New app aims to simplify audit burden on growers

A new app is set to be launched in January to help ease the audit burden on UK farmers and growers.

Known as AgriAudit, the software helps farmers prepare for their various audits by consolidating requirements and boosting efficiency.

By minimising the time spent searching for, printing, and uploading documents, AgriAudit eliminates duplication throughout the audit process.

Users can prepare for their audits from a central dashboard, and there is a tracker to monitor progress towards each one.

“For too long, farmers have had to rely on fragmented portals to upload documents, often losing control of their valuable data in the process,” explained the app’s developer Tom Porter.

“Our subscription model ensures that farmers maintain ownership of their information, while benefiting from a simpler audit process.”

Tom is the son of Scottish soft fruit grower James Porter, who produces berries – as well as potatoes, barley, wheat and beans – at East Scryne Farm in Carnoustie, Angus.

After finishing school, Tom was given the responsibility of handling the audits on the family farm, and came to realise just how complex, demanding, and time-consuming the task can be.

AgriAudit simplifies audit preparation by removing duplicate document requirements across all farm audits.

Instead, farmers are presented with a single, clear list of the documents they require, with duplicates eliminated, and a user-friendly interface designed to make the process faster and less stressful.

So far, Tom has built a comprehensive database covering more than 25 certification schemes, including Sedex SMETA, LEAF, Red Tractor Fresh Produce, and Soil Association Organic.

This encompasses over 2,000 required files and documents – hundreds of which have already been identified as duplicates and removed.

The app’s goal is to include every possible farm audit in the UK. And the platform is suitable for farmers in all areas of agriculture, including fruit and vegetable production.

Unlike other platforms, where auditors can immediately access a farmer’s uploads, AgriAudit allows the user to decide when to share their data.

Farmers can generate a password-protected download link for individual audit reports, which can be sent to the auditor only when the farmer is ready.

Explaining the motivation for the app, Tom said: “Farm audits are tedious, time-consuming, and frustrating—countless hours spent digging through endless folders in search of the right documents. I was tired of it.

“I wanted an app that would simplify the process: a tool that lets you snap a photo of an invoice, recommendation, policy, or plan, upload it once, and automatically assign it to all the relevant audits.

“I wanted something that understood our shared frustrations, an app that aligns with how we’ve always approached audit preparation – chipping away throughout the year, with the pressure and costs gradually rising as audit day approaches.

“When I couldn’t find this solution, I decided to create it myself. Four years later, I’m more determined than ever, driven by the desire to reduce farmers’ anxieties around audits.”

Tom says a number of growers, in soft fruit as well as other farming sectors, have shown interest in the app ahead of its slated January launch. And he is in discussions with certain grower groups and organisations about rolling out AgriAudit with their members.

Tom has developed AgriAudit in his own time, while gaining experience through the MDS graduate scheme.

“MDS has provided me with incredible opportunities and experience that I feel truly fortunate to have gained,” he said. “I couldn’t recommend the grad scheme more highly to others.”