Tomorrow's farming leaders must have tech savvy—but that's not all, said a panel of industry leaders at the ForbesAgTech Summit
A panel of academic and industry leaders in agriculture discussed the keys to success for tomorrow's farmers.Chris Rotticci, cofounder of Automated Harvesting LLC, knows that the agriculture workforce is shrinking. The pacing can be fast and the hours grueling, admitted Rotticci, who has a decade of experience with automated equipment at Taylor Farms, the world’s largest salad processor.AgTech Summit panel Wednesday. “It’s tough to have a life outside of it. It’s a true dedication.
Technology was a common theme of the panel, which featured Rotticci alongside Glenda Humiston, vice president of agriculture and natural resources for the University of California; Joe Pezzini, president and CEO of Ocean Mist Farms; and Jason Smith, president and CEO of Smith Family Winery. The quartet discussed keys to cultivating future leaders in farming. Here are their key takeaways:As technology permeates agriculture, future industry leaders must be digitally literate.
The key is to infuse traditional leadership skills with tech savvy. “The young folks that are coming out of college and universities, they are digital natives,” said Pezzini, whose company is the largest producer of artichokes in North America. But tech skills aren’t enough. “It’s really about collaboration and teamwork—being able to work in teams, whether that be virtual or person to person,” he said.
Rotticci concurred with Humiston, noting that the best farming leaders of the future will know how to use technology to prevent a problem, not just react to it. Technology has the potential to “drive a lot of cost out of all of our operations” and replenish the labor force if utilized properly, he added.Some panelists pointed out another way future leaders can address the declining workforce: showing people that there is more to agriculture than being a farm worker.
Regardless of the specialization or paygrade, familiarity with modern agricultural technology is a must, Smith said, pointing out how the tractors of his childhood are being replaced by “half-million dollar” harvesting machines. “You’re no longer changing filters and turning bolts,” he said. “You have to pick up a computer and do a diagnostic.”
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