Foragecaster tool trials now open for producer application

Looking to improve on-farm management strategies, informed decision-making and future planning?

A new industry tool, known as Foragecaster, has been developed to provide users with the ability to develop a range of different management scenarios through its AI-supported predictions and is now available for producer trials.

Resulting from a $6.5 million partnered project with ten industry research and ag-tech stakeholders, the AgriWebb-owned tool makes use of seasonal climate forecasts, on-farm management practices, and modelled pasture and livestock growth to predict the future status of forage, grazing livestock and farm sustainability.

Currently in its second year of its three-year developmental phase, Project Lead and AgriWebb’s VP of Research and Development, Dr Kenny Sabir, said the tools’ benefit to on-farm production lies in its ability to provide users with the technology to develop a range of different management scenarios through  AI-supported predictions.

Now, the team are calling for producers to participate in a 12–14-month trial (until October 2026) to help them further improve the tool’s capabilities.

Helping ag-tech developers help you

“From July 2023–24, we conducted our first round of producer trials to test the tools usability and ability to be incorporated into day-to-day production,” Kenny said.

“This time, we want producer involvement to help us further tailor the tool to their business and identify trends that will determine regional benchmarking – allowing users to receive more accurate predictions and see where their production is sitting in comparison with similar enterprises.”

“It’s an opportunity for producers to provide us with production insights and user feedback that we can take on to improve the technology’s capabilities and benefits.”

Foragecaster features

According to Kenny, the Foragecaster initiative aims to deliver several key outputs with three areas of focus that can better enable farmers to forward plan and optimise animal and grazing outcomes. These focus areas include:

• livestock growth
• pasture growth and availability
• sustainability metrics.

“Using data from 60 million animals tracked over the last eight years by more than 12,000 AgriWebb producer members, machine-learning models are able to help predict livestock growth,” Kenny said.

“Then, by also taking into consideration weather events, climate changes and producer land management practices, the tool is able to provide producers with a probabilistic forecast for pasture growth and availability, as well as the sustainability metrics for their natural capital.

“Both localised historical and forecasted weather information is provided to producers using the tool,” he said.

“Foragecaster predictive models also use weather data alongside the grazing land management practices the producer inputs to determine the business’s current sustainability metrics and what they are likely to be six months into the future.

“This includes modelled predictions of the amount of carbon sequestered through vegetation and soil, the amount of emissions produced by the livestock, and biodiversity.”

Foragecaster aims to better enable farmers to forward plan, optimise animal health and plan grazing Image: AgriWebb

What the trial will involve for participating producers

In order to join the beta trial group, Kenny said producers must be or become an AgriWebb member.

However, beyond that, there is no call for producers to complete extra work beyond simply using the technology.

“Producers who join will be given the tool to use as designed – inputting known data and using the tool’s predictions to gain insights for better informed decision-making and future planning,” he said.

“The data they input is then anonymously sent to our team of university researchers so they can ensure satellite readings are adequately covering your area, and that technological improvements can be made to the tool and its features.”

“Nothing is mandatory; producers are not required to make use of every tool feature and surveys and interviews to help us understand your operation and needs better are optional.”

“In return for their participation in the trials, producers will gain early access to all new Foragecaster features, which are expected to be coming out regularly over the next one and a half years.”

Join Foragecaster’s beta trials today: Foragecaster - AgriWebb