
Leveraging Farm Data to Make Better Decisions
High Emphasis on Farm data It’s been said knowledge is power and that is especially true for farmers. On any given day, farmers make a number of decisions – some big, some small. Every decision a farmer makes has an impact on the farming operation, which is why making informed decisions is critical. When it comes to making those decisions, farm data is king and good data management is paramount. “Frankly, the last few years we’ve had a more difficult farm economy with six or seven years of low margin operations,” says Paul Gorman, owner of ELCEL Solutions Inc. and a long-time farm business management instructor. With extreme market swings, rising input costs and severe drought impacting much of the country, having sound financial management practices is pivotal, perhaps more today than ever before. “People cannot afford to be sloppy,” Gorman says. That’s where a powerful farm data management software program is helpful. Computerized farm management software has been around for decades. These programs have enabled farmers to make informed decisions, allowing them to be more efficient and make decisions based on accurate information. “[Farm management software] definitely gives you a truer picture,” explains Mitch Konen. “Instead of