2020 March Newsletter

March 2020  Volume 14  Number 2



Energy Meet-Up

Join Us for an Energy and Ag Retail Face-to-Face Meeting March 24

A group of members interested in energy and ag retail issues is meeting March 24 in Indianapolis, Indiana, and invite you to join them.

At issue: Are you being asked to do more work in less time with fewer resources? Do you have the same basic process that is implemented in different ways for different channel partners? Are you faced with requirements to provide data but not sure how to do so most efficiently? This face-to-face meeting will be held in Indianapolis on Tuesday, March 24, from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm Eastern Time US (NYC), to address these and other challenges. Read more >

Photo credit: GROWMARK

Product Catalog

AgGateway Product Catalog Team Prepares for Next Steps

The AgGateway Product Catalog Working Group presented a webinar in February to interested members, sharing the work completed on a proof-of-concept (POC) catalog message and soliciting additional participation in reviewing the message content. The Working Group has been active since 2019 in developing and piloting a message for use in crop protection eCommerce catalogs. Read more >

Latin America

News from the Latin American Regional Group

Here are a few updates from AgGateway’s Latin America Region. First, we welcome two new associate members to AgGateway that are active in Latin America:

• SiDi

• ANDAV (National Association of Agricultural Resellers)

Second, we held our first 2020 face-to-face meeting this week at SiDi in Campinas/SP. At the meeting we elected Warsis Slywitch (Tecgraf) as chair of our Latin America Steering Committee. We also welcomed Paulo Vianna (Strider) to the Steering Committee. We hold these face-to-face meetings every two months in Latin America to discuss topics of general interest, AgGateway news and updates, etc.

As for outreach, on March 11-12, I will be visiting San Nicolas, Argentina, to attend Expoagro, one of the most important agricultural fairs in Argentina. I’ll be making contacts and participating in meetings with exhibiting companies involved in agricultural machinery, precision agriculture and crop protection.


Spreading the Word

AgGateway Panel Shares Benefits of Digital Ag in Canada

AgGateway members were privileged to share the message of collaboration and interoperability with attendees of the 2020 annual conference of the Canadian Association of Agri-Retailers (CAAR), in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, in February.

Jordan Kuhns (GROWMARK), Ryan Adams (Nutrien), Taylor Wildeman (WinField United Canada) and Brent Kemp (AgGateway) shared the stage for an hour-long panel discussion on the value of collaboration and standards in the ag retail space. The panel discussed how to develop a strategy for implementing electronic connectivity and the importance of knowing – and being willing to fix – your internal processes to prepare for system integration. The group also discussion what to consider when picking partners for implementation. Read more >


Mid-Year Meeting

AgGateway’s Mid-Year Meeting is Coming Up!

This year’s Mid-Year Meeting will once again be held at Prairie Meadows in Altoona, Iowa, USA. The meeting takes place from June 8-11. The Mid-Year Meeting provides beneficial opportunities for networking and face-to-face meetings, including idea-generating “Meet-Ups”, Working Groups, and Committee and Task Force meetings that advance the organization’s initiatives. Additional activities, networking opportunities and educational seminars are planned for attendees and sponsors. Read more >


AgGateway Calendar

Introducing the New AgGateway Calendar and Meeting Request Form

I am excited to introduce two new resources to help you with AgGateway meetings: the AgGateway calendar and a meeting request form. We have added two new links on the AgGateway website under the Events and Education menu, for “Calendar” and “Request a Meeting,” and we invite you to explore both links. Read more >


Portfolio Management Center

Portfolio Management Center Helps Working Groups Achieve Success

The AgGateway Portfolio Management Center is up and running, facilitating and advising Working Groups, which are the engines of value creation in AgGateway. The Portfolio Management team provides members insights into best practices, templates and guidance to ensure they are making progress. These tools and templates remove administrative burdens from team members, allowing them to be more efficient as they focus on solving real-world issues. Read more >


Staff Opening

AgGateway Seeks Director of Member Relations

AgGateway is seeking a Director of Member Relations, a part-time contractor position. The Director of Member Relations oversees development, planning and management of the organization's membership initiatives including membership acquisition, engagement and retention programs. The role also facilitates the planning and execution for the organization's annual meetings. This individual works closely with AgGateway’s Chief Technology Officer, Marketing Communications Director, Executive Vice President/COO, President/CEO and with the Member Services department. Applications are due by April 10. See the job description below, and feel free to share this with others who may be interested! Read more >