Updates coming to online agronomic reports
In 1995, the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Agronomic Division became the first soil testing lab to post report data online for easy access and retrieval by clients. In addition to soil reports, nematode assay, plant tissue, waste and solution reports were also made available.
This year, NCDA&CS is making a concerted effort to improve and update this online report generation and retrieval feature.
A total reprogramming of the division’s laboratory information management system is under way thanks to a $455,600 grant from the N.C. Tobacco Trust Fund Commission.
By spring 2010, the division expects to have a Web-based report retrieval system in place with several new and improved features that will be beneficial to clients. Features include:
- Clients will be notified by e-mail when reports are complete so they will know to go online and look for them in the searchable database.
- Clients will be able to change crop codes for an existing report and receive a revised set of recommendations.
- Repeat customers will be able to enter and submit sample information online without rekeying their vital statistics: name, address, phone and so on. This feature should save time and reduce data-entry discrepancies that have, in the past, led to multiple entries for individual clients.
- Report data will be easier to download into spreadsheets or other programs for use with global positioning system applications.
In the meantime, the division asks clients to be patient with the current system.
“Some people search for their reports by using bookmarks to Web pages that are no longer completely functional,” said Colleen Hudak-Wise, Agronomic Division director. “While we are doing our best to remove out-of-date pages from our Web site, some may still be online.”
The best way to search for agronomic reports is to go first to the Agronomic Division home page, www.ncagr.gov/agronomi. From there, select “Find Your Report” from the left-column navigation bar. Basic report-search guidelines are available at www.ncagr.gov/agronomi/reportseach.htm.
