including all tasks so the employee
potential for producers who
knows what is expected of him
embrace them. Prassack pointed
or her. “That is the basis for
out that early precision ag tools
communication,” she said, noting
such as auto-steer had easily
that most employee terminations
seen benefits. Data-related
result from the employer and
tech practices are harder for
employee simply not getting along.
farmers to appreciate but will be,
Employee turnover, on the other
nevertheless, critical in the future.
hand, most frequently involves
“If you’re
compensation and benefits, lack of
not using
time off and working conditions.
data on your
Most employees make their “stay-
farm, you’d
or-go” decisions within the first six
better get
months, she said.
started,”
Interviews should include
she said,
questions about challenges faced
suggesting
Lisa Prassack
in previous jobs and, especially,
that, down
questions designed to learn about
the road, farmers may need data
how the applicant gets along with
to sell their crop.” Information
co-workers.
down the chain from food
In terms of identifying
companies, for instance, may have
qualified potential employees, the
to include data on carbon credits,
best source for applicants is often
sustainability or other items.
current employees since they have
“There are a lot of tools out
a personal stake in attracting good
there,” Prassack said. “Every farm
workers.
is different and has different needs.
O’Rourke emphasized that
The important thing is to work
clear communication is key to
with someone who understands
developing productive employees.
you and your farm — someone
She said it is important to let new
you trust. And if you are gathering
employees know exactly what is
data now, it’s very important that
expected of them and to provide
you store it somewhere. Even if
constructive feedback, especially in
you’re not fully utilizing that data,
the early stages of employment.
it has value down the road.”
Lisa Prassack, president of
Agriculture will both drive
Prassack Advisors and a nationally
change and be impacted by it,
known authority on emerging
according to John Schaus, deputy
technology, shared her insight on
director of Strategic Futures
the status and future of precision
at the Center for Strategic and
agriculture.
International Studies. It is Schaus’s
She said that while adoption
job to identify global trends,
of ag tech practices has been slow
which he said are largely driven by
and uneven, there is tremendous
population, resources, technology,
information, economics, security
and governance.
Some of his observations
include the challenge of not only
producing enough food but also
getting it to those who need it.
World population will grow from
about 7 billion today to 9.3 billion
by 2050 with India overtaking
China as the world’s most heavily
populated nation. Life expectancy
will also continue to rise and the
vast majority of people will live in
cities rather than in rural areas.
And, by 2030, the world’s
leading economies will be China,
the U.S., India, Japan, Russia,
Brazil, Germany, the U.K., Mexico
and France. Nations such as
Nigeria and Pakistan will become
increasingly important in terms of
trade.
For
agriculture,
at current
production
rates, there
would need to
be 60 percent
more arable
John Schaus
land by 2050,
necessitating a need for new ways
to create protein.
Rather than consider specific
predictions, however, Schaus
suggested looking at general
trends.
“Consider how trends affect
your family and business,” he
concluded. “Think about how
those trends intersect with your
life.”
HEARTBEAT | SUMMER 2017 21