Wednesday, 03 April 2024 09:55

App a farmer's 'true digital assistant' in the paddock

Written by  Jessica Marshall
Aimer Farming founder Dr Jeremy Bryant. Aimer Farming founder Dr Jeremy Bryant.

Aimer Farming founder Dr Jeremy Bryant says the company’s app is designed to be a farmer’s “true digital assistant” when it comes to pasture management.

From April 1, the startup’s AI-powered pasture management tool will be partnering with Farm Source.

The app came about in 2021 and was commercialised last year after launching at National Fieldays.

“I just really wanted a tool that was easy to use and that actually gave them [farmers] insights and foresights rather than some plans going forward, some recommendations, and really acted like a true digital assistant rather than a dashboard,” Bryant told Dairy News.

From there, Bryant, a data scientist, dairy farmer, and AIMER Farming’s chief technology officer, built the app, working with farmers to develop it, ensuring that it worked for them.

He says people are very short of time and often resources, with staff shortages, so the app – which he calls a “digital coach” – is able to help and guide them.

“Essentially, the farmers will be entering in the pasture covers, so that might be them doing their farm walks, their farm rides,” Bryant says.

From there, the app itself – “the brains of the operation” as Bryant calls it – takes the measurements and starts to learn about the paddocks, learning as it goes.

“And then it will analyse the current situation and detect all the different sorts of feed ridges and say ‘hey, I’ve seen a shortage here’, and then provide some recommendations.”

Then farmers will be able to use those recommendations to adjust their pasture management.

Shane Laurich, Fonterra procurement specialist, says AIMER is a great tool for those seeking to improve their pasture management.

“We have been watching this technology come through the innovation pipeline with a lot of interest,” he says.

“Jeremy Bryant, creator of the app, has solid experience and expertise as both a farmer and a scientist and that shines through in the quality of AIMER’s technology,” he adds.

Bryant, for his part, says the partnership with Farm Source is significant.

“They’ve got the reach, they’ve got the connections with the farmers via their digital channels or via their stores,” he told Dairy News.

He also says it makes things easier for farmers because if they sign up for the app through Farm Source, the subscription fee will come off their milk cheque.

Through the partnership, farmers will also receive an 8% discount on their monthly AIMER subscription fee.

“So, it’s very easy for the farmers to come on board,” he says.

More like this

Featured

Owl Farm marks 10 years as NZ’s first demonstration dairy farm

In 2015, the signing of a joint venture between St Peter's School, Cambridge, and Lincoln University saw the start of an exciting new chapter for Owl Farm as the first demonstration dairy farm in the North Island. Ten years on, the joint venture is still going strong.

National

Machinery & Products

New McHale terra drive axle option

Well-known for its Fusion baler wrapper combination, Irish manufacturer McHale has launched an interesting option at the recent Irish Ploughing…

Amazone unveils flagship spreader

With the price of fertiliser still significantly higher than 2024, there is an increased onus on ensuring its spread accurately at…

» Latest Print Issues Online

Milking It

The real emergency

The nutters of the green world, aided and abetted by the lamestream media, are rewriting the English language for the worse.

A very low road

OPINION: The self righteous activists at Greenpeace are copying the self-righteous lefties behind the ‘free Palestine’ movement – not surprising given…

» Connect with Dairy News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter