Page 43 - Farm and Food Policy Strategies for 2040 Series

Essentially, the top two personalities out of these five are seeing the most success, Sciotto says.

“When we think about the grower segments of today, who is having the most success and the
attributes that will be required in 2040, it becomes very clear who will be the farmers of the
future. The differentiators really boil down to business IQ, adaptability, drive to succeed,
collaboration and willingness to sacrifice some independence. When we look at the five farmer
segments and the groups that embody those traits, the Enterprising Business Builders are most
likely to lead the industry, with the Independent Elites continuing to find success,” says Sciotto.

He believes that when you couple the psychological differences they identified with a look at
some of the changing dynamics in food and agriculture, it’s easier to see why not only growers
but their trade associations, checkoff boards and supply chains will need to change, too.

“We have to acknowledge as an industry that we are going to serve a bifurcated market.
We are going to have large, sophisticated vertically-integrated operations run by high
business IQ farmers and we are also going to have small, direct-to-consumer operations
serving their niche.”

“From this day forward, supply chains will want to differentiate. They will cater to consumers
and will ensure that the entire supply chain meets certain standards that can back up their
marketing claims. This is where transparency and traceability - all the way from the farm and
through the process of bringing a product to a consumer - is only going to put additional
demands on agriculture,” Sciotto adds.

“We see retailers and food companies wanting to work with as few food producers as they can.
They will want to work with larger operations because ultimately, it reduces their risk. And it
reduces the threat to ensuring that they can make a claim in their product marketing. Farmers of
the future must build a collaborative relationship with the supply chain they want to serve.

“If you want to be a producer who can sell into these supply chains at a premium then you
are going to have to adapt and grow to scale, otherwise you will be left behind.”

Sciotto says agribusinesses who serve traditional agriculture will have to move faster and add
value in new ways.

“The concept of one-size-fits-all is fading in farm channels. The farms of the future will be
diverse, have different needs and will look to their vendors and suppliers to provide tailored
solutions and to be constantly innovating.”

www.Agri-Pulse.com 41