Media
Joint News Release
Farmers to access more precise long-range, seasonal weather forecasts via BASF and Salient Predictions agreement
- Salient Predictions is using first-of-its-kind technology to provide weather forecasting almost 12 months ahead, with accuracy levels that are up to double those compared to other available services
- Weather forecasting data to be integrated with BASF Digital Farming’s agronomic decision engine by end March 2021
- Agreement affirms BASF’s commitment to delivering farmers the best possible digital farming insights and solutions to optimize crop production
Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, and Falmouth, Massachusetts – February 22, 2021 – BASF has signed a global commercial agreement with Salient Predictions, Inc. (Salient) to provide customers with access to the world’s most accurate long-range, seasonal weather forecasting data to further enable precise agronomic decisions.
The decision to use Salient services was based on its demonstrated ability to provide the best long-range and seasonal weather forecasting, with up to double the accuracy rate of compared to other available services. Salient achieves this by leveraging proprietary algorithms based on a wide range of climate predictors, including a core focus on ocean data such as sea surface salinity readings, that can uniquely extract predictive signals from long-range weather patterns.
“Providing farmers with access to even better data that optimizes crop production is our goal and what motivates us to continue exploring and partnering with innovative tech companies large and small,” says Jeff Spencer, Global Technology & Data lead, BASF Digital Farming. “The weather data provided by Salient uses machine learning and is informed by a wide range of additional, unique sources to further improve its accuracy. We are confident that Salient’s forecasting data, when integrated with our advanced agronomic decision-making engine, will be of great benefit to farmers,” concludes Spencer.
According to Dr. Raymond Schmitt, President and Co-Founder of Salient Predictions, ordinary weather forecasting model accuracy is good out to about 10 days, but then degrades to mostly a coin-flip, meaning 50%, at timescales beyond two weeks. “After years of research on the role of the ocean in the climate system, we have developed a unique suite of environmental parameters that, when combined with state-of-the-art machine learning techniques, enables vastly improved weather forecasts of temperature and precipitation from a minimum of three weeks up to a year ahead,“ says Dr. Schmitt. “The system has been proven superior in open competition and through a rigorous comparison with other products in decades of hindcasts. Better forecast accuracy is a critical tool for finding ways to drive resiliency and profit across industries, and to solve climate change challenges more broadly. We look forward to helping BASF Digital Farming customers better prepare for the vagaries of future weather.”
Long-range and seasonal weather forecasting data provided by Salient Predictions will be integrated into BASF Digital Farming’s agronomic decision engine by March 2021, with xarvio users expected to benefit by the end of this year.
Contact BASF Digital Farming: Contact Salient Predictions:
Nathan Quigley Dr. Raymond Schmitt
Specialist Media Relations President
xarvioTM, BASF Digital Farming GmbH Salient Predictions Inc.
Mobile: +49 151 5519 3566
Email: nathan-sean.quigley@xarvio.com rschmitt@salientpredictions.com
About BASF’s Agricultural Solutions division
With a rapidly growing population, the world is increasingly dependent on our ability to develop and maintain sustainable agriculture and healthy environments. Working with farmers, agricultural professionals, pest management experts and others, it is our role to help make this possible. That’s why we invest in a strong R&D pipeline and broad portfolio, including seeds and traits, chemical and biological crop protection, soil management, plant health, pest control and digital farming. With expert teams in the lab, field, office and in production, we connect innovative thinking and down-to-earth action to create real world ideas that work – for farmers, society and the planet. In 2019, our division generated sales of €7.8 billion. For more information, please visit http://www.agriculture.basf.com or any of our social media channels.
About xarvio Digital Farming Solutions; a brand by BASF Digital Farming GmbH
xarvio is at the forefront of the digital transformation of agriculture, optimizing crop production. xarvio offers digital products, based on a global leading crop model platform, which deliver independent, field-zone-specific agronomic advice that enables farmers to produce their crops most efficiently and sustainably. xarvio products SCOUTING, FIELD MANAGER and HEALTHY FIELDS are being used by farmers in more than 100 countries. xarvio FIELD MANAGER is used by 43,000 farmers (total area of more than 5 million ha) in 15 countries, and xarvio SCOUTING is used by more 3.8 million farmers and consultants. For more information please visit http://www.xarvio.com or any of our social media channels.
About Salient Predictions Inc
Salient Predictions, Inc. produces the world’s most accurate long-range weather forecasts (from 3 weeks to a year ahead) for temperature, precipitation and other weather parameters. The team uses ocean data, earth signals and machine learning to significantly improve forecast accuracy to drive increased resiliency and profits for customers. The company is building vertical-specific solutions for agriculture, energy, CPG, insurance, finance, retail and beyond. Salient Predictions is vastly expanding not only industry's ability to predict, respond to and leverage the weather, but also humanity's understanding of and relationship to the global water cycle and how it's shifting with a rapidly changing climate. To learn more, please contact Dr. Raymond Schmitt, President and Co-Founder: rschmitt@salientpredictions.com
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