Agricultural technology market-makers, here’s a quick review heading into 2016. Presumably, you do follow your trends.
Regulatory compliance is a huge ag tech subsector, both for applied technology and integration software. Thus, a few new words from our California “Regulator-in-Chief,” Gov. Jerry Brown:
“Progress comes from well-designed regulatory objectives that business then follows.
“You can be sure California is going to keep innovating, keep regulating, and, shall I say, keep taxing.
“… never underestimate the coercive power of the central state in the service of good.”
Pursuing global leadership in climate change mitigation, Brown was quoted on Dec. 8 at the UN conference in Paris by The Sacramento Bee.
Climate change mitigation and adaptation is one of his major policy structures and — now — legacies. In his record fourth term, Brown is blunt and provocative in pursuit of his objectives. His words on the power of regulations to make markets are not new, just newly noticed. California leads the world in environmental regulations, Brown often says, and these regulations are creating new global business incentives, beginning in the Golden State.
His regulators in water, air, energy, land use and other spheres of influence are acting on those words at dozens of agencies, departments, commissions and boards, which employ thousands of lawyers, engineers, scientists, analysts, accountants and other professionals who are busy writing deeper and broader operating instructions on virtually every aspect of “opening your doors.” And charging your customers fees for doing so.
Think of the value proposition in an ag tech product that reduces the costs of compliance while improving yields. Big value, because in the words of Jimmy Carter: “What starts in California, spreads."
Wait! Before you go, a few trends from the field — the other end of the ag tech food chain:
Your customer base is growing. Just last week more than 3,500 people attended the 43rd Almond Conference at the Sacramento Convention Center, a 20 percent increase over last year. Permanent crops (trees, bushes and vines) require permanent ag tech.
John Deere is now sub-branding as it introduces the “Generation 4 CommandCenter Premium Activation. The offering combines the three most commonly used applications from the GreenStar 3 2630 display — AutoTrac, Documentation and Section Control — along with vehicle functionality, through the on-board 4600 CommandCenter-integrated display. Premium Activation is available on 7R and 8R Series Tractors, plus 6R Series and 9R Series Tractors.”
Got that? Translated, it means you’re competing against (or maybe building for) the first wave of ag tech demand creation.
And last, the latest in Big German Machines: http://www.supermarketguru.com/the-lempert-report/its-bonirobb.html
