More co-op farmers going digital

Farmer use of information from their co-op smartphone apps has doubled in the past year.

While its Farm Source website remains popular for reporting and comparisons at month end, Fonterra mobile apps are now used more often for checking key day-to-day data. Farmer mobile apps have made 13,000 unique user downloads.

General manager operations and farmer services Evelyn Seewald says getting information to farmers faster is a priority.

"Farmers are rapid adopters of digital technology onfarm and have led the design of our apps with their feedback.... Farmers who previously swore they'd never need a smartphone now tell us they can't imagine life without it.

The apps enable farmers to access key milk production and quality information and receive business updates. And they deliver quality assurance and service data.

"Having quality and production information at their fingertips allows farmers to make timely onfarm decisions and get alerts to potential quality issues any time, anywhere."

Fonterra has three apps available for download for its farmers or users nominated by farmers: a milk production and quality app (2014), a news app (2015) and a monthly plant check app now being piloted.

Apps — the details

Three apps are available to co-op farmers or their nominees:

· The On Farm app provides farmers with key milk production and quality information and allows them to update their milk collection times

· The My Co-op app gives co-op news and financial information, and Farm Source Store rewards and offers

· The Monthly Plant Check app, being piloted this season, will transform a task previously done using a paper manual.