It might be time to expand tech expertise on your operation. As you look at your farm’s capital expenditures, how many are related to technology? Think broadly. The numbers probably climb pretty fast.
“An important part of our business is to try new things,” says Brian Watkins, Ohio farmer and CEO of CropZilla, a farm software provider.
A STRATEGIC MOVE
A recent Farm Journal technology survey shows 68% of farmers say they don’t see their farm needing a chief technology officer. Yet, 58% of those same farmers say their data collection practices are probably not good enough for tomorrow.
Don’t be intimidated by the title, Watkins encourages. Your goal is to have someone on the team spending time evaluating technology options.
“The point is you don’t want to let other people lead you around in terms of technology,” he says.
Assess your technology needs to determine if you should have an in-house expertise or if you should hire an external person, suggests John Fulton, a precision agriculture specialist with Ohio State University Extension.
“You need someone who at least spends time keeping up with the technology,” Fulton says.
FILL THE NEED
“We are hiring young people who may not be ag savvy, so we are teaching them the ag stuff,” says Peter Gredig, technology developer with mobile app development company AgNitrion, “but we’re not letting them teach us what they know on the tech side
Technology will continue to change how you farm — make sure you’re ready to capitalize on it.
