Connecting agriculture in a brand new way

Jan 05, 2021

AGvisorPRO seamlessly connects farmers with specialized ag experts in real time

By Ryan Ridley
Farms.com

In today’s digital age of farming, it’s more important than ever for farmers to be able to access the information and resources they need to increase farm productivity and sustainability, in real-time and in a practically effortless manner.

This concept may seem far-fetched, but as technology continues to advance precision agriculture practices, the need for farmers to connect with ag experts has also grown.

That was a key message Rob Saik delivered to 2020 Farms.com Virtual Precision Agriculture Conference & Ag Technology Showcase attendees. Saik is CEO and Founder of a new connectivity platform called AGvisorPRO, which was a Gold Sponsor of the Conference.

The AGvisorPRO platform provides farmers, ranchers, and agri-businesses with a way to connect with fellow agriculturalists and industry experts in real-time, and remotely.

“Until we have Star Trek transporters, we’re going to have to find a new way to shrink time and space, to stretch brains and not bodies, and to be on the farm without being on the farm,” explains Saik. “AGvisorPRO connects agriculture in a brand new way.”

AGvisorPRO’s connectivity matrix pairs information seekers – say a farmer wondering how to upload maps into a monitor – with advice providers, whether they are a farmer, agronomist or industry expert.

Graph showing how AGvisorPRO creates value by connecting all levels of agriculture.

“Every one of these intersection points on this connectivity matrix [above] is a value proposition connecting the seeker to the advisor,” said Saik.

So, how does AGvisorPRO work? It all starts with a question.

After creating a free account, a farmer seeking information inputs a question/topic into the system. A matching algorithm provides the number of experts that are available to answer the question.

When an expert is selected, AGvisorPRO connects the seeker with the provider via audio. Once connected, users can toggle between audio and video, as well as share high resolution pictures.

A key feature of this platform is that the entire session is archived. Farmers can go back into the system to review the video or share with others within the operation.

If advice given is being monetized, a transaction will take place within the application.

After each session, the information seeker will rate the advice provider, much like how you would rate an Uber driver.

To learn the ins and outs of the AGvisorPRO platform, watch Saik walk through the application in the video below.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.