GrainsWest Winter 2021

Winter 2021 Grains West 34 FEATURE ADAPT OR DIE BY TREVOR BACQUE • IMAGES COURTESY OF FARMERS BUSINESS NETWORK Agri-retailers scramble amid digital-first disruption that pits brick-and-mortar businesses against price hungry farmers The dizzying pace of technological change has subtly but firmly influenced virtually every sphere of the Western world. Whether it is an Amazon package arriving at the door, a hotel deal found through Expedia or a ride right now in an Uber, people increasingly prefer a culture made possible by apps and finger taps. It was perhaps inevitable that aspects of agriculture would also become a prime target for disruption.