Thank Yous from the Road and Beyond

From the President

Thank Yous from the Road and Beyond

By Brent Kemp, President and CEO

One of the most important messages we can send is a “thank you” note. Whether it comes as a card in the mail, or an email with three or four lines, or even a text message that’s just an emoji, a thank you is not simply a polite response. It’s an acknowledgement by someone that another’s gift of time or attention is seen and appreciated.

With that, as I think about the great work we have done as an organization over the first half of 2025, I’d like to extend some “thank you notes” to individuals and organizations that have helped to make it an exceptional year so far.

First, thank you to all those who met with us at Tech Hub Live in July. Ben, Jeremy, and Paul had three great days in Des Moines. Ever since its inception, Tech Hub has been a place where we reconnect with our members, learn from the industry in a context other than our own, and share our own successes in return. This year we had 14 meetings in the AgGateway meeting room on Tuesday alone, with several more pop ups on Wednesday. We appreciate the information exchange and all the insights you shared that will guide the direction of meet ups and help us to better plan for the year to come.

Thank you to the Ag CIO Roundtable for including us in your summer meeting. Jim and I joined technology leaders from 14 companies in Fargo, North Dakota, USA, for the Elevate AI conference hosted at Grand Farm. We appreciated the chance to connect with the group over dinners and in discussions on interoperability, AI, and traceability. Our participation allowed us to connect with prospective members and industry stakeholders alike. It raised our collective profile to a segment – the start-up community – that can benefit from knowing where industry standards are made and used.

Thank you to the member companies that have made time over the year to host in-person meetings, invite staff in for briefings and listening sessions, and contribute your personnel’s time for collaborative resource development. Thank you to the volunteers who have participated in the Inside AgGateway webinar series as experts, sharing your experiences and wins. Thank you to the committee leaders and members, to the working group participants, and the implementers who make sure that your companies are getting the most value out of your membership. Whether it’s networking, education, or the efficiency that comes from making another system-to-system connection, your energy is what keeps AgGateway vibrant.

Finally, thanks to all of you for 20 years of collaboration and connectivity. We look forward to participating in upcoming events like the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) Digital Agriculture Field Day in Brazil in August and Agritechnica in Hannover, Germany in November, and of course to hosting you at our Annual Meeting and Conference in Clearwater Beach, FL. Thank you in advance for stopping by and making the time – and we will look forward to continuing our conversations on interoperability, efficiency, and connectivity.