Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 84 Page 85 Page 86 Page 87 Page 88 Page 89 Page 90 Page 91 Page 92 Page 93 Page 94 Page 95 Page 96 Page 97 Page 98 Page 99 Page 100 Page 101 Page 102 Page 103 Page 104 Page 105 Page 106 Page 107 Page 108 Page 109 Page 110 Page 111 Page 112 Page 113 Page 114 Page 115 Page 116 Page 117 Page 118 Page 119 Page 120 Page 121 Page 122 Page 123 Page 124 Page 125 Page 126 Page 127 Page 128 Page 129 Page 130 Page 131 Page 132 Page 133 Page 134 Page 135 Page 136 Page 137 Page 138 Page 139 Page 140 Page 141 Page 142 Page 143 Page 144 Page 145 Page 146 Page 147 Page 14878 / SEEDWORLD.COM DECEMBER 2016 COMPANIES WANT VALUE from the software they buy. When considering a software purchase, this question always comes up — “Will I ever figure this software out and realize the value that I am hoping for?” With complex R&D software for a business, often a bigger question is, “Is it user-friendly?” Online learning, or eLearning, is the path to answering both of these questions with a “Yes.” Increasingly, universities and colleges are offering degree, diploma and certificate programs completely online through onscreen tutorials. Convenience is a big reason for this. Students simply log into their computer and can study from their office or home. Courses can be completed on their own schedule. eLearning should exist for virtually all software, including plant breeding soft- ware. Any serious software company that is serious about support and client satisfac- tion should have online tutorials — it is the new standard in software support. Tutorials are the answer to a variety of ROI-related issues, including staff turnover. New staff often come onboard and have to learn the computer system imme- diately, and also be productive right away. Sometimes it’s not convenient or possi- ble for them to learn from existing staff, and this is where online learning comes in. They simply create an online account and start learning at their own pace. It’s of huge value to the company. In my work, I get to help provide this learning experience to breeders through our online tutorials for plant breeding soft- ware. It’s the most effective way to ensure people who use our software can access SOFTWARE/DATA MANAGEMENT Are You Getting the Maximum ROI from Your Software? CHRISTOPHER LEONARD MBCS AGRONOMIX EUROPE SAS PRESIDENT/CEO leonard@agronomix.com • www.agronomix.eu the learning tools they need in a quick, con- venient way, no matter where they are or what time of day it is. And, certainly, there’s a cost ben- efit. Rather than sending staff to training courses — which means course fees plus travel and lodging — online tutorials provide an affordable alternative. Without doubt, in-person training courses are still hugely valuable. But when breeders use online tutorials to go through at least the basic tutorials, they have more focused questions during the course and experience less information overload. After the course, the tutorials help to reinforce and expand on what was learned. Software is an investment, and online learning just might be the tool to help you get the best ROI you can. INTEGRATED SEED-TO-HARVEST solutions. The concept is simple, and makes all the difference between success and failure in the world of product storage and handling. Careful thought must be given to solutions that start on-farm, right from seeding through to harvest, and even after that. Quality control and monitoring to make sure you’re on top of your crop pro- duction is crucial, right from seeding and chemical applications, through to harvest- ing the crop and storing it. Farmers must work closely with seed suppliers, chemi- cal companies and agronomists to make sure they’re up on the latest trends and products available to them. Myths abound about integrated seed- to-harvest solutions. A big one has to do with cost. These kinds of solutions might come with an up-front investment, but are specifically designed to reduce your costs over the long term. It’s helpful to incor- porate an integrated solution whenever you’re replacing or upgrading equipment to minimize cost exposure while maximiz- ing the impact to your overall storage and handling systems. Making a change now helps avoid more costly solutions down the road. For example, seed stored in an improper bin is always susceptible to contamination of weeds and foreign seeds. A conveyor should not only handle commercial grain, but be considered valued equipment in seed handling for its cleanliness, speed and seed quality preservation. Modern augers feature reversing gearboxes, so farmers who use it for seed grain can reverse the auger to ensure it was cleaned out before and after use. Conveyors are increasing in use by producers who are looking for seed-to- STORAGE AND HANDLING What are Integrated Seed-to-Harvest Solutions? GLENN FRIESEN SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT – SALES AND MARKETING, MERIDIAN MANUFACTURING INC. gfriesen@meridianmfg.com • .meridianmfg.com harvest integration. Conveyors typically offer improved quality and contamination control. Seed tenders are a great example of an integrated seed-to-harvest solution. They’ve allowed larger farmers to transi- tion from bag seed to bulk seed without the fear of seed loss, damage or contami- nation. As corn and bean acres expanded, the need for larger planters and seed tenders was necessary — but innovation was required to maintain the quality and integrity throughout the process. Also, the use of double-wall or at least heavier wall fuel tanks is adding to fuel safety in handling and transportation. A lot is changing in the seed industry, and integrated seed-to-harvest solutions will only become more important with time, as will companies within the industry that specialize in them.