Valid Data Can Support Commitment to Conservation

From the President

Valid Data Can Support Commitment to Conservation

By Brent Kemp, President and CEO

In mid-May, severe weather in the US Midwest resulted in the most significant dust storm to hit Chicago, Illinois, in more than a century. Strong winds gusting to over 60 mph over dry farmland picked up dust and caused near zero visibility during the worst of the event. Similar storms in New Mexico, Texas, and as far afield as Australia, are making news around the world about the impacts to both crops and communities.

While there are a number of factors that have contributed to events like these, even with the wide adoption of conservation practices such as crop rotation and reduced tillage the eyes of regulators and the general public inevitably turn toward the farmer.

In these scenarios, having the ability to demonstrate the effectiveness of the farmer’s best practices to communities and people in power requires data. Retailers, advisers, and other service providers working with the farmer can provide the support necessary for turning data into knowledge.

To support this process, solutions developed through the efforts of our member volunteers at AgGateway are available to improve the collection, compatibility, and flow of field data, offering a rich foundation of information for improving farm operation efficiency, profitability, and environmental stewardship. Here are a few examples:

  • Record keeping and field operations management data collected on implements and in FMIS packages – then encoded and shared through ADAPT Standard – offer both proof of activity and historical perspective to track efficiency of practices.
  • Soil health testing and tracking are enabled through the Modus standard.
  • Where applicable, water management can be controlled and tracked through the PAIL/ISO 7673 specification.
  • Inputs going into and onto the field can be uniquely identified through the identifiers shared through AGIIS and efficiently moved through the supply chain using Ag eStandard messages.

When viewed as a system of interoperable data and payload messages, the digital resources developed and implemented by you serve as the foundation for truly precise production agriculture. The services enabled by standards-based data exchange and management help a farmer to be more productive and better able to make principled decisions for future crops. And, it supports the farmer’s freedom to operate through accurate record keeping and retention.

Our Inside AgGateway Webinar Series Inside AgGateway Webinar Series on available digital resources illustrates the ways in which implementers are getting value today. The working groups that develop new and enhance existing resources are responding to real business needs raised by members to solve current and future concerns. The networking opportunities between implementers and strategists, notably at this month’s North America Mid-Year Meeting in Altoona, Iowa, connect the people like you who make a difference in the agriculture industry.

I look forward to seeing many of you in Altoona, and to hearing the stories of your successes enabling excellence in agriculture using the standards and resources you develop in AgGateway. Let’s clear the skies and reduce inefficiencies together.