The Birchip Cropping Group (BCG) weather station network continues to grow, with another four due for installation over the next month.
A sponsorship with Agfarm has meant the new stations will gather data, such as rainfall, temperature, humidity and wind speed and direction, which will be available to the public for free, assisting farmers to make informed decisions. “BCG is delighted to have the support of Agfarm for the next three years to expand the network and help provide valuable information to farmers in the area,” BCG chief executive Chris Sounness said. “The four Davis Vantage Pro2 weather stations are strategically located throughout the Wimmera and Mallee regions of Victoria, giving growers access to almost real time weather data.”
Data would be transmitted directly to the farmer’s smart phone or computer via the GWMWater Taggle network, and updated every 15 minutes.
“The information allows farmers to make informed, on-the-ground decisions around fertiliser and spraying application and timing, hay making and harvest prioritisation, among other things,” Mr Sounness said.
The information allows farmers to make informed, on-the-ground decisions around fertiliser and spraying application and timing, hay making and harvest prioritisation, among others...
- Chris Souness, BCG chief executive
The network of 50 weather stations was also designed to assist growers gain farming efficiencies for the future.
“The more data gathered from these weather stations, the more efficiencies are created on-farm for the future,” Agfarm Account Manager Tim Hogarth said.
“Farming technologies are exploding all over the world, in terms of spraying and fertilising efficiencies, drone technology, GPS etc. Weather seems to be the one uncontrolled variable for growers, so gathering this data over a period of time, determining where patterns emerge, and the effects these have on crops grown can only be seen as a positive.”
BCG will soon be opening the purchase of another 50 weather stations to farmers with access to the GWMWater Taggle network, to install on their properties and utilise data specifically for themselves.