Agriculture is one of the largest industries in the world, globally having an estimated value of 4.82 trillion US dollars in 2025. Not only does this industry supply food and other goods, but it also provides economic stability in many regions. As a key contributor to the American economy, it is important that processes and operations are streamlined and optimized.
HOW CAN MINITAB HELP WITH ISSUES IN AGRICULTURE?
Choosing the appropriate tools to analyze data to optimize monitoring of growth, forecast demand or your supply chain can be overwhelming, but that’s where Minitab lets you thrive! The array of Minitab products enables you to collect, analyze, process, and visualize data - helping you make the best decision possible. These are only some of the solutions that Minitab can assist you with.
SOLUTION #1: MONITORING GROWTH
When managing a large site that is vulnerable to factors such as pests, weather changes, or plant diseases, it is critical to stay aware of what is happening in real time. Monitoring the growth and status of your plants can be simpler with Minitab Connect at your fingertips.
You can be notified of any sudden changes through Minitab Connect’s powerful dashboards by inserting your data and keeping track of variables such as pH levels, moisture levels, plant roots, or soil composition analysis. As these factors change in real time, your graphs in Minitab Connect alter simultaneously, providing insights into any trends, modifications and outliers that may occur.
Check out how Minitab’s own Jim Oskins applied these concepts to his personal garden here!
SOLUTION #2: PEST MANAGEMENT
Nothing is worse than knowing that all your hard work is being destroyed by small critters and insects. Having pests can be difficult, especially when you have been trying to get rid of them and are unsure of which methods work best. Globally, pests cost the economy around 220 billion US dollars per year, with invasive insects costing around 70 billion US dollars.
Using Minitab Statistical Software’s Design of Experiments (DOE) functionality, you can evaluate the effectiveness of your pest control methods while saving time and money. DOE enables users to test multiple methods efficiently. This structured approach, such as using a pesticide versus using a natural predator, enables you to have an easier, safer, and more cost-effective operation. Implementing this tool supports the health of your soil and plants while helping you determine the most effective pest control strategies. In the long run, DOE functionality helps you take preemptive steps to save you from being a victim of pests.
SOLUTION #3: SUPPLY CHAIN OPTIMIZATION
Transporting harvested goods to partners or other locations can be challenging due to factors like weather, traffic, or human error. To ensure efficient deliveries, it is essential to optimize transportation processes. Minitab's Regression Analysis and Process Improvement tools can help streamline logistics by identifying the most effective conditions for transporting goods.
By analyzing historical data on routes, weather patterns, delivery times, and human errors, you can predict and plan for optimal delivery scenarios. Using Minitab Connect, you can input both historical and real-time data to create dashboards that visualize transportation processes. These visualizations help you spot emerging trends, and when combined with deeper analyses, they allow you to determine root causes and take proactive steps to improve efficiency.
SOLUTION #4: FORECASTING DEMAND
Finding the sweet spot between meeting demand and avoiding excess production - which could lead to waste - becomes much easier with Minitab Statistical Software. Using the Predictive Analytics module, you can forecast your optimal production quantity by analyzing past trends with your preferred predictive methods.
Additionally, leveraging the Time Series Analysis can give further insights into the trends that have occurred and their likelihood of recurring. In this case, you can predict how many crops need to be harvested in advance of emerging sales trends. Minitab can also provide insights into which goods are growing in popularity over time and identify emerging trends within the industry.
Whether you are monitoring fertilizer levels on your farm or managing pests, Minitab can help you make better decisions. From collecting data to running an analysis, come get your hands dirty with Minitab.
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