Future of grain
HIGHLIGHTING THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY IN GRAIN PRODUCTION AND UTILIZATION
Major updates to the SellSmart app
Ontario Grain Farmer readers are already very familiar with SellSmart, Grain Farmers of Ontario’s grain pricing app; users of the app will be pleased to know that a major update is coming this summer with some new features and improved functionality.
SellSmart was designed six years ago to assist farmers in Ontario in selling their corn, soybeans, and wheat by providing delayed futures pricing data from CBOT and adjusted cash prices for grain elevators across Ontario. A lot has changed since then — both for Grain Farmers of Ontario, which now also represents barley and oat growers — and in the world of mobile apps.
SellSmart has been re-built from the ground up to meet new standards for accessibility and responsiveness. We have improved the user interface and added support for U.S. dollar pricing; most importantly, the app will now be able to handle barley and oat pricing (although at this time pricing data is limited).
The new version of SellSmart is set for release in June 2016 for iOS, Android, and the BlackBerry BB10 operating system. Users with older BlackBerry Devices will still have access to the old version of the app. •
WHO ARE YOU FOLLOWING?
Farmers are using Twitter to stay connected and up to date with industry news. Each month, Ontario Grain Farmer magazine will highlight Twitter accounts we think you should consider following or hashtags (#) that will help you join specific conversations.
@CDNWhiskyDoc
Dr. Don Livermore is the Master Blender for J.P. Wiser’s in Windsor, ON, and he really is a whisky ‘doc’ – along with a B.Sc. in microbiology, Livermore holds M.Sc. and a Ph.D. degree in brewing and distilling from Scotland.
@nozzle_guy
Tom Wolf is an expert on all things spraying — if you don’t already follow him, you should. He holds a Ph.D. in agronomy, hosts the popular Spray Tips series on Real Agriculture, and runs the website www.sprayers101.com with OMAFRA application technology specialist Jason Deveau (@Spray_Guy). •
DIGITAL TOOLBOX
The smartphone, tablet and computer are important tools on today’s farms. Each month, Ontario Grain Farmer magazine will highlight an app, online tool, or website that may help you in the field or in the farm office.
Production resources on gfo.ca
Grain Farmers of Ontario compiles valuable production resources that can be downloaded from our website – you can find them at www.gfo.ca/Production. The Production Resources page is always growing.
Currently, you can find OMAFRA resources such as the Guide to Weed Control (Publication 75), field guides (including last year’s Guide to Early Season Crop Pests), crop performance trial reports, and applied research pamphlets from the Crop Protection Network. The Production section of gfo.ca also features farm safety resources, Ontario wheat quality data, and Field Crop News updates.•
