Ready to Engage? We’re Listening

From The President

Ready to Engage? We’re Listening

By Brent Kemp, AgGateway President and CEO

Summer may be a time when many travel to the beach or to a resort for some rest and relaxation. For us in agriculture, it is trade show season. AgGateway staff has been on the road in North and South America, visiting member booths, presenting on the work you’re doing, and listening to feedback on what excites you these days. Listening is probably the most important thing we do, whether we’re at a show, in a meeting, or making phone calls to speak with members. In fact, listening to you has provided the following:

  • Insight that we need to do a better job of communicating who we are and what we do to clear up confusion around our purpose and activities
  • Encouragement that preparing the ADAPT data model to become a standard has industry support
  • Engagement with existing members whose long-time contact left the organization and with whom we needed to reconnect
  • Opportunity to consider new ways of providing value to members, and to those whose needs have changed

And that is just to name just a few.

Of course, responding to what we learn is equally important. For example, when we find that our contacts with a member company have changed, we work to provide an introduction to AgGateway and to groups and resources that may provide quick value for them. And listening to one person’s problems, determining that they can be addressed by a service that an Allied Provider offers, and facilitating the introduction, is a true pleasure.

We are also hearing from individuals and organizations that there is a lack of understanding about who AgGateway is and what we do, which is prompting re-evaluation of our messaging and how we can better educate the industry at large.

This listen/response action is familiar, right? It’s simple message exchange. It’s what AgGateway helps to facilitate – the exchange of data that becomes information in context. In business, these messages repeat. There’s always another order, another invoice, another field operation to record. These conversations build history and layers of data from which efficiencies can be derived, whether in inventory management or in application of product in the field. Conversations between members and AgGateway is just as important.

When you’re excited about something, let us know. If you have a pain point to address, share that so we can set up a Meet Up. If you want to introduce us to your team, reach out and we’ll be there virtually or in person.

Be on the lookout for calls or emails from AgGateway staff and volunteers as we prepare for our Annual Meeting and other regional meet ups. Whether it’s confirming connectivity capabilities and capacity or requesting assistance getting our message of interoperability to a wider audience, we need your help to build the relationships and resources that will drive digital agriculture. Thanks for listening. And I look forward to getting your feedback!