Editor’s Note: This interview is the third part of our “Farms and Faces behind Feedstock CI Scoring” series (find the rest of the Interview here). As the ag industry continues to uncover value-add opportunities for carbon intensity (CI) scoring, we believe that it is essential for biofuel producers, commodity managers, and grain farmers to not just understand the what behind CI scoring, but the who. The success of commercial CI scoring marketplaces will be largely dependent on the engagement of everyday corn farmers looking to capture new revenue opportunities and tell their operation’s story through simplified CI scoring. Let’s get to know a few of those stories.
Editor: How has being a part of Verdova impacted your farm's operations and decision-making processes?
Andy: It has helped us think of data as a deliverable. It’s forced us to be better about the emphasis we put on capturing data on our farm. We continue to educate our team about the importance of accurate and clean data. If we have seven different products in our post-herbicide mix then they are entering exactly what all seven different products and rates are. During planting season, they enter all pertinent information that can be measured. For instance, we may use three or four different starter fertilizers or use five to six different seed treatments. We want to track and compare all of the products so we make sure that each is noted separately so we can better understand the value it brings. We know that when we capture that data on the front end correctly we can do a really good job of analyzing that data on the back end to help in our decision making.
And where does Verdova fit in this process?
Verdova wants to continue to help the grower leverage his own data to help that grower down the road monetize on it. This will lead to real, additional revenue streams. We are seeing this already in Carbon markets, value-add CPG markets, sustainability programs, etc. I believe that this is just the beginning of growers being compensated for “Data Enriched Bushels”. I see a day where there will be many other revenue streams that a grower is going to be able to capitalize on if they have high-quality data.
Who controls that data?
Verdova puts the grower in control of their data and its monetization process. We know that there will be other companies that enter into this farm-data space. History has shown us that new entries into ag tech can have short life spans. I feel what they overlook, is the understanding from the grower of what is truly needed in this space. With the seventeen growers that helped found this organization, and the many others that have enrolled, it gives us a great sounding board to bounce ideas off of and stay focused on what is needed. We will continue to keep what's in the best interest of the grower at the center of Verdova’s mission.
Data privacy and security are critical in today's digital age. From a participating farmer’s perspective, how can Verdova ensure the confidentiality and protection of your farm's data, and what measures are in place to uphold grower privacy?
Putting the farmer’s best interest first is at the core of Verdova. It's giving growers the assurance that their personalized data will never leave, until they approve it. Verdova steps in as a trusted “data escrow” partner, helping growers get their full and complete data to its intended end user. I think that control piece is really important and at Verdova, we want other growers to understand what their data’s worth, and help them understand that's their intellectual property, competitive advantage, and that they need to stay in control of it.
Looking ahead a few years or even a decade, how do you envision your data being used at Jenks Family Farms?
In the next few years, not only will we continue to use our data to make better ROI decisions, but I believe there will be a battle for the “Data Enriched Bushel”. Many end users will incentivize growers for lower CI grain or sustainably sourced commodities. As a grower, I think there's a period of high demand/low supply in the next five or six years where we can really take advantage of premiums in the market and differentiate ourselves in this early-adopter phase by having a complete data set to sell with our crop.
Jenks Family Farms
Incite.ag Community
———
Want to learn more about Jenks Family Farms or the Verdova story?
Let us know at success@incite.ag and we’ll connect you directly with the team.
