Last week, I seemed to touch a nerve when talking about the state of the rural economy. 

Rural unemployment hasn’t recovered since the 2008 recession. And while there’s chatter about trillions of dollars in stimulus, we’ve been waiting for a long time for any real plan to jumpstart and prioritize these regions. 

The top-down approach isn’t going to cut it. You know it. I know it.

We have to start from the bottom up. 

That starts with one person, one driver, one farmer, one elevator, one worker at a time.  

Then, it requires relationships – existing and new – to collaborate, coordinate, and communicate. To build meaningful partnerships. 

To establish trust. 

We know that Americans trust farmers. A poll by the American Farm Bureau Federation shows that 88% of Americans trust our farmers.

I listen to farmers wonder why someone says that they’re going to arrive at 9 am only to show up four hours later. That’s not what I’m talking about. 

Delays happen. They’re part of human nature. Anyone who has ever tried to manage ag transportation or harvest logistics knows mistakes will happen. It’s part of the business.

Being able to minimize those mistakes proactively and rectify mistakes that have happened can help you get a better handle of your operation and manage your risks more effectively.

But I do have conversations with farmers who complain about loads disappearing… I hear the conversations about how a driver might say he’s five minutes away when it’s clear that he’s 20 miles away. These stories do add up, and they require a solution that ensures the ability to verify each step of delivery so that everyone can benefit.

We’ve built a company designed to build and establish trust and then verify activities across the industry. We can determine in realtime what should be done and we can determine after-the-fact, what went wrong.

This provides a positive feedback loop that can improve relationships, determine how to fix logistical errors or bottlenecks, and improve cooperation among others.  

I want the farmer to know that they can trust FOB and trust the people using our platform to coordinate freight, confirm delivery documents, and conduct real transactions. I want drivers to know that if they’re accepting a job, they have clear load instructions and the ability to get paid quickly.

I want operators to know that workers have a tool that will help them better manage their day and accomplish their tasks.

We’re serious about rebuilding the rural communities, empowering employees, and delivering real growth. Our communities have the economic power, and DGE has the technology to kick start this larger movement. 

I trust you’re also serious about accomplishing more. What can DGE and FOB do for you? What relationships can we help you build? What can technology help you achieve?

Call us anytime at 800-282-6081 or schedule a demo today.