Michigan State University AgBioResearch has launched Enviroweather Mobile, a new app designed to give growers in Michigan mobile access to the university’s long-running weather-based decision support system.

Developed in partnership with the Michigan State Horticultural Society, the app extends the reach of Enviroweather, which has supported agricultural decision-making in the state since 1996. Until now, the system’s data was primarily accessed through a desktop web browser, limiting its practicality for producers working in the field.

The new mobile platform is intended to address that gap by allowing users to consult real-time weather and field data while away from the office. According to Michigan State University, the launch is aimed at improving on-the-go decisions related to pest management, crop production and natural resource use.

Enviroweather draws on a statewide network of 99 stations across Michigan. These sites collect data including temperature, rainfall, humidity, dew point, wind direction and soil conditions, providing location-specific information for a wide range of agricultural regions and production systems.

In addition to weather data, the platform includes models designed to support pest and disease control strategies. Michigan State University said these cover threats including fire blight in apples, cherry leaf spot, and seedcorn maggots affecting crops such as corn, soybeans and cucurbits.

“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.”

The app was developed with funding support from Project GREEEN and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. Project GREEEN is described by the university as Michigan’s plant agriculture collaborative, bringing together MSU AgBioResearch, MSU Extension, the Michigan Plant Coalition and MDARD.

Michigan State Horticultural Society Executive Director Ben Smith said the ability to access updated data away from a desk has become increasingly important for producers managing day-to-day crop decisions.

“Farmers are on the go more than ever,” he said. “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 app’s development was led by Dao Chi Lam, a graduate student at MSU, together with the MSU AgBioResearch Research Evaluation and Data Analytics team, which oversaw the design work.

For growers, the significance of the launch lies less in the creation of a new data source than in the improved delivery of an existing one. By moving Enviroweather into a mobile format, MSU is positioning a long-established decision-support system closer to the point of use, where timing and local conditions can directly affect operational choices.

Enviroweather Mobile is available as a free download through the Apple App Store and Google Play.