FarmTest, a young AgTech startup is changing how farmers, ag retailers, and researchers discover what really works in the ground. Born out of a need for data-backed decision-making in modern farming, FarmTest is on a mission to turn every field into a living laboratory, one that not only produces crops but also answers.
At its core, FarmTest provides a software platform that automates and enhances the process of running field trials, experiments where growers test different crop inputs or management practices to see what performs best in their specific environment. While on-farm trials aren’t new, they’ve historically been labor-intensive, messy, and often statistically unreliable. Farmers might try out a new fungicide or hybrid on one section of a field, but inconsistencies in weather, soil, or application can render the results anecdotal at best.
That’s where FarmTest steps in. With their platform, users can design replicated, randomized, and statistically robust experiments using existing farm machinery. The system takes a farmer’s field boundaries, equipment specifications, and the trial’s goal, such as comparing two different seeding rates or nitrogen treatments, and generates a customized variable-rate prescription. This prescription embeds dozens or even hundreds of tiny trial plots, scattered across the field in a scientifically valid layout, into the farmer’s normal planting or application pass. There’s no need to bring in special crews, and the rest of the field is managed as usual.
What once took weeks of manual setup and risk to yield unreliable results can now be executed with a few clicks and a standard rate controller. The FarmTest platform is compatible with most modern GPS-guided farm equipment and yield monitors, which means results are collected passively, just by doing the job. Once harvest is complete, users upload the yield data and input costs, and FarmTest produces a detailed report within two weeks. These reports don’t just show which treatment yielded more; they also highlight profitability, yield stability, and optimal zones for each practice, giving growers and agronomists powerful insights they can trust.
The benefits of this approach are far-reaching. For farmers, it means making confident decisions rooted in real-world performance on their own soil. Instead of relying on regional plot trials or university data from different geographies, they can test for themselves what pays off under their own unique conditions. This is especially valuable in a time when input costs are rising and margins are tight. FarmTest gives farmers the ability to fine-tune seeding rates, fertilizer strategies, or crop protection products with the kind of precision that was once the domain of academic research stations.
But the value doesn’t stop at the farm gate. Input suppliers and ag retailers are also turning to FarmTest to validate new products and prove ROI to customers. Rather than sending reps out to establish scattered strip trials, companies can now deploy FarmTest prescriptions across dozens or hundreds of partner farms, with results that are clean, comparative, and scalable. This builds trust in a highly competitive input market, where growers are increasingly skeptical of generic claims.
University researchers and extension agents have also found value in FarmTest. The platform allows them to run more trials, more accurately, and with less overhead. In a world where public ag research budgets are shrinking, the ability to gather rigorous data on commercial fields is a major advantage. It also makes research more relevant and accessible, closing the gap between academic findings and real-world practices.
Perhaps most impressive is FarmTest’s ability to scale without compromising quality. A single grower can run a small trial on a single field, or a national seed company can deploy coordinated trials across hundreds of locations. Each one is analyzed with the same rigor, producing insights that can be trusted and acted upon. In this way, FarmTest is democratizing agricultural research by putting the power of scientific experimentation into the hands of the people who need it most.
FarmTest founder and CEO, Nick Cizek, is an applied physicist with a Ph.D. from Stanford. He founded FarmTest after nearly five years at The Climate Corporation, where he led teams in designing and executing large-scale in-field trials for advanced nitrogen management. He previously co-founded a grid-scale battery startup, achieving a successful exit with patents now owned by Google X / Malta. In July 2025, FarmTest was acquired by Growers Edge, a leading ag-fintech company known for offering input warranties and lending solutions to help farmers adopt new technologies with reduced risk. This strategic acquisition brings together FarmTest’s automated, statistically rigorous on-farm trial platform with Growers Edge’s financial and product performance services.
In a world where climate volatility, supply chain shocks, and consumer demands are reshaping the agricultural landscape, the need for smarter, faster decision-making has never been more urgent. FarmTest isn’t just helping farmers farm better, it’s helping them learn faster, reduce risk, and build resilience into their operations. As one early adopter put it, with FarmTest, I’m not guessing anymore, I’m proving it, every season.
The age of gut-feel farming is not over, but it’s being upgraded. And companies like FarmTest are leading the charge, ensuring that the future of agriculture is grounded in data, driven by discovery, and owned by the farmer. Learn more about FarmTest HERE. (Source: Futureofagriculture, Farmtest)
