Farming app offers guidance on the go

The Farm Advisory Service has launched an interactive updated version of the FAS Companion app to help farmers with the daily management of their businesses.

The free app, which was developed by SAC Consulting – part of Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), has links to tools and converters, technical guides, the FAS website and the latest news, as well as a diary and notes section.

Farmers can click on various tools to get help with business planning decisions for different farming projects, including a lime equivalent calculator which gives the liming value of a product, and a forage budget calculator which allows them to measure and monitor forage stocks throughout the winter.

The converter tool offers a quick and accurate conversion of sizes, distances and weights, such as hectares to acres and feet to metres.

All the FAS guidance notes, covering livestock, grassland and arable, are available on the app to help farmers solve issues on the go and improve productivity.

It also includes a summary of the latest news, with each linking directly to the website, allowing farmers to read more about new developments.

In the My Diary and Notes section, app users can plan their workdays, set reminders, make notes and upload photographs.

Hazel Laughton, of SAC Consulting, said: “We are delighted to launch the updated FAS Companion App.

“Wherever you are, you can access a range of tools and advice to help you make key decisions to enhance your business performance at the click of a button.

“This free app will make assessing forage supplies much easier for farmers and has the potential to save money on hundreds of farms, helping to boost the sustainability and profitability of the business.”

For more information about the app, visit: https://www.fas.scot/app

Posted by SRUC on 18/12/2020