Empowering Your Farm's Future: Technology, Data, and Efficiency Driving Success in 2025
Dear Friend,
Although it is still early in 2025, MASA is excited to continue driving farm financial efficiency. This year, we’re focused on helping you streamline operations, leverage cutting-edge AgTech innovations, and make data-driven decisions to boost profitability. In this month’s newsletter, we’ll provide insights into the future of farm financial management, highlight how data and automation are transforming agriculture, and offer tips on getting the most out of FBS in 2025.
In this month’s news:
•CEO Update: Looking Ahead
•The Future of Agricultural Technology
•New Year, New Computer?
•Harnessing Data for Smarter Farm Management
•Introducing MASA Professional Services
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CEO Update
A Message from Leslie
As we enter 2025, the future of farm financial management is brighter than ever. With advancements in precision agriculture, data capture, and automation, farms are becoming more efficient and data-driven.Financial management tools must evolve alongside these technologies to keep up with the growing complexity of modern farm operations. At MASA, we are committed to delivering solutions that allow you to take advantage of ag innovation—helping operations of all sizes optimize costs, manage inventory, and plan for long-term success.
One of the most exciting trends shaping agriculture is the increasing role of data in decision-making. From tracking equipment costs and field productivity to analyzing multi-year financial trends, farms that effectively leverage their data are making more informed, profitable decisions. Our tools, including FBS and CropZilla, are designed to drive better financial management, budgeting, and operational planning, ensuring that every decision is backed by accurate and farm-specific insights.
As technology continues to evolve, so do the systems that support it. In this issue, we’ll highlight important updates to the FBS platform, including recommendations for hardware, software, and connectivity to ensure your financial tools run at peak performance. Whether you are considering an upgrade or looking to maximize the potential of your current system, staying ahead of these advancements will be key to increasing efficiency in the year ahead.
Looking forward, we are grateful for the continued support of our long-term partners and customers who have helped shape MASA into what it is today. The agricultural industry thrives on innovation, and together, we are building the next generation of farm financial management tools to meet the ever-changing demands of modern operations. With exciting developments on the horizon, 2025 is set to be a year of growth, efficiency, and smarter decision-making—let’s make it the best yet!
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The Future of Agricultural Technology
How MASA is Transforming Farm Financials & Efficiency
As agriculture becomes more technology-driven, farmers are turning to precision ag, IoT, and automation to improve efficiency, but many are still struggling with outdated financial management tools. Traditional, out-of-the-box accounting software lacks the agriculture-specific capabilities needed to handle farm payroll, tax forms, inventory tracking, and cost calculations for multi-enterprise operations. At MASA, we understand these challenges and have designed FBS and CropZilla to provide a fully integrated, farm-focused financial management system that streamlines accounting, budgeting, and operational tracking.
One of the biggest drivers of efficiency in modern farming is the Internet of Things (IoT)—a network of connected sensors and devices that collect and share data in real-time. In agriculture, IoT can track everything from soil moisture levels and grain bin conditions to machine performance and fuel usage. However, while IoT generates valuable data, making sense of it financially is a challenge. That’s where MASA’s FBS accounting software comes in—helping farmers track real-time expenses by field, crop, or livestock enterprise and ensuring financial decisions are backed by accurate, farm-specific cost data. Additionally, FBS allows for accrual-based accounting, multi-entity tracking, and real-time inventory valuation, making it easier to manage farm financials while staying compliant with Ag-specific payroll and tax regulations.
Meanwhile, CropZilla Machine Analytics enhances equipment cost tracking and operational efficiency, giving farmers a data-driven approach to machinery investments and fleet management. By integrating with John Deere Ops Center, CNH Field Ops, and Razor Tracking, CropZilla helps farmers calculate true cost-per-acre and cost-per-hour metrics, ensuring that capital purchases align with actual financial performance. Together, FBS and CropZilla provide a complete farm management ecosystem, helping growers optimize financial decisions, reduce waste, and maximize profitability.
As AgTech continues to evolve, MASA remains committed to delivering innovative, farm-specific financial tools that empower modern farm operations. If you want to learn more about CropZilla, visit www.cropzilla.com or follow links from this newsletter and www.masa.ag for more information. Stay tuned for new features and enhancements designed to simplify farm financial management even further!
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New Year New Computer?
Getting the Most Out of FBS in 2025
As we step into a new year, many customers are considering upgrading their computers to improve performance and efficiency. If you are running FBS, a product of MASA, on-premise, the first step to ensure smooth operation is upgrading to version 11.8. This latest version includes important updates for stability and performance, making it essential for users looking to optimize their farm financial management system.
If you are purchasing a new computer to run FBS 11.8, MASA strongly recommends Windows 11 Pro (64-bit) as your operating system. Please note that Windows 11 Home is not a supported platform for on-premise FBS installations. While version 11.8 will still work on previous versions of Windows, performance may vary depending on your hardware configuration. These recommendations apply only to new computer purchases, ensuring you get the best experience when running FBS software.
For those using FBS on the Azure platform, MASA recommends a minimum of 16GB RAM, a 4 to 8-core processor, and a solid-state storage device to maximize performance. Additionally, internet speed is a key factor when working in the cloud. Microsoft recommends at least 15Mb/s download speed per user for standard operation and 30Mb/s for scanning or other higher-end usage. If you have three users logged in regularly, your connection should provide at least 45Mb/s download speed to maintain optimal performance. While FBS will function with lower speeds, slower internet may lead to performance issues. To check your current internet speed, you can use Fast.com for a quick and free test.
If you have any questions about upgrading to FBS 11.8, purchasing a new computer, or ensuring optimal performance on Azure, the MASA support team is here to help. You can reach us at (319) 343-5003 or email us at support@masa.ag. We’re committed to providing you with the tools and guidance needed to keep your farm financial system running smoothly in 2025 and beyond!
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Harnessing Data for Smarter Farm Management
In today’s rapidly evolving agricultural landscape, the integration of data analytics has become essential for enhancing decision-making processes. A recent article by DTN, titled “Data-Driven Agriculture: How Ag Retailers Can Thrive in 2025 and Beyond”, emphasizes the importance of leveraging data to meet the increasing expectations of farmers from the perspective of an agricultural retailer. The piece highlights that by utilizing multi-year data trends—encompassing weather patterns, crop yields, and market prices—agricultural retailers can provide actionable insights, leading to more informed decisions regarding crop planning and risk management.
At MASA, we recognize the critical role that data-driven strategies play in modern farming. Our FBS platform is designed to assist farmers in harnessing the power of data to optimize their operations. By linking data and applications into a unified database, MASA delivers powerful business intelligence and management tools tailored to the unique needs of today’s farms and ranches. This integration enables farmers to analyze financial reports, production records, inventory, labor insights, and vendor information, facilitating comprehensive farm data management.
The FBS platform’s advanced analytics capabilities allow users to track key performance indicators, identify trends, and make informed decisions that enhance productivity and profitability. For instance, by analyzing financial data, farmers can assess their current net worth, evaluate asset values, and establish goals based on previous performance data. Additionally, accurate inventory management provides a snapshot of growing crops, current livestock numbers, and available inputs, which is critical for making marketing and purchasing decisions.
Deciding What Data Products Work for You?
Choosing the right data management solutions is key to maximizing efficiency and profitability on your farm. Whether you’re looking to upgrade your FBS system, integrate new tools like CropZilla, or simply optimize your current setup, our team is here to help. Reach out to our sales team at MASA to explore options that can enhance your farm’s financial performance and deliver real returns on your investment. We can be reached at sales@masa.ag or by phone at (319) 343-5488. Let’s work together to transform data into smarter decisions for your operation!
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Introducing MASA Professional Services
Tailored Training and Support for Your Farm Operations
We’re excited to announce the launch of MASA Professional Services, offering customized virtual solutions to help you get the most out of your FBS platform. Whether you’re seeking additional training for your team or need a deeper dive into your farm data and FBS features, our professional services are tailored to meet your specific needs. Our experienced team is ready to guide you through advanced functionalities, providing workshops and training sessions that can be held one-on-one or in group settings, and even recorded for future reference.
MASA Professional Services gives you the flexibility to improve your understanding of the FBS platform, helping you maximize its potential for farm financial management, budgeting, payroll, inventory tracking, and more. Contact us today at info@masa.ag or call (319) 343-5488 to discuss how we can support your operations and get an individualized quote for the services you need. Let’s take your farm management to the next level with targeted training and data-driven insights!
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