Thanks to ag digital startup Fieldin, farmers could gain a sixth sense.
Fieldin, founded in 2013, has raised $55M to help specialty crop operations improve efficiencies by giving them access to info they couldn’t have seen with the naked eye.
The U.S. and Israel-based company helps orchards, vineyards, and other specialty crop operations use real-time data (via specialty sensors) and machine learning at every stage of the growing cycle.
Outstandin’: Fieldin’s technology creates a digitized farm by gathering data through sensors installed on tractors, implements, and other machinery. Growers get the data on a dashboard that provides information on comparative performance and opportunities to improve.
For instance, a specialty crop grower can see if they’ve missed a row of spray application, or if the application speed is too high or too low. During harvest, the platform can determine shaking patterns (like for almond trees, not dance moves) and yield data.
Sound Bitin’: “Today’s growers are challenged by many factors like chronic labor shortages, strict regulations, pests, unpredictable weather, water shortages, oil prices, and more,” says Iftach Birger, Fieldin’s co-founder and COO. “Fieldin is driving the strategic utilization of agricultural resources against these constraints, not only optimizing operations and reducing costs, but also making a positive global contribution through better food, higher yields, and environmental impact management.”
Performance-Drivin’: Fieldin’s technology is currently used on five of the 10 largest farms in California. As for those almonds, they are providing support for 20% of the global almond industry. That’s really somethin’.