Digital tool calculates input values

SEYMOUR, Ill. — A data-driven digital tool which calculates the estimated value of crop protection investment will be available for farmers in 2022.

BASF’s new Grow Smart Advantage tool uses information about a farmer’s operation to provide crop input recommendations, as well as the estimated value of those recommendations versus alternative options that are driven by rebates.

When users open the Grow Smart Live app, they are asked to input their state followed by specifics around the crop, acreage and inputs. Users are then asked to select the strength of the weed control and plant health program they need.

Based on this information, the Grow Smart Advantage tool calculates the estimated performance results and dollar value of BASF products versus competitive products and rebates.

The results provide users with a transparent cost overview of rebate programs using public data derived from independent third parties.

“We’re opening it up to more farmers so they can get relevant insights. What it really boils down to is we’re trying to provide a reason for farmers to have BASF in their pocket at all times. The farmers want to know what is happening on their farm, what is happening that they need to be aware of in real-time all of the time,” said Josh Miller, BASF digital strategy lead for U.S. crop production.

“That’s what Grow Smart Live is all about — relevant insights, videos, new articles, weather and we have predictive maps. These are the types of things that farmers need to know in real-time that are happening on their farm.

“You set your locations and crops of interest and at that point you have tailored information for you to see what our tech reps are talking about, what are the business reps talking about at the time, we have economists, marketing, disease information, fungicide timing and a lot of other things on here to let you know what you need to know at that time. We have new information coming in real-time. That’s the agronomic side.

“We also want this to be the hub where you can go to see anything BASF. We don’t need to go to a lot of external sites for information. It all filters into one site.”

Product Value

Each year farmers make tough decisions on what are the best products for their fields, with hope that plans will work out for the value of the product and with possible rebates in mind as they formulate a plan.

“It’s really hard to have those value-based conversations. I think as an agronomist, especially as a young agronomist, I’ve been there before, we all see that price conversation as the scariest thing in the world, like, ‘oh, no, the price is too high.’ It always revolved around that. At the time you realize the price conversation happens in every sales conversation, for all of history it’s happened, and that’s just the natural first objection that you get,” Miller said.

“It really comes down to how do you sell value, how do you talk and communicate about the value around products. So, we’ve developed the Grow Smart Advantage tool.”

A BASF survey found about 20% of farmers are willing to adopt the latest technologies, 20% aren’t going to adopt new practices or are a decade away from making the move, and 60% would like to adopt new technologies, but aren’t sure where to go for assistance.

“Everything that we’re doing is driving better decisions on the farm and finding new ways to deliver that information to the farmer, so it’s more digestible for the 60% that have been a little hesitate, that haven’t wanted to dive in (to new technology) and these tools are easier to digest,” Miller said.