Chapters

How a Third-Generation Potato Grower in the San Luis Valley Cut Audit Prep and Paper Woes

Mix Farms was ready to innovate, and found more than just time savings in the leap from binders to cloud-based data capture.

The Client

In the renowned San Luis Valley of Colorado, Mix Farms has spent the past seventy years as a fixture in the potato growing industry.

Mix Farms has been a family affair from the start – beginning as 120 acres farmed by Roger Mix’s grandfather. Now covering 900 acres, Mix Farms hosts a rotation of potatoes, barley, and lettuce throughout the year.

Too Much Fuss About Binders

A lifelong passion for agriculture is what fuels Mix Farms, but the hassle of daily paperwork and binder-flipping was getting in the way.

• Paper Leaves Management Blind
  Without real-time access to historical data, trends and insights were severely limited.
  
• Double-Handling Data Wastes Time
  Stacks of paper completed in-field were duplicated into Excel for audits, killing efficiency.
  
• The Stress of Looming Audits
  Even with expert advice, photocopies and binders left uncertainties leading up to audits.

Picking a Partner for the Next Chapter

Roger Mix was looking to innovate above and beyond what paper could offer – then he and consultant Kay Harmon found Provision.

• Ease of Use Unlocks Quick Adoption
  An intuitive interface and common-sense workflows make Provision’s platform incredibly user-friendly, enabling efficiencies even for field workers and seasonal staff.

“Provision is user-friendly and easy to use. The more I use it, the better it gets.”

Roger Mix • Owner, Mix Farms

• Empowering, Not Changing, Food Safety Programs
  Provision’s configurable SOPs and records allow it to be tailored for every size and type of operation, regardless of what standard it may be certified to. There’s no need for the program to be altered; the priority is building guardrails around what already works.

“Provision’s approach was, ‘Your program doesn’t change, we fit your program.’ They were so in-tune to what my clients and I need.”

Kay Harmon • AgCheck, Food Safety Consultant to Mix Farms

Untangling the Knot: Effective Tools for Efficient Growers

How down-to-earth features helped get Roger Mix away from the desk and back to the fields.

1.

Reduced Stress and Simplified Management

• Customizable rules and limits provide automatic checks to eliminate the risk of non-compliant records
• Automated tasks streamline activity scheduling and reminders, preventing incomplete records
  

“Using Provision is so much less stressful. I’m not up all night before an audit thinking, ‘Do I have everything in its place?’”

Roger Mix • Owner, Mix Farms

2.

Real-Time Access

• Cloud data storage allows access to forms, reports, and analytics from any device, anywhere
• Consultants save time and travel costs while increasing communication and engagement
  

“Provision lets me get onto my tablet or my phone anytime, anywhere, and help my clients when things come up.”

Kay Harmon • AgCheck, Food Safety Consultant to Mix Farms

3.

Easy Organization

• SOPs and records interlink, keeping documentation readily available for operators and auditors alike
• Templates can be updated in a single click, ensuring that guidance is kept up-to-date and ready for review
  

“As a farmer, I don’t have the time to go through paperwork all the time. It was tough to find exactly where everything was on paper. Provision puts everything where I can easily find it.”

Roger Mix • Owner, Mix Farms

Mix Farms Moving Forward

Armed with powerful new tools to continue developing their already-successful program, Mix Farms is looking toward the future.

Time savings and easy audit prep is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Mix Farms. Roger Mix already plans to begin using Provision’s photo records as a part of his field scouting in the next season, alongside other planned expansions. With the support of Provision and Kay Harmon’s expertise, the future is bright as Mix Farms looks toward the next generation to stir the dirt in the San Luis Valley.

“It took so much more time flipping through binders. I’d rather be doing what I enjoy – stirring the dirt and raising the crop instead of stuck behind a desk filling out forms.”

Roger Mix • Owner, Mix Farms

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