AEM’s Ag Sector Board met Nov. 16, 2022 in Napa, California during AEM’s Annual Conference to establish 2023 priorities and provide direction on initiatives working to support those priorities.
Global Ag Leadership
Ag Sector Board Chair and Kubota Tractor Corporation Senior Vice President Todd Stucke called the meeting to order and introduced AEM Senior Director of Agriculture Anita Sennett. Sennett provided an overview of AEM’s international partnerships and leadership roles held within groups like the AEF (Agriculture Industry Electronics Foundation) and the Agrievolution Alliance.
It was noted that AEF Plugfest will again be held in conjunction with the Commodity Classic show next March in Orlando, bringing visibility to the collaborative interoperability work being done by competing ag equipment manufacturers. New for 2023, Board members agreed to support the launch of a North American version of the AEF Dealer Council. This council makes dealers aware of the ISOBUS database and other compatibility tools available to them and their customers through the AEF. At the same time, the AEF receives valuable feedback on those tools and on interoperability challenges from the dealer and farmer perspective.
The Board also supported AEM’s continued role in governing the Agrievolution Alliance, growing international relationships and thereby delivering worldwide messaging on the importance of mechanization for global sustainable agriculture. The continued refinement of that group’s unique global data products was encouraged. AEM Vice President Business Intelligence Larry Buzecky noted that AEM staff also governs the Agrievolution Statistics Program, providing global product specific market data to participating companies and the resulting index data to all AEM (and Alliance) members. Buzecky noted that the group has been working towards harmonization of global statistics programs, benefitting all companies involved.
Advocacy
AEM Senior Vice President of Government and Industry Relations Kip Eideberg and Vice President of Federal Affairs Kate Fox Wood provided updates on the election outcomes, the new AEM PAC donor portal and other PAC activities, noting that all but five of the candidates backed by the PAC were elected. They informed the Board that a listening session on areas of focus for the upcoming Farm Bill will be held in February.
Engine Emissions
David Nicoll, Industrial Power Systems product manager at Caterpillar, Chair of AEM’s Engine Emissions Strategy Task Force, provided an update from the task force and reviewed a summary of position paper on engine emissions. The position paper provides a shared vision for the future and recommendations from the industry, including a holistic view of emission reductions aimed to educate regulators along with other industry stakeholders.
2023 Priorities
AEM Senior Vice President of Industry Sectors Curt Blades reviewed the results of a 2023 Priorities survey completed by the Board. Top-of-mind issues included regulatory concerns, Right to Repair, rural broadband, the Farm Bill and sustainability. Upon discussion, carbon markets, interoperability and machine cybersecurity were also brought forward. It was decided that a new “Technology” item will be added to the current broad list of Ag Sector Board Priorities for 2023, with specific issues to be included under each.
- Maintain and grow AEM’s global ag leadership position
- Advocate for ag equipment industry with policymakers and regulators
- Strengthen and grow AEM’s ag member business
- Promote agriculture as a sustainability and climate solution
- New proposal: Address technology issues (to include interoperability and machine cybersecurity)
The finalized 2023 priorities will be approved at the next meeting of the AEM Ag Sector Board in February of 2023.
New Board Leadership
Todd Stucke was thanked for his leadership as the AEM Ag Sector Board Chair, and Bill Hurley, AGCO vice president, distribution, Americas was welcomed as the new Chair. Greg Petras, president, Kuhn NA was welcomed as the new Vice Chair. Outgoing JCB board representative Richard Fox-Mars was thanked for his service, with a welcome to new rep Shane Coates, JCB vice president of agriculture.
The next meeting of the Ag Sector Board is scheduled for Feb. 23 in Washington, D.C. For more information about the Ag Sector Board, contact Curt Blades at cblades@aem.org.
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