e commerce

[wykeham]

Dear fellow chatter's, I have recently been awarded a nuffield scholarship to study e commerce in Canada in may/june 2001. I was wondering if anyone had any data on e commerce forums/exhibitions next May/June time 2001. My subject is to look at how e commerce can help the UK farmer in developing his/her business in the global economy we all live in today. Yours Richard

[jlamb]

Richard: I have received your message. I am not currently aware of any conferences that time of year. In the US, they have had many more conferences centering around the area of Agriculture and e-commerce than we have in Canada. Again, to my knowledge most of the e-commerce sites offering products and services are focused on the US market. I would suggest that the adoption rate of e-commerce and sales of items online is slower here than our neighbours to the south. I will do a search and notify you if I find anything. Otherwise, I encourage you to use this forum to determine what people's perspectives are on e-commerce and how it will benefit them? Jory Lamb

[kaniteo]

A recent issue of the e-Business Journal (http://www.ebusiness.ca/eb/home.html) focused on agriculture in their Industry report. The author, Andrew Allentuck, focused on the culture of Canadian farmers being an impediment to their acceptance of e-commerce. The e-Business Journal would be a good starting point for you. They and their parent company, Plesman Communications, seem to have their finger on the pulse of Canadian IT and probably could give you an idea of the IT and e-business conferences taking place next spring. Regards Ted

[wykeham]

Thanks foryour message and yes any views on the use of e commerce in this chat/discussion room arena will be most helpful.

[jensco]

There is nothing in my files for that time frame either. For now anyway. However, there is a forum entitled 'Small Business Week Brandon (Manitoba)' that is highlighting e-commerce. It is running from October 22 to 28, 2000. Sorry, I know it is short notice and hope you get this in time. Two seminars have the following sponsors: Manitoba Industry, Trade and Mines. All I have is a phone number (204) 726-6250 or fax (204)726-6403). The other sponsors are Business Development Bank of Canada and Manitoba Intergovernmental Affairs with the contact number being (204)726-7939. This is a very local event but might help you out in your research. Hopefully they can give you other contacts as well. Best of luck!

[jlamb]

One excellent source of e-commerce information and direction is www.agforum.org. This site held a conference on e-commerce and had representation from many major players in this industry. If you are looking for e-commerce in Canada, you will probably have to largely follow what is occuring in the US as much of it will model Canadian ag e-commerce. One site to check out is www.agriplace.com. This site is Canadian and is trading grain online. The contact there is Greg Lore. Good luck and keep the questions coming.

[jlamb]

Agri-ville.com has introduced a store into the site. Agri-ville.com has one goal . . . to provide our members with farm management solutions. This store was built to provide, the members of Agri-ville.com with product solutions that directly assist them in their daily farm management.

Who is involved in the Agri-ville.com store?

We are proud to announce the following initial vendors in the Agri-ville.com store:

Canadian Farm Business Management Council

Canadian Rural Computer Services

Market Master Ltd.

ProMarket Communications Inc.

Settler Agricultural Software

We will be adding vendors daily. If you do not see what you are looking for please send an e-mail to mayor@agri-ville.com or keep coming back to view the latest offerings.

[ValueChainFX]

E com is really just sitting waiting to take off around the world in
Agriculture, I have been involved in developing innovative and
creative new commerce to match the global market place. Since my
back ground is an agriculture food related one supplemented with
over 15 years of cutting edge research and development
experience, I have a natural tendency to look at applications in the
agri-industry first. I have come to the following conclusion, be them
right or wrong, they are my thoughts.
Firstly, there is no one in the industry to date that has taken
advantage of the total internet as a commerce tool. My feeling is
that there is no one that has enough knowledge, in innovative
business design and the technology required to overlay and align
the systems and structures that would catapult them into the future.
Secondly, those who could most use the technology are to busy
trying to insulate themselves from it, seeing it as a negative rather
then a positive. A good example of this is the ear tag structure that
they are in the process of implementing in Canada at the present
time. I believe and indeed plan to align a system with this ear tag
requirement in the strategy we are presently working on in Value
Chain development.
Thirdly I believe that some of those in political positions, and
semi-quasi-political associations have agendas that more closely
match those of large corporate interests and strategies that only
take into account the small or medium size business when
calculating their financial contributions to their ever growing power
base. (Hopefully that last statement did not put a knot in anybody's
belly, if it did maybe time for a review eh?)
But for the good news! In Canada and more directly in Alberta we
have several factors which are helping us to lead the way in e com.
Most importantly of all is the fact that the province of Alberta
released an announcement November 2, 2000 , which states that it
is initiating high-speed broad band network to all of Alberta
(including rural Alberta) within the next 3 years, this includes over
420 communities!
Also, believe it or not our controversial beef tagging system
which not only establishes a base line, but an easily recordable
medium in which to utilize technology in cost saving advantages.
Last of all, I have personally been working with and on
developing Value Chains over the past 10 years. In the past 2 years
I have traveled Alberta, BC and many specific areas with in Canada
to speak with and listen to many people that are in the industry
(hands on) and the message is always the same, they are sick and
tired of being sick and tired! From this group I have had many
potential leaders step forward and advise me that they would like to
take part in the Value Chain concept. At the present time I have
taken all my e com courses including data base management, web
design etc. I will be completed my computer administrators course
August of 2001. I will be introducing our Value Chain Strategies to a
select few participants to initiate the first pilot project at this time.
E commerce is here to stay but don't expect E commerce to follow
traditional business rules, it is a new world out there with new rules.
Hope to see some good feed back from me point of view and hope
this has given you some insight into your question!

[jlamb]

ValueChainFX - I have read your comments with great interest. I think you are correct that no one organization has the answer to e-commerce.

For that reason, I think that e-commerce will continue to evolve into many different formats. In your comment you indicate "My feeling is that there is no one that has enough knowledge, in innovative business design and the technology required to overlay and align the systems and structures that would catapult them into the future. " What do you mean by catapult into the future?

You also write "I believe and indeed plan to align a system with this ear tag requirement in the strategy we are presently working on in Value Chain development." Excellent. I would certainly be interested to understand how you will differentiate your chain from the CCIA traceback system Or the proposed Beefnet system Or AgInfoLink system Or this new Viewtrak system . . . Among others.

You lost me in your third point, if you could clarify this form me I would be interested to understand what you saying.

I agree with that we are in a good position to take advantage of the Internet in Alberta and I have started a new thread about the value of the Internet. See this for my thoughts and comments.

Thanks ValuChainFX for your comments - I look forward to your response.