Farmmee, the App That Helps Farmers Connect, Celebrates its First Year
Background Information
Media Contact
Rick Purnell, 760-799-5578
rpurnell@rprcompany.com
July 25, 2022
Corporate Contact
Molly Woodruff, 515-360-5989
molly@farmmee.com
Des Moines, IA, July 25, 2022 – Farmmee, the app that connects American farmers with farmers when they need help the most, celebrates a year of helping farmers and service providers address challenges and get paid for it.
The app, available in Android and iOS versions, is easier than ever to use. There are two user categories: farmer and provider. Users can be both, if desired. Using a menu, farmers can list jobs they want help with, such as planting, harvesting, hauling cattle, baling hay, construction, trucking and others.
Service providers can list the services they offer, such as spreading manure, hauling hay, agronomy, harvesting and other types of services.
Once a farmer selects a desired service, Farmmee finds providers using ZIP codes and counties as GIS locaters so providers will know where a specific job is located. Farmers mark their fields so providers can validate the location for their ability to deliver services to them before offering a quote.
To date, more than 1,000 users have downloaded the app and many of those have connected. One example is Rodrigo Trevisan, technology manager for Vayda, a company focused on regenerative agriculture. He connected with Tim Sinns, a custom farmer located near Oskaloosa, Kansas. Trevisan posted his unique harvest needs for fields near Rock Port, Missouri, last season in the Farmmee app. Sinns responded and worked the full harvest. He and Trevisan were pleased with the outcome and are considering more work together.
One attribute of the app users report liking is that Farmmee charges a small, one-time fee to farming providers once they accept a job, rather than a percentage of the total fee paid. Farmers needing help are never charged. Farmers and service providers are free to negotiate the rates paid. They can even barter if they so choose. Farmmee does not take a cut of any transaction.
Addresses gaps
“There are gaps in farming communities when it comes to connecting farmers with farmers,” Molly Woodruff, CEO and farmer, says. “Farmers consistently tell us their
biggest need, or gap, is when their equipment breaks down or when they need extra equipment quickly. It is hard to find experienced help, especially when they’re working with tight timelines.
“This need for quick connections to farmers, or providers with expertise, has been our mission since we first designed Farmmee – connecting farmers with farmers,” she adds. The app helps farmers and providers work more efficiently with the time and resources they have by connecting them and their expertise to each other.”
Constantly evolving
Like the farmers it serves, Farmmee is continually changing to meet market needs. The inaugural version featured 19 farmer and provider categories. The latest version features 24 farmer and provider categories.
“Farmer input has guided the categories we’ve added,” Woodruff says. “Their suggestions help us improve the app so they and new users benefit more. We encourage users to offer all the suggestions they want because we’re constantly improving the app for them, not us.”
Iowa born. Iowa operated.
Farmmee was created in Iowa and maintains operations there. Woodruff and her husband operate a diversified farm. Cindy Rockwell, director of business development, owns an Iowa corn and soybean farm and Becky McCrea, chief technology officer, is also an Iowa resident. In addition to farming, the three are involved in the information technology sector. Plans are to grow Farmmee from the Heartland.
What’s on tap for Farmmee’s second year?
“There are still plenty of jobs farmers need to get done before harvest,” Woodruff says. “Scouting, spraying, baling hay, getting trucks and equipment ready for harvest, to name a few. Our plan is to be at the ready to help farmers and providers connect now and through harvest. We’ll then incorporate some more user input to tweak things for the better. Building an app that serves farmers is no different than farming – you must always be improving things.”