How to Retrieve As-Applied Data & Make Informed Farming Decisions

Did you know you can utilize as-applied data from custom applicators to make smarter, more informed decisions for your farming operations? As-applied data can be used to keep your farm records up-to-date, as well as provide information on which fertilizers and chemicals have been used. 

We know, when you spread certain fertilizers or chemicals that not all of the nutrients are readily available at the time of application and will carry over into the next season. Being diligent in gathering and organizing your as-applied data will help you when creating fertility prescriptions for the upcoming cropping season.

Here are some quick tips for retrieving as-applied data.

3 Steps to Retrieving As-Applied Data:

1. Let the custom applicator know you want your data
2. Export your data on a regular basis
3. Confirm the accuracy of  the data set

Let’s go through each. 

Before you begin the fertilizer/chemical application process, inform the custom applicator you want the data after applying fertilizer or chemicals to your fields.

By taking this step, you ensure the custom applicator will export your data before they start on other growers’ jobs. If you don’t, the custom applicator may not allow you to export the data later on as you could see another farmer’s data as well. 

If the custom applicator is spreading or spraying multiple fields (or even your entire farm), check in with them at various times of the application process to export your data.  

This allows you to ensure the custom applicator is recording your fertilizer and chemicals correctly within the monitor. Retrieving your data at various times throughout the process also simplifies processing the data set. You want to avoid waiting until the end to only realize there is missing data or information was not recorded correctly.

Once you receive your data, be sure you are getting all of it out of the monitor. Double-check that the data set is good and the applicator is applying the correct products in the right areas.

Performing this step allows you to see if anything is missing. If any data is missing, go back to the applicator to retrieve the missing data.

Conclusion

At Growers, we work with our direct customers to assist them in obtaining as-applied data from custom applicators. We can have the custom applicator send us the exported files directly or go out to their machines and pull the data ourselves.

Once we have the as-applied data, our team goes through a data cleaning process to make sure it’s an accurate, complete set of data. We meet with our direct customers and review the as-applied data to ensure the custom applicator followed the prescriptions and then update any records as necessary.Ready to get more information out of your data? Call us at 984.500.3797