than simply thinking smarter to overcome challenges. It’s leveraging agriculture technology in the form of smart sensors and cloud databases to improve efficiency and productivity.

How to reduce labor costs and increase productivity with smart farming

Automatic rate control technologies help improve consistency across machines, operators, and diverse terrain in orchard and vineyard spraying.

The case for automating rate control on sprayers in orchards and vineyards - Fieldin

https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/automatic-rate-control-orchards-vineyards.png

The case for automating rate control on sprayers in orchards and vineyards

https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/7aacfeed8b1a5b7b8399827cc75d2b8c?s=96&d=mm&r=g

Molly Wojcik

<a href="https://www.baram.org.il/http_new/viewpage.asp?pagesCatID=9079">Kibbutz Bar&#8217;am</a> operates one of the largest deciduous orchards in Israel, growing over 350 acres of apples, kiwis, pears, peaches, nectarines, plums, and apricots. Apples are the primary crop, comprising over ⅔ of the orchard (250 acres). And because apples require extra attention around pest management, their team spends much of their time planning, executing, and analyzing spray operations.
Poul Stahl is the Ranch Manager at Kibbutz Bar&#8217;am, overseeing 10 full-time staff, 40-50 crew members during the winter, and 150-170 crew members during harvest season. In his role, Poul is responsible for managing all of the orchard operations, including agronomy, pest management, fertilization, irrigation, technology, and financials. After discovering Fieldin over 7 years ago, Poul and his team have become a fully data-driven operation, leveraging the solution to implement closed-loop planning, execution, and reporting cycles. With this approach, they’ve been able to achieve significant cost savings while also elevating the quality of their spray operations to continuously ensure the health of their orchards.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-3089 size-large" src="http://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/תמונה-של-WhatsApp_-2023-05-23-בשעה-07.40.09-1024x768.jpg" alt="Poul Stahl Kibbutz Bar'am" width="1024" height="768" srcset="https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/תמונה-של-WhatsApp_-2023-05-23-בשעה-07.40.09-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/תמונה-של-WhatsApp_-2023-05-23-בשעה-07.40.09-300x225.jpg 300w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/תמונה-של-WhatsApp_-2023-05-23-בשעה-07.40.09-768x576.jpg 768w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/תמונה-של-WhatsApp_-2023-05-23-בשעה-07.40.09-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/תמונה-של-WhatsApp_-2023-05-23-בשעה-07.40.09.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
<div style="border-left: 10px solid #2ab9c3; padding-left: 2%; margin-top: 40px;">
“We can monitor all of the sections and blocks that we spray and know that everything was done according to plan and that we didn&#8217;t miss anything.”
Poul Stahl
Ranch Manager, Kibbutz Bar&#8217;am
</div>
<h3>Closed loop planning-execution-reporting eliminates gaps in spraying operations</h3>
Poul describes a situation three years ago when they had an issue with apple moths affecting 25 acres of their orchard, requiring that they complete extra sanitation before harvest. At the end of the season, they looked back at the data from their spray operations and discovered that they had, in fact, given the instructions to spray at the right time, but the spray was carried out 10 days late. “The delay between the instructions and the spray opened a gap which allowed the apple moth to develop. On top of that, we had some very hot days during that window which accelerated the development,” says Poul. “This hasn’t happened with any treatment since because now we monitor twice a week to see which spray recommendations have been completed and which haven’t.”
Poul and his team have developed closed-loop cycles of planning, execution, and reporting to ensure that gaps and errors like the previously mentioned situation don’t occur. First, they input their spray recommendations into Fieldin as work orders so the instructions are well-documented and visible across the team. From these instructions, the operators know which area within the orchard to treat, the speed they should be going, and the volume of chemicals to be applied. Every day, the spray supervisor reviews the previous day’s shift to ensure that the application was done according to the instructions. They then use aggregated data across all spray applications to plan and continuously optimize their resources &#8211; labor, machines, chemicals.
<h3>Kibbutz Bar&#8217;am reduces pesticide costs by 34% and fungicide costs by 40%</h3>
In 2020, Poul and his team set a goal to reduce their pesticide and fungicide chemical costs by 20% year-over-year. To achieve this, they knew that they needed to improve their accuracy, as well as their efficiency. They began by pulling together an annual cost analysis using their Fieldin data alongside other parameters, including:
<ul>
<li>Date of spray</li>
<li>Material</li>
<li>Supplier</li>
<li>Price</li>
<li>Reason for spray</li>
<li>Labor cost (working hours)</li>
<li>Machine cost (engine hours)</li>
</ul>
Summarizing the data in this way helped them connect the dots between their in-field operational activities and their bottom line. For example, the analysis surfaced that in one of their spray applications for fruit flies, they were actually applying 10x more materials than the recommendation called for. They had been using tractors for this particular application, which turned out to be too much. After switching to ATVs with a smaller, more targeted spraying system, they were able to right size the amount of materials being applied, which in turn cut their costs substantially. A side benefit to switching to ATVs was that it enabled them to drive faster and cover more acres in their shifts. This method proved to be so effective that three other orchards in the area followed suit.
By making incremental efficiency improvements, Kibbutz Bar&#8217;am has reduced their pesticide costs by 34% and fungicide costs by 40% since 2020. This achievement is especially remarkable given that the price of materials increased 5% in the same time period. (Note: In this same time period, they also made the decision to increase their usage of growth regulators and foliage nutrition, impacting the total chemical costs.)
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-3092 aligncenter" src="http://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/chemical-savings-kibbutz-baram-1024x835.png" alt="chemical savings kibbutz baram" width="600" height="489" srcset="https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/chemical-savings-kibbutz-baram-1024x835.png 1024w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/chemical-savings-kibbutz-baram-300x245.png 300w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/chemical-savings-kibbutz-baram-768x626.png 768w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/chemical-savings-kibbutz-baram.png 1234w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" />
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-3096 aligncenter" src="http://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/total-savings-kibbutz-baram-1024x535.png" alt="total savings kibbutz baram" width="600" height="314" srcset="https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/total-savings-kibbutz-baram-1024x535.png 1024w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/total-savings-kibbutz-baram-300x157.png 300w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/total-savings-kibbutz-baram-768x401.png 768w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/total-savings-kibbutz-baram.png 1236w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" />
Across the board, deep visibility into their operations has enabled them to be much more efficient. They’ve seen similarly impactful cost reductions across labor, fuel, and maintenance costs as well.
“I can explain every number here because I have the data to back it up,” says Poul.
<h3>Data validates budget approval for new refill station on orchard</h3>
A couple years ago, Poul and his team used Fieldin to summarize and compare their spray operations between orchards closer to fill stations and those farther away. Through this evaluation, they discovered that 20% of the shift time in the more distant orchards was spent driving to and from the blocks to refill tanks. Additionally, they saw that oftentimes 2-3 operators would be waiting at the fill station.
In Israel, water rights are tightly regulated, and it’s very expensive to add new fill stations to existing infrastructure. When Poul first approached upper management to get a new fill station added, he received some pushback. However, the summarized data at the end of the season proved that the excess drive time was costing them much more than purchasing a new connection to the water system. With the data in hand, the new fill station was approved. At the same time, they were able to split the station so that two operators are able to fill simultaneously at the same location, reducing waiting times and enabling them to cover more acres in a shift.
<h3>Looking ahead</h3>
As Poul reflects back on how far they’ve come over the past 7 years to become a truly data-driven operation, he’s excited about what’s next. They’re actively planning how they can repeat the successes that they’ve achieved with Fieldin’s SmartSpray solution across all of their other orchard operations with the complete SmartFarm solution.
“We want all of the data for all of our work captured,” says Poul. “If we saw this level of improvement in our spraying operations, then there’s no reason we won’t succeed in other areas.”
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-3098 size-large" src="http://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/תמונה-של-WhatsApp_-2023-05-223-בשעה-07.42.03-1024x768.jpg" alt="Kibbutz Baram apple orchard" width="1024" height="768" srcset="https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/תמונה-של-WhatsApp_-2023-05-223-בשעה-07.42.03-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/תמונה-של-WhatsApp_-2023-05-223-בשעה-07.42.03-300x225.jpg 300w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/תמונה-של-WhatsApp_-2023-05-223-בשעה-07.42.03-768x576.jpg 768w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/תמונה-של-WhatsApp_-2023-05-223-בשעה-07.42.03-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/תמונה-של-WhatsApp_-2023-05-223-בשעה-07.42.03.jpg 1600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />

One of Israel’s largest apple orchards reduces chemical costs by 30% with Fieldin

Fieldin helps CMC avoid mistakes and achieve better consistency in spraying operations across the citrus orchards that they manage.

Crop Management Company improves working efficiency by 28% in citrus orchard operations with Fieldin - Fieldin

https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/CMC-testimonial-blog-feature-image.png

Annual Awards Program Recognizes Innovation in Agricultural &amp; Food Technologies Around the Globe
August 17, 2023 – <a href="https://agtechbreakthrough.com/">AgTech Breakthrough</a>, a leading market intelligence organization that recognizes the top companies, technologies and products in the global agricultural and food technology markets today announced that Fieldin is the recipient of the “Overall Agriculture Robotics Solution of the Year” award in the 4th annual AgTech Breakthrough Awards. This is Fieldin’s second AgTech Breakthrough award, having been recognized as the “Farm Management Solution of the Year” in 2020.
Following its <a href="https://agfundernews.com/midnight-robotics-acquired-by-fieldin-to-make-digital-farm-management-more-autonomous">acquisition of Midnight Robotics in 2021</a>, Fieldin accelerated its push into the autonomous farming movement. At the beginning of 2023, Fieldin announced the <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230308005254/en/Ouster-and-Fieldin-Announce-Largest-Deployment-of-Retrofit-Autonomy-Kits-for-Autonomous-Tractors-Following-Multi-Year-Supply-Agreement">largest deployment of retrofit autonomy kits for autonomous tractors</a> to date with the release of AutoSpray, the first product in Fieldin’s autonomous solutions product line. The retrofit kits install on existing equipment and are powered by lidar sensors that use advanced imagery and telematics to detect where the canopy starts and stops, turning spray nozzles on and off to only spray where needed.
The high-precision spraying that AutoSpray enables is delivering <a href="http://api.fieldin.com/blog/autospray-delivers-65-percent-chemical-reduction-in-orchards/">impactful results for early adopters</a>, including significant chemical cost savings, improved labor and machinery efficiencies, and advancement of sustainability initiatives.
<a href="http://api.fieldin.com/blog/autospray-delivers-65-percent-chemical-reduction-in-orchards/"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-3032 size-large" src="http://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/33-More-area-covered-per-tank-1-1024x574.png" alt="Fieldin AutoSpray customer results" width="1024" height="574" srcset="https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/33-More-area-covered-per-tank-1-1024x574.png 1024w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/33-More-area-covered-per-tank-1-300x168.png 300w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/33-More-area-covered-per-tank-1-768x430.png 768w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/33-More-area-covered-per-tank-1-1536x861.png 1536w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/33-More-area-covered-per-tank-1.png 1966w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a>
<div style="border-left: 10px solid #2ab9c3; padding-left: 2%; margin-top: 40px;">
“Fieldin has been paving the way for innovation in high-value crops. What stood out to us, as a voting committee, with Fieldin’s autonomous technologies is the real impact that they are enabling growers with today. By closely partnering with growers in their adoption of autonomous solutions, it’s clear that Fieldin is taking a grower-first approach to innovation &#8211; one that helps solve pressing challenges today while helping shape the future for more efficient, sustainable farming practices.”
Bryan Vaughn
Managing Director, AgTech Breakthrough
</div>
The mission of the annual AgTech Breakthrough Awards program is to conduct the industry’s most comprehensive analysis and evaluation of agricultural and food technology categories, including Internet-of-Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) based agricultural technologies, farm management, indoor farming, food quality, data analytics and many more. This year&#8217;s program attracted more than 1,750 nominations from over 15 different countries throughout the world.
“We humbly accept the ‘Overall Agriculture Robotics Solution of the Year’ award from AgTech Breakthrough. Agricultural equipment operates rain or shine, in all temperatures and environments, and through narrow aisles of crops completing a variety of tasks,“ said Yonatan Horovitz, Fieldin Co-founder and Chief Autonomy Officer. “Our aim is to modernize agricultural management, optimizing operations and reducing costs, while making a positive contribution through better food, higher yields, and environmental impact. With AutoSpray, customers are taking the first step in the journey to autonomy and a giant leap into the future of farming.”
In addition to autonomous spraying, the kit is planned to offer features such as auto-steering (beginning later this year) and other driving assistance capabilities as well as fully autonomous, driver-out functionality in line with rapidly evolving local autonomous driving regulations.
####
About Fieldin 
Fieldin is powering the autonomous, smart farm of the future for high value crop growers. Its data-driven, sensor-based farming platform combined with autonomous farming technologies provides growers with real-time actionable insights into the day-to-day management of their farms with autonomous execution capabilities. Fieldin serves hundreds of agricultural enterprises around the world, including five of the 10 largest farms in California and its platform supports more than 20% of the global production of almonds and 30% of US-based lettuce crops. Since its inception, Fieldin has monitored 49 million tractor hours and 21 million acres, and digitized over 15,000 tractors and other machinery. Fieldin’s headquarters are located in California with additional offices in Israel, and Australia. For more information, visit <a href="http://api.fieldin.com/home/">www.fieldin.com</a>.
About AgTech Breakthrough 
Part of <a href="https://techbreakthrough.com/">Tech Breakthrough</a>, a leading market intelligence and recognition platform for global technology innovation and leadership, the AgTech Breakthrough Awards program is devoted to honoring excellence in agricultural &amp; food technologies, services, companies and products around the world. The AgTech Breakthrough Awards program provides a forum for public recognition around the achievements of AgTech companies and solutions in categories including farm management, indoor farming, IoT and robotics, FoodTech, analytics and more. For more information visit <a href="http://agtechbreakthrough.com./">AgTechBreakthrough.com</a>.

Fieldin Wins Overall Agriculture Robotics Solution Of The Year Award In 2023 AgTech Breakthrough Awards Program

With Fieldin, Kibbutz Baram has become a fully data-driven operation which has led to dramatic improvements in their apple orchards.

One of Israel’s largest apple orchards reduces chemical costs by 30% with Fieldin - Fieldin

https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Kibbutz-Baram-testimonial-blog-feature-image.png

Agriculture Robotics Solution of the Year 2023

Fieldin wins award among competitive field of more than 1,750 nominations from over 15 different countries throughout the world.

Fieldin Wins Overall Agriculture Robotics Solution Of The Year Award In 2023 AgTech Breakthrough Awards Program - Fieldin

https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/AgTech-Breakthrough-Awards-blog-image.png

Early detection of pest, weed, and disease pressures in orchards and vineyards is essential to maintain healthy crops and maximize yields. When implementing Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs, growers rely on teams of scouting professionals and Pest Control Advisors (PCAs) to continuously monitor their fields for threats so timely decisions can be made and actions taken to minimize impact.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-2971 size-large" src="http://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IPM-cycle_new-1024x576.png" alt="integrated pest management" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IPM-cycle_new-1024x576.png 1024w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IPM-cycle_new-300x169.png 300w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IPM-cycle_new-768x432.png 768w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IPM-cycle_new-1536x864.png 1536w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/IPM-cycle_new.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
Effectiveness of these programs depends not only on constant attention to in-field monitoring throughout the year, but also speedy and precise communications among the team. Historically, scouts and PCAs have relied on a disjointed collection of hand-written notes and photographs to share and analyze findings from the field. Fortunately, advancements in digital scouting technologies, like Fieldin’s Scoutin mobile application, have streamlined the capture and flow of information and led to dramatic improvements in the observation phase of the IPM cycle.
Scouting applications as standalone solutions are helpful, but the value is often limited to the scouts and PCAs who use them. For IPM programs to be truly effective, it requires buy-in and cooperation across the entire farming system, not just scouts and PCAs. Fieldin’s Scoutin app was designed to integrate into the broader farming operating system to close the loop in pest management cycles.
<h3>Integrated technologies deliver greater benefits to orchard and vineyard operations</h3>
When dealing with a particular pressure in an orchard or vineyard, the activities involved in addressing that threat typically follow a similar sequence of events, as indicated in the IPM cycle mentioned above. Let’s take a simple example of identifying and addressing a pest pressure on a farm:
<ol>
<li>Scout discovers and reports observation of a threat from the field with photos, geo-tagged location, and detailed notes.</li>
<li>PCA receives the scouting report, assesses the severity, and develops an action plan to mitigate the threat. The PCA prescribes a targeted spray application for identified blocks, including the date range, precise chemical make-up, application rate, and associated tractor speed.</li>
<li>Ranch manager or spray supervisor instructs his/her crew to carry out the spray application according to the PCA’s recommendation.</li>
<li>Spray crew executes the task in the field.</li>
<li>Ranch manager or spray supervisor confirms that the spray application was executed according to the instructions and, where applicable, reports the activity to the regulatory body. 
— Some farms stop here, which might help address this specific pest pressure, but doesn’t assess and treat the broader scope of the threat. A more strategic approach will evaluate this threat alongside other factors on the farm. —</li>
<li>PCA and ranch manager evaluate the short- and long-term treatment options alongside all activities on the farm and plan for further prevention methods. (e.g. biological control methods or cultural controls such as winter sanitation practices in almond orchards).</li>
</ol>
If any one of these steps fails, it can have a critical impact on the health of the trees or vines. With this sequence happening concurrently across a diverse range of pest, weed, and disease pressures throughout the year, it’s easy to see how things might get overlooked, especially in large orchards or vineyards with a lot of area to cover.
One of the common blind spots that farming operations teams have is understanding how well a spray was performed according to the recommendation. Without precise data from the tractors and sprayers, supervisors are forced to just trust that the spray was carried out properly. They have to trust that all of the operators were driving at the correct speed and covering the correct areas within the instructed time frame.
This is where integrated technologies can be a game-changer in connecting the dots across all stages of the pest management cycle. With Fieldin’s Smart Farming Operations Platform, the Scoutin mobile app feeds into work order management, task execution, performance reporting, and insights to guide decision-making.
<div style="border-left: 10px solid #2ab9c3; padding-left: 2%; margin-top: 40px;">
&#8220;We have real-time visibility as far as REI, PHI, and materials used that’s available from our management team all the way down to our field team.”
Logan Henderson
Agronomy &amp; Technical Services Director, Agricare
</div>
<div>
<iframe loading="lazy" title="How AgriCare Uses Fieldin to Optimize Citrus Production" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/XXzo0yxwZFk?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div>
<h3>A scouting app that works with your workflow, and beyond</h3>
The Scoutin mobile application is available with all Fieldin accounts and provides a complete set of tools to monitor, report, and share crop conditions on the farm. Data entered into the mobile app is automatically synced to Fieldin’s database, making it available for PCAs to view and make decisions around spray applications according to findings in the field.
<div style="border-left: 10px solid #2ab9c3; padding-left: 2%; margin-top: 40px;">
&#8220;The Scoutin app has helped us simplify our PCA’s reporting job. It’s replaced our hand-written notes. If our PCA’s out in the field, I can see immediately what block he’s been in and figure out where he’s heading next. We can see trends that same day rather than waiting for him to come back into the office. Scoutin has made the communication among our team immensely more efficient.”
Mazie Jameson
Agronomy Research Assistant, Agricare
</div>
Scoutin is available for download on both iOS and Android devices. (Note: Access to the app requires a Fieldin account and login.)
<a href="https://apps.apple.com/us/app/scoutin/id1212105883" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-2942" src="http://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/App-Store-button-300x91.png" alt="Download on the App Store" width="200" height="61" srcset="https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/App-Store-button-300x91.png 300w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/App-Store-button-1024x312.png 1024w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/App-Store-button-768x234.png 768w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/App-Store-button-1536x468.png 1536w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/App-Store-button-2048x623.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px" /></a>  <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.scoutin&amp;hl=en_US&amp;gl=US" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-2943" src="http://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Google-Play-Store-button-300x91.png" alt="Download on Google Play" width="200" height="61" srcset="https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Google-Play-Store-button-300x91.png 300w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Google-Play-Store-button-1024x312.png 1024w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Google-Play-Store-button-768x234.png 768w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Google-Play-Store-button-1536x468.png 1536w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Google-Play-Store-button-2048x623.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px" /></a>
Some of the key features of the Scoutin app are highlighted below.
<h4>All of your pest reports and notes in one place</h4>
With the Scoutin app, you can record and store all of your pest reports and notes in one place. This offers significant improvement over scattered collections of hand-written notes and photos taken across different mobile devices.
With a user-friendly interface that prompts for important details, the Scoutin app makes it easy for scouts to record their findings, and PCAs have all the essential information at their fingertips, including:
<ul>
<li>Pests/diseases found: Select from a pre-populated list of relevant pests and diseases, or quickly add a new list item.</li>
<li>Date: Automatically defaults to the current date with option to update.</li>
<li>Location: When location services are enabled, the app will automatically detect and record the precise location which allows PCAs to view pest severity levels and distribution by block/geo-location.</li>
<li>Phenological stage of crops: Select the current stage from a pre-populated list, including pre-bloom, bloom, petal fall, fruit development, and fall.</li>
<li>Customizable metrics: Flexible configurations allow for monitoring of pests by different metrics such as percentage, level of severity, numerical quantity, etc.</li>
<li>Trap findings: Record and view full trap attributes, including stats, activity status, and pull dates.</li>
<li>Other important notes from the field: Log other field observations, such as irrigation conditions, hotspots, barked trees, etc.</li>
</ul>
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-2948 size-full" src="http://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Scoutin_report-findings.png" alt="Scoutin app report observations" width="1500" height="988" srcset="https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Scoutin_report-findings.png 1500w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Scoutin_report-findings-300x198.png 300w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Scoutin_report-findings-1024x674.png 1024w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Scoutin_report-findings-768x506.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" />
<h4>Photos with automatic geo-tagging</h4>
Supporting documentation with live-captured images of observations is critical when providing a well-rounded report. Photos not only provide evidence, but also offer additional context for those who didn’t witness the observation live in the field. Access to historical records of photo documentation can also be helpful for time comparisons when evaluating certain observations from season to season.
The Scoutin app not only allows scouts to capture and attach photos to their notes, but also offers an option to pin the precise geo-tagged location of the observation. This helps PCAs connect data points to gain a holistic understanding of conditions across the orchard or vineyard.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-2950 size-medium" src="http://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Scoutin-add-photo-300x221.png" alt="Scoutin add photo" width="300" height="221" srcset="https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Scoutin-add-photo-300x221.png 300w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Scoutin-add-photo.png 554w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
<h4>Restricted Entry Interval (REI) and Pre-Harvest Interval (PHI) alerts</h4>
Ask any grower, and they’ll agree that worker safety is their number one priority on the farm. When a block is treated with a spray application to treat a particular threat, it’s critical that anyone operating within a certain proximity to the treated area observe proper REIs, the required waiting time to re-enter the area following a pesticide application. Similarly, growers must adhere to PHIs that require waiting a minimum amount of time between the last spray application and when the crop can be harvested.
In addition to required signage in the field, Scoutin helps scouts and other farm workers keep track of when specific blocks have been sprayed and how much time remains before they can enter the block and/or harvest the crop.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-2954" src="http://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Scoutin_REI-1024x658.png" alt="Re-entry Interval tracking" width="650" height="418" srcset="https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Scoutin_REI-1024x658.png 1024w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Scoutin_REI-300x193.png 300w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Scoutin_REI-768x493.png 768w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Scoutin_REI-1536x987.png 1536w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Scoutin_REI.png 1961w" sizes="(max-width: 650px) 100vw, 650px" />
<h4>Works in online and offline mode</h4>
Connectivity on farms can be inconsistent, so we’ve designed the Scoutin app to be adaptable to these conditions. By default, data syncs automatically to the Fieldin database using the mobile device’s data services. However, when there is poor network reception, the app will store data locally and automatically sync when internet connectivity becomes available. Additionally, there is an option to enable manual sync settings, which saves usage of mobile data services and allows users to sync the data when they have a wifi connection.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-2956" src="http://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Scoutin_data-sync-274x300.png" alt="Scoutin data sync" width="325" height="356" srcset="https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Scoutin_data-sync-274x300.png 274w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Scoutin_data-sync-935x1024.png 935w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Scoutin_data-sync-768x841.png 768w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Scoutin_data-sync.png 980w" sizes="(max-width: 325px) 100vw, 325px" />
<h4>View and filter your scouting reports in the main Fieldin app</h4>
Viewing aggregated scouting reports within the main Fieldin app enables PCAs and growers to tie spraying activities to reported observations and evaluate the effectiveness of their IPM programs over time. The map view is especially helpful to view pests and other threat distributions across blocks and geo-locations.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-2959 size-large" src="http://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Scoutin-web-app-view_edited-1024x581.png" alt="integrated scouting app" width="1024" height="581" srcset="https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Scoutin-web-app-view_edited-1024x581.png 1024w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Scoutin-web-app-view_edited-300x170.png 300w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Scoutin-web-app-view_edited-768x436.png 768w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Scoutin-web-app-view_edited-1536x871.png 1536w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Scoutin-web-app-view_edited-2048x1161.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
<h4>Daily/Weekly reports</h4>
PCAs and other key stakeholders can subscribe to daily/weekly email reports to receive summarized findings from the prior day or week. This automated report keeps field observations at the forefront of operations and enables quick action where needed. The report includes all scouting reports, notes, and trap findings per block, including any images that were taken.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-2961" src="http://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Scoutin-daily-email-report-300x178.png" alt="daily scouting report" width="800" height="476" srcset="https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Scoutin-daily-email-report-300x178.png 300w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Scoutin-daily-email-report-1024x609.png 1024w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Scoutin-daily-email-report-768x457.png 768w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Scoutin-daily-email-report-1536x913.png 1536w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Scoutin-daily-email-report-2048x1218.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" />

<a href="https://www.zirklefruit.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Zirkle Fruit Company</a> is one of the largest fruit producers in Washington, with orchards, vineyards, and blueberries spanning along the eastern Cascades from the Canadian border to the Oregon stateline.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-2870 size-large" src="http://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_3396_landscape-1024x613.jpg" alt="Clay Divis Zirkle Fruit Company" width="1024" height="613" srcset="https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_3396_landscape-1024x613.jpg 1024w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_3396_landscape-300x180.jpg 300w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_3396_landscape-768x460.jpg 768w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_3396_landscape-1536x919.jpg 1536w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_3396_landscape-2048x1226.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
As Ranch Manager at Zirkle’s Jaw Ranch in Okanogan, WA, Clay Divis helps oversee operations across 1,200 acres of apple and cherry orchards. As with any fruit orchard, irrigation is a critical activity, especially in the late spring and summer months to ensure good canopy establishment. Hence, irrigation monitoring is one of Clay’s top priorities.
Having been born and raised on a farm in north central Washington, Clay is no stranger to the nuances of the land in this region. One particular feature that is common with orchards in North Central Washington is inconsistent soils. “One spot will have 6 inches of topsoil and then 4 feet away, it’s sand and gravel. It’s really spotty like that throughout the farm,” describes Clay.
In areas like North Central Washington where soil textures, layers, and depths are inconsistent, frequent monitoring of irrigation operations is even more important to ensure that trees across the diverse terrain are getting the right amount of water throughout the season. Clay’s team is constantly driving up and down the rows of the orchard on four-wheelers looking for things like dry spots, excessive pooling, and broken lines.
In the hot summer months, they also drive the rows to ensure that overhead cooling systems are working in order to prevent sunburn to the fruit. “One plugged emitter out there that nobody sees for a week could damage a couple bins of fruit. So it’s all really important stuff,” says Clay.
<h3>Real-time monitoring and summary reports provide renewed confidence in irrigation monitoring operations</h3>
With orchards spanning over 1,200 acres, it can be tough to stay on top of these activities. Prior to Fieldin, Clay had become accustomed to constantly chasing down operators to make sure every area of the orchard was being covered. “I didn’t know if it was getting done because I would see dry spots out in the orchard, but I didn’t have any data to point to,” says Clay. “So I would just tell our crews to keep on top of it, but I had no way of knowing if it was getting done.”
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-2872" src="http://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_9536-225x300.jpg" alt="smart sensor on atv" width="350" height="467" srcset="https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_9536-225x300.jpg 225w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_9536-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_9536-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_9536-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/IMG_9536-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px" />    <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-2873" src="http://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/4wheeler-sensor-225x300.jpg" alt="4 wheeler sensor install" width="350" height="467" srcset="https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/4wheeler-sensor-225x300.jpg 225w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/4wheeler-sensor-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/4wheeler-sensor-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/4wheeler-sensor-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/4wheeler-sensor-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px" />
When Zirkle adopted Fieldin, all of the four-wheelers at the ranch were equipped with Fieldin sensors using naming protocols to identify operators in the field. Clay is now able to access all of the transmitted data remotely in real-time, along with post-shift summary reports, to know whether jobs are being completed in the right way. By tracking the location of their machines across the duration of a shift, Clay has a bird’s eye view of blocks that have been covered, where they need to send resources, and how efficiently they’re performing operations.
One of Clay’s favorite features of the Fieldin app is the timeline view that enables him to see patterns throughout the day. “It’s obvious when an operator just pulls up, turns on the valve, and drives off,” says Clay. “To do our jobs effectively, we need to physically inspect the areas where we’re irrigating, and Fieldin gives me the visibility and the confidence to know when things are being done correctly and when they’re not.”
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-2877 size-full" src="http://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/irrigation-monitoring_timeline_med-res.gif" alt="real time monitoring orchards" width="1920" height="1080" />
&nbsp;
In addition to real-time monitoring, Clay leverages activity summary reports to evaluate and compare efficiencies across their operations. He digs into things like how far machines are traveling between blocks, how long machines are idling, and how many acres each operator is covering in a day. This data allows him to make more informed decisions when planning shifts, while also continuously assessing and improving performance across their operations.

Zirkle Fruit Company leverages Fieldin to gain more visibility over critical irrigation monitoring activities

Fieldin's Scoutin app was designed to integrate into the broader farming system to close the loop in pest management cycles.

Scoutin mobile app connects to Fieldin’s core platform to enable closed loop pest management cycles - Fieldin

https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Scoutin_blog-feature-image.png

Scoutin mobile app connects to Fieldin’s core platform to enable closed loop pest management cycles

Advancements in farming equipment over the past century have positioned tractors and other specialized machinery at the center of modern farming operations. Equipment investments are among the most expensive that growers make, and for good reason. They rely on these machines to produce faster, more efficient, and more accurate results that lead to robust yields.
Protecting these capital investments requires constant attention to maintenance schedules that keep machines running at peak performance and minimize downtime. However, managing maintenance schedules and services across large fleets of tractors, implements, trucks and ATVs can be challenging. Once you get beyond a dozen or so machines in your fleet, paperwork and spreadsheets no longer cut it.
We recently rolled out Fieldin’s new Fleet Maintenance Module to help address some of the challenges that growers and equipment managers face when it comes to caring for their fleets.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-2501 size-large" src="http://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/laptop-mobile-mockup_maintenance-module-1024x729.png" alt="fleet maintenance management software" width="1024" height="729" srcset="https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/laptop-mobile-mockup_maintenance-module-1024x729.png 1024w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/laptop-mobile-mockup_maintenance-module-300x214.png 300w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/laptop-mobile-mockup_maintenance-module-768x547.png 768w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/laptop-mobile-mockup_maintenance-module-1536x1094.png 1536w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/laptop-mobile-mockup_maintenance-module-2048x1459.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
<h3>Benefits of automated fleet maintenance management</h3>
Simplify and eliminate gaps and errors in your equipment service records 
Whether you handle equipment maintenance in-house or leverage outsourced mechanics, keeping track of service records across a large fleet of machinery can be overwhelming. Automated fleet management removes unnecessary paperwork and spreadsheets and provides equipment managers with digital records of each piece of equipment. All of these details are rolled up into a centralized dashboard for total visibility of upcoming (and overdue) maintenance and service history across the fleet.
Go from reactive to proactive with your fleet maintenance 
Unexpected downtime with equipment that is vital to activities, such as spraying and harvesting, can cripple your operations and impact yields. With automated fleet management, you can stay ahead of manufacturer-recommended services based on usage and be better prepared to avoid surprises. You can also plan service schedules in advance to ensure the right equipment is available and healthy to perform the tasks at hand.
Keep your team safe and increase protection against liability 
Ensuring the safety of the people operating your equipment is the most important factor when it comes to keeping equipment in working order. With detailed records of service history, engine hours, and more, operations and equipment managers can have confidence sending their machines and teams into the field. If an issue does occur, they can lean on digital records to accompany their assessment and remedy of the situation.
Protect your CapEx investments and make informed decisions around equipment lifecycle 
Every piece of equipment has its own life expectancy depending on the level of wear and tear it experiences and how well it is cared for. Hence, keeping on top of service schedules and immediately addressing unexpected repairs is a critical activity to extract the maximum value out of your equipment investments across your fleet. With detailed equipment records at your fingertips, you can also better plan for retiring assets and investing in new equipment.
Increase machine utilization to reduce overall machine costs per engine hour 
At a more strategic level, pairing machine data alongside operational data allows you to connect the dots between machine utilization and CapEx investments. When proper maintenance schedules are followed, you’re able to extend the life of your machines and reduce the overall machine costs per engine hour (as broken down in the example below). While you may spend more on regular maintenance across the life of the machine, you’ll avoid the major, unplanned repairs that are particularly costly. At the same time, getting more utilization out of each machine can potentially enable fleet reduction, lowering total CapEx.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-2514" src="http://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/tractor-maintenance-cost-table-300x257.png" alt="farm tractor maintenance costs" width="800" height="686" srcset="https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/tractor-maintenance-cost-table-300x257.png 300w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/tractor-maintenance-cost-table-1024x879.png 1024w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/tractor-maintenance-cost-table-768x659.png 768w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/tractor-maintenance-cost-table.png 1240w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /> 
Estimated maintenance costs based on study from lowa State University: <a href="https://www.extension.iastate.edu/agdm/crops/html/a3-29.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Estimating Farm Machinery Costs</a>
More accurately track your sustainability initiatives 
While tractors and other machinery are an essential part of modern agriculture, offsetting the carbon footprint of these machines is critical to ensuring the future sustainability of earth’s resources. Machine engine hours directly correlate to Scope 1 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and by automatically tracking engine hours across the fleet, growers are able to calculate, benchmark, and take action to improve operational efficiencies that reduce machine emissions.
<h3>Key Features of Fieldin’s Fleet Maintenance Module</h3>
Automatically track engine hours across your fleet 
Tracking down engine hours of machines in the field often involves physically sending a person to get eyes on the machine readings. With equipment often spread across distant fields, this can become a time-consuming endeavor. With Fieldin’s smart sensors installed on your machines and implements, engine and working hour logs are always up-to-date and accessible, no matter where the machine is.
View all of your equipment &#8211; any machine, make, or model, including implements &#8211; in a centralized dashboard 
The Fleet Maintenance Module digitizes your equipment’s maintenance records and compiles them into a single view. With visibility across your entire fleet &#8211; tractors, trucks, ATVs, mowers, backhoes, sprayers, etc &#8211; you no longer need to go digging through file cabinets to track down service records.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-2519 size-large" src="http://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/maintenance-module_all-machines_web-app-1024x513.png" alt="farm equipment management software" width="1024" height="513" srcset="https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/maintenance-module_all-machines_web-app-1024x513.png 1024w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/maintenance-module_all-machines_web-app-300x150.png 300w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/maintenance-module_all-machines_web-app-768x385.png 768w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/maintenance-module_all-machines_web-app-1536x769.png 1536w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/maintenance-module_all-machines_web-app-2048x1025.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
You can also drill down into each piece of equipment to access detailed service history and upcoming maintenance schedules.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-2523 size-large" src="http://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/maintenance-module_machine-summary_web-app-1024x583.png" alt="fleet maintenance module machine card " width="1024" height="583" srcset="https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/maintenance-module_machine-summary_web-app-1024x583.png 1024w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/maintenance-module_machine-summary_web-app-300x171.png 300w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/maintenance-module_machine-summary_web-app-768x437.png 768w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/maintenance-module_machine-summary_web-app-1536x874.png 1536w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/maintenance-module_machine-summary_web-app-2048x1166.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />
Customize service events 
Every business has unique requirements when it comes to planning and record-keeping. When building and testing the Fleet Maintenance Module alongside a handful of customers, we understood early on the importance for this solution to be adaptable to diverse processes.
Customizable service events at the machine level help equipment managers track and manage the things they need without boxing them into a pre-defined set of services. Any service, planned or unplanned, can be tracked on any machine.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-2526" src="http://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/maintenance-module_custom-defined-service-300x275.png" alt="fleet maintenance module customize service events" width="400" height="367" srcset="https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/maintenance-module_custom-defined-service-300x275.png 300w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/maintenance-module_custom-defined-service-1024x940.png 1024w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/maintenance-module_custom-defined-service-768x705.png 768w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/maintenance-module_custom-defined-service.png 1192w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" />
Mobile app with automated alerts via push notifications 
Sending important reminders and alerts to the right people at the right time is a critical function of fleet maintenance. With Fieldin’s mobile app, you can enable automated alerts via push notifications to kick start the right follow-up actions.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-2528" src="http://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Maintenance-Module_mobile_push-notification_top-screen-171x300.png" alt="tractor service push notification" width="350" height="614" srcset="https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Maintenance-Module_mobile_push-notification_top-screen-171x300.png 171w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Maintenance-Module_mobile_push-notification_top-screen-584x1024.png 584w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Maintenance-Module_mobile_push-notification_top-screen-768x1347.png 768w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Maintenance-Module_mobile_push-notification_top-screen-876x1536.png 876w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Maintenance-Module_mobile_push-notification_top-screen-1168x2048.png 1168w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Maintenance-Module_mobile_push-notification_top-screen.png 1216w" sizes="(max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px" /> <img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-2529" src="http://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Maintenance-Module_mobile_machine-view_T03-171x300.png" alt="farm fleet maintenance mobile app" width="350" height="614" srcset="https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Maintenance-Module_mobile_machine-view_T03-171x300.png 171w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Maintenance-Module_mobile_machine-view_T03-584x1024.png 584w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Maintenance-Module_mobile_machine-view_T03-768x1347.png 768w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Maintenance-Module_mobile_machine-view_T03-876x1536.png 876w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Maintenance-Module_mobile_machine-view_T03-1168x2048.png 1168w, https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Maintenance-Module_mobile_machine-view_T03.png 1216w" sizes="(max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px" />
Works with your existing Fieldin equipment and data 
With Fieldin’s built-in Fleet Maintenance Module, there’s no need to have a separate fleet maintenance management solution. Best of all, all equipment maintenance intervals (based on engine hours) are automatically tracked using the same Fieldin sensors that collect and report your field operations data. With all of your data under one roof, you can start to draw deeper insights around things like workload by activity type for each machine getting serviced, drivers who have been operating the machines, and impact of terrain on machine wear-and-tear.

New Fleet Maintenance Module automates engine hour tracking and service management to optimize fleet health

Fieldin enables Zirkle Fruit Company to stay on top of irrigation monitoring to ensure that trees are getting the right amount of water throughout the season.

Zirkle Fruit Company leverages Fieldin to gain more visibility over critical irrigation monitoring activities - Fieldin

https://api.fieldin.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/ZirkleJaw-testimonial-blog-feature-image.png