It’s been a life-affirming month for me as I put together some of my most recent articles, both for the print publication, as well as on our branded websites. Our years of representing the trusted adviser as your media partner, proclaiming your importance and value to the both ends of the crop production chain — and more recently, banging this message into the collective heads of venture capitalists aiming to “revolutionize” agriculture — it seems to have sunk in.

This imagery article is a prime example. Literally without fail, each and every company I spoke with went to great lengths to say one or all of the following: “We are not out to replace the trusted adviser, we want to help him do his job better,” or “The adviser knows the farmer and the fields better than anyone else.” Or, “our system doesn’t provide value without boots on the ground.”

Of course, companies are also working to improve algorithms to the extent that perhaps fewer individuals will be needed, which would actually help solve the chronic employee shortage in rural agribusiness. And honestly, if a machine is developed that could actually adequately replace the trusted adviser, it would almost assuredly get rolled out. But there’s a boatload of work to get to that place.

So, with at least a little time on your side, keep sharpening up the value you bring to farmers, and don’t take your advantage for granted. At our best, we’re going to take those algorithms to a higher level, not be replaced by them.