In today’s fast-paced environment, it can be hard to keep up with the trends … let alone, stay ahead of them. There’s the traditional rotation of crops, the influx of more corn and soybean acres and a diverse specialty crops market, each needing an array of different products and services._x000D_
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“Even though major crops are corn, soybeans and wheat, it’s quite a diverse marketplace,” says Norm Sutherland, who serves as Syngenta Canada district manager in Ontario. “Depending on where you are situated, we are seeing a decline in processing vegetable crops, an increase in non-GMO soybeans, and spring cereal and canola acres shifting to earlier-maturing soybeans.”_x000D_
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David Hansen, CANTERRA SEEDS president and CEO, says one of the latest trends is the evolution in soybean genetics toward early-maturing varieties. “It’s products such as this that provide growers new opportunities,” he says. “These earlier-maturing soybeans fit good into existing crop rotations and require minimal inputs, and there’s minimal risk. This makes it easy for farmers to adopt.”_x000D_
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However, corn is being driven by international seed companies, Hansen says. “They have the research and genetics and are adding new resources where they see opportunities, and right now that focus is on Western Canada,” he explains. “As maturities are developed that match our climate, we’re seeing more and more [corn] here.”_x000D_
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Sutherland says that at Syngenta, they are planning a minimum of one to two years out. “When you’re looking at inputs, crop protection products are easier to adjust plans later on, but seed is a bit more tricky because you have to decide on a production plan 18 months before farmers will plant it,” he says._x000D_
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Regardless of whether you’re a local or regional retailer or if you’re company has a national presence, experts say the best way to stay ahead of trends is to stay connected with your customer._x000D_
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Connect with Your Customer_x000D_
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“It comes down to keeping your eyes and ears open,” says Brad Pinkerton, SeCan’s Manitoba marketing representative. This can be done through several means, but a few include knowing what your sales representatives are hearing, following farmers on Twitter, meeting with farmers, attending trade shows and getting updates from grower groups._x000D_
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A few grower groups to keep your eye on are the Canola Council of Canada, Grain Growers of Canada and the Canadian Federation of Agriculture._x000D_
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“You have to be engaged with these types of organizations,” Hansen says._x000D_
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However, Pinkerton cautions that sometimes what’s being reported at the national level doesn’t always match what’s happening at the local level. This is where it’s important to have a strong network of people you can trust — both locally and nationally._x000D_
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Sutherland adds that networking with your sales team and retail partners in all geographies to try and pick up “local” insights is especially important._x000D_
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He also pays attention to local media and makes use of Twitter._x000D_
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“By following farmers representing different crops and geographies on Twitter, I can quickly see what’s happening at the field level,” Sutherland shares. “Most recently, it’s been the changing pests with the increase in soybean cyst nematode and white mould.”_x000D_
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For Sutherland, Twitter helps him to better understand the spread and impact of some of these pests and how it impacts the farm._x000D_
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Once you know what’s happening at the local level, Sutherland recommends looking at what value your business can deliver to farmers in that specific field._x000D_
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SeCan’s Pinkerton says he spends time at trade shows listening to farmers. Specifically, he’s listening for what they are asking for, what they’re disappointed in and how his company can fill that hole._x000D_
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“We need to know farmers’ frustrations and what’s working,” he says. “It’s all about one-on-one conversations. If you’re not on the phone with other retailers and farmers, then how else are you going to find out?_x000D_
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“If you’re waiting for a report, it’s likely to late to be on the front end, and it takes time to build up all that seed.”_x000D_
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It’s also important to get new products into the right hands at the local level, Pinkerton says, noting that this will give you local feedback, local data and help to kick-start things._x000D_
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“Then it’s up to you and your team to share that experience with others,” he adds._x000D_
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Network with Peers_x000D_
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Networking is critical. “You have to know what your peers in the business are doing,” Pinkerton says. “Just ask them about their experience, and most people are happy to share their insight.”_x000D_
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Ryan McCann, director of seed for Crop Production Services Canada, says he is always talking with his network to share ideas and see how they may have handled a situation or event._x000D_
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For example, as corn and soybean acres continue to expand across Western Canada, his team is working to take a lead role in understanding those crops and being able to make reliable recommendations to customers._x000D_
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They are doing this not only through their own research and testing, but also networking._x000D_
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“We have a large retail network in the U.S. with experience in corn and soybeans, so I’m always in discussion with both colleagues and suppliers to make sure we learn and understand how they went through a transition of this magnitude,” McCann says._x000D_
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Use Suppliers and Manufacturers_x000D_
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“From a seed company perspective, understanding long-term trends is critically important,” Hansen says. “Plant breeding is on a 10-year time line. If we see trends or market demands changing, the genetics must evolve to meet the changing market demands.”_x000D_
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Because suppliers and manufacturers are often planning more than one to two years out, Sutherland says you can gain a great deal of insight from having a positive relationship with them and taking the time to sit down with them to understand the impact on technologies in your trading area._x000D_
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Don’t be afraid to “ask how they see the world changing and what the impact may be,” Sutherland says. “What do they see as opportunities?_x000D_
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“Every company is constantly assessing how they can meet farmers changing needs.”_x000D_
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Pinkerton says it’s also important to have access to products before they hit your shelves._x000D_
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“You need to have success with a product on your farm or in your plots before others will want to grow it,” he says. “This will also help you know when something is not working and better protect your reputation. It allows you to make better recommendations on whose farm the product best fits and those it will not.”_x000D_
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McCann says at Crop Production Services, they work closely with their internal development team, with breeders and seed companies. When it comes to trialing products, his team relies on a two-pronged approach. First, products start in small plots, and then as they come closer to market, they transition to field scale trials, McCann explains._x000D_
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“I would rather have mistakes in my own plots than in a customer’s field,” he says._x000D_
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Approach New Opportunities_x000D_
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After taking in all the information, retailers must decide if action is needed._x000D_
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“It’s really an ongoing dialogue with your retail partners,” Sutherland says. “It’s always changing so it’s important to assess if it the changes are significant or not to take action.”_x000D_
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Hansen says there are lots of fundamentals that go into the evolution of any new crop type._x000D_
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“Farmers are so adaptable to opportunities and move very quickly; they make decisions on economics,” he says._x000D_
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In examining new opportunities, Hansen advises retailers to:_x000D_
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• Determine the rate of return for new investments._x000D_
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• Know what the demand is._x000D_
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• Understand how it impacts those up and down the value chain._x000D_
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“It’s really a chain of events that happens,” Hansen says. “It starts with processors, then moves to genetics and then is available for customers, but it works back to front and front to back.”_x000D_
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For example, Hansen says a lot of work is being done with biofuels. In Canada, companies such as Agrisoma are working on biojet fuel and CANTERRA is a seed partner._x000D_
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“That’s us investing in a long-term project,” he says. “There are no guarantees that it will be successful, but we decided to invest because of the long-term potential, benefits to growers and the partnership with Agrisoma.”_x000D_
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CPS has multiple programs and varieties tied to end use programs, and McCann says that he is in constant conversation with end users to make sure his team is ahead of the curve._x000D_
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“Even if you don’t have a lot of resources dedicated to analyzing the market, our consumptive customers have people forecasting and making these types of business decisions,” McCann shares._x000D_
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Another important factor in approaching or implementing a new strategy is communication._x000D_
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Sutherland says, “Communication is key,” regardless if you have a small staff or large staff. “Everyone needs to be on the same page and working with the same goal in mind.”_x000D_
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The other important thing to recognize is that you can’t be all things to all people, Hansen says._x000D_
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“As a company, it’s critical to stay focused and make sure what you do has value to your customers, the grower,” he says. “It’s the three-legged stool — you have to have market demand, the genetics or products, and the farmer customers.”_x000D_
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However, Hansen recognizes that it’s not an exact science, adding that the partnership with Agrisoma is out of the ordinary._x000D_
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Staying up on the shifting crop landscape and industry trends is “an evolution and we’re constantly working to understand and assess,” Sutherland says. “We’ve moved from an annual planning process to an ongoing planning process — this is one of the bigger changes.”_x000D_
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The Fundamentals_x000D_
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1. Take in as much information as you can about what’s happening at the local level._x000D_
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2. Stay connected with your customers — the farmer._x000D_
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3. Network and exchange information with peers._x000D_
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4. Keep end users needs in mind._x000D_
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5. Determine if action is needed.
