If you haven’t heard by now, Beck’s offers a precision farming software to all their customers at no extra cost. That means no hidden agendas and no strings attached. We simply want to provide you with a secure place to organize your data, analyze what you’re recording, and make improvements based on what you learn. That’s where FARMserver comes in.
FARMserver is a web-based tool developed and maintained by Beck’s employees, taught by Beck’s employees, and is backed by a support team of Beck’s employees who, just like you, are Farmers at Heart. We get our feature ideas from farmers and strive to make each new addition simple and easy to use while still providing as much flexibility as possible. Each operation is different, and we know that each function in FARMserver has to meet those individual needs.
Being web-based, FARMserver is easy to access from any mobile device, desktop, or laptop computer. Sign-up is also easy when you go to the www.farmserver.com homepage. The site is designed for you to create your account using your email and password and navigate the entire site at your pace. Of course, we also have a FARMserver Support Team standing by, ready to help if you need assistance with signing up and creating your account!
Field boundaries are the heart of this program. We strongly believe that “good data in means good data out,” so FARMserver offers several ways to add field boundaries to your account. If you already have an accurate set of boundaries in shapefile format, you can easily import them all at once. If you don’t have any boundaries, you can hand-draw them using aerial images, click and add using CLUs (Common Land Units), or upload data and hand-trace boundaries around existing planting or yield data.
FARMserver accounts are designed to be owned and operated by you, but sharing opportunities are available. In the Shared Accounts feature, you can permit other users to see your data in FARMserver. Examples would be your seed dealer, agronomist, FARMserver Support lead, or another trusted advisor dedicated to helping your operation succeed. Account owners can choose permission levels, and at any time, you can edit or delete how much or little access is available to these shared accounts. Many farmers utilize their trusted advisors to help with data uploads, management zone creation, adding scouting notes, and printing reports. As the Account Owner, you get the final say in who has access to your data.
FARMserver is not a program just for farmers using technology. Weather dramatically affects agriculture, and weather plays a significant role in the functionality of FARMserver. We automatically record high and low temperatures and rainfall accumulation and calculate GDUs (growing degree units) for every field daily. The Growth Stage model uses this information, along with your planting date and relative maturity of your crop, to predict when your corn, soybean, or wheat field will hit different stages of growth.
Each morning, a new BAM Weather video is posted on the home screen of FARMserver. The 24-hour weather, rainfall notifications, and situational alerts are also features that are available to all FARMserver users.
Francis Beck felt very strongly that “What you measure tends to improve,” and that is the motivation behind each feature in FARMserver. We see the value in good recordkeeping, so providing you with a simple platform to help organize all your information is a passion of our team. FARMserver is available for you to start on your own today, but don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions on where to begin.
Contact me or your local Beck’s representative to schedule a meeting today!
Sheila Downey | Regional Precision Technology Specialist