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When pests or disease threaten your bottom line, confidence in your plan of attack isn't always enough: if you work with other decision-makers, chances are you've got some explaining to do. 

That's the situation Nathan Cardella found himself in when he discovered bunch rot on the south side of an 80-acre block of Chenin Blanc. When he drove to the north side, there was no rot to be seen. Nevertheless, his buyer, one of the top three wineries in California, wanted him to thin out the entire block just to be safe.

Nathan wanted to avoid dedicating time and labor to this task unnecessarily—not to mention the lost revenue that would result from thinning the whole block—but felt he couldn't say no to the buyer. 

To help make the case for a targeted solution, Nathan leaned on aerial imagery and analytics from Ceres Imaging.

"Holding the imagery in hand, I was able to get buy-in from the winery to only thin out 10 acres, instead of the full 80-acre block.”—Nathan Cardella,

If you find yourself tackling a problem like Nathan's, here are a few tips to keep in mind when using imagery to communicate your plan.

Know your audience

Some decision-makers prefer to review imagery on a screen; others won't hear you out without printouts on their desk. Be ready with the tool they prefer—or take your conversation into the field with our mobile app. 

Best foot forward

Whether it's NDVI, water stress, or thermal, lead with the imagery that best illustrates your point—too much information right off the bat can prove distracting. If your decision-maker is interested in another angle on the problem, you'll be ready to turn to an alternative.

Follow up in the field

Nathan made sure to double-check his data in the field with his Ceres Imaging app in hand. If your decision-maker can't be on the ground with you, consider adding photos to complement to your aerial imagery: our app will pinpoint them to an exact location.

Call for backup

Ceres Imaging's support team is on hand to help you make the most of your imagery. If you're building a case for a major management decision, don't hesitate to get in touch with your representative.

Have you used imagery to communicate with a decision-maker? We want to hear about it! Leave us a comment or email social@ceresimaging.net.

Aerial imagery Pest and disease Precision agriculture Vineyards

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