Agriculture Software: Top Ready-Made Solutions & Tools

What Is Agriculture Software?

Farmers can gain more efficiency and command over all aspects of their operations with the use of agriculture software — digital tools and applications specifically designed to address the needs and challenges of the farming industry. These agricultural software tools aim to speed up the process of making important managerial choices. Farming apps do more than just save time, though; they also help farmers make informed decisions. This increases the farmer’s chances of reaching the right long-term solutions and building a sustainable business.

Agriculture software solutions allow for the consistency of work and production schedules in addition to the automation of record keeping, data storage, tracking and analysis of farming operations, and more. Agronomy software streamlines farm management across a wide range of activities, including but not limited to the following:

• keeping/maintaining records;
• fertilizer/water distribution and saturation;
• crop rotation;
• seeding/harvesting time;
• pest control;
• current weather conditions and forecasts;
• yield prognosis;
• farmwork management;
• resources optimization;
• risk management;
• loss prevention.

Since every business is unique in the operations it undertakes, agriculture software programs are typically adaptable to match the needs of individual farms.

Agriculture Software Types And Their Uses

Modern agriculture applications and programs are grouped according to the scope of tasks they fulfill and their primary practical applications. Using state-of-the-art agriculture technology like satellites, drones, IoT (Internet of Things) sensors, and many more, this software can be helpful for a wide variety of purposes, such as crop monitoring, keeping track of farm finances, and dispatching scouts to inspect the field area. The most popular types of software for agriculture are outlined below.

Farm Management Software

Current agriculture management software systems are designed to help farms keep costs down, stay in line with regulations, and produce safe, high-quality products ^{Fountas, S. et al. (2015, July). Farm management information systems: Current situation and future perspectives. Computers and Electronics in Agriculture, 115, 40-50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2015.05.011.}. Farm management platforms allow for the centralization, administration, and streamlining of virtually all activities and operations on a farm. This way, agricultural management software boosts farm efficiency across the board, from worker output to crop yields to bottom-line profits. This software entails significant clusters:

• Crop management suggests plant growth monitoring and the prediction of yields.
• Management and finances entail general agriculture management issues, including farm supervision, inventory maintenance, financial reports, control and guidance of workers, etc.
• Agriculture ERP (enterprise resource planning) software allows for the collection of information regarding crop conditions, personnel work, and farming activities for further analysis and planning.
• Field monitoring and sensors cover a vast scope of essential features, including plant growth, pest control and weed management, fertilizing and irrigation, weather, and soil conditions.

Agriculture Accounting Software

Many accounting software programs are adaptable and may be used in different contexts, but some work far better for farmers’ specific demands. The ideal farm accounting app will be flexible enough to handle both common accounting tasks like invoicing and monitoring bills and specialized tasks such as setting up cost centers to break down profit and loss by farm divisions. The accounting software options for agriculture range from more complex with advanced features like agricultural inventory and noncurrent-asset accounting to straightforward with simple functions like keeping records of income and expenses and paying bills.

Precision Agriculture Software

With the use of precision agriculture and predictive analytics, farmers can optimize input costs and increase field performance. Precision agriculture apps leverage digital data to pinpoint the most crucial regions for chemical application, ensuring they receive the exact treatment needed for maximum crop health and increased yield. Type of soil, topography, weather conditions, plant growth stage, and yield statistics are just some of the factors that these agriculture apps take into account while managing crops with a focus on financial viability, sustainable agriculture practices, and environmental protection.

The cost of precision farming tools was previously out of reach for all but the largest agribusinesses. Affordable pricing has made precision agriculture applications accessible to even small farms. For this reason, they have been gaining popularity over the past few years.

Agriculture Mapping Software

Mapping software used in agriculture can greatly benefit from data gathered by drones and satellites. Because of the spatial nature of farming, GIS mapping has proven to be an invaluable tool in assisting farmers in making informed decisions about where and when to plant, irrigate, fertilize, and harvest. Farm mapping software improves the scouting process, helps identify areas of possible plant stress, and aids in the early detection of problems. By using agriculture remote sensing applications, it is possible to predict the health and productivity of a field well in advance of any visible changes in the plants ^{Pierce, F. G., Clay, D. (Ed.). (2007, February 13). GIS Applications In Agriculture. https://doi.org/10.1201/9781420007718.}.

Large-scale crop producers should realize that there isn’t a single map that can show them everything that matters to their business. The truth is that they should use agriculture mapping software, integrating numerous data sources and providing a wide variety of maps: vegetation index-based, soil, elevation, and many more. Complete awareness of your land’s features and the development of accurate field maps using the appropriate agritech apps are essential for maximizing crop yields and ensuring each plot remains in good condition throughout time.

Agriculture Drone Software

Software applications in agriculture designed specifically for use with drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can streamline tasks like crop monitoring, tracking livestock, and collecting and interpreting any data from the fields. With the actionable insights provided by UAV agriculture software, farmers can optimize all inputs and minimize expenses in crop production. Moreover, these systems are not only useful in agriculture but also in mining, building, mapping, surveillance, and other scientific and academic projects.

To be labeled as such, agriculture drone software must meet the following requirements:

• automated UAV flight planning and status updates;
• assistance in the organization and transparency of agriculture monitoring;
• targeted data analysis for the agricultural sector.

Keep in mind that drones cover much smaller areas at once than satellites do, which is an important consideration when comparing applications that use drone vs. satellite data.

Popular Agriculture Software Review

Present-day growers have various software products at their disposal. Agriculture apps differ in the range of services they render and the data they rely on. The choice is more than rich, and the wealth of information they provide may be overwhelming at times. The best option to avoid getting confused is to choose the agriculture software solution that best responds to the specific needs of your enterprise.

EOSDA Crop Monitoring

EOSDA Crop Monitoring is a cloud-based agriculture software developed by EOS Data Analytics. By collecting and interpreting data derived from satellite images, this multi-language go-to software platform for precision agriculture helps agrarians all across the globe watch their fields and make smart decisions. Insights provided by the platform can also be of great value to different parties related to the agro-industry, including insurance agents, NGOs (non-governmental organizations), telecommunications companies, and more.

The following features are available in EOSDA Crop Monitoring for now, with more on the way:

• satellite field monitoring;
• scouting app;
• building VRA maps based on crop productivity;
• maps based on vegetation indices;
• crop maps;
• plant growth stages;
• fertilizer application calculator;
• soil moisture;
• plant water stress and irrigation needs;
• weather data (including precipitation);
• detection of cold and heat stress in plants;
• customizable real-time alerts;
• comparison of real-time vs. historical data on vegetation and weather;
• crop rotation data;
• fieldwork scheduling.

This digital agriculture software allows for the simple export of data in various formats for use in farm machinery as well as easy access to data via an API. The platform is available from any computer or mobile device, and its specially designed mobile app for scouting can be used even when there is no internet connection.

To fit your needs, EOSDA offers a range of pricing options that are charged depending on the area being analyzed, along with many add-ons and custom solutions all built on the know-how of its R&D (research and development) team and over 50 dedicated scientists.

Trimble

The US agribusiness software suggests smart farming solutions for various participants, from growers to retailers and food companies. The agricultural app is available in mobile, desktop, and cloud versions. It offers a subscription and a free trial period.

Trimble optimizes farm activities by providing:

• weather data;
• field and seed monitoring (quality and distribution);
• farm fleet management via in-cab displays;
• variable applications (seeds and fertilizer combinations);
• field record-keeping and access to historical data;
• price tracking;
• profit mapping.

Climate FieldView

This farming software is simple to install and allows for keeping all data in one place. As the name suggests, it shows weather data and rainfall in particular. Yet this is not its only advantage. Its essential features provide:

• data connectivity via the in-cab hardware FieldView Drive with the possibility to get historical and real-time field maps to your account;
• data visualization with real-time digital maps on seeding, spraying, and harvesting;
• crop performance evaluation and analysis, including comparing field and soil maps, spray applications, and determining the best crop for the next season;
• field health and vegetation monitoring with satellite imagery or scouting to identify critical issues early;
• input optimization with variable-rate seeding and customized fertilization prescriptions;
• access to the agriculture app from a PC or a mobile device, with a free trial available.

FarmCommand

Farmers Edge is a Canadian company founded in 2005 with a focus on precision agriculture. The company’s agriculture software product, FarmCommand, interprets data from private satellites and hardware installed in the fields. Their on-farm equipment includes:

• weather stations;
• soil moisture sensors, soil probes with further laboratory analysis,
• on-farm telematics for equipment monitoring and remote machinery operations.

The platform integrates all retrieved data in one place, generating comprehensive farm management prescriptions. It is available in different languages, including English and Portuguese.

Agrivi

The UK software platform for agriculture management helps agrarians run vertically integrated enterprises in 150 countries. It enables product quality control, tracks field activities, and checks compliance with standards. Agrivi offers farm management utilities suitable for small, medium, or large businesses.

The platform’s capabilities assist in major field operations:

• soil cultivation,
• planting,
• pest detection,
• spraying,
• fertilization,
• harvesting.

The farm software produces financial reports, sales management reports, risk alerts, and due payment reminders. It also includes features of agriculture record-keeping software.

Agrain

The platform was designated in 2004 for various agriculture stakeholders. It targets farmers, product providers, retailers, food processing companies, and professional agronomic advisors.

This software for agriculture primarily focuses on precision and sustainability, analytics, agronomic planning, and food safety compliance. It deals with soil testing, field and yield mapping, crop protection, and fertilizing through a variable-rate approach. The collected data can be easily shared between the involved parties.

Cropwise Operations (ex.Cropio)

By remotely monitoring agricultural land, users of the Cropwise Operations satellite-based agriculture crop analysis software are better equipped to organize and execute farming activities. It not only keeps track of crops and fields and informs on their current condition in near real time but also analyzes the market for cultivated products. Language options for the agriculture software program include German, English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Granular

The company is oriented toward farmers in the USA, Canada, and Australia. This agriculture software gives satellite-based field insights. It analyzes crop health, inventory utilization, soil fertility, and composition. You can access the app either on your desktop computer or on your Android or iOS device.

The program enables task assignments for farm workers. It provides technical and agronomical support for strong farm-running decisions. Granular farm software also offers predictive models for increasing profitability. The multi-location feature allows viewing diverse terrains in one window. While it’s great that so much information is available on the platform, this abundance makes it challenging for new users to get up and running and complicates navigating the site, even for seasoned users.

BushelFarm

The history of BushelFarm (formerly FarmLogs) begins in 2011. The agriculture management software offers several pricing plans that can be customized with add-ons. It has a desktop version as well as Android and iOS versions.

The agriculture software program claims to make the farm-running process as hassle-free as possible. It renders the following services:

• rainfall/heat history;
• field monitoring with satellite images or scouting;
• soil mapping;
• plant growth and maturing stages;
• fluctuation of market prices in a particular locality with a ZIP code;
• profit and loss;
• operation manager with reports on activities;
• email notifications.

Farmbite

Farmbrite is an all-inclusive agriculture software solution for keeping track of your farm’s records and managing livestock. Due to its focus on efficient farm management, it can facilitate agricultural businesses in areas such as task planning and allocation, livestock monitoring, crop production tracking, pattern detection, and streamlined accounting. The agriculture software product will work best for market gardeners, grain and soy farmers, and livestock producers. This platform, however, is not a silver bullet; rather, it is a blank structure for you to fill in with your own information and customize to fit your farming needs.

Tips To Navigate In The Ocean Of Agriculture Software Possibilities

Like any business, agriculture is supposed to bring profit. However, a discerning farmer also seeks ways with low inputs, moderate resource consumption, and the least harm to nature. And appropriate agriculture management software is what makes a huge difference in accuracy and sustainability on the farm.

Before settling on a specific piece of agriculture software that fits their needs and objectives, large agricultural companies should consider a number of aspects. If you need some pointers as you make a choice, here they are:

• Data management and analysis. Ensure the software can swiftly and accurately process and analyze large volumes of data, such as field maps, weather data, and scouting reports, to provide you with evidence-based advice ^{Rose, D. C. et al. (2016, November). Decision support tools for agriculture: Towards effective design and delivery. 149, 165-174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2016.09.009.}.
• Historical data. Look for agriculture software that can effectively store and analyze past data (including historical satellite images), so you can optimize your farming methods based on past experiences rather than guesswork.
• Scalability. Choose an agriculture software product that is flexible enough to accommodate different farm sizes and can scale along with your business as it grows.
• Integration. Evaluate whether the program can seamlessly integrate with your current infrastructure, including your farm machines and weather stations.
• Onboarding and support. To ensure a smooth implementation process, you should look for software providers who provide detailed documentation, online tutorials, training sessions, and responsive customer support.

And here’s one extra tip: search for agriculture software from companies that put money into R&D and keep up with technological advances in the agricultural sector. EOSDA provides a software solution for agriculture that is already advanced, extensible, user-friendly, and easily integrated, with plans to add even more practical features and enhancements in the future.

Contact our sales team at sales@eosda.com to learn more about the EOSDA Crop Monitoring possibilities. Don’t hesitate to implement data-driven and efficient solutions into your daily farming practices.