The Official Launch of Farm Assistant App at PotatoEurope 2026
Farm Assistant officially launches at PotatoEurope 2026, bringing satellite-based soil intelligence, crop-rotation tools, and field-level insights together to support more informed and sustainable farming decisions.
The Launch of betterSoil Farm Assistant App at PotatoEurope 2026
Agri-tech startup betterSoil is launching its innovative Farm Assistant web application at the upcoming PotatoEurope 2026 event. The betterSoil Farm Assistant is a decision-support tool that translates satellite-derived soil data and agronomic knowledge into practical, field-level recommendations. Developed with funding support from the European Space Agency Business Incubation Centre Baden-Württemberg (ESA BIC BW), the platform aims to scale regenerative soil practices and build long-term resilience in supply chains. The current crop rotation recommendation is potato-focused, the soil fertility map and crop rotation simulator are designed to support broader crop systems and future use cases. Potatoes are highly economically important but also agronomically demanding due to their intense sensitivity to soil structure, nutrient balance, water availability, and disease cycles. This platform helps food processors and growers implement data-driven planning to reverse declining yields and climate risks.
Core functionality of the platform
The field-level crop rotation engine generates multi-year crop rotation recipes tailored to local field and climate conditions. It combines cash crops like potatoes with secondary and cover crops while estimating nitrogen fixation, nitrogen uptake, and carbon removal in above- and below-ground biomass. The results are presented in a calendar-based interface, helping farmers plan planting and harvesting periods more easily.
The satellite-based soil intelligence layer combines Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellite data, NDVI, and long-term climate data to assess field conditions. It generates 10 x 10 m soil fertility maps and uses 25 years of weather information to identify suitable temperature and rainfall conditions for crop growth.
The data integration framework unifies multiple complex streams into a single stream. It combines real-time satellite data with global information from the Soil Grids databank, crop-specific agronomic rules, and the farmer’s personalized agriculture objective. It uses scientifically reviewed crop properties for nutrient and carbon estimates, with future support for farmers’ own soil sampling data.
The interactive crop rotation simulator gives farmers control over multi-year crop planning through a visual, web-based workspace. Users can select crops, filter by crop family, and arrange them on a calendar, while the Agronomic Score evaluates soil-health factors, and the Economy Score estimates profitability based on nitrogen balance and fertilizer replacement value.
PotatoEurope: an international platform for the potato industry
PotatoEurope is an international open-air trade fair dedicated to the potato industry and its entire value chain, covering areas from breeding and cultivation to harvesting, storage, and processing. Established in 2006, the event brings together potato growers, agricultural businesses, researchers, machinery manufacturers, and technology providers directly under field conditions while also providing opportunities for expert discussions and professional networking.
PotatoEurope is held annually, with the event rotating between its four partner countries- Germany, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. The 2026 edition will take place on 9-10 September at Rittergut Gestorf 1 in Springe near Hanover, Germany. The inaugural SugarBeet Expo will debut alongside PotatoEurope 2026, offering a unified showcase for both root crops.
What visitors can expect at PotatoEurope 2026
A major feature of PotatoEurope 2026 will be Digital Farming powered by FarmRobotix–Autonomous root crop production, which focuses on the use of robotics, automation, artificial intelligence, and data management in agriculture. The programme also includes dedicated spotlights on agricultural logistics-from the field to the world by truck and organic potato production- addressing different aspects of efficiency and production practices in agricultural sector.
The DLG Expert stage will provide another opportunity for visitors to engage with current agricultural knowledge. Running from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., the stage will feature presentations and discussions on current topics related to potatoes and sugar beets, with both crop-specific and cross-crop perspectives.
Looking ahead
The official launch of betterSoil’s Farm Assistant app at PotatoEurope 2026 marks an important step in bringing digital crop-rotation management closer to practical farming. By combining satellite-based soil intelligence, the crop rotation simulator, and agronomic and economic score, the application is designed to help farmers make more informed decisions at the field level. Ultimately, the tool empowers food processors and farmers to optimize nutrient cycles, reduce chemical fertilizer dependency, and secure a sustainable food supply chain for the future.