Patent ID: 7184892
Filing Date: 2007-02-27
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A method for evaluating the performance of an agricultural crop, the method comprising the steps of: obtaining weather data derived from measurements of a weather sensor for a defined geographic area, obtaining soil data derived from measurements of a soil characteristic sensor for the defined geographic area, obtaining management data associated with a particular agricultural crop affiliated with the defined geographic area; evaluating at least one of the obtained weather data, the obtained soil data, and the obtained management data in comparison to reference weather data, reference soil data, and reference management data; determining an estimated performance level of a performance characteristic for the particular crop associated with at least a portion of the defined geographic area based upon the evaluation; identifying preferential growing locations for growing a particular crop in the defined geographic area based on the estimated agronomic performance level meeting or exceeding a benchmark performance level or maximizing the expression of a genetic trait of a crop, without any estimation of potential economic profit or loss for growing the particular crop; and generating a list of preferential growers associated with the preferential growing locations for marketing seed or a crop precursor for the particular crop based on correlating or matching location data extracted from marketing data to the preferential growing locations.