The 2012 ASHS Annual Conference

Weather-related information is essential to Florida’s agricultural producers for making important decisions. Growers routinely monitor current weather conditions to make informed decisions regarding the use water for irrigation and cold protection as well as the application of chemicals. The Florida Automated Weather Network (FAWN), a program of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, uses data from its 36 automated weather stations to provide growers with a variety of weather-related tools that can aid them in making these decisions. When temperatures are critically low, growers need to be away from the computer and in the field implementing cold protection measures. The FAWN Freeze Alert Tool provides growers with this needed flexibility by sending them a Short Message Service (SMS) text message when certain conditions have occurred at a FAWN weather station.  Delivering  this time-critical information directly to the field supports optimal protection of crops, cost effective operation of irrigation systems, and conservation of water.