The tractor and combine are ideal in-field information-gathering tools. They’re doing essential tasks — and if along the way, they can capture other key information, that’s a good thing.

But getting that information from one place to another can be a concern. John Deere has worked to make data-sharing deals with a wide range of companies, and recently added another: WinField United.

“Lots of companies are linked to John Deere,” says Joel Wipperfurth, WinField United head of digital transformation. “We think that our ability to drive in-season decisions linked to simple information that the tractor provides us will make a difference.”

The new deal allows information collected by John Deere equipment into the company’s Operations Center to easily connect to the WinField United Answer Tech Data Silo. That system actually works to standardize data that goes in, so company tools can better use the information more readily.

Wipperfurth points to the as-planted map, which for now is the first data the new arrangement passes from equipment to data silo. “With the as-planted map, you have the hybrid and the planting date,” he points out. “We can use the hybrid-planted information with Answer Plot data to determine specific in-season action.”

Crop management

For example, if this is a hybrid that is susceptible to disease under specific conditions, WinField United software can help determine treatment options that are hybrid- and field-specific. “You can take action to put on more product, if the price of corn is doing OK,” Wipperfurth says. “You know, based on this information, when to put your foot on the brakes.”

That data silo can automatically send information to the WinField United R7 tools. That information can then power other modules, including the R7 Field Forecasting tool and the R7 Field Monitoring Tool. These tools can alert growers based on hybrid, planting date, weather and other factors of specific in-season actions needed. And it solves the problem of inputting data, too.

“A lot of systems out there right now treat data like a Dropbox, and you can end up with multiple copies of information out there, and you’re never quite in synch,” Wipperfurth observes. “The data silo allows files to automatically refresh, and it keeps track of versions. The system will pull files from My John Deere into the system and make that information available to all the tools [in our system].”

Starting point

The new agreement starts with the as-planted map, which is valuable information for predictive crop actions made possible by the R7 tools. On the road map are other data points, including as-applied and harvest information.

“It just becomes a matter of time before we do it,” Wipperfurth says. “We built our data silo using Open Ag Data Alliance principles, and farmers can access the information on multiple systems.”

A challenge farmers will see evolve as they engage more tech tools is the proliferation of data points. Tech deals like this will bring that information into a central point for use in a variety of ways. WinField United is working with other potential partners to link the data silo for the future.

“We want to build purposeful integrations; the data has to do something,” he explains. “We have an [application program interface], but we’re different. We’re ingesting information from the tractor that can help us signal to you when a disease outbreak may happen, and you have a hybrid at risk. And with planting information, we can model out the crop stage. It’s data with a purpose.”

You can learn more about this new data integration by visiting winfieldunited.com.