Technology Corner: Questions to Ask Ag Tech Companies before Committing

Over the past 12 years, I have worked with several agricultural technology companies who have been interested in working within tree nuts. Companies have focused on a variety of issues, including water, bees, and aerial imagery. Some ideas have been great and have gone on to develop into successful companies. Others have failed to execute the idea or have overestimated the need within the industry.

As I have shifted my role into farm management, I was overwhelmed with ag tech options. In reviewing, I found myself asking several of the same questions, regardless of the company and subject matter. Some of them may seem obvious, but they are also questions that can be easily overlooked. They are provided below. Please note that some contain multiple questions which help explore the line of inquiry.

• How does the technology work and how does it vary from the current market options?
• What hardware needs to be bought to fully integrate the system? Can hardware components from other companies be utilized with the system?
• What is the deliverable of the technology? What variables are being measured or recorded? How are these measurements developed into a recommendation? Is there any crop-specific research available to support the analysis utilized by the technology? Where were these studies performed? How many studies have been conducted and by whom?
  Note: There are many measured variables that may not have relevance to the crop or farming operation. Determine your priorities before meeting. Also, many companies state they are utilizing “machine learning” for developing recommendations. Even so, the “machine” needs to be taught by someone. Making recommendations off averages will lead to problems, and at best, an “average orchard.”
• Who are the competitors? What does this platform/hardware provide that they do not? What are the unique features that this company is offering?
  Note: this is a great question as it helps to understand the company’s market position and if it has enough merit to stand on its own. It also provides a clearer understanding of the company’s business model. If they don’t know the competition, they don’t know what they are doing.
• Do the sensors, data providers, or software have an openAPI?
  Note: this allows access to the data by other software. A closed system will prevent the cross-utilization with other software, limiting future use of any data collected or entered.
• Who has access to the data collected? Does the company sell the data third parties?
  Note: for further clarification, have the company highlight the related clauses in the sales/use contract.
• How is the collected information/data stored? Is it on a remote server (e.g. cloud), or internally? What computing hardware is required if the data is managed internally?
• Can the data be reviewed using mobile platforms? Who supplies the app? Is this part of the service package?
• Can the data be downloaded to an offline format (i.e. Excel, JPEGs, etc)?
  Note: having this feature is critical for me – if I cant utilize the data offline, then there is a risk that I may have to re-enter all of the data if I discontinue use or the company goes out of business.
• Who do I call to fix problems? How long is this “warranty” period? How frequently is the software updated and are they included/free? What is the typical maintenance schedule and life expectancy of the specific hardware? Who is expected to perform the maintenance?
• How are clients paying for the services provided by the company? Where are the majority geographically located?
  Note: this provides insight on multiple things, including the company’s financial stability, the likelihood that they will fix problems if they occur, and the likelihood that problems by end users (i.e. “bugs”) will be identified.
• Are there any reference clients that can be contacted?
• How intuitive is it to use this technology? Does the company provide trainings for the employees? How easy is it for anyone to pick up and understand the concepts and deliverables?*
• How is the technology priced? With software, is it priced by the number of users, features, or a combination? Does it require an annual license renewal, or payments only required for updates (or both)? For hardware: Is it a one-time expense, or requires an annual maintenance/service contract? What is the cost for the affiliated software that is used to access the hardware?

If something presented is not understandable, ask them to clarify in simpler language. I have found that companies that are able to present the material in an understandable format tend to have a better end-product/deliverable. It also is an indication that the sales staff is knowledgeable of the technology and how it is applied to the field. This provides additional value as the sales staff are usually the people in which you will have the most interaction, providing the opportunity to help with issues when contacted.

These questions are a starting point when determining if the presented technology is suitable for your operation. There are many more technology specific questions that should be included. I have found, however, that having a baseline provides an “apples-to-apples” comparison when reviewing similar technology companies. Lastly, it should be noted that these questions are more directed to developed or developing ag tech companies. When working with start-ups, there are different questions to ask, especially related to product uniqueness and the company’s financial stability.

*This question was suggested by Mark Sherfy and clearly was overlooked when I put this article together. Edited Nov 16th, 2020.