Technology adoption took center stage during the Fireside Chats at the 2025 Tech Hub LIVE in Des Moines, where ag retail leaders and innovators cut through the noise to share hard-earned lessons on what actually drives change in the field. Over a dozen conversations unfolded between CropLife editors and industry figures, but six stood out for their sharp focus on a persistent challenge: how to move agtech from promise to practice.
The discussions revealed a pragmatic shift in how retailers and growers evaluate new tools. Rather than chasing innovation for its own sake, the emphasis is now on solutions that deliver measurable value—whether through cost savings, efficiency gains, or yield improvements. As Adam Farmer, CTO at Mercer Landmark, noted, the sheer volume of vendor pitches has made discernment essential. “There are so many companies asking us to help onboard growers to their systems,” he said. The key? Prioritizing technologies that address clear pain points, validated through internal testing and grower feedback. For Mercer Landmark, that meant adopting AgVend, a platform that simplified account management to the point that one grower likened it to “Amazon easy.”
Yet the flood of options has created its own hurdle. Farmer’s remark—*”If all I did was meet with vendors, that’s all I’d do”*—underscores the need for retailers to filter out tools that don’t align with immediate needs. This sentiment was echoed by Ben Sheldon of Raven Industries, who stressed that return on investment remains the ultimate litmus test, particularly in a tight-margin environment. “When margins are tight, adoption is driven by ROI,” he said. That’s why retrofit solutions, like autosteer and variable rate application, are gaining traction—they offer a lower-cost entry point for automation without requiring full equipment overhauls. Sheldon’s vision reflects a broader industry trend: incremental automation, not full autonomy, is the near-term reality.
The complexity of some technologies has also slowed adoption, particularly in data-heavy fields like remote sensing. Dave Gebhardt of EarthDaily acknowledged that satellite imagery, while powerful, has often been cumbersome for growers to use. “Historically, satellite imagery has been big, complex, and difficult to work with,” he said. The company is now focusing on “low-touch or no-touch” analytics, turning raw data into actionable insights—such as predicting corn tasseling to optimize fungicide timing. With a new constellation of identical satellites, EarthDaily aims to provide consistent, high-resolution data at a price point accessible to farmers. “We’re focused on ag-level pricing—something scalable, useful, and affordable,” Gebhardt added.
But even the best tools falter without reliable infrastructure. Mike Roudi, CEO of Emergent Connext, pointed out a critical gap: “Ag is full of smart tech innovation, but somewhere along the way, we skipped the first step: reliable connectivity.” His company’s LoRaWAN networks enable low-power devices to communicate over long distances, solving problems like tank monitoring before expanding to broader applications. The strategy is deliberate—start with one tangible benefit to build trust. “Once they see real value, they ask, ‘What else can this do?’” Roudi explained.
Interoperability emerged as another make-or-break factor. Norbert Schlingmann of the Agricultural Industry Electronics Foundation (AEF) highlighted the frustration farmers face when machines from different brands can’t communicate. AEF’s conformance testing and ISOBUS database aim to bridge that gap, with plans for a new Agricultural Interoperability Network to enable secure, brand-neutral data sharing. Yet Schlingmann cautioned that technical fixes alone aren’t enough. “We need both better tools and farmer education,” he said. “It’s a gradual evolution, not a switch.”
Paul Bonnett of Nutrien Ag Solutions brought historical context to the conversation, drawing on Everett Rogers’ diffusion of innovations theory. For tech to take hold, it must be desirable, practical to implement, and locally supported. Nutrien’s approach—validating tools through large-scale innovation farms before wider rollout—reflects this principle. Regional disparities persist, too. Bonnett noted that adoption rates drop sharply for farms under 2,000 acres, a reminder that scale and resources still dictate who benefits first.
The takeaway from these discussions is clear: successful agtech adoption hinges on solving real problems in ways that are profitable, scalable, and—above all—simple. As Farmer put it, “We’re in the hype phase. Some tools will disappoint, but others will prove themselves.” The path forward isn’t about chasing the next big thing, but about thoughtful integration that earns growers’ trust, one practical solution at a time.