by Blair White

PCCA is a leader in grower and gin-facing technology services in the cotton industry. Our team of world-class tech experts has played a role in developments such as the first electronic cotton marketing system, TELCOT (known today as The Seam®), High Volume Instrument (HVI) testing (now the USDA standard for cotton classing), and our myPCCA® app. Our innovative sales experts recognize the need for continual adaptation and create marketing options you can tailor to fit your operation best. PCCA’s flagship marketing option is the seasonal pool, which started in 1988. Since then, not only has the pool itself been modernized, but other new marketing options have also become staples at the cooperative. In all of PCCA’s endeavors, we are your innovation hub.

“We are doing things at a much faster pace than perhaps at any time in the history of the company,” said Kevin Brinkley, President and CEO. “We are able to do that because we’ve got excellent technologies in place and really talented people to help us get that done. We have to innovate at a much faster pace because that’s how fast the world is changing around us.”

If there is one thing this cooperative is familiar with, it is change. Both technology and agriculture can transform at breakneck paces, and when they converge at PCCA, the ability to keep up is critical. As your innovation hub, we understand the value this adds to your crop. Let’s look at two ways we utilize your thoughts, suggestions, and opinions to innovate.

Enhancements

The Information Systems Department supports PCCA’s business objectives by providing the technology, data, and analytical insight needed to make informed decisions and optimize operations. There is no decision made at this company that is not first supported by data. When farmers or gins call PCCA with a problem or suggestion, these talented individuals listen. The same can be said about PCCA’s internal operations as employees often have feedback on systems and programs too. These changes are accumulated and implemented during PCCA’s enhancement season each year.

“An enhancement is anything that is adding new functionality to our software,” explained Adam Foley, PCCA’s Applications Programming Manager. “That could be as simple as adding sorting ability to a data column, all the way to creating something like the Grower Choice Pool Option that allows growers to call their own prices on their cotton, or anything in between. It could also be creating a new report or adding some guardrails to a program to prevent common mistakes. What it’s not is fixing bugs.”

External enhancements are completed annually to help limit interruptions to the programs and services that growers and gins rely on to do their jobs. One example of a gin suggestion that became a PCCA software program is Module Tracking. A gin expressed the desire to have the ability to keep track of their modules in the field and on the gin yard to PCCA, so our team of experts made it happen. As a result, the gin’s efficiency and technology problems were solved.

“PCCA is constantly working to embrace new technology that will benefit our growers and gins,” said Debbie Bolding, Vice President of Information Systems. “We continue to explore avenues that help us streamline those operations to increase efficiency and provide better service. We actively listen to our users’ feedback and make changes based on it.”

Marketing Choices

Cotton marketing is not one-size-fits-all. Over the last few years, growers who utilize PCCA’s cotton marketing services have expressed a desire for more choices to achieve the best possible price for their cotton.

“When we can give our growers the ability to have different marketing choices or use different instruments or tools for them to be able to market their cotton, it can open up different avenues for their operations,” explained Keith Lucas, Vice President of Marketing. “Our Board of Directors heard this and brought it to our attention in our strategic initiatives.”

PCCA recognizes that different farmers have different risk appetites and tolerances. New marketing choices like the Grower Choice Pool Option and PCCA Direct On-Call were developed based on grower feedback.

“All of the options we provide, from cash marketing to the Seasonal Pool and the Grower Choice Pool Option, are designed to give our growers more choices on when and how they want to market their cotton,” said Mike Canale, Merchandising Manager.

We’re Listening

This cooperative was created by farmers for farmers. Our entire purpose is to support you in your farming operation by capitalizing on what we do best – one of which is being your innovation hub in the cotton industry. We are strategic, adaptable, and resilient, and we are listening to what you have to say.

Have a suggestion or idea you’d like to share with our team? Reach out to us at 806-763-8011.