Download PDF
Centralized Data Improves Profitability
Technology Category
- Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Data Management Platforms
Applicable Industries
- Agriculture
Applicable Functions
- Logistics & Transportation
- Quality Assurance
Use Cases
- Farm Monitoring & Precision Farming
- Supply Chain Visibility
Services
- Data Science Services
The Challenge
Emerald Farms, a farming operation in Maxwell, CA, was struggling to keep track of all the information and tasks being performed on the farm. The farm's partner and general manager, Leon Etchepare, was trying to achieve more vertical integration of the farming operation, but he needed a centralized platform that would deliver him the information he needed, when he needed it. The farm comprises 3,500 acres of almond and walnut trees as well as 2,500 acres of irrigated row-cropping. After transitioning into the role of partner and general manager of Emerald Farms, Leon decided that the operation needed more technology in order to become more efficient.
About The Customer
Emerald Farms is a fourth-generation farming operation located in Maxwell, Northern California. The farm is managed by Leon Etchepare, who took over the family farm in 2011 when his father was starting to look at retirement. The farm comprises 3,500 acres of almond and walnut trees as well as 2,500 acres of irrigated row-cropping. In addition to growing crops, Emerald Farms is also vertically integrated by selling walnut butter under their own brand, called Wellnut Farms™. The farm is in the process of building its own production line for the walnut butter and plans to also build a sheller and cold storage so they can perform the process, from growing the walnuts to creating the butter, in-house.
The Solution
Leon discovered Agworld’s capabilities in 2014 and, after comparison with many other farm management solutions, decided to implement Agworld into his operation. Agworld is a platform that allows all stakeholders involved in Emerald Farms to seamlessly communicate. It provides Leon with access to more historical information which ensures that he can make better and more profitable decisions. The platform is used for tracking chemical inputs, fertilizers and pretty much everything else that is done on the farm. It allows Leon to keep track of tasks being performed on the farm and the recommendations that are being written. With Agworld, Leon can go back and know exactly when something got sprayed or when an irrigation happened for example.
Operational Impact
Related Case Studies.
Case Study
Intelligent Farming with ThingWorx Analytics
Z Farms was facing three challenges: costly irrigation systems with water as a limited resource, narrow optimal ranges of soil moisture for growth with difficult maintenance and farm operators could not simply turn on irrigation systems like a faucet.
Case Study
Greenhouse Intelligent Monitoring and Control Solution
Farming Orchids is the most successful form of precision farming in Taiwan, and also the most exported flower. Orchids need a specific temperature and humidity conditions to grow and bloom, and its flowering time may not be in line with market demands, so the price collapses when there is overproduction. Therefore, some farmers began to import automated greenhouse control systems for breeding and forcing, which not only improves quality, but also effectively controls the production period and yield to ensure revenue. In 2012, an orchid farmer built a Forcing Greenhouse of about 200 pings (approximately 661 Square Meters) in Tainan, Taiwan. The system integrator adopted Advantech’s APAX-5000 series programmable automation controllers to build the control platform, coupled with Advantech WebAccess HMI/SCADA software, to achieve cloud monitoring. The staff of the orchid field can monitor important data anytime via smart phone, iPad, and other handheld devices, and control the growth and flowering conditions. System requirements: In the past, most environmental control systems of orchid greenhouses in Taiwan used PLCs (Programmable Logic Controller) with poorscalability and control, and could not be connected to the Internet formonitoring from the cloud. For advanced database analysis and networking capability, the PC platform must be adopted. Therefore, PAC Systems (Programmable Automation Controller) with both PLC programming capabilities andPC functions is a better choice.The environmental control of the Orchid greenhouse switches on and off devices like fan, shade net, cooling/heat pump, liquid flow control, water-cooling wall etc. It is controlled by a control panel of electric controllers, and is driven by a motor, to adjust the greenhouse temperature, humidity, and other environmental conditions to the set parameters.
Case Study
Enabling Internet of Things Innovation in Agriculture
DigiBale, wanted to apply technology know-how and IP from implementations successfully to more agriculture sectors including cotton, forestry, sugarcane and cattle. However, farmers and growers still have worries about the connected technology.
Case Study
Precision beekeeping with wireless temperature monitoring
Honeybees are insects of large economic value and provide a vital service to agriculture by pollinating a variety of crops. In addition, bees provide us with valuable products such as honey, beeswax, propolis, bee venom, etc. Monitoring of honeybee colony health, population, productivity, and environmental conditions affecting the colony health have always been exceedingly difficult tasks in apiculture. Research has shown that even small deviations (by more than 2°C) from the optimal temperatures have a significant influence on the development of the brood and the health of adult bees.
