Profitability keeps the Goyings' generational farm moving forward
Goyings Farm, established in 1884, is a 4,600-acre family farm nestled in the corner of northwest Ohio where together Doug and Jeremy Goyings raise corn, wheat, soybeans and specialty non-GMO soybeans. Jeremy is a fifth-generation operator on Goyings Farm where he grew up under the leadership of his father, Doug, who strives to implement forward-thinking practices that improve profitability and efficiency.
Roughly seven years ago, Doug and Jeremy were approached by their local AgriEdge® specialist about incorporating the software offered by the AgriEdge partnership into their portfolio of tools to enhance their operation. As Doug says, AgriEdge offered software they needed to add to the Goyings Farm system. The AgriEdge partnership helps growers drive better yields, make faster, data-driven decisions and maximize potential returns on investment with integrated tools and superior product choices for any grower. It provided a low-cost way to use high-quality, reliable Syngenta products, making it an excellent fit for their operation. “With a lot of farm management options available on the market, the one that’s going to give you some money back for using it is the better option,” says Jeremy.
A long-term partnership
The amount of products an average farmer uses in a field can be overwhelming if there isn’t a clear way to determine costs per acre. The AgriEdge software helps the Goyings nail down the specifics of each field and keep their records straight in order to measure field-level profitability of their practices and products. The Goyings were in the market for a more accurate record-keeping program, but they had trouble finding one that fit their needs until they discovered AgriEdge.
“The record-keeping aspect of AgriEdge is one of the most important things we see in it,” Jeremy says. He emphasizes that by having all of their data in one place, they can really analyze which product is bringing more value to the farm.
“As a farmer, I'm always trying to grow the most yield that I possibly can,” says Jeremy. “But sometimes, that causes us to lose sight on what's the most profitable way to grow that crop. AgriEdge gives us the way to nail down the profitability, not just how to produce the most, in the end.”
The Goyings, like many farmers, use historical data from AgriEdge to track what products they want to use in the future based on trends they see in the fields, how they’ve changed over time and where the products have responded well.
Doug appreciates the accuracy and time savings that AgriEdge record-keeping offers, especially when they’re busy with harvest. The Goyings stress that the season gets crazy in the field and they tend to stay too busy for paperwork until after harvest is complete. The flexibility of AgriEdge allows the Goyings to focus on the field when they need it most and alter past product applications within the program when things in the field have slowed down.
Both Doug and Jeremy encourage other growers to adopt AgriEdge and incorporate its features into their farming operations. “I think it’s a win-win for both Syngenta and us,” says Doug. “We can be a partnership together.”