Leadership Profile: Jeremy Wilson

Leadership Profile

Jeremy Wilson, Technology Specialist at Crop IMS and Member of AgGateway’s Strategic Board

By J Nolfo   BASF and Communications Committee Chair

How long have you been involved with AgGateway, and what are your current activities with AgGateway?

I got involved with AgGateway in 2011 during the formation of the Precision Ag Council. I’m currently active in the Precision Ag Council and the SPADE Project, and I am a member of the Strategic Board of Directors.

Give us a quick synopsis of your career path – where did you start, and where are you now?

I started my working career with IGF Insurance Company in 1995 as a crop insurance loss adjuster in Des Moines. In 1996 they started a precision ag company called GeoAg Plus where I worked until 1999. After that I went to work in ag retail until 2006 when Crop IMS was formed, and I’m currently still employed with Crop IMS.

Tell us about one or two accomplishments within AgGateway that you’re particularly proud of, as well as how your company benefited.

I’m particularly proud of the work that has been completed in the SPADE and PAIL projects which led to formation of the ADAPT Committee. These projects and work could not have been completed without broad industry cooperation and a large group of dedicated volunteers committed to creating data interoperability in the precision ag space. The Precision Ag Council and Grain & Feed Council working together on the CART product in SPADE is another accomplishment we should be proud of as an organization to lay the groundwork to bring more eConnectivity to the movement of grain from the field to elevator and beyond. The CART proof-of-concept day at the farm [at Jeremy’s farm] last fall was one real world example of how we applied several years’ worth of effort to bring the value of connectivity to growers. Crop IMS works with a grower’s data every day and as AgGateway can improve data interoperability the service we can provide to our customers will also improve.

What, for you, is the most important thing AgGateway is working on now, and why?

The AgGateway mission states it best: “Our mission is to promote and enable the industry's transition to digital agriculture and expand the use of information to maximize efficiency and productivity.” Our organization MUST continue to focus on our mission! Cross-council efforts must continue and even expand if we can fully deliver on our mission. Growers are moving to digital agriculture and collectively we must continue work to streamline data movement between ALL of our industry segments to fully facilitate the move to digital agriculture.

What do you think are some of the most significant ways eConnectivity will impact agriculture in the years ahead?

Data-driven decisions are going to be critical to the success of growers moving forward! AgGateway will need to continue working to enhance data interoperability to assist growers in using multiple data streams to make better decisions. Our organization has the ability to work together to connect even more streams of data in the production agriculture cycle than are connected today.

How has being involved in AgGateway benefited you?

The key benefit to being involved in AgGateway is being able to network and collaborate with others in our industry. We are all dealing with similar struggles, and AgGateway gives us the ability to work together to work through these struggles to find solutions that will likely be beneficial to the industry.

Tell us a little about your personal life - family, outside interests, etc.

I am blessed to be married to Rhonda – without her I would not be able to do half of the things I do in our industry. Rhonda keeps our neighborhood full of colorful flowers March to September with hundreds of tulips in spring to hundreds of fall mums in our yard. Most of our “spare” time is spent in the yard, but it’s fun getting home from a week of travel to see what’s blooming now! Our son, Jaxson, is 12 years old and involved in Boy Scouts and sports, which keeps us busy most of the year. Spring and fall take me back to the family farm where we operate a 1,200 acre operation of corn, soybeans and winter wheat.

What would you tell someone else who’s thinking about getting involved with AgGateway?

Someone interested in getting involved in AgGateway needs to understand that their involvement will be critical to success. As members, you can choose to sit on the sidelines and watch or get involved in the work of the organization. Choose to be involved and don’t be afraid to speak up during the discussion! Networking and sharing concerns can lead to finding new areas to improve connectivity or to solve an issue you may have in your business.

Thank you for your leadership, Jeremy!