Iowa female entrepreneurs develop Farmmee, an app that helps farmers
Becky McCrea, Waukee; Cindy Rockwell, Carlisle; and Molly Woodruff, Indianola; are tech industry veterans who work with top Iowa and national firms. They’re also a trio of Iowa female entrepreneurs who have developed Farmmee, an innovative app that connects farmers to farmers when they need it most.
Every farmer knows what it’s like to see a storm on the horizon with acres of crop to harvest before it hits. They also know the time-robbing impacts of breakdowns. Finding help quickly can be hard.
Not anymore. Farmmee (https://www.farmmee.com), solves dilemmas like this and more by quickly connecting farmers with farmers to solve immediate challenges. The app provides a robust collaboration network that lets farmers seek services by other farmers and also lets farmers offer their services to other farmers.
“There are gaps in farming communities when it comes to connecting farmers to farmers,” 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 inefficient and hard to find help, especially because they’re working with tight timelines.
“The need for quick connections to farmers, or providers with expertise, became our mission – connecting farmers to farmers,” she adds. We created Farmmee and began developing the app in March 2020. It helps farmers and providers work more efficiently with the time and resources they have by dynamically connecting them and their expertise to each other.”
Easy to use
The app, available in Android and iOS versions, is easy 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 corn, harvesting wheat, hauling cattle, baling hay and others.
Service providers can list the services they offer, such as spreading manure, hauling hay, agronomy and other types of services.
Once a farmer selects a service desired, 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.
Farmers and providers set their own rates, own timelines
Farmmee does not take a cut, or percentage, of the fees providers charge farmers. They are free to negotiate their own terms, conditions and form of payment. This leaves farmers fully in charge of the job and schedule. Farmers can rate providers and provide reviews when jobs are completed, so there is incentive for providers to perform well.
Farmers can also be providers. For example, they can offer their expertise and their equipment to plow fields, plant, harvest, haul grain and get paid and extend their equipment investments. Farmers listing jobs can use the app at no charge. Service providers can list all the services they want for as low as $19.99 a month.
Iowa born. Iowa operated.
Farmmee was born in Iowa and maintains operations there. Woodruff and her husband operate a diversified farm. In addition to her work with Farmmee, she works with organizations to build individual and team strength and to develop cultures of communication and understanding.
Cindy Rockwell is Farmmee director of busines development. She grew up on a corn and soybean farm in southern Iowa where she learned to drive a truck feeding cattle when she was five years old and was driving a tractor at age 9. She’s worked with technology for more than 25 years, including John Deere, Pioneer Hi-Bred and Farmers Mutual. She bought a corn and soybean farm five years ago and for the past two years, has been exploring ways to make farming better with technology.
Becky McCrea, Ohio native and now an Iowa resident, is Farmmee chief technology officer. She has developed innovative technology solutions for more than 15 years as an engineer, full-stack developer and Salesforce lightning developer. Her career has focused on bridging the gap between IT stakeholders by identifying ways to improve company operations. Becky has worked with various companies in agriculture including, Farmers Mutual Hail, Growers Edge and others.
“Our Iowa and agricultural backgrounds ensure we’ll continue to improve Farmmee, adding innovations as is prudent and providing solid customer service for our farmers and providers,” Woodruff says.
