Building A Member-Focused Long-Range Plan

From the President

Building A Member-Focused Long-Range Plan

By Brent Kemp, President and CEO

In the last third of 2024, AgGateway’s planning isn’t limited to preparation for a new annual tactical plan. We’re also laying the foundation for our 2026-2030 strategic program. Staff, volunteer leaders on the board, and regional steering committees are engaged in visioning and brainstorming activities intended to identify opportunities and obstacles in the years to come.

We’re also reaching out to individual members to have extended conversations on the future of our organization, and the feedback has been quite valuable. Here are some highlights from these discussions:

  • Delivering on Collaboration. AgGateway provides real value as a convener of networking, educational, and working events. Members value the chance to meet in person and online to identify common problems, address challenges in a collaborative environment, and learn more about emerging issues in an agriculture-oriented environment. The opportunity to engage in enhancement discussions on resources such as AGIIS and ADAPT is also important.
  • Offering the Chance to Lead. AgGateway has been successful in providing leadership opportunities for member volunteers. Real change, both for the industry and member companies, is driven by individuals who champion the efforts of working groups and segment meet ups. We have a great track record, but we also have growth opportunities to engage new volunteers and welcome new voices into the larger conversations.
  • We’re Gaining Visibility. AgGateway’s industry recognition has never been higher. Members regularly comment on media articles, podcasts, and other social media when an AgGateway project or resource is mentioned. AgGateway leaders who are invited to participate in panels and interviews routinely mention the organization and the work we do together. Our brand is strong, and we should leverage that with other associations, agencies, and industry groups where applicable.

As we finalize the 2024 budget and plan, we intend to host a webinar to share the details with members some time prior to the Annual Conference in November. As is our practice, this will be recorded and a link posted for those who aren’t able to join the webinar, and questions and feedback will be addressed and incorporated as applicable. A clear communication link is crucial to understanding member needs and providing timely and relevant messaging to our member organizations.

I also want to mention the work that Member Services has been doing on refreshing and updating contacts at member companies. Throughout 2024, we’ve implemented quick calls to our primary contacts to address any personnel changes and ensure we are reaching out to the right people at your organization with information and opportunities to participate in our work.

We understand there’s a lot of personnel change in the industry right now, and we want to make sure that member companies remain connected to AgGateway. If you have a new person stepping into a role that has them interacting with us, let us know. If you’ve been away from the organization for a while and just want a quick download of current work, we can provide it to you.

Keep in mind, too, that if you have an internal project team that would benefit from an ADAPT, AGIIS, Ag eStandards, or other resource review, we have the time and resources to bring that to your people, either in person or via web meeting.

What are your thoughts about the kinds of services and resources AgGateway should be providing in its next five to six years? Who in your company or contact list needs to hear about what we’re doing? And what do you view as the most pressing challenges that we must work collaboratively to address? Drop a note or give me a call – I look forward to the conversation.