Technology helps farmers manage big data

Posted by Justin Hesser on April 10, 2013

In recent years, the farming industry has become increasingly receptive to advanced technology, after decision-makers came to understand the benefits of adopting new solutions. As is the case with most businesses, even today's farmers are relying on data to manage all components of their operations.

Precision farming, the act of observing systems as a whole and generating strategies and procedures geared toward building efficiency and ensuring returns on farm-related investments, relies on big data. In order to generate the best possible strategies, farmers need a clear, real-time view of their information, which is best obtained with innovative technology. 

John Fulton, an Alabama Extension precision farming specialist and Auburn University associate professor of biosystems engineering, believes the farm management concept is the future of the industry, and he has taken it upon himself to introduce farmers to new technologies that will help them manage their information. 

Fulton spoke with the online publication AG Professional about his efforts.

"For our part, I think we have done a good job helping our producers adopt the right technologies for their operations," Fulton said. "Likewise, I think we've done a really good job helping them understand how they grow with this technology over time to maximize benefits."

Managing big data in the farming industry is an important process that must be handled correctly. Some systems can actually hurt the process if they are built improperly or simply aren't a right fit. Organizations need solutions designed to allow them to view, manipulate, process and report on information in a way that is both efficient and accurate. FileMaker can help on all of these fronts. 

By using this solution to build a custom database software system, farmers can benefit greatly and enhance virtually every aspect of their business.