Innovations

Agriculture needs innovation, collaboration and leadership

With a career that includes time at Oscar Mayer, Johnsonville and Con Agra; Chris Salm and his brothers formed Salm Partners in 2004.  Utilizing a new, innovative process and a partnership philosophy, Salm Partners has become the largest cooked-in-package sausage maker in the country.  Chris says that is the kind of innovation that agriculture will need in the years ahead if we are going to feed the planet.

Salm says with an expected 9 billion people on the planet, agriculture needs to figure out how to change: “well enough, fast enough, dynamically enough, dramatically enough to get that done.”  He notes what has happened with corn production through increased productivity per acre.  “Taking advantage of technology has got to continue.”

Another key element is leadership or what Salm defines as influence; “being able to compel people to do things through their own passion and inspiration.”  It doesn’t have to be an individual, it may be a team of people.  He believes there are strong leaders in the millennial generation, “I think that generation has a desire to serve,” but adds, “we have to figure out how to tap their gifts and talents.”

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