Industry specific weather data is helping apple growers and other farmers, to better target their use of agrochemicals. New weather models produce forecasts of when insects or diseases are the greatest threat to crops, thus leading to the most efficient use of chemicals and saving growers money.
Weather forecasting has been a hot topic at the Minnesota Apple Growers Association's 83rd annual Education and Trade Show at the La Crosse Center, January 5,6, and 7.
Network for Environment and Weather Applications, NEWA Leader Juliet Carroll of Cornell University explained, "NEWA is a network of weather information that we collect and then we run that weather information through plant disease development and insect development models."
Carroll added that it still is important to use preventative measures to protect the crops, but the forecasts make it so farmers only use it when they need to, thus using less.
Since on location data is most helpful, farmers can purchase their own weather station and have the data upload to the website, which is otherwise free to use.
It may seem expensive at first glance for those who choose to buy a weather station, usually for a farm or orchard that isn't very close to a weather station. In reality, weather stations cost just under $2,000, but savings from using data from the website saves nearly ten times that each year for the average grower.
Source: wxow.com
