Sharing agricultural equipment makes economic sense to farmers as the cost and efficiency of the machinery has increased in recent years. Entrepreneur Dan Robinson is launching the company Farm-r at REAP to offer a marketplace to bring time-share to agriculture.
It was while working in the agriculture supply industry that Robinson spotted a common phenomenon at the many farms he visited each week.
“I noticed that almost all the farms had machinery they didn’t use all the time and when they did use their equipment it was at different times to their neighbours,” he says.
“This set me thinking that maybe farmers could start sharing their machinery with each other and make their farms more efficient, but they needed a mechanism for supporting this and ensuring that the equipment was in good condition.”
He set up Farm-r in 2017 to meet this need. It is a farmer-to-farmer marketplace that allows them to rent equipment and services.
“With Farm-r it is now possible to earn money from unused machinery or to access specialist equipment when it is required,” explains Robinson. “It is a mutually beneficial situation.”
Changing old habits has been his key challenge, he reveals. “For many farm businesses the idea of sharing is new and slightly daunting but when we explain the efficiency gains, the impact it will have on their bottom line and how easy it is to use the app they are usually very keen.”
Robinson is keen to talk to people with equipment that they would like to rent out.
Find out more at www.farm-r.com.