Why do Ag Raw Ingredients matter to food / feed / fiber / biofuel companies?
Quick Answer: Because small changes in your ‘upstream’ supply chain have dramatic ‘downstream’ bullwhip effects on your end product development and manufacturing processes (For more go to MIT’s Charlie Fine’s book “Clockspeed”—link on right—for the details.) Extended Answer: Also because natural systems are different from physical systems. That difference is that physical systems are governed simply by physics, whereas natural systems have the added genetics component. And like all things dealing with genetics, brothers, sisters, etc., a system based on genetics, must be ‘played out’ or ‘the program must be run’ to see what the outcome will be. These, genetic dependent, complexity rich, natural systems are better modeled using programs that must be run, rather than models based on traditional, static, mathematical equations. It is the presence of genetic code that provides the complexity in Ag Raw Ingredient supply chains that hinders your company’s sustainability programs in your upst
