When It Comes to Ag Tech, Dream Big But Stay Grounded
August 31, 2022 The enthusiasm and inspiration that swirled around July’s Tech Hub LIVE event has hardly dissipated for me. Considering this was my first event with Meister Media Worldwide since joining the company in March, I was a little anxious leading up to it.
Thanks to my awesome teammates and first-rate presenters, I don’t mind saying that it was a success on all fronts — compelling content, candid conversations, and hundreds of diverse and engaged attendees — all of which added up to an event that exceeded expectations in only its second year.
Of course, the core focus on ag tech, including precision technologies, is an area of acute interest right now that is driving remarkable change across our industry.
Momentum for ag tech accelerated over the past two-plus years as industry stakeholders faced challenges that tested the wherewithal of even the most seasoned farmers, ag retailers, and others who are accustomed to the unpredictability and hardships that are inherent in agriculture.
Indeed, the embrace of ag tech is happening just as much among the older generation as it is for the younger generation, which is very reassuring. Ag tech isn’t about replacing folks or dismissing experience and knowledge gleaned from decades in the field.
On the contrary, it’s about securing and positioning farm operations for the future, making the physical work safer and more comfortable, achieving better results with fewer inputs, trimming costs, and supporting better decision-making.
But, in many ways we’re still in the early stages of ag tech and our innovation journey. While we have big expectations, we need to maintain level headedness and critical assessment to guide us.
Technology is seductive and the race for the next shiny thing can prove costly.
Farmers are wary of being sold to by someone who has never been on a farm or who has little or no understanding of what’s involved in operating a farm. In that regard, the role of the trusted adviser has never been more important.
I heard this more than once during the Tech Hub LIVE event, and it was something that will stick with me.
When it comes to ag tech, the trick is to dream big but stay grounded.
Let’s get growing!
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