Paul Rusnak
We all have secrets. For the majority of humankind, the nature of these classified bits of intel is mostly minor. For others, serious business could be at stake.
The value of any secret lies with the gatekeeper. For eons, growers have come up with their own unique ways to produce more, better-tasting, and better-looking crops. Proprietary production methods aplenty have helped and continue to help farmers stand out from others in their competitive set. And competition is a good thing as it breeds new, innovative ideas.
However, the tide seems to be shifting lately to more transparency among growers. One case in point is the Farmers Business Network (FBN). This burgeoning, online-based farmer-to-farmer information network uses high technology to link members and share input and output data from participating farms. No secrets here. And interested parties are paying $500 a year to connect.
Sharing Is Caring
According to FBN’s website, active members can grow their business through better understanding of their operation’s own performance via detailed analysis and also by gaining insights for improvement thanks to exclusive access to “millions of acres of real-world results.” Sounds simple, but you have to trust pulling back the drape to your own business enterprise before reaping all the benefits. Like anything steeped in technology, the risk of malfunction can be of concern.
Are you willing to take that leap? In a sense, many of you already are with social media. The amount of growers today sharing information not only among peers, but also directly with the general public is hard to fathom. And hey, what about the citrus industry? When a challenge like HLB comes along, strength in numbers is required. Cooperative knowledge and coordinated sprays have become the norm.
In addition, as methyl bromide completes its phase-out, information exchange between growers and researchers has been vital in finding suitable alternatives.
Growth Potential Realized
Despite FBN having roots in Silicon Valley, the network is steadily expanding its reach. Currently, most participating farms are situated in America’s Breadbasket, which is understandable given the row crop appeal this has. As of this posting, there were no takers in Florida, but that could change as new crop segments keep getting added.
So, since no Florida growers are on the FBN network, you probably aren’t aware FarmersBusinessNetwork.com launched a little more than a year ago. I wasn’t either, but was informed when FBN recently made the news thanks to a multimillion-dollar investment from none other than Google Ventures.
On a similar note, we’ve recently reported on Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates’ business dealings that involve buying up large tracts of farmland — a healthy chunk of those acres in Florida.
Yes, agriculture is a sound investment. More entities outside the sector are coming to the table for their share. This is a good thing. Others are understanding the vital role agriculture plays in society. The “secret” is out.