Ag Tech Platform Looks To Help Farmers Connect Financial Dots

Conservis, the global leader in enterprise farm management software, announces they’ve enhanced the financial management capabilities of its already robust platform. Developed in collaboration with Rabo AgriFinance, the financial management suite will connect the dots between an operation’s field data and its finances.

Pat Christie, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing with Conservis, said now is a critical time for growers to have access to technology like the Conservis platform.

“Now more than ever, connecting the dots between all of your agronomic and field production to a real financial perspective is like putting both hands on the wheel. It’s bringing it all together so that you can not only make good decisions in a timely way, but you’re in a place of confidence to think about what you’ve done, where you’re at, and where you should be. Platforms like Conservis are bringing all these different things together in a way that’s making it easier. We’re putting it into a perspective where it goes from a bunch of data back into a place where everybody wants it, which is information, and we all want to make good business decisions with information.”

Without a solid financial management system in place giving you the information when you need it, Christie says good decisions often happen too late. He says Conservis is getting great feedback on the improvements to their platform.

“What they’re telling us is this a little bit of the ‘Holy Grail.’ It’s been the missing link in terms of connecting what’s traditionally been an accounting system or Excel spreadsheet somewhere, and what happens in the field, or in the tractor, or in the field with their agronomist, and bringing that together in one place at one time. They’re now linked; the dots are connected. It really changes the view on a field, on a farm, and decision-making. Our growers are pretty pumped. They’re seeing how it can not only help them make good decisions, it also gets them out of the business of being a data manager.”

Data privacy is always a concern for farmers. Christie says the philosophy at Conservis is a simple one; the data belongs to the farmer.

“What’s been great about working with Rabo is that they have the same perspective. What we’ve built together is truly about helping farmers maximize what they can do, and when they want to share it, it’s at their discretion when they share it, whether if you’re with Rabo or any of their other partners. Like all of these data systems, we hear from a lot of our farm clients, ‘how do I know my data is being protected.’ That’s our first and foremost mission, is to be a farmer advocate. And because we’re independent, we’re not owned or invested in by any input company or anybody who has any other thing to bring to the farmer, other than good service. We’ve stayed true to that mission.”

Shawn Smeins is the Deputy Head of Rabo AgriFinance. He said the new technology will change the way farmers work with their lenders.

“Well, really what it comes down to is farmers will now be able to provide us with accurate, timely financial information that allows us to make a better decision, and that could be any time of the year. It just doesn’t have to be at the end of the year.

Farmers can also put together their financial information in a matter of minutes, rather than hours. Smeins says this new system is going to change the way the industry handles farm finances.

“The Conservis financial portion of this platform, I believe, is on the cutting edge. There’s no other platform out there in the farm management systems area with the quality that we’ve been able to work with Conservis on. Conservis had an excellent platform to start out with, very reputable in the marketplace, so they’ve been a great partner. We were able to bring in, as a lender, and provide some financial analysts and experts to help build this whole financial platform out. It’s going to be something that is, in my mind, going to change how lending is, and how clients interact with their lenders. Financial data is very, very important, and this is going to be a game-changer.”

For more information, go to www.conservis.ag

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