A mockup of the mobile Farmmee platform, expected to launch this spring.
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A new mobile app launching for agricultural producers this spring is designed to connect farmers with equipment to farmers with jobs, the founders say.
The Farmmee app is expected to launch after April 1 following a year of development and piloting with Iowa farmers. The app will be subscription-based for users offering service for hire to farmers, and will not require a cut of the fees collected by providers for their services, said Chief Executive Officer Molly Woodruff. Farmers, meanwhile, will be able to post job requests for free on the service.
Although many farmers already know local providers who have filled these roles over time, the app will cut down on the time it takes to find local providers who can respond quickly with the correct equipment, Woodruff said.
“It’s really a way to connect farmers to farmers, to maximize their equipment use and their profits,” said Woodruff, Farmmee co-founder along with Cindy Rockwell, director of business development, and Becky McCrea, chief technology officer. All three are based in Iowa, and Woodruff and Rockwell both operate their own farms in the state.
The app design streamlines customer location for equipment owners who provide custom services in planting, harvesting, spraying or hauling for other farmers who don’t own the specialized equipment or had their equipment damaged in some way, she added. Farmers could also use Farmmee to seek out laborers to assist on short notice, and review providers as jobs are completed.
“You will be able to go into Farmmee and put in a job request saying, ‘I have this piece of land that I need baled, it needs to be square baled in this date range,’” Woodruff said. “It would be sent out to different providers — other farmers that have the equipment, that have registered for the app — and they would be able to respond with bids to say, ‘Yes, I can. Here’s how much it would cost.’”
The app will be available in iOS and Android versions.