“Are we really trying to disrupt a market, or have we invented something that really is differentiated and brings value?”
Investing, Creating and Marketing New Innovation in Agriculture
Melissa Webster
January 3, 2024
There’s a fundamental shift within the farming landscape that has been felt from fields to boardrooms. While each season brings new challenges and uncertainties across the industry, it has also cultivated an ecosystem of thinking outside the box—and the field.
At AdFarm’s Farm Voice event hosted in Kansas City, agribusiness professionals banded together to discuss what agricultural innovation looks like today and its impact on farming systems. This conversation unearthed the transformative power of technology in agriculture and, equally important, what it takes to create a footprint within the industry.
Panelists Dallas Ford, Commercial Lead at Inari, The SEEDesign™ company; Dane Hague, co-founder and CEO of MyLand Agriculture; and Jim Sulecki, Lead and Founder of 40 Seasons Media LLC, highlighted that merging knowledge and resources is a catalyst for growth.
Paving the future of agriculture has brought us to an intersection of agriculture and technology. When it comes to introducing innovation into the marketplace, it is vital to consider its role at a grassroots level.
“Are we really trying to disrupt a market, or have we invented something that really is differentiated and brings value?” Ford said at Farm Voice. “Changing what someone is doing today is very difficult but delivering them value is something that is much easier to do.”
The most useful solutions simplify complexities that farmers face in day-to-day operations. There is a renewed focus on exploring new ways to revitalize land conditions and manage crop health.
At the helm of a company “started by a former lawyer, an accountant, professional consultant and a zoologist,” Hague advocates for collaboration across diverse fields, which he said was key in developing groundbreaking systems.
“We focus on the yield because, at the end of the day, that’s how growers gain success and expand.”
Merging cross-industry expertise has made it possible for companies, such as MyLand and Inari, to find opportunities for innovation to enhance operations. The unique perspectives brought in from other industries are tied together by a shared vision to support growers in an impactful way.
“We focus on the yield because, at the end of the day, that’s how growers gain success and expand,” Hague said.
This farmer-first approach was echoed by Ford who said that while many farmers use technology for fact-finding, “they’re still going to want to talk to a person and be supported by a person.”
Since personal relationships are a driving force in the adaptation of agronomic innovation, developing trust is equally as important as developing technology. While we often think of innovation as a technical solution, Farm Voice reminds us that it can also be found in conversation.
Hear more about investing in innovation in agriculture from the panelists in this video from AdFarm’s Farm Voice event.