How can the Ag Industry make an impact?
Blog by: INTENT
A term wrought with emotion across agriculture, with vastly different connotations depending on who you ask. Much of the focus has centered on the environment and the need to reduce emissions and chemical inputs. Having the land’s best interest at heart, and doing more with less, have always been staples of this industry – our livelihood quite literally depends on it!
For others, sustainability is about longevity and the ability to preserve something worth passing onto future generations. This, too, weighs on the minds of our ag community.
Whatever definition you subscribe to, we cannot afford to overlook the role of economics in this equation. No matter how noble or altruistic one’s intentions may be, farmers simply cannot pursue practices that don’t make sound business sense.
Prioritizing environmental impact and return on investment are both important to farmers.
Speak Their Language
Every imaginable input on the farm—from fuel and fertilizer to seed and equipment—is marketed and purchased through the lens of return-on-investment (ROI). It’s the benchmark for which everything is measured. As a farmer or solutions provider, you’d be foolish to invest in any unproven practice that jeopardizes your business. So why should developing and adopting sustainable solutions be any different?
That’s where INTENT comes in. We believe that doing right by farmers and prioritizing environmental impacts are not mutually exclusive concepts.
That’s why we’re in the business of bringing win-win solutions to bear. There’s no shortage of shiny objects out there that, on paper, have the potential to bring about sweeping industry and societal change. But the reality is that most new products and/or practices in agriculture don’t come close to delivering their intended value, or ROI, due to immense variability across farms, regions, and seasons.
For this reason, sustainability will always start at the farm-level.
Consider the farmer audience…this is a pragmatic group. They don’t act on impulse. They crunch numbers and take calculated risks when there’s data to support it. Above all, they take immense pride in being part of the decision-making process. Trust is a two-way street, and any organization or individual who has not taken the time to understand the nuances of their operation doesn’t get a say in how it’s managed.
Our focus is simple: to objectively vet and present options, not ultimatums. Farmers deserve the opportunity to kick the tires, ask questions and process proof-of-concepts at their own pace.
As an arbiter of new innovations and the farmer, INTENT uses its software and services to show stakeholders firsthand what works, what doesn’t, and why. This gives our clients the ground truthing and confidence to make informed decisions that accelerate their payback on innovation investments. From there, we can look upward and outward to achieve sustainability at scale in less time, with less risk and with more success.
Progress > Perfection
The allure of ag sustainability is something we are all clamoring for. Consumers are demanding it; governments are regulating it and companies are fiercely competing to reach the finish line first. This race, however, cannot be won by any one individual or entity. Innovators, companies, governments and farmers must work together to be successful.
To truly understand an undertaking of this magnitude, we need to dismantle it – sustainability as a whole is too broad and unwieldy for farmers to effectively manage. Look to any significant breakthrough in history and you will find a series of small wins along the way. Not unlike the little triumphs throughout the growing season that culminate into something more profound. Understanding how these individual actions at the farm-level can complement and co-exist with sustainable practices is the key to realizing bottom-line success.
Coincidentally, there is no profession on the planet more adept at evolving to meet the needs of the marketplace. For farmers, this will be no exception. However, it’s incumbent upon us all to ensure eco-friendly innovations are accessible, understood and economically viable. The people we are proposing to do much of the heavy lifting ought to have a seat at our table. And connecting with this group early and often fosters a sense of ownership and accountability, ensuring changes endure over the long term.
Sustainability as a whole is too broad and unwieldy for farmers to effectively manage on their own, but the Ag Industry is always trying to find more sustainable practices at the farm-level.
Calming Concern Through Data
When survival’s the name of the game, farmers can’t be expected to roll the dice on a whim. Get permission to review farmers’ data alongside them, and co-create solutions on their turf.
The more specificity we’re able to factor into our trials, the better they can predict real-world success. Our approach is built around objectivity and getting to a yes or no answer as quickly as possible. Good, bad or otherwise, we need to know how and when an innovation works best.
When a product or practice proves capable of paying for itself, it opens a world of possibilities for reinvesting those dollars toward growing and optimizing their business. Seeing sustainability success in a particular area of their operation increases the likelihood and desire to expand those efforts across the board.
Conclusion
If this industry has taught me anything, it’s that where there’s a will, there’s a way. We are fully committed to embracing this new frontier alongside you. After all, we cannot succeed unless you do!
Learn more about unlocking on-farm adoption of sustainable innovations at www.intent.ag.