John Deere, GROWMARK ink data share agreement

In an effort to facilitate better decision-making, GROWMARK and John Deere have announced collaboration to deliver near real-time field level data to producers and FS Crop Specialists. The companies are linking FS Advanced Information Services (FS AIS), a suite of precision agronomy software, with John Deere Wireless Data Transfer, JDLink and MyJohnDeere.

GROWMARK is among the first agricultural retailers to leverage the Wireless Data Transfer Application Programming Interface (API) for its precision agronomy decision support software, making data exchange faster and more useful for growers and its FS company staff. This enables the crop specialists to work closely with their customers to make important management decisions, incorporating the latest field data.

Ron Milby, GROWMARK executive director, Agronomy Marketing, said the GROWMARK Agronomy mission is to help producers focus on improving yields and productivity. "Through this collaboration with John Deere and our software partner, AgIntegrated, Inc., we are making it easier for our crop specialists to work with their farmers using near real time data." "The open platform John Deere provides enables farmers and FS company staff to use the FS AIS software to make decisions in near real time - that's a win-win."

"The collaboration with GROWMARK is a prime example of John Deere working with our customers' trusted advisors," said Pat Pinkston, Vice President of Technology and Information Solutions, John Deere. "John Deere is committed to increasing customer success by enabling data to be available when and where needed. This integration between FS AIS and MyJohnDeere.com makes it easier for customers to connect with their trusted advisors."

Producers will utilize an efficient and secure interface between FS AIS and MyJohnDeere, taking advantage of both Companies' commitment to supporting better decisions through improved data integration at the field level. This includes the ability to easily transfer work instructions, prescriptions, and product lists to the GreenStar 3 2630 display. Yield data, as-applied maps and work records can be transferred back to the FS AIS software. This means more accurate records, eliminates duplicate data entry and simplifies movement of the information to improve decision making, productivity and the customer's bottom line.

GROWMARK and John Deere, through this non-exclusive arrangement, plan to make the service widely available in 2014 to anyone who has been equipped by a John Deere dealer for Wireless Data Transfer and has subscribed to the FS AIS software. Each company will market their software and solutions through their existing localized distribution channels.

GROWMARK is a regional cooperative providing agronomy, energy, facility planning, and logistics products and services, as well as grain marketing and risk management services in more than 40 states and Ontario, Canada. GROWMARK owns the FS trademark, which is used by affiliated member cooperatives, to serve more than 250,000 customers.