The Network for Environment and Weather Applications: 2017 Survey of Impacts and User Insights
The Network for Environment and Weather Applications (NEWA) is an online decision aid system providing growers with results from IPM risk assessment models based on local weather and forecast data. An online survey of NEWA users and non-users was designed with 48 questions to (1) collect demographic information, (2) measure IPM impact, (3) determine the utility of current and desired content, and (4) assess user experience to guide a website redesign. Of the 331 respondents, 54% were current users. Results showed that the average NEWA user annually saves $4,329 by reducing pesticide sprays and $33,048 by preventing crop loss. Their average per acre savings as a direct result of using NEWA was $2,060 annually. All NEWA users would recommend NEWA to other farmers. Insights gained for desired elements in a web redesign included insuring continued reliability of IPM forecasts, easy viewing of multiple locations or models, and saved personal profiles.