Bayer says the platform will enable Australia's cotton and cereal farmers to work smarter, by combining expertise and knowledge of the land with modern, digitally-enabled tools.

The decision follows two seasons of working with growers across Australia to test FieldView in local conditions and ensure the platform is suited to the specific needs of Australian growers.

Bayer's Head of Digital Farming ANZ, Chris Staff, said enhanced digital capabilities will support Bayer's efforts to help Australian farmers gain a deeper understanding of their operations, allowing them to collect, visualise and analyse data they are generating on their farm to make more informed decisions. 

"Digital farming integrates detailed information on factors such as weather conditions, soil moisture, soil nutrient levels and crop health to improve on-farm decision-making, leveraging application technology and data science to maximise efficiency and productivity," Staff said.

"With FieldView, Australian farmers can make data-driven decisions in real-time while using resources more precisely and effectively, conserving water, energy, fertiliser and crop protection inputs," he said.

Staff said Bayer was now collaborating with farmers and the sector to discuss how FieldView can support farming businesses, while strictly protecting the privacy and data security of every user of the platform.

"Farmers are rightfully protective of their data and we will continue to work alongside them to ensure the strict protection of their privacy and their intellectual capital. Bayer has a long history of leadership and integrity in data privacy and we will continue to rigorously adhere to the Australian Farm Data Code."

The next 12 months will see Bayer continuing to work closely with growers involved in testing FieldView, as additional functionality is made available. These growers will be able to access and trial a suite of new tools in FieldView such as field health imagery and manual fertility and crop protection scripting. 

While exploring these new features, Bayer will also look to connect a wider range of farmers to FieldView, to continue testing the platform in the Australian market as it heads towards a full commercial launch.

FieldView is a digital agricultural platform with over 60 partners around the world.