AgriERP Wins The "Farm Management Solution of The Year 2024" Award by Agtech Breakthrough.
AgriERP Recognized & Mentioned On Forbes Magazine
Starting her career as an ag journalist and broadcaster, Delaney brings a uniquely holistic perspective to today’s agricultural challenges. Raised on a diversified row-crop and livestock farm in southeast Iowa, she spent years covering commodity markets, international trade policy, and emerging ag technologies.
Four and a half years ago, she founded a digital marketing agency serving small- to mid-sized agriculture companies mostly in crop protection, seed, fertilizer, traits, and risk management, helping them tell authentic stories that resonate with farmers and ranchers.
AgriERP: How important is technology adoption in the ag space, and how has it evolved this year?
Delaney: Adoption breaks into two age segments: farmers 50+ tend to be more cautious, testing new tools like precision-ag systems or biologicals in small trials to ensure clear ROI, while the sub-50 crowd is eager to experiment, though still pragmatic.
The bigger shift is generational turnover: with the average U.S. farmer nearing 60, USDA data suggests 70 percent of family farms will transition in the next 10–15 years. That incoming generation is more tech-savvy, so we’ll see innovation accelerate, but we must also capture the tacit knowledge of retiring farmers, or risk losing vital expertise.
AgriERP: Buzzwords like AI, machine learning, and precision agriculture are everywhere. What’s the real impact versus the hype?
Delaney: It can feel like the Wild West right now. Sure, we’ve used basic AI for years, Siri on your phone or email auto-complete, but farm decisions demand tools that are intuitive and tied directly to profitability or efficiency gains. Right now, many AgTech solutions overpromise and underdeliver, creating skepticism.
True success comes from embedding AI in ways that simplify decision-making, automating complex analyses, generating predictive insights, or flagging issues early so farmers can work smarter, not harder, without feeling like robots are taking over.
AgriERP: In recent weeks, international tariffs have been a hot topic. How are they shaping farm economics?
Delaney: The pace and scope have been jarring tariffs on over 185 countries, many now paused, but the shock remains. Input costs for fertilizers and traits are already elevated, while commodity prices are in a down cycle.
Export duties make U.S. goods less competitive against Brazil or Argentina. Short-term, marketers are tightening budgets; long-term, there’s an opportunity to bolster domestic demand for soy, corn, beef, and dairy. Storytelling needs to balance realism, acknowledging volatility with optimism by highlighting “Made in USA” quality and new trade negotiations with Japan, Italy, and Vietnam.
AgriERP: What’s your take on climate change awareness in U.S. agriculture, and how does it intersect with technology and marketing?
Delaney: Globally, many farmers embrace cover crops, no-till, and methane-reducing livestock practices as both environmental and economic imperatives. In the U.S., “climate change” still raises eyebrows, even though stewardship is second nature to most growers.
The bright spot for AgTech is providing measurable tools: carbon-sequestration tracking, precision input management, and real-time soil-health monitoring. When sustainability tech is profitable and data-driven, adoption will follow across all mindsets.
AgriERP: Finally, which AgTech segments hold the greatest potential for future growth?
Delaney: Labor-saving technologies top the list. With ongoing workforce shortages and an aging farmer population, solutions robotics, autonomous machinery, advanced sensors, and decision-support platforms that remove dangerous or menial tasks while elevating the remaining workforce will see rapid adoption.
The winners will demonstrate clear ROI, reduced field hours per acre, improved safety metrics, or more consistent yields rather than chasing buzz.
What’s Next?
How are you piloting AI, precision tools, or sustainability tech on your farm? Comment below to share your experiences
