SOURCE Magazine Fall 2021 October/November 2021 | Page 10

8 SOURCE | Fall 2021
some technology . “ With our strategic investments in IT systems and innovation , we were better prepared for what we didn ’ t know we needed to be prepared for . Enabling a portion of our work force to function and collaborate remotely when it was most necessary would have been considerably more challenging had we not converted to modern back office technologies ,” he said .
That ’ s not to say 2020 and 2021 didn ’ t present other challenges . The raw speed of farming is an increasing challenge across the agricultural industry , in the face of a pandemic-disrupted supply chain .
“ In certain geographies , logistics and supply chain challenges impacted serving our customers with the level of excellence we want to deliver , and at the level they deserve . In response , we ’ re taking steps to support additional infrastructure investments and add new capabilities in people , beneficial technology , and improved processes ,” he said .
Carol Kitchen , GROWMARK Vice President , Energy & Logistics , cited available container capacity , lack of computer chips for vehicles , and availability of qualified drivers ( CDL / Hazmat ) as disrupters impacting energy and logistics .
“ Without computer chips for vehicles , the lead time for trucks available to transport fuels , crop nutrients , crop protection , or other products , has been a very tough environment ,” Kitchen said . “ Add to that , changes in consumer behavior to online purchasing , the logistics supply chain has been challenged , and it will likely continue into 2022 .”
GROWMARK Vice President , Agronomy , Mark Orr , said agronomic input infrastructure investments — in distribution facilities , for example — will help alleviate supply chain issues .
“ However , strong forecasting of products needed will greatly help us get the right product in the right place when it ’ s needed ,” Orr added .
Kitchen urged attendees to be proactive advocates for the supply chain resources they need .
Jim Spradlin , Chief Executive Officer
“ We don ’ t expect to see additional rail lines any time soon . Our response to the long lead-time for building trucks to haul our products , and finding qualified drivers , will be key in closing the gap between supply availability and delivery ,” she said .
Innovation
Spradlin told shareholders that success and failure in the innovation spectrum are to be expected , yet failure isn ’ t something always comfortable for GROWMARK System employees . He said most people and companies want to get an A + when they deliver a new product or service .
“ Our System employees are becoming more comfortable at being uncomfortable when it comes to pushing the limits of our thinking in digitization and innovation ,” Spradlin noted . “ We ’ re in a new era where it ’ s highly beneficial to repeatedly refine and update new technological tools based on customer feedback and desires .”
GROWMARK ’ s AgValidity technology testing platform tests many of the ideas and products , in cooperation with FS cooperatives , to sort out those that will positively impact farmers .
“ The value of this testing platform is that we can show the products that aren ’ t beneficial to farmers ,” Orr said . While these are “ failures ” they are also successes in that they save farmers the time in testing these items themselves .