State of the Industry 2011: An Interview with Darrin Drollinger, Executive Director, American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE)

I know you mentioned before that one of ASABE's goals was to push regulatory standardization. What is the plan, benefit and progress of that initiative?

It should first be mentioned that ASABE only publishes voluntary consensus standards. We provide a neutral venue for standards development that is open to all impacted parties. With that said, ASABE Standards are referenced in legislation and building codes whereby they become a legal requirement. The technical committees know that standards based on sound science often become the basis for better legislation. We do not promote the creation of legislation per se, but feel strongly that if society determines a regulation is needed it is best to develop it from the best voluntary consensus standards available.

A few examples that may be of interest include:

• ASABE Standards for the slow moving vehicle symbol (SMV) and/or overall lighting and marking of agricultural equipment on highways are often referenced in state and provincial motor vehicle codes.
• The Association of Equipment Manufacturers is pursuing a national requirement to require adherence to the ASABE standard for lighting and marking of agricultural equipment on highways. This would be a national requirement for new equipment and would eliminate the current confusion with bordering states having different rules.
• The ASABE standard for the SMV is also cited in the Federal Code of Regulations.

What other goals does ASABE have to benefit its members and equipment manufacturers?

ASABE has three main areas of focus as outlined by our 2011-2012 elected president Sonia Maassel Jacobsen (ASABE’s first female president). These areas are Expertise, Image and Outreach.

• Expertise: ASABE has talented members with a wide range of knowledge and skills – experts in biofuels, ecological engineering, food engineering and agricultural equipment design, to mention a few. We plan to focus on this strength, expand it, and make it more visible.
• Image: ASABE is a relatively small professional society, so to increase our visibility we must show the world through words and actions that we are very good at what we do. Agricultural and Biological Engineers can solve the challenges the world faces.
• Outreach: An example of outreach is reaching out to help smaller manufacturers. We do this with the Farm Equipment Manufacturers Association (FEMA) by participating in their meetings and Councils and strong liaison by updating them on new standards. FEMA members have also identified opportunities for new and updated standards.

How is the agriculture industry faring in today’s climate, and where do you see it going?

Overall the industry is doing quite well. High commodity prices are boosting many sectors. The downside is that there are areas experiencing severe drought and other weather calamities and overall input costs have increased dramatically. The economics are always challenging and perhaps becoming even more so. However, on balance, it remains a very good time to be in agriculture.

What key technologies and developments will be key in agriculture’s continued strength and progress?

The list has to start with the focus on increased productivity. This would include a wide range of products that focus on product placement and increased field coverage. Work on global positioning systems and other tools continue to aid the growers and is leading towards the potential for autonomous activities.

It is also worth mentioning that the trend towards higher energy prices will continue to push research and innovation. This work will lead to crops that differ from those currently grown and harvested. Mechanization and innovation will be needed as any new crop becomes market viable. This will ultimately open new doors of opportunity for equipment manufacturers as greater and greater quantities of material is harvested and transported.

What do you consider to be the top 3 or so most influential developments or product releases in the past year and why?