What makes a partner in an industry full of contacts

Getting to know your Allied Industries board representative and problem solving through today’s challenges

Here we are almost halfway through 2023, time is flying by! I’d like to introduce myself for those who don’t know me. My name is Kody Dee Williams. I am with Allflex, now part of Merck Animal Health, and am serving on the Idaho Cattle Association (ICA) board of directors as the Allied Industries representative for this year. My husband and I, with our two-year-old in tow, have a row crop farm in Fruitland, Idaho. While our struggles are a little different than those in the cattle industry, we are also doing our best to roll with the punches. We both grew up in agriculture and when we decided to take the big leap and start our own farm, I can tell you we were not expecting the challenges that the last few years have presented. Needless to say, it has been a wild ride!

BY KODY DEE WILLIAMS Allied Industry Representative

to ask questions and use your allied partners as resources. Our industry’s associations (such as ICA) and various state programs work hard to make sure that you have all the tools available- make sure that you are using them to your advantage!

In the allied sector we are seeing a lot of changes inside of our respective companies. Not all of us work with delivering product, but those of us that do continue to see struggle with supply chain. I don’t think that problem is going to resolve any time soon, but with good planning we can decrease the hangups. I know that I personally, as an example, have significantly more ability to procure items if I have a buffer of time to put it in motion. Inflation is also a huge hurdle we are all dealing with- I know my grocery bill is driving me crazy! I hate to join in and say this is the “new normal” but unfortunately we don’t see this change on the near horizon. This industry has proven time and again that you are up to the challenge!

While I’m not originally from Idaho, I married an Idahoan. This state and the people that I get to work with are what makes going to work fun. The history of the cattle industry that Idaho has to offer is incredible and the steps that are being taken to preserve it are special. Be that as it may, in a world of constant change the ag community has so many different solutions available. New products, new programs, and new resources are constantly being brought to the table. None of these solutions are a “one size fits all” but maybe for someone’s operation, it’s the key component that may have been missing. I’d urge you

It takes a team to make it all come together and without the right teammates it feels near impossible some days. Let this serve as a gentle reminder that your allied industry partners are all in your corner! As much as representing our various brands and products is part of what we do professionally, we are here to support you in other ways as well. Somedays that may look like an extra set of hands at branding, or maybe it shows up in other ways for you. Relationships are important and the only way our business works is if we do our best to support our customers – and sometimes we can find a way to supply some lunch too! If you have questions for contacts inside the Allied Industries segment, make sure to reach out to the staff and leaders at ICA. Here’s to happy, healthy cattle and the people who raise them!