Keynote Case Study: Purina: The Farm Co-op Was Facing The Amazon Effect.

Across two dinner keynotes in San Antonio, I spoke to more than 500 agricultural dealers from across the U.S. on precision agriculture, genomics, drone technology, accelerating data insight and generational turnover on the family farm, while challenging them to prepare for e-commerce disruption.

The keynote, “The Future of Agricultural Co-ops,” made the point directly. The farm co-op was facing the Amazon effect.

Local dealers and co-ops faced rapid technology change, generational turnover and the eventual arrival of e-commerce into a traditionally relationship driven business.

Six trends are shaping that shift.

• Precision Agriculture. Connected equipment and field intelligence make farming increasingly data driven.
• Genomics. Genetic science accelerates productivity, animal health and agricultural innovation.
• Drone Technology. Aerial data changes crop monitoring, field management and decision speed.
• Accelerating Data Insight. More real time information gives farmers faster, more precise operating decisions.
• Generational Turnover. A new generation of farm leaders brings different expectations for technology and service.
• The Amazon Effect. E-commerce pressures local dealers to compete on expertise, support and trusted relationships.

The future of the co-op is data rich, service driven, connected and local.

Agriculture is one of the industries people assume is slow moving, right up until they see the technology on the farm. You can browse more of that work in the case studies collection here.