GROWERS, a Raleigh-based precision farm management business, says it is the first company to use the On-the-Go Organic Mapping Sensor, using GPS to locate each data point. Organic matter is directly related to a soil’s yield capacity, so the ability to map this attribute is highly beneficial for farmers, the company explains.

The farmer-owned company specializes in precision agriculture and data-driven farming, taking multiple layers of on-farm information to create customized game plans that have been proven to reduce costs and increase yields.

GROWERS is in the right place to be selling innovative farm technologies.” Agriculture remains the state’s largest economic sector, accounting for 17 percent of the state’s workforce and generating $78 billion annually. The state has also become a major hub for agricultural biotechnology, with more than 80 companies statewide employing 8,000 people.

“We provide a completely independent, full-service solution for farmers looking for ways to maximize every inch of their land, from soil fertility to input optimization and business profitability,” said GROWERS CEO and founder Steven Valencsin, who is also a second-generation farmer.

GROWERS is also using a new device called a Passive Uplink Connection (PUC) to wirelessly connect to customers’ machinery and view in real-time all of their operational data. The PUC is equipped with a GPS receiver to precisely and reliably geo-locate farm data, including everything from fuel usage to harvested yield.

A game changer

“This technology is a game changer because it enables us to remotely monitor our customers’ equipment and ensure that everything is operating as it should and that data is being recorded correctly,” says Valencsi.

The technology gets some sterling endorsements from users. “We partnered with GROWERS, and the result was a 65 percent increase in our corn yield average from the previous year,” said farmer and GROWERS customer, John Mclean, in a statement.

“The GROWERS team used its equipment and technology to create a customized prescription to help us improve productivity and minimize unnecessary costs. Now we no longer waste money on fertilizer we don’t need. It has completely changed the way we do business.”

Founded by agronomist Valencsin, GROWERS recently relocated its headquarters from Greensboro to Raleigh. GROWERS has experienced significant growth since its inception in 2011 and now manages more than 80,000 acres of farmland.