Small Farms Don’t Have to Settle for Small Technology
Discussions around advances in technology in agriculture typically revolve around large industrial farms, but about 90% of the farms in the U.S. and worldwide are small and, according to the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, these small farms produce 1/3rd of the world’s food. Small farmers may not have the budget for the latest shiny technology – but with investment in a cloud ERP solution these businesses are solving the question, “how do I do more with what I have?”
Smarter Tools Equal More Profit
Modern technology tools like Acumatica that can greatly improve efficiency, productivity and profitability are already here, are mature and proven, and with a predictable monthly cost, are within reach of the smaller farmer. Deploying and running your systems on the cloud means no large, upfront capital expenditures, predictable costs, and no worrying about maintenance and upkeep. The reality is new possibilities for farmers to adopt smarter, more efficient, and more profitable farm management practices exists right now. Like so many other worthy endeavors, often only inertia stands in the way.
Simply gathering and storing information digitally about your farming operations – to use at some future point – is not enough to get ahead. There’s an ever-growing and increased level of complexity when it comes to managing and growing farming and agricultural operations. (e.g. unprecedented climate swings, changing and more demanding consumer expectations, historic labor shortages). Real-time visibility into everything from production and shipping to financials and regulatory compliance has never been more essential, and it is within your reach.
What an Efficiency Upgrade Will Do for You
Today’s hyper-competitive environment requires operations to be streamlined, information systems integrated with the ability to access information anytime, anywhere — whether in the field or on the go. Farmers also need the ability to change business requirements (as needed and on-the-fly), to manage operations from end-to-end within unique seasonal and sensitive time frames which will allow for these traditional practices to yield more with higher profitability.
Let’s look at three operational segments primed for an efficiency upgrade:
Financial Management
For most smaller agricultural operations, the company’s Financials are managed and run separately. After Financials become completely integrated with the rest of your operations you will be able to instantly and in real-time gain a clear and predictable understanding of your cash flow and revenue cycles. You will be able to accurately plan your operational and capital expenses across any timeline with the ability to adjust on a moment’s notice.
Supply Chain Management
Supply Chain Management allows for real-time visibility and control over your inventory to maximize your profits and minimize storage. After integration with your Financials, you will now be able to automate your entire supply chain by updating inventory based on purchase and sales orders dovetailed with your suppliers’ systems and other third-party applications.
Asset Tracking
Virtually all farms hold significant tangible and depreciating assets. Real-time visibility into asset depreciation, maintenance schedules, and resource availability are critical features for maintaining continuous operations, especially in the seasonal and sensitive timeframes faced by farm and livestock owners.
Once control is gained on these critical business processes, other operational activities can be automated in areas such as expense management, performance analytics, workflow management and human resource management. The end-result is the automation of real-time information to assist in making more informed and quicker decisions in their day-to-day operations.
Interesting in Learning more?
Galeforce Consulting was founded and is run by businesspeople. They have stared down the same types of operational issues and bottlenecks you have. Read more about how other agribusinesses are capitalizing on efficiency and staying competitive in an ever-increasingly competitive landscape.