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Innovation Partnership: Grow Logic Teams Up with WorkingMouse
Grow logic was created because it is no longer just activists standing up for the environment; more and more people are joining forces to create a positive change in the world. Sustainability is more than just a hot topic, it is a real issue and if the Earth's demands for food and water outstrip supply, the results will be felt globally. There was a need for the development of solutions which can increase plant productivity while reducing the impact on the environment. The rationale is that an increase in sustainable plant productivity leads to an increase in profitability while simultaneously reducing the risk to growers. Grow Logic was founded by one such person who cares deeply about the environment of today and more importantly tomorrow; Peter Bail has a solid career revolving around crop management, high-tech irrigation systems, and business development.
Grow Logic provides farm management tools to growers in Australia who want to be on the forefront of farming innovation. The tools Grow logic can supply include:
- Unmanned Aerial Vehicle's (UAV's) for real time, high definition crop imaging
- Web based farm mapping software
- On-line Planning and Scheduling software
- Integration with Irrigation Control & Monitoring systems
WorkingMouse came onto the scene when the need to outsource the IT side of the business was realised. Utilising the Innovation Platform, Grow Logic and WorkingMouse partnered up to develop a web and mobile solution that enables growers Australia wide to increase the efficiency of their picking labour. This solution will not only reduce waste labour especially during harvest time, it will also cut onsite costs, payroll administration and finally it will ensure a fairer reward system for the labour force.
The journey of innovation isn't always smooth and easy going. With only one founder, Peter Bail has chosen to join innovation hub FireStation 101 based in Ipswich. This allows for strong strategic moves to be made rather than relying on one person's intuition to make calculated decisions.
Grow Logic is working closely with successful citrus growers Stensgroup in Queensland. Workers, legislation, compensation, and human resources are all considerations that need to be integrated with the developing software in order to build the best product possible for all parties involved. The final product will allow growers like Stensgroup to have a faster system, less paperwork, and overheads as well as more control over the entire process starting from planting right through to delivering the fresh produce to the supermarkets.
WorkingMouse has taken on the role of being the technical team for Grow Logic and as such, the Grow Logic project team was fortunate enough to take a road trip north to Bundaberg where the Stensgroup farm is based. Accompanied by Grow Logic founder, Peter Bail, the Working Mouse team were fortunate to see first hand the expanse of citrus trees that produce lemons, limes, and mandarins that can be purchased back home in local supermarkets. The purpose of the road trip was to demonstrate the day to day operations of the type of orchard that the technology being built would be implemented into.
Gaining an insight into the daily operations was a terrific opportunity. One of the more modern technological aspects of the day to day operations on the farm was the use of a drone. Once connected to a screen, a drone was flown over the farm allowing the WorkingMouse team to see the vast and beautiful rows of citrus trees below. An increase in the use of technology such as drones are becoming more useful to farmers in terms of crop and farm management. Being able to integrate modern technology into long standing practices such as farming is critical for moving forward and being innovative.
As summer approaches, supermarkets are continually being stocked with fresh produce some of which is locally sourced from growers such as the Stensgroup who is working closely with Grow Logic to innovate and create change for the better. Working Mouse wishes Grow Logic the very best!
