Aimer Farming launches pasture intelligence tech in UK

Aimer Farming will launch its AIMER pasture intelligence technology in the United Kingdom, extending the New Zealand company's expansion into overseas pasture-based dairy markets.

The launch follows commercial use in New Zealand since 2023. AIMER is now used on more than 650 farms and records more than 10,000 pasture measurements each week. Developed in New Zealand, the product is now being introduced in the UK after a period of local testing.

The UK rollout follows 18 months of testing and development on commercial dairy farms with exclusive distribution partner Precision Grazing. During that period, thousands of pasture covers and videos were collected to adapt the system for UK grass species, weather patterns and grazing systems.

The technology combines a smartphone app for pasture measurement with an online web app. Farmers take a short video in the paddock, and the system produces an estimated pasture cover in kilograms of dry matter per hectare.

That data supports decisions on grazing, supplementation, rotation management and feed planning. Aimer Farming says the product addresses a common challenge in grazing systems: the need for quicker, more consistent pasture measurement.

Jeremy Bryant, Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Aimer Farming, said the international expansion reflects challenges shared across pasture-based farming systems.

"AIMER was born here in New Zealand out of the real challenges farmers face in accurately measuring pasture consistently and using that information well to make decisions," said Jeremy Bryant, Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Aimer Farming.

"Those challenges are not unique to New Zealand. Pasture-based farmers around the world are dealing with the same pressures around time, labour, feed costs and decision-making."

He said New Zealand farmers had played a direct role in the platform's development.

"New Zealand farmers have played a big part in shaping the platform from the start," Bryant said.

"Their feedback, their farm systems and their willingness to adopt new tools have helped us build technology that is practical, farmer-friendly and now relevant to other pasture-based markets."

UK adaptation

James Daniel, Founder of Precision Grazing, said the work in Britain was intended to ensure the software reflected local farming conditions rather than simply transferring a New Zealand model into another market.

"UK grazing systems are different from New Zealand, both in terms of climate and grass species, so the technology needed to be properly trained and validated here," said James Daniel, Founder of Precision Grazing.

"That's why we've spent the past 18 months collecting UK pasture measurements and testing the software on commercial dairy farms. The focus has been on ensuring the outputs are robust, reliable and useful for UK farmers."

Daniel said the system's New Zealand origins could help its reception in the UK, given the reputation of Kiwi dairy farmers in pasture management.

"New Zealand farmers are among the best in the world at managing pasture-based systems, so the fact AIMER has been developed there and tested on commercial farms gives it real credibility here in the UK."

He said the main issue for many UK farms was not whether grass measurement mattered, but whether it could be done consistently without adding pressure on labour.

"Grass measurement has always been valuable, but consistency and the time commitment have been the sticking points on many UK farms," Daniel said.

"When labour is tight, walking every paddock with a plate meter can be hard to maintain. AIMER makes the process much quicker, with accuracy comparable to a plate meter. Importantly, it helps turn that information into decisions - how much grass is available, where the cows should go next, whether supplement is needed and what might happen over the next two weeks."

Growth plans

The UK launch marks the next stage for Aimer Farming as it seeks to build a wider business around pasture intelligence from its New Zealand base. Bryant said the domestic customer base remains central to product development as the company enters overseas markets.

"The opportunity offshore is exciting, but as we grow, it's important we don't lose sight of our New Zealand roots.

"New Zealand is where AIMER started, and the experience we gain with Kiwi farmers continues to shape how we develop the platform for pasture-based systems here and overseas.

"We're proud to see AIMER gaining momentum internationally while continuing to support the farmers and farm systems that helped shape it from the beginning."