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Fairport Technologies News

Historical FTI news articles and press releases

June 2004

IN THIS ISSUE

» Welcome
» PAM AusVit - PRICING DEAL RUNNING OUT
» Pasture Watch - HAVE YOU SUBSCRIBED YET?
» Pasture Budgeting
» Nuffield Scholarships
» MAX News
» Hosted PAM Enterprise
» PAM Enhancements
» PocketPAM News
» Dealer News
    » FarmTek Australia
    » Serve- Ag Pty Ltd
    » Agbis (NSW & QLD)
    » Booth Technology
    » Maelroan Computers
    » Drenko Business Support
» Rogers Ramblings
» PAM Training in the UK
» Star Performer!
» In Closing

Welcome to the June 2004 Fairport News, especially to those who are receiving their first Fairport News.

As you will read in this newsletter, the team has achieved a lot in this short time. This newsletter is also packed full of news from our distributors…

PAM AusVit is now in use after undergoing some extensive testing by Vincent Ball of Serve-Ag in Adelaide. The feedback from those who have seen it has been very encouraging.

Colin Booth of Booth Technology gave it a good airing at the recent Margaret River Field Days and also reported excellent feedback.

People who are licensed AusVit users are reminded that they can cross grade from AusVit to PAM AusVit at a special discount price. The discount pricing deal runs out on July 2nd 2004 ... so hurry!

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Powerful Data, Simple Software

Have you subscribed yet?

For more information check the full story on the Fairport web site. Look for the Pasture Watch link on the main page.

Pasture Watch™ is a simple program that Fairport has developed and enhanced over the past year under the watchful eye of the WA Department of Agriculture and the CSIRO. Last year 60 WA farmers used Pasture Watch 1.0 to automatically download their paddock by paddock pasture growth rate data on a weekly basis.

This year, Pasture Watch is available to Pastures from Space subscribers. For those with PAM, this program will perform the task of downloading the PGR data weekly and it is also has a green feed planner/calculator which was originally developed by the WA Department of Agriculture.

Are you outside the PFS area?
For those of you in Australia but outside the current Pastures from Space service zone, another service has been made available. A weekly “Greenness” MODIS Satellite Image shown under a layer of your property paddock boundaries. This is provided on a weekly basis and the subscription systems operates in the same way as the standard Pastures from Space service. Access to view the weekly greenness image is via Pasture Watch.
This is perfect for those of you in pastoral areas. Monitor your weekly feed supply on a paddock by paddock basis from as little as $300/year!

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This long awaited feature has finally been added to PAM… During the past four months we have been designing and refining this new feature under the guidance of some local and international pasture experts.

The pasture budgeting system is also part of the standalone version of Pasture Watch (that is for people without PAM software).

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Last days! If you are interested in applying for a Nuffield Farming Scholarship, you are an Australian citizen, you are engaged in full-time farming and between 25 and 40 years old … Then hurry to the Nuffield Web site for an application form. Applications for the 2004 scholarships close on 25th June 2004. www.nuffield.com.au

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MAX Pro is now in use in many organisations catering for the needs of mining companies, fertiliser spreading contractors, tour coach operators, municipal councils and the like. To learn more go to our dedicated MAX Pro web site:
www.max-pro.com.au

Meanwhile we have dropped the price of MAX (the original and lighter weight version) to $199 (+GST) for Fairport Club Members. Many have already taken up this offer.

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Over the past few months we have been approached by several organisations to host PAM on special servers here in our office. This means their clients can enter data “online” on the internet or upload their data to the PAM MultiClient (Enterprise version) located in our office from a standalone PAM system. Program speed and data entry speed is dependant on internet line speed, however, using a 56K modem, we have found the speed equivalent or better than many desktop computers running PAM in “standalone” mode. This is due to the “grunt” of the special server hardware we have installed for our clients here in South Perth.

Data administrators can view the data of all their clients in the one system and generate special reports that collate data from all clients.

This “Hosted PAM” system is especially useful for organisations with a number of properties spread over a wide area. The hosted PAM system provides a centralised, managed system. To date our clients have been organisations wanting a centralised system to manage data for QA and produce trace ability. In these cases special reports have been built to enable produce acquirers to see the information they are entitled to know. It is also useful for QA Auditors who can view and review the data of QA project participants.

Organisations interested in knowing more about a dedicated PAM system hosted in our office or in our PAM Enterprise solutions, please don’t hesitate to contact us for more information.

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Since the March newsletter, the following enhancements have been added to the PAM suite of software.
Pasture Budgeting: See the article earlier in this newsletter.
Paddock Recommendations: MultiClient Users : You can now Export Recommendations (via Email) to your PAM clients. PAM users of all versions can import the consultants recommendations.
Inventory: We added an option to automatically create Adjustment records on the form where you mark items as "Fully consumed" When you mark items as fully consumed you can also choose to get PAM to write adjustment records to zero your stock levels.
Inventory: A new checkbox has been added to hide records in your Inventory register of Purchases and Adjustments older than 12 months
QA: You can now enter grain treatment records for purchased grain as well as harvested produce.
QA Data Entry: Grain Storage & Treatment Records and Unsealed Storage: Chemicals applied are now removed from the stock on hand figures from the Inventory system. You can also specify batch numbers if need be.
QA: Machinery QA system for recording and reporting on Calibration, Cleaning, Maintenance etc
QA Reports: Corrective action: Adjusted Report to cater for longer "Incident Cause and Details" and "Corrective action taken" values.
Rainfall: When entering the rainfall system. The current month and year show up for the first rainfall station when the rainfall recording system is opened... that way data entry is done with about 4 less clicks.
Individual Animal Records: IAR now has a report that shows all currently pregnant females. This is accessible from the "Reports" menu on the IAR main screen.
Individual Animal Records: CSV Import enhanced: The CSV import function has been enhanced to import of Sire and Dam Visual ID information.
Pasture Composition & Quality: Mapping Reports now includes an option to view your average pasture growth rates between a selected date range.

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StockTake: You can now take your handheld computer to your chemical shed and do your “StockTake” … A list of all inventory items and their stock on hand values is transferred to the handheld… You then take your handheld to your inventory locations and carry out a physical stock take. Enter in the real stock on hand values … then when you transfer the data back to PAM it will create the necessary adjustment records for you automatically.

Please Note: Only items with batch numbers and locations are transferred from PAM to your handheld.

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FarmTek Australia (VIC/SA)

Training, Training and more Training. I have been very busy traveling the country side running PAM training and hope to do a lot more.

Our 2 weeks of PAM Training in SA went very well and thank you to everybody who came along and especially to the Clare TAFE for organizing the venues. We are scheduling additional training to be held in July at Clare and Jamestown.

A training request form can be found on-line at
www.farmtek.com.au
The next couple of months I will be attending several Field Days where we will be Demonstrating:
PAM QA +, PocketPAM
Pastures from Space ** New
And FarmStar

August:
Speed Field Days – with Paul Drendal from Drenko Business Support, HORSHAM VIC
Eyre Peninsula Cleve - with Creagh McGlasson, Rural Systems LOCK SA
September:
Henty Field Days with Mat Meehan, AgBis Pty Ltd ARMIDALE NSW

I look forward to catching up with you then.
Regards, Joanne Richardson
FarmTek Australia

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PAM UltraCrop / AusVit
Serve - Ag Pty Ltd

It has certainly been an incredibly busy and exciting time for everyone involved in the release of the new PAM AusVit system. With such a major enhancement there have been so many people involved in preparing the software and the manuals, organising new brochures and new web pages, getting the new demo CDs and new product boxes ready, training our people in all the new features, and then after the release, contacting people to let them know the product was ready.

We have been working very closely with the CRCV to encourage the original AusVit users to evaluate and upgrade to the PAM AusVit system. To let people in Australia's viticulture industry know that PAM AusVit is available we attended the Clare and Mildura Field Days, and plan to attend more over the coming months, including the McLaren Vale Growers Days. Plus there have been a constant stream of articles appearing in a number of publications.

So its been hard work for the last few months! The reward has been that interest in the new system is certainly very pleasing, and we expect that the number of PAM users will grow even further as more people get an opportunity to review their management systems following vintage, and following the end-of-financial-year reporting demands. The benefits of PAM for improved and faster management reporting will be appreciated by all our users.

And just a reminder that we will be at the biggest industry-wide event when we participate in the Twelfth Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference to be held in Melbourne, 24-29 July 2004. The PAM AusVit workshop has already been fully booked, but we will be at the CRCV trade stand, and will be delighted to meet everyone who can drop-by and say hello.
Regards Vincent Ball
Manager, Software Sales and Support. Serve-Ag Pty Ltd
Phone: 0412 39 29 19
Email: vball@serve-ag.com.au
Web: www.serve-ag.com.au

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Agbis (NSW & QLD)

In April, Matt Meehan attended the Turf Producers Expo at the Gold Coast. There was plenty of interest shown in PAM QA Plus as well as PocketPAM. PAM is well suited to the needs of turf growers.

For the 4th year running Agbis attended the Australian Cotton Trade Show at Moree. Over the two days we were kept busy with over 50 demonstrations to farmers or consultants. PAM QA Plus continues to gain momentum as the product of choice for production recording and mapping for the Cotton Industry.

Look out for Agbis at forthcoming field days as follows:

AgQuip, Gunnedah, NSW
AgShow, Toowoomba, QLD
Henty, NSW

Just a reminder that Agbis can assist with on-site training.

Training areas covered include (but not limited to):
• Setting up / configuration
• Cropping
• Livestock (Individual Animal Recording)
• Cotton
• Wool
• Mapping
• Viticulture
• Horticulture / Perennial Crops
• Precision Mapping
• PocketPAM

For training and support in Central NSW and Southern NSW contact Greg Baker, Agbis, on 0417 256 398.

For training and support in Northern NSW and all of Queensland contact Matt Meehan, Agbis, on
Tel: 0267729200
Fax: 0267729212
Mob: 0407729936
Email: matt@agbis.com
Website: www.agbis.com

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Booth Technology (WA)

We will be attending the following Field Days and hope to catch up with as many people as possible:

24th August to 26 August 2004 - Dowerin GWN Field Days
1st and 2nd September 2004 – Newdegate Machinery Field Days
16th and 17th September 2004 – Mingenew Expo

Booth Technology are holding hands on training sessions for intermediate to advanced users. All courses are hands on are aimed at users that are proficient with data entry and basic use.

PAM Intermediate –
Mon July 5th
• Customising PAM to your needs
• Data entry trip and tricks
• Updating prices for consumables /seed /Harvest deliveries /machinery /irrigation /manual tasks
• Backdating those prices
• Entering test results
• Merging configuration items
• Saving reports in favourites
• Keeping QA records
• Using the GP Diary
• Backup procedures

PAM Advanced –
Tues July 6th
• CBH load net download
• Using maps for data entry & reporting
• Importing geo-located soil test data
• Woolbook
• Inventory of consumables
• Inventory of harvested produce
• Paddock production budgeting
• Interpreting your report
• Browse any data set
• PocketPAM
• Using notes
• Backup procedures

PAM Mapping -
Wed July 7th
• Organising and merging layers
• Using Snap to perfectly align polygons
• Moving objects between layers
• Standardising colours/fonts & sizes
• Linking paddock and arable area polygons to the paddock list
• Preformatted print templates
• Using maps for data entry & reporting
• Importing objects from other sources
• Moving and reporting on livestock with maps
• Introduction to Yield & VRT Maps

Regional Courses are yet to be determined. If you have small groups 4 – 8 people interested in a group training session, please contact us and we will come to you.
For more information and Bookings Please call Booth Technology on (08) 9383 4443

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Maelroan Computers

Esperance WA

At last it seems that most have received enough rain to plant the crops. Recently we were in the Dowerin area and further east where it was very dry, as was a lot of the area east of Albany Highway.

We will be travelling in the mid west region late June and early July. I will be updating SQF plans for clients and training PAM and other programs whilst there. It you are not already on our list and would like a visit, please fax or email with your details, and location, so that you can be added to the list. There will be another trip after that as well, so you can “register” for that one if the first one is an inconvenient time for you. I have bookings through to next February, so don’t hesitate to book ahead.

Both the Federal and State Governments have announced that FarmBis is to continue – however there is no detail as yet. Hopefully there will be further announcements soon, as the current scheme finishes this month.

It is pleasing to see clients using PAM in more detail now. There is so much of your record keeping it can do, but you need to know how to use the program.

Now that the season seems to have turned around, lets hope it is a good one.

We will be at the Newdegate Field Day 1st and 2nd September – do call in and say hello.

Please contact me if you have any queries, or want to make a booking.
Maelroan Contact details:– phone 0428 910 122,fax 0890767042,
email: Maelroan@bigpond.com
Web:www.Maelroan.com.au.

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Drenko Business Support News – Wimmera Vic

With a couple of smaller rain events occurring over the last couple of weeks, we have finally started to see some cropping activity throughout the Wimmera Mallee. While we are still waiting for that elusive 'general rain', it has given growers enough confidence to at least commence their seeding program, with the hope that follow up rains occur. For some areas, it has been the driest start to a season in 90 years. With soil moisture levels quite low, it will be critical for the rains to keep coming through the growing season, to ensure average yields are produced. Hopefully, if we achieve an average rainfall year, it means we have still got a lot more rain to come during the last half of the year, which is when we need it.

Planning is in place to have a 2 day PAM classroom training course up and running for the last half of the year. Course material and manuals are still being compiled, but at this stage we hope to be able to offer some dates from August/September. These will initially be run at Horsham, with classes of 4-6 people, but will be able to be taken to any other location, as long as we are able to access a training room and computers. If anyone has interest in having the training in any other centres, please contact us, and we will schedule some dates. Class sizes will need to be a minimum of four people. Further down the track, we hope to be able to provide advanced training, which may include such things as Mapping, Pocket PAM and Precision Farming.

For those people interested in mapping, we have been able to locate a source for acquiring aerial photos of properties. The prices are quite competitive and aerial maps are provided on a CD in a JPEG format, which can be readily imported into PAM. The majority of areas are available. Anyone interested should contact us and provide details of their property (i.e title, fire map reference etc), and we will be more than happy to get a quote for you. Assistance will also be available for importing maps into PAM, and one on one training to get you going on mapping.

The Mallee Field Days at Speed will be on again on August 4th & 5th, and we will have a stand there, so please drop in and have a chat. Hopefully, by then we will have the training course up and running, so it may be a good opportunity to book a place in one of the courses.

Until then, let's hope we see more mud than dust around the area.
… Paul Drendel
Tel: 03 5382 3409
Fax: 03 5382 3176
Mob: 0427 373 656
Email:drenko@bigpond.com

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It was a great relief that we finally released the PAM AusVit and new Pasture Watch systems onto the market. A top effort from all the crew here at Fairport was required. A viticulture specific new manual was written for PAM AusVit and considerable amounts of new technologies were developed to enable the smooth rollout of our Pastures from Space / Pasture Watch subscription services.

In addition to completing all this work, the Fairport crew have set up the Hosted PAM Enterprise systems (mentioned earlier) here in our office. This has been both exciting and challenging. It is a realisation of a dream and concept first put to me in London in 2000 when I was taking the “Australian Farm Software” prize winning world trip. Systems are now in place to make the adding of additional PAM hosting servers a relatively simple process. I am indebted to Laurie for his ability to jump in the “deep end” and learn new systems.

These additional capabilities stand us in good stead to cater for organisations with high demands. Already we are talking to several large organisations regarding our new PAM Enterprise solutions. Having made the step into in-field data collection with PocketPAM in July 2000, our mobile data entry system (“DES”) and now with our PAM Enterprise systems, we have the ability to offer end-to-end solutions for primary production enterprises of many types and sizes.

New features going into the PAM suite of software in the near future include an enhancement to give it better QA systems compliance – being: nozzle types and nozzle pressures plus multiple weather condition records for a spray job.

Next month we launch a new product for use in the horticulture and viticulture sectors in conjunction with Farmscan and Silvan. The product is a simple spray diary called “QA LINK”. It is a simple desktop application for entering spraying plans. The plans are printed out for each spray rig operator and also taken to the spray tractor on a small memory card. Farmscan “Primo” spray rate controller reads the jobs from the card and controls the spray unit accordingly. Once jobs are completed the card is returned to the desktop computer and read back into QA LINK. QA LINK produces comprehensive spray diary reports and Chemical QA reports suitable for wineries.

QA LINK, Like PAM AusVit will be launched at the Twelfth Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference to be held in Melbourne, 24-29 July 2004.

Future directions for QA LINK are to offer it as a simple spray diary that uploads contract grape grower’s QA specific data via the internet to wineries that are running a PAM AusVit Enterprise system. The spray diary plans interface between the Farmscan Primo spray rate controller that is in QA LINK will also be added to PAM AusVit in time for next vintage.

As the financial year draws to a close I want to take this opportunity of publicly thanking our dealer team both here in Australia and overseas. We are most grateful to all of them for their efforts and enthusiasm.

Xenacom in New Zealand and their sub-dealers have been extremely active this past 12 months. Paul, Joanne and I all visited their operation during this past year and are all impressed with their professionalism. Xenacom recently employed Mark Ward as the PAM Product Manager. We wish him well and look forward to working with him.

The manager of Senwes Agricultural Development Services, Christo Helm has recently resigned to become the KEE Technology African Manager. We all wish him well and hope to keep hearing from him. Christo has been replaced by Etienne Nel as head of that section of Senwes, while the rest of the Senwes crew continues to use and promote our products. Senwes has posted its best ever year for us this past year and we look forward to their continuing support.

FarmTek Canada has been slowly but surely getting its act together. Gavin Sargeant, who was previously the operator of FarmTek Australia based near Shepparton in Victoria, has been settling into his new country for the past 10 months and has become quite an IT expert in the field of robotics. He is also still closely involved in agriculture.

Meanwhile FarmTek Australia has had a successful year. Joanne Richardson hit the ground running back in August and after a relatively quiet few months at the beginning has been extremely busy on both sales and training fronts

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Paul McLaren from Northam in Western Australia is currently in the UK for several months running software training courses and contacting the UK based PAM users. I recommend to anyone in the UK wanting to use his services while he is available to contact him at: pmclaren@wn.com.au

I would like to congratulate Tim Paramore on his fantastic efforts over the past year. Tim’s business Tim Paramore Agronomic Services is based in Albury NSW. Tim began using PAM in his business in mid-2002 and soon afterwards asked to become a dealer. He has steadily grown the Fairport dealership arm of his business and this year was the most successful dealer in the FarmTek Australia region. Well done Tim! I encourage anyone in the Albury-Wodonga area to contact Tim for any PAM, PocketPAM and FarmStar product purchases.

We look forward to more exciting months ahead…
If you have any interest in pastures and livestock I encourage you to take a look at the Pasture Watch web page at www.fairport.com.au

Thanks & Good Luck to you all …
until September

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