Valley_® Irrigation has launched a platform that helps growers manage, control, and share data analytics between connected devices. Valley 365^® is a cloud-based, single sign-on platform for connected crop management that brings together the best features of existing Valley technology, such as AgSense^®, Valley Scheduling™, Valley Variable Rate Irrigation (VRI), and Valley Insights™, into a single easy-to-use interface.

For generations, conscientious farmers have been practicing the manual method of soil moisture monitoring based on how the soil "feels". If it feels too dry, irrigate; if it feels too wet, wait a couple days. This classic method can be effective with proper training and experience; however, it's very cumbersome and time-consuming.

With new advances in technology, farmers no longer need to guess when and how much to water, nor visit the field to find out. Valley_® Irrigation has an irrigation scheduling and soil-moisture monitoring tool called Valley Scheduling^TM that reduces guesswork and provides easy-to-understand irrigation recommendations based on field-proven science.

Telemetry systems are found in many places – cars, smart meters, power sources, robots, and more. In agriculture, telemetry is becoming a popular tool for monitoring farm equipment. Did you know you can access and control your center pivot using your smart phone or computer?

There are a number of tools you need to keep your center pivot irrigation system operating properly. Sometimes, the most valuable tools are not the ones in your toolbox. Software solutions, like Valley_® BaseStation3™ can be just as valuable of a tool as your favorite pair of pliers.

The original AgSense hardware and software was primarily for simple remote pivot irrigation monitoring with very little pivot control available. In the last five years, it has evolved into a far more comprehensive remote farm management system. The grower can now, in many cases, monitor and control up to 100% of their irrigation equipment and functions remotely from a computer or smart phone. They can also control additional applications around the farm such as soil moisture, grain temperature, and interactive load demand management with participating power companies.

Over the past few years, we have seen more and more people adopt home and personal automation tools; these have simply become a way of life. Google, Amazon and Nest, among others, have taken the automation market by storm and have created a demand for connecting people to the internet beyond just using a personal computer. People are using this Internet of Things (more commonly known as IoT) concept to live their lives more efficiently; they keep going back to the internet and back to the Cloud.

In farming, no matter if the crop is corn, potatoes, or grass hay, the name of the game is water. Whether it comes from Mother Nature in Kansas or from center pivot irrigation in California, the number one input to the crop is water. Water can carry nutrients from the soil through the roots to the plant, so that it can grow and return a yield; unfortunately, it can also run off the field, carrying nutrients and topsoil with it, or it can leach nutrients past the roots. Loss of water and nutrients have the same result – lost dollars – both in operating and fertilizer costs.

Spending hours each day driving to the field, starting, stopping, and checking on your center pivot is now a thing of the past. With recent advances in irrigation technology, many growers are taking advantage of equipment that lets them manage their pivots remotely. With the right equipment, you can streamline your operation without missing out on the things that really matter in life – whether it’s dinner with the family or re-investing that time into other areas of your farm. Increasing the efficiency of your operation will not only give you more time, but can also lower labor costs.