MSU AgBioResearch launches Enviroweather Mobile app to support Michigan growers
The launch of Enviroweather Mobile marks a major step forward in supporting on-the-go agricultural decision-making.
- Download Enviroweather Mobile for free on the Apple App Store or Google Play.
EAST LANSING, Mich. — Michigan State University AgBioResearch, in partnership with the Michigan State Horticultural Society (MSHS), is proud to announce the launch of Enviroweather Mobile, the mobile app for MSU’s weather-based information system supporting farmers and growers throughout Michigan.
Enviroweather has helped Michigan producers make informed decisions related to pest control, plant production and natural resource management since 1996.
With funding support from Project GREEEN, Michigan’s plant ag collaborative housed at MSU and made up by MSU AgBioResearch, MSU Extension, the Michigan Plant Coalition and Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), Enviroweather stations can be found today across 99 sites in Michigan, collecting information on temperature, rainfall, humidity, dew point, wind direction, soil conditions and more for the state’s plentiful and diverse ag regions. 
Up until now, however, data gathered by the tool could only be accessed reliably from a desktop using a web browser.
Enviroweather Mobile changes that.
Producers can now easily access real-time data to inform decision-making while working in the field.
“Farmers and growers are at the heart of everything MSU AgBioResearch does,” said George Smith, director of MSU AgBioResearch. “Since its creation, Enviroweather has been a game-changing tool to assist in the needs of our state’s producers. The deployment of Enviroweather Mobile represents our team’s dedication to always looking at what can be improved. I couldn’t be more excited for how this resource will further support the people who are helping put food on our tables.”
In addition to the data collected on weather, Enviroweather provides insightful models that contribute to strategies for controlling pests and pathogens, ranging from fire blight in apples and cherry leaf spot to seedcorn maggots threatening vegetables such as corn, soybeans and cucurbits.
“Farmers are on the go more than ever,” said Ben Smith, executive director of the Michigan State Horticultural Society. “Quick access to updated weather information, as well as pest and disease models, is critical to making good decisions. Enviroweather Mobile will allow growers easy and complete access to the power of Enviroweather wherever they can find a cell phone signal. Better decisions around weather and pest and disease control will lead to more efficient and successful farms.”
The development of Enviroweather Mobile was made possible with funding support given by Project GREEEN and MDARD’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.
Led by MSU graduate student Dao Chi Lam, the MSU AgBioResearch Research Evaluation and Data Analytics team spearheaded the app’s design.
Download Enviroweather Mobile for free on the Apple App Store or Google Play.
Michigan State University AgBioResearch scientists discover dynamic solutions for food systems and the environment. More than 300 MSU faculty conduct leading-edge research on a variety of topics, from health and agriculture to natural resources. Originally formed in 1888 as the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, MSU AgBioResearch oversees numerous on-campus research facilities, as well as 15 outlying centers throughout Michigan. To learn more, visit agbioresearch.msu.edu.