2017 June Newsletter

2017 June Newsletter



  • It’s not too late! Come to the Mid-Year Meeting next week in Altoona, Iowa! Register here.
  • Tell a trading partner:  June 13 in Altoona we’re holding the Ag Retail eConnectivity Seminara great way for companies to learn about eConnectivity!
  • New to AgGateway? Join the AgGateway Orientation Webinar  Tuesday,  July 25, 2:00-3:00 pm ET

New Member

2017 Mid-Year Meeting

Will We See You Next Week in Altoona?

By Kristin Nottingham, Software Solutions Integrated, LLC

There is still time to register to attend the Mid-Year Meeting, June 12-15 in Altoona, Iowa. Network with attendees from over 45 different companies who have already registered for the meeting, and participate in face-to-face team meetings to add your voice and ideas to important initiatives.

One of the main attractions this year is the Ag Retail eConnectivity Seminar, which will be held June 13, from 10:00 am until 3:00 pm. During this seminar, industry professionals will speak on different topics related to the benefits of electronic connectivity to agricultural retailers and service providers. A special rate is available for those who are interested in attending only the seminar. Click here for more information on the topics and speakers.

Have you sponsored the Mid-Year Meeting or the Annual Conference? In order to hold a successful conference twice a year, it takes sponsorships from our member companies. Many sponsorships are still available for both the Mid-Year Meeting and the Annual Conference. If you haven’t already sponsored, please contact sponsorship@aggateway.org to secure your sponsorship.

Precision Ag

Wrapping Up SPADE3 To Boost Precision Ag

By Ben Craker, AGCO, SPADE Project Chair, and Vice-Chair of the Precision Ag Council

It’s hard to believe the SPADE3 Project (focused on inter-operability for precision agriculture) is rapidly drawing to a close. It doesn't seem like much time has passed since we kicked off the project with high hopes for conquering some big inter-operability issues in the ag industry. The project had a very aggressive scope divided into seven “products,” each with its own set of deliverables. The teams are wrapping up their deliverables, using the Mid-Year Meeting next week as an opportunity to finalize plans for publishing. Deliverables will include documented product user stories and use cases, associated BPMN diagrams showing how data flows through each story example, and data buckets identifying the information needed by actors in each example.

As the SPADE3 teams wrap up, we're considering what comes next. The leadership team is working on a plan for a SPADE4 Project, with a new project structure that will make participation by more members and subject matter experts easier, and will shorten the time frame for deliverables. In addition to planning and scoping SPADE4, we'll review working groups that were absorbed by the SPADE Project. Once SPADE3 ends, these working groups will pick up the work using completed user stories, BMPN diagrams, and data buckets as a baseline for continued gap-check with standards bodies, evaluation and task execution based on changes or expansions in the group's area of focus. > Read more...

Barcoding

eAgriculture Delivers Efficiency, Accuracy and Profitability in Your World!

By Randy Fry, Ceres Solutions, LLP and Operational Board Member

The AIDC (Automated Identification Data Capture) Task Force is focused on the development of tools to assist companies like yours in implementing barcoding into operations. Over the past couple of years this AgGateway team has developed an Excel-based value calculator that helps management determine the cost and return of implementing a barcode system; created or shared process documentation to assist with implementation; collaborated with a key European group to set worldwide standards; and created various communication pieces to explain and promote the steps to implementation.

This year, the AIDC Task Force set out to produce a video highlighting barcoding and eConnectivity. We wanted to show real people, using real tools, doing real work, benefitting from eConnectivity. We combined our efforts with the Seed, Ag Retail and Allied Providers Councils. We recruited three Midwest retailers: Co-Alliance, The Equity and Ceres Solutions, along with Monsanto, WinField United and Mycogen, to participate in the filming. We also acquired three sponsors to support the cost of the project, SSI (Agvance), AgVantage Software, and Barcoding, Inc. We went onsite during busy operations time to see how these technologies are really being used. We interviewed the employees who have hands-on experience before and after implementation of the new technologies. > Read more...

AgGateway Global Network

Updates on AgGateway Asia and AgGateway Europe

By Jim Wilson, AgGateway Standards Director and President & CEO of the AgGateway Global Network

AgGateway Asia: Leaders from all sectors of Japanese agriculture recently met in Tokyo to discuss the possibility of establishing AgGateway Japan. At a meeting of potential founding members, some of the global companies proposed expanding the geographic scope to include China, South Korea and countries in Southeast Asia. The group agreed. Support for AgGateway in general and for the proposed Asia geographic scope was expressed at a larger meeting of about 80 participants later in the day. Overall the series of meetings and dinners could not have gone better. The group is planning the next steps to legally establish the organization.

AgGateway Europe: Leaders in European agriculture recently met in Amsterdam where F4F Agriculture hosted an AgGateway Europe meeting. There were about 60 people present, exceeding expectations. The morning session included presentations by F4F, AgriFirm, BayWa, and DKE. In the afternoon, three workshops were conducted in parallel. One group discussed interoperability challenges, identifying a lack of harmonized reference data being a key one. Another group considered the challenges of authentication and authorization as it relates to providing access to agricultural data. The third group continued work on access to reference data. Overall the sessions were productive, and the group is eager to keep working.

eConnectivity Services

Allied Providers Are Helping with eConnectivity

By Jody Costa, Barcoding, Inc. and Allied Providers Council Chair

Anyone can be overwhelmed when looking for professional IT services, and doing so in the agriculture segment is no different. Thankfully, the Allied Providers Council is by definition a group of organizations and people working to help solve problems and enable eBusiness. The council is comprised of AgGateway member companies that provide professional IT services and products to those in need throughout the agriculture value chain. Each Allied Provider creates an impact with knowledge and experience to any potential integration in and outside of AgGateway projects. For that reason, the council aims for three major tasks:

  1. Staying in sync on AgGateway council and committee activities through active participation;
  2. Promoting new technology and theory within AgGateway membership; and
  3. Advertising service provider capabilities via the AgGateway Member Products and Services Directory (also known as the Allied Providers Matrix).
> Read more...

Member Services

Stop By Member Services Live!

By Chris Crutchfield, AgGateway Member Services

Here in the Midwest, the spring rains have finally subsided, and we’ve strung together several warm, sunny days. This can only mean one thing; the AgGateway Mid-Year Meeting is right around the corner! To assist attendees with their AgGateway membership or to answer questions about the Ag Industry Identification System (AGIIS) and other eConnectivity projects, we will again be offering Member Services Live! throughout the week. Member Services Live! offers an opportunity to work with Member Services one-on-one, providing you personalized attention and service. Look for us near the registration table, and check out the meeting agenda here to see when we will be available.

> Read more...