A NEW data management platform was recently revealed at the Association of Independent Crop Consultants (AICC) technical conference, which creators say offers a more independent and future-proof platform for managing farm data that is more relevant to potato growers than some of the services they may already be using.
The platform has been developed by TEAM Ag UK in collaboration with AICC, who point out that growers in the UK face asymmetrical markets, therefore don’t have the same access to data and information as larger corporations, leading to potential imbalance and exploitation in areas like agronomic decision making, input purchasing, crop marketing, and value capture from non-food-producing activities like environmental schemes or carbon selling, which generate additional revenue streams.
TEAM Ag UK co-founder and CEO Kiryon Skippen said most digital tools used by growers, such as Farm Management Information Software (FMIS), often require sensitive data to be shared with the application owner.
TEAM Ag launched a legal review of terms and conditions of current platforms that generate and hold farm data and this revealed that many clauses are unfavourable to farmers.
“It’s a two-way relationship and growers should be issuing their own terms and conditions on how and where their information or data is used,” said Kiryon.
TEAM Ag’s FIX platform will also offer a range of digital tools to support best practice on farm.
Kiryon said there are three core principles that TEAM Ag UK will apply to its data management and FMIS software. First, farmers will decide who has access to their data and receive a fair share of the value created by sharing it. Second, FIX will promote unbiased, scientifically-verified best practice, from an industry-neutral perspective.
Finally, the platform will facilitate collaboration between the science, agronomy and growing communities and create opportunities for growers to accelerate innovation in their own interests by working together.
Design of the platform has been influenced by AICC focus group agronomists and investor farmers, to ensure it is meeting the needs of future users.
The first iteration of FIX will be launched in the second half of 2025 to allow for extensive consultation with users on the initial features.
AICC CEO Sarah Cowlrick said: “The focus is on being an independent resource that’s not linked to product sales and the safety of farmers’ data is paramount.”
Essex-based agronomist and AICC Chairman Andrew Blazey has 30 years’ experience as an agronomist and like other members, has plenty of experience of evaluating and using FMIS with his clients.
“I believe our sector of the industry is in need of a robust and future-proof independent system and I’m confident FIX can deliver on that and I look forward to working closely with them on further development this year,” he said.
