72 / SEEDWORLD.COM DECEMBER 2017 OUR INDUSTRY IN North America has seen some challenges in the last three years. There, I said it. Denial is no longer just a river in Egypt. There are certainly some bright spots but generally speaking, since about 2014, our business environment has been a bit lackluster for my taste. There are too many economic factors to dare to detail, but agriculture as a whole and the seed industry as a microcosm of such have seen some challenging times. Leading indicators like farm income certainly tell part of the story – things peaked and have corrected. Because you can’t take the effect and make it the cause, consider that mega-mergers are a pretty good lagging indicator that even the largest are shoring up their business strategies. Potential changes didn’t create the situation, but they may exacerbate it with indecision. Change always includes some fear of the unknown. Why Create a Direct Business Entity? So all that said, why would a company like Petkus Technologie GmbH decide in the same timeframe to push the envelope in North America by creating a direct busi- ness entity? I think the answers are pretty simple and straightforward, maybe even prac- tical. Through technology, innovation, engineering and services, in a tight mar- ketplace where margins and efficiencies have to be constantly considered, Petkus can offer value. Value through technology matters in both the products we create and in how we create them. You are not utilizing the same equipment that the previous gen- eration used. Even if the equipment still screens or separates in the same mechan- ical fashion, automation and controls have improved efficiencies. To serve our customer as a manufacturer, we also need to be concerned with manufacturing such Petkus North America Introduction JON MORELAND EES COMPANIES SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES JMoreland@EESCompanies.com • eescompanies.com advanced technologies at a justifiable, competitive cost. We deliver value through innova- tion with the cooperation of the Roeber Institute. Essentially an independent R&D group, The Roeber Institute was estab- lished within Petkus as a catalyst for innovative developments and subsequent product market entry. To compensate for a lack of technological progress in our industry over several decades, the Roeber staff is investigating and developing new optical sorting techniques, aerodynamic elements and remarkably outside the box solutions for seed treatment and patho- gen elimination. Beyond a simple introduction, my point is to establish that with changes at hand, opportunities abound. Because after all, this is North America and if you want to be a global leader, you have to lead here. HARVEY. IRMA. MARIA. LAS VEGAS. The list of recent devastating events is long. In times immediately following such trag- edies, many wonder what they can do to help. These events can bring out the best in people, and the support is swift and power- ful. However, in the weeks and months after such events, support wanes and folks return to their regular lives. This is when we can all do better. All over the world, and right here at home, people struggle. Millions live in poverty, in hunger and without access to clean water, shelter and proper health- care. In many ways, they live in a perpet- ual state of disaster recovery. Like many in the industry, I have a passion for helping to feed, clothe and fuel the world, but my day-to-day activi- ties don’t feel all that connected to that greater mission. This incongruity is where the world’s needs and your passion can connect. A few years ago, I was asked to join the board of directors for Seed Programs International (SPI). Its mission: “to provide good quality seed, expertise and training materials to humanitarian organizations working around the world to allevi- ate hunger and poverty.” SPI receives donated seeds and makes those available for free, or at a very low cost, to impover- ished communities. Through this initiative, I became more connected to the cause and mission, serv- ing as the chair of SPI from 2014 to 2017. In this role, I felt a deep sense of accom- plishment in that I was truly helping those who needed it most. I still serve on the board and am proud of the progress SPI The World Needs You! JIM SCHWEIGERT GRO ALLIANCE PRESIDENT @jim_schweigert • jim.schweigert@groalliance.com • GroAlliance.com is making. I also have the honor to work some outstanding seed industry veterans such as Brian Love (current chair), Don Wertman, Jack Bernens, Sharon Hanson, Alexis Ellicott, Karl Fiander, Tamiko Gaines, Gary Kushner and John Batcha (SPI founder). Seed industry professionals offer an incredibly important skill set to humanitar- ian organizations. Your knowledge and experience in crop and food production, distribution and breaking down global import barriers to get seeds where they are needed are unique and critical. In addition to supporting disaster recovery efforts, I’d like to challenge each of you to put your skills to work in providing ongoing support to the less fortunate. If we all take an active role, then we can truly say “we are feeding, clothing and fueling the world.”