b'TECHNOLOGYSaving Time with Harvest Data Management TechWhat are the benefits can farmers gain from using the Libra Cart and SigmaGrain systems? And what improvements are coming for both these platforms.WITH THE 2021 HARVEST in theThe automatic calculation of the rear-view mirror, its a good time formoisture deduction and associated growers, who treat and handle seeddrying costs saves time and eliminates and grain, to consider how efficienciesthe risk of error, he explains. might be gained for the 2022 growingAccess to information can be season through the use of automatedcontrolled by one user or a group of data management systems. To help, theusers. The system can also calculate Alberta Seed Guide checked in with twoestimated and actual yield by harvest, by established Canadian companies to seeproduction and by field.how these systems are being used by theUp-to-date inventory data can be farmers and what improvements are inaccessed quickly, and data can be the works.automatically transferred to accounting systems as desired. Data can be Libra Cart organized in cumulative reporting on First up is the Libra Cart from Agrimaticsa daily, monthly and annual basis, and in Saskatoon, Sask. Its a tablet andon various levels at large facilities, such smartphone-based grain cart weighingThe Libra Cart tablet and phone app which can beas tonnage by contract, producer and and harvest management systemused by growers to see the data collected by thestorage site. Libra Cart box. PHOTO: AGRIMATICScomprised of a small box mounted onThe company also offers the the grain cart. It connects to standardautomated SigmaTerm weighing load cells through the junction box, andLooking forward, Agrimatics isterminal for unattended weighing. The an accompanying free app, which canworking on new features within the appdriver enters information at the interface be accessed on a tablet or smartphone.and providing more reporting optionsfrom the cab. The system automatically detects everyrelated to its cloud data storage service.Sigmasys is currently working on time the grain cart is unloading, andadding a contract management module wirelessly records and stores the date,SigmaGrain to meet the needs of grain traders, which time, weight and GPS location. Libra CartQuebec-based Sigmasys offerswill offer management of sales offers and also provides tracking of each load to itsSigmaGrain, a software systempurchase requests. final destination.specifically designed for the automationOther SigmaGrain features in The data can instantly be exportedand management of weighing, inventorydevelopment are focused on helping out of the app and later opened withand transport. Sigmasys also makeswith inventory control, taking into any spreadsheet software or cansystems for aggregate weighing andconsideration the transfers made be automatically backed up to themanagement of asphalt plants and more.between silos and involve the creation Agrimatics online cloud service, explainsThe upfront cost of SigmaGrain variesof an interface with the elevator. The Jasmine Brodziak, Agrimatics territorydepending on the features requiredupgrades also involve the use of an and marketing manager.by the customer, and theres an annualinteractive diagram specific to each Having all this data allows seed andservice contract fee which includes theoperation with the ability to add and grain producers to compare yieldsyearly upgrade and if needed, technicalotherwise manage the following between fields and varieties, resulting insupport.information for each silo including better decision-making. These recordsSigmaGrain can save farmers timetype of grain, quantity (height, volume, are also very useful for crop insurance,through automation of grain loadper cent of total silo capacity) and says Brokziak. The box costs aroundweighing and also rapid analysis of eachmonitoring of conditions (temperature $2,500 and one battery charge will lastload, Alexandre Sguin, Sigmasys viceand humidity). on average for one harvest season.president of marketing for Sigmasys says.Treena Hein98seed.ab.ca'