Seed-Technology Partnership Yields Field Specific Planting Recommendations

Smaller, regional seed companies traditionally compete with the national seed companies by claiming to have more robust local information about hybrid and variety performance. Now MyFarms, an independent technology company, is providing these regional seed players an opportunity to turn that regional knowledge into a web-based decision-making tool.

Regional seed company Burrus Hybrids has partnered with MyFarms to develop a web-based program that delivers a fully integrated field-level planting plan to help growers maximize yield.

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Called the Data-Driven Farming System, MyFarms has built the program by combining proprietary product knowledge with the data farmers own and manage to improve crop production. MyFarms was created to make it safe and easy for farms and their advisors to increase yield by embracing farming practices such as site-specific hybrid placement and planting rates.

A Burrus product recommendation now leverages proprietary test plot data and product ratings to help customers quickly discover the best seed variety and planting rate for each field. The solution combines on-farm data such as soil types, field and equipment details, and farm-specific management practices with regional product performance ratings managed by Burrus to quickly find the best product combination for each field.

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“We are pleased to work with such a well-respected name as Burrus Hybrids, which has assumed an impressive leadership position in the seed industry,” said Chris Fennig, managing director of MyFarms. “By proactively defining the processes and logic needed to automatically leverage its deep in-house expertise, Burrus can now deliver clear agronomic guidance to customers with each bag of seed.”

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Under development since 2010, MyFarms has been working closely with Burrus as well as a number of others seed companies since late last year.

“Now we are in full scale production, and the technology is here and ready to be used,” says Fennig.

Seed performance can vary dramatically by soil type and production management method. The Burrus and MyFarms partnership is enabling growers to make decisions that increase profitability while maximizing the world’s food, fuel and fiber supply.

“Farmers in general are overwhelmed when picking up a seed catalog today,” said Tom Burrus, president of Burrus Hybrids. “The choices and technologies are so plentiful that growers sometimes don’t know what to do, especially when a multitude of soil types across their farms are factored in. The real beauty of MyFarms is that it simplifies the selection process for the farmer and makes a recommendation not just for a choice, but for the most productive choice.”

This year, Burrus representatives will offer growers the opportunity to use the MyFarms seed selection service. Growers that accept will be able to log onto the MyFarms website and input data. Once completed, the farmer meets with the Burrus representative again and answers a series of seven questions related to equipment specifications and farming practices. The farmer then receives a list of the top four hybrids or varieties that fit the particular field variables.

Along with providing an automated, integrated recommendation that utilizes data provided by the seed company and the grower, it’s a program that keeps the growers in the driver’s seat with their own data.

“The system provides a real alternative, where the grower maintains data control and shares as they wish with other partners,” says Fennig.

For more information visit www.myfarms.com.

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