COUNTRY FOCUS: UK
of the market-leading Gatekeeper farm
management software program.
“Smaller or less complex businesses need
information about their businesses just as
much as larger businesses,” commented Piers
Costley, Director of Farmplan. “Whether this is
to comply with legislative requirements, help
the grower organise jobs or understand his
margins, this simple to use solution provides a
straightforward way to make life easier.”
Following extensive research among farmers
conducted over the last two years, backed
with our industry knowledge, it was clear
that all farmers require some form of
information or data recording to ensure
that their farm continues to run smoothly
and meet the requirements of government
www.intelligentcio.com
and the marketplace. It was recognised that
many less complex businesses do not want
the detailed insights and management
information provided by more sophisticated
software such as the core Gatekeeper
offering. As a result, Farmplan has used
its experience and understanding of the
industry to develop a tool that is easy to use
and affordable.
“My husband and I run a mixed farm,
we keep it simple and I reckon we are
pretty good at what we do,” said Emma
Freeman who farms just outside Ross-on-
Wye. “We do need to provide information
to various people and organisations and
that paperwork is one of my worst jobs.
Having tested this software, I can see that
it could make my life easier. I picked it up
pretty quickly and it was straightforward
to use, taking me through the process
using language I could understand. It’s
inevitable that farming is becoming more
sophisticated, but it does not mean that
anybody should be left behind,” concluded
Costley. “Gatekeeper Express provides the
opportunity for farmers to take that first
step onto the ladder in a way that is suited
to their business and we hope by doing so,
we can help these businesses remain at the
heart of the farming industry.”
The key features of the software include the
ability to plan and record jobs and operations,
import agronomist recommendations and
produce reports to satisfy legislation, as well
as basic management reporting and
nutrient planning. n
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