For Mark Johnson, Grow Team member at Saskatoon Co-op, this growing season holds the promise of new insights and growing opportunities for growers throughout Western Canada.

Johnson, along with other members of Co-op’s Grow Team, is working on field trials in a different way than in previous years. Both on and off the field, they’re applying data-driven intelligence using Co-op AgZone®. This new suite of digital solutions provides growers with the decision-making tools they need to achieve success. The platform offers easy-to-use mobile in-field technology, all designed to support and grow the farm in the field, in the yard and in the books.



“We are incorporating our Co-op AgZone FIELD tool with our Nuseed Innovation Trials this growing season. We are looking at new canola varieties to gain an understanding of how well they are adapted to our growing environment,” said Johnson. “Taking the digital intelligence of AgZone FIELD and realizing the insights and capabilities through our Nuseed Innovation Trials is really exciting. The platform allows us to determine how the seed product performs, as we are visually able to see the results of the trials through satellite imagery, and different tools offered within the platform. We can also monitor plant health and gain insights throughout the entire growing season, not just at harvest.”

•  Co-op AgZone Digital Solutions

As with any trial, gathering as much data as possible is crucial in determining how well the product is suited to the region, and if it meets what our community of growers are looking for in a crop solution. Having that data at hand within AgZone FIELD adds tremendous value and accuracy to the results of the trial.

“Utilizing AgZone, with the Nuseed Innovation Trials, we now have the ability to gather weather data, the growth stage of the plants and then, ultimately, the yield at the end of the year. We analyze data from the trials, to understand the different varieties and how they perform, and it helps us to differentiate treatments, or varieties in this case, and determine the best ones to meet our growers' needs. With AgZone FIELD, we can get a lot more intimate with each field all summer long through satellite imagery,” explained Johnson. “It is critical in generating precise scouting reports and providing actual images of the field, rather than assumptions. AgZone FIELD also allows our Grow Team to pre-scout fields to identify key areas that need closer inspection, making sure problem spots don’t get missed or pest pockets grow. For example, when you pull up a grower’s maps, it can be noticeably clear at times which part of the field needs to be investigated. This capability further enhances the services and solutions that we can offer to our farm customers as their trusted advisors.”

“Working on the Nuseed Innovation Trials is rewarding in the fact that we are working together in partnership to create growing opportunities for our farm customers. With Nuseed and their willingness to adapt and change their breeding characteristics based on the digital intelligence of what we are seeing in the field trials, it will undoubtedly set the stage for success of these new varieties and growing opportunities for farmers across Western Canada,” said Johnson.

To learn more about Co-op AgZone and/or the Nuseed Innovation Trials, please contact Site Manager, Mark Johnson, at (306) 947-1000