We have lost a few of the great people in the field of agriculture and conservation this year. David Brandt, a pioneer in cover crops, no-till and soil health, is the most recognizable name.
Another, less familiar visionary we lost this year was Earl McKarns. McKarns was one of the first producers in the state of Ohio to use managed, rotational grazing in his operation and extensively promoted its use. His work and openness to show others his operation and management system led countless others to try out rotational grazing for themselves. He was truly an innovator.
The term innovator is used a great deal but what does it actually mean?
The concept of the adoption curve was first proposed in 1962 by Everett Rogers in his book “Diffusion of Innovations” in which he proposed there are five categories that people fit into.
• Innovators: 2.5% of people fall into this category. Innovators will actively seek out new information and are willing to try new ideas and concepts. These people tend to be open-minded, have favorable views of new concepts and are willing to invest in new technologies.
• Early Adopters: 13.5% of people. Early adopters will use concepts and technology developed by the innovators. They are more cautious than innovators and wait for others to take the risk before trying out new technologies and ideas. The traits of early adopters are being confident in their decision-making, holding a positive view of new ideas and products and are well-informed about innovations in their industry.
• Early Majority: 34% of the population. The early majority accept new technology and concepts only after it has been tested and proven by the early adopters. The early majority are not trendsetters due to their cautious nature and need proof of concept before adopting new concepts.
• Late Majority: 34% of people are part of the late majority. Members of the late majority will only adopt new concepts and technology only after it has been widely adopted and proven to be successful. The late majority tend to prioritize cost over innovation and rely on tried and tested methods.
• Laggards: 16% of people fall into this final group. The laggards resist change and are the last to take up new ideas and technologies. This group depends on the opinions of others instead of creating their own, may only adopt new technologies and ideas when necessary, and stick with traditional methods even though they are less efficient.
Innovation is not easy and not everyone can be an innovator. That’s okay. Only a very small percentage of the population has the means to do what is necessary to be called an innovator.
Being an early adopter gives you the advantage of new technologies and concepts with a reduced risk. But whatever you do, don’t be a laggard! If you have an idea, try it out; it may be the next big innovation. And remember, “It ain’t much, but it’s honest work.”
