Soy checkoff helps farmers stay competitive in a changing world
Innovation is not a new term to soybean farmers.
If you look at the industry’s history, there is no doubt that U.S. soybean farmers have always been interested in new and unique ways of doing things. Propelled by soy-checkoff support in many cases, innovation in the industry has helped soybean farmers achieve higher yields, create and expand markets, and ultimately drive profitability.
But what happens when the landscape for innovation starts to change faster than ever before?
Jim Carroll – one of the world’s leading global futurists, trends and innovation experts – says this is exactly what U.S. soybean farmers are facing today.
According to Carroll, farmers have one of two choices: 1.) Challenge themselves to do things differently and keep the opportunity for higher value going, or 2.) Risk falling behind.
The Future is Now
The rate at which our world is changing and evolving is unlike anything we’ve seen before. New opportunities present themselves to us daily. In his presentation at the December 2016 United Soybean Board meeting, Carroll pointed out some examples:
- 7 out of 10 children in preschool today will work in a job or career that does not yet exist.
- Students pursuing college degrees in the field of science can expect that half of what they learn in their first year will be obsolete by the time they graduate.
- The Jetson’s cartoon from the 1960’s was based in the year 2060 and featured computers that allowed you to video chat with others (Skype) and read news from a screen (the internet). What we thought would take 100 years to be reality has happened much more quickly.
- A typical truck today contains more technology than a Cessna airplane.
Ideas that we thought would take years and years to come to fruition are becoming real faster than we ever imagined. Who would have guessed that in 2017 farmers would be using drones to inspect fields and scout weeds? Or using GPS technology to navigate fields?
But, for some in agriculture, change isn’t always welcome and all of the technological advancements can be overwhelming.
An Innovation Mindset
When it comes to innovation, one comment frequently heard in agriculture when faced with a new way of doing things is, “We’ve always done it this way.”
“Unlike today’s generation who has been brought up to be change-oriented, those of us who are of an older generation have a bit of a technological aversion,” says Carrol. “We have a unique relationship with technology because of how we’ve seen it evolve. We like routine, and we don’t like change.”
Today’s future belongs to those who are fast, and, according to Carroll, there are things the checkoff can do right now to stay competitive. The key is to maintain a mindset of opportunity.
“People and organizations who are known as world-class innovators have similar characteristics and mindsets that keep them ahead of the game,” says Carroll. “One of these characteristics is that they keep tabs on innovation happening from the edges.”
He also pointed out that great innovators aren’t afraid to change the equation. When the world gets flat, they put a ripple in it.
“As more and more people have the resources to design products, research and development is speeding up,” says Carroll. “The checkoff can piggyback off these advancements and make use of these things to innovate the soy industry.”
So the checkoff is starting to form their own ripples in the pond.
By thinking beyond the bushel and focusing on conversations around value, they’re looking at how soybean farmers can capitalize on the different components of soybeans.
But, how can we ensure that we keep up with fast-paced change to keep the industry moving forward?
Laying the Groundwork to Think Big
It’s the responsibility of the checkoff to encourage a culture of experimentation. Promoting thoughtful consideration of new ideas helps advance the core purpose of the checkoff’s enterprise.
Because the checkoff recognizes the power of innovative thinking, the board approved a new innovation policy in 2016 to help ensure that the checkoff and all soybean farmers deal with the rate of change and take advantage of opportunities to innovate.
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