AgSight’s bioLinks platform is now ready to take on new clients after being successfully trialled by users such as Chatham-area Buis Beef.
Why it matters: The software allows farms selling direct to consumers the ability to track inventory, sales, and offer traceability.
The Guelph-based data and technology company developed bioLinks several years ago to to provide businesses with real-time inventory tracking, seamless barcode scanning and farm-to-fork traceability.
“Now that we’ve successfully transitioned our early adopters, we’re ready to scale,” said Betty-Jo Almond, AgSights general manager. “Our next phase is focused on helping more small and mid-sized producers streamline their operations, gain valuable business insights, and build stronger connections with local consumers.”
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The cloud-based software also integrates WooCommerce, inventory management, and sales tracking capabilities.
For businesses selling directly through farm gates or social media, bioLinks WooCommerce allows them to create an online storefront to showcase their unique story and product branding, without needing a traditional website.
Almond said platform options suit producers selling at farmers’ markets that don’t require a full-scale, year-round platform, to small and medium-sized businesses generating millions of dollars in sales.
“At our very base level, they would be looking at just under $700 (annually),” she said, with the top retail production program starting at $3,500. “The pricing model fits their scale of business and real-time inventory thinking with ordering.”
Regardless of the price point, subscriptions provide year-round access to the collected data.
The platform functions offline, syncing data once Wi-Fi is reconnected, making it ideal for rural or mobile operations, Almond said.
The barcode technology enhances point-of-sale efficiency, enabling quicker customer identification, product scanning, and payment processing. Built-in security features and unique user logins ensure data integrity, making it easier to identify training needs or acknowledge employee performance.
Almond explained that the user-friendly infrastructure is compatible with Apple phones, iPads, and tablets, reducing the need for additional Bluetooth barcode scanning hardware. It also provides a reliable backup option, ensuring business continuity in the event of hardware failure.
Integrated with QuickBooks and featuring an Excel-like interface, bioLinks automates data collection and analysis, reducing administrative work, eliminating human error, and enabling quick reporting, margin tracking, and year-end reconciliation.
Almond explained that the platform provides tailored control of customer order limits in accordance with current or anticipated inventory levels and demand, enhancing supply management and informing future processing and restocking decisions. The “discount” features also support targeted sales strategies, including moving older inventory.
“We’re pretty excited because the new version gives a lot more flexibility,” she said. BioLinks supports a range of product sales used by businesses, whether fixed-price or variable-weight, utilizing five tracking methods for detailed traceability.
For example, verifying package weights to match labelled amounts for quality assurance, explained Almond.
Beyond inventory control, Almond said bioLinks supports transparency across the supply chain, from RFID-tagged animals to carcass ID tracking and traceability, to building consumer confidence in locally produced food while enhancing profitability.
Mike Buis, president of Buis Beef and an early adopter of bioLinks, has implemented the platform across his 225-cow beef cattle operation, including on-farm retail and feed store operations.
“Each package of meat is fully traceable back to the animal it came from,” he said. “We know exactly what that animal’s retail value is as we put it into the store, then we can make some changes (to our cuts) to make the most retail dollars out of each animal.”
Buis values the platform’s real-time sales tracking, reliable data backup, and ability to analyze trends and margins. The system streamlines employee training, reduces errors, and simplifies reporting for accountants.
“I can’t see a reason why we wouldn’t use it in our system,” he said. “It just makes life so much easier on our on-farm retail. It takes the guesswork and the chances for error out of our retail operation.”
To schedule a demo, visit www.agsights.com or contact Lois Neeb by e-mail: [email protected]
