Getting the job done with new software for agricultural sector

A new technology start-up is addressing farming productivity issues that cost the primary sector excess $500 million per year.

'Job Done' is a cloud-based farm management software that's being developed to save time and money for farmers.

Founded by Nigel Taylor, in Manawatu, Job Done was born out of his first-hand experience with farming difficulties.

With 17 years' experience as a dairy farmer, Taylor operates multiple farms with 1,000 cows and six full-time and two part-time staff. Staying on top of compliance is what keeps him up at night.

"In speaking to others in the industry, it was reassuring to know that I was not the only farm operator feeling the pressure, but it also inspired me to think about a practical solution that could help us all with productivity and compliance," says Taylor.

"Like many farmers I work long days on the farm and nights managing the business. Without the time or tools to track and manage staff and tasks, I have relied on whiteboarding sessions with my team," he adds.

"The trouble is that this only works for task allocation – I don't know if my staff have encountered problems, when a task is completed, or where they are or what they're working on at any given time. Having a real-time view of all farm operations will save me hours out of my day, and give me peace of mind that my farm is compliant.

Taylor has established multiple partnerships with industry leaders to ensure that the infrastructure behind Job Done offers a premium and reliable solution for the industry.

The start-up really couldn't have come at a better time. According to Job Done, global prices of dairy products have been fallen in 2016.

"Though demand, which dictates our market, is out of our control, we can control how we run our farming businesses," says Taylor.

"We identified a largely untapped opportunity to implement smart solutions on the farm to save time and money and improve compliance with WorkSafe NZ's regulation of the Health and Safety at Work Act (HSWA) 2015," he adds.

"This is where Job Done comes in."