Variable Rate done RIGHT with SWAT MAPS: https://swatmaps.com/Cquesta website: https://cquesta.com/FOA 200: Drones for Spraying, Seeding, and Pollinating with RantizoMichael Ott is the CEO of Cquesta, a deep root trait company that helps crops tolerate stress and earns carbon credits to farmers with no change in agronomic practices.  Michael is also the Founding CEO and Board Member at Rantizo, the nation's largest drone-spraying company. Before Rantizo, Michael worked in corporate venture capital backed by Monsanto, Novozymes and Bunge, where he invented a patented technology that delivers a tiny amount of nitrogen to a rice seed as it grows.  Michael has a Master's degree in Chemistry from the University of Iowa and two decades worth of experience in finance and agriculture.  He is an author on five patent applications and has raised over $180 million in investments over the course of his career. Michael was named PrecisionAg 2021 Entrepreneur of the Year.Michael and I talk about Cquesta and what makes this technology unique, what’s not working in the current soil carbon market paradigm, how they plan to bring together seed companies, farmers, carbon credit buyers and others to make this model work, why he jumped right back into another agtech startup right after Rantizo, and more.

Variable Rate done RIGHT with SWAT MAPS: https://swatmaps.com/Agricultural Economic Insights: https://aei.ag/AEI.ag Presents Podcast: https://aei.ag/podcast/David Widmar is an agricultural economist specializing in agricultural trends and the farm economy. Through his research, he supports agribusinesses and farmers in their strategic and planning efforts. David is the Managing Partner of Agricultural Economic Insights, AEI.ag, which he co-founded with Dr. Brent Gloy in 2014. Prior to AEI, David was a researcher with the Department of Agricultural Economics at Purdue University and served as the economist for the Kansas Department of Agriculture. I highly recommend you subscribe to AEI’s content and go check out their podcast, AEI.ag Presents. I especially recommend their season on the 1980s farm crisis.In today’s episode, David and I discuss farmland values, the impact of higher interest rates, how to think about risk, and how to manage volatility in things like markets and inflation. 

Variable Rate done RIGHT with SWAT MAPS: https://swatmaps.com/Cory Willness on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cory-willness-78b76246/Derek Massey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-massey-61aa909a/SWAT Agronomy Podcast: Apple, SpotifyFOA 211: Ground Truthing AgTech with Cory Willness: https://futureofagriculture.com/episode/foa-211-ground-truthing-agtech-with-cory-willness Cory Willness and Derek Massy are the co-founders of Croptimistic Technology, the creators of SWAT MAPS. Cory is the CEO, and Derek is the CTO. They’ve been working on building precision ag tools for about 20 years together. Cory says he’s the hustler and Derek is the hacker. Derek is an electrical engineer and software developer. His dad was a farmer and Cory came to him in the early 2000s to start building software together. At that time, Cory was an independent crop consultant and the owner of CropPro Consulting, which is a company he still owns today that does agronomic consulting in Western Canada. It’s through these early experiences of building digital tools that Cory and his fellow agronomists on his team could use, that led to them building a company to sell tested and proven technology that they were already using in the field. We talk about many things in this episode, from the evolution of precision agriculture, to building a profitable company in agtech, to why after many years they decided to take on an investor in 2021, and what the future might look like for precision agriculture and agtech more generally.

Variable Rate done RIGHT with SWAT MAPS: https://swatmaps.com/Zordi: https://www.zordi.com/Casey Call on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/casey-call-03a3b03b/Technology in agriculture can help reduce production costs and improve efficiencies, but it can also open up new possibilities for quality that goes beyond the average consumers’ expectations. “Our economic picture is to be able to capitalize on growing a better product and supplying a better product to the consumer, but also being able to kind of fix our labor costs and control those to a certain point.”That’s Casey Call, co-founder of Zordi. Which I first thought was a robotics company focused on building robots for greenhouse agriculture. Turns out they are that and more - using their own proprietary technology to build  and operate their own greenhouse farms. “Getting people access to this produce is kind of the key. When people start having our strawberries, they're like, oh, well we get it now. And so getting more and more of this infrastructure built, getting more and more access to these things in stores, I think is the path that we're on.” This focus on quality and the latest in technology has some thought-provoking insights on the path forward. “We're gonna have to seek technology solutions. We're gonna have to seek new ways of planting, harvesting, processing, and selling food to people if we want to maintain a good quality of life.”Casey Call was born and raised on a fourth generation family owned vegetable and grain farm in New York State. After completing his degree in Ag Science at Cornell he moved across the country to become the agronomist for Grimmway Farms / Cal Organic in the central valley of California. Earning his MBA on nights and weekends, he eventually went to work at ag management software company, Granular which was later acquired by Dupont. At that time he moved on to become the Head Grower for Plenty, an indoor vertical farming company. All of these experiences led him to become the co-founder of Zordi, where he works alongside founder and CEO Gilwoo Lee to more fully automate fruit and vegetable production in greenhouses. As you’re about to hear, Zordi acquires varieties from around the world, such as Korean and Japanese Strawberries, to grow and manage them with a fleet of harvesting and scouting robots. Then they market and sell those premium varieties through grocery stores. This is a massive project that they’ve taken on, and they’ve made significant progress in a short time. I respect Casey’s perspective as one of the few people I know with firsthand growing experience on family farms, corporate farms, vertical farms, and greenhouse production systems. So it’s interesting to see the ways he’s combining this unique skill set.

Turn your data into actionable value with SWAT MAPS: https://swatmaps.com/Toby Kiers, PhD website: https://tobykiers.com/Toby's TED TALK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjwvaF3P_5Q&t=273sScientists are discovering incredible interactions between plants' roots and soil dwelling fungi called mycorrhizal fungi. These relationships are integral to how plants function, including of course, our crops. But despite their importance to fundamental aspects of plant development, there's still so much we have yet to learn."We know, for example, that the fungi, when it colonizes the root system, it can actually change the gene regulation of the plant, such that the plant is no longer able to access nutrients directly from its root system. It kind of creates an addiction onto the fungi that makes it so the plant is giving more carbon to get at the nutrients."That's Dr. Toby Kiers, an evolutionary biologist who studies these mycorrhizal fungi. She shares why this work is so important for biodiversity, for crop development, for soil health and for carbon sequestration. "We did some research that found that about 13 billion tons of CO2 are allocated every year from plants to mycorrhizal networks across the earth, so that that includes all kinds of mycorrhizal fungi, also associated with forests. But that's a huge number, right? That's equivalent to one third of the emissions from fossil fuels."The functions and strategies that these fungi perform in nature will blow your mind, and I can't help but wonder about the possibilities for the future of agriculture. Professor Toby Kiers is an evolutionary biologist who earned her PhD from UC Davis. She has been Professor and University Research Chair of Evolutionary Biology at Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam since 2014.  Kiers is famous for uncovering ancient biological markets that take place beneath forest floors, in which different trees and fungi barter for essential resources such as phosphorus and sugar. Kiers co-founded the Society for the Protection of Underground Networks (SPUN).

Put AI to work on your farm: https://farmwave.io/Prime Future Newsletter by Janette Barnard: https://primefuture.substack.com/ "Cattle Kingdom: The Hidden History of the Cowboy West" by Christopher Knowlton: https://www.amazon.com/Cattle-Kingdom-Hidden-History-Cowboy/dp/1328470253/ref=sr_1_1" It was a Darwinian struggle across the open range, as it often is in a capitalist society. A struggle to survive, to outcompete, to adapt on the fly, to changing circumstances brought on by new technology, emerging monopolies, changing regulations, fluctuating markets, and fickle weather. From one angle, the story of the Great Beef Bonanza is a record of remarkable human ingenuity and technological advancement. From another, it's a case history of the calamities that befall those who ignore economic or ecological realities in a single-minded pursuit of the American dream. The open range cattle era and its role in shaping America deserve to be more broadly known if only as an instructive cautionary tale."That is a passage from "Cattle Kingdom: The Hidden History of the Cowboy West" by Christopher Nolton. That is going to be the basis for today's very special history episode about an interesting and pivotal time in American history, but also in the history of industrialized agriculture. Joining me for this is the person who recommended "Cattle Kingdom" to me, and someone who has been a regular on the show, Janette Barnard.This book is both instructive about how bubbles form, but also some really pivotal beginnings to what we know today as agriculture, especially on the meat side of the business, which is what Janette covers in her wonderful weekly newsletter called Prime Future.

Put AI to work on your farm: https://farmwave.io/Featured Podcast Episodes: "The Future of Ag is De-Globalized" on The Business of Agriculture"What an Aging, Shrinking Population Means for Ag (and Everyone Else)" on The Business of Agriculture"Marc Arnusch on how farmers are using ChatGPT" on Agtech...So What?"An Agtech Marketing Masterclass with Dan Schultz" on The Modern Acre"Crop Resilience Redefined: Power Pollen Revolutionizing Corn" on Farm4Profit"Driscoll's Global Commitments and Climate Smart Strategies with Marta Baptista" on Fresh Takes on Tech"Why You Should Definitely Try Ostrich Meat" on The Farm Traveler PodcastOther Resources Mentioned: FoA 186: Five Trends for the Future of AgricultureFoA 238: Five Barriers Limiting AgricultureFoA 342: Leading from the farm: insights from farmer innovators"The End of the World is Just the Beginning" by Peter ZeihanFoA 380: Equity Capital for Farmland with Ben Gordon and Kyle MehmenFoA 379: The Farm Entrepreneur Mindset with Evan Shout of Maverick Ag<a

Put AI to work on your farm: https://farmwave.io/CNH Industrial: https://www.cnhindustrial.com/FoA 349: Robotic Harvesting and Beyond with Kyle Cobb of advanced.farmFOA 180: The Journey of an AgTech Entrepreneur with Colin Hurd of Smart AgSoftware is Feeding The WorldUpstream Ag InsightsMarc Kermisch is the Industrial Global Chief Digital and Information Officer of CNH Industrial. Under his leadership, the Company’s Information Technology (IT) and Digital organizations are focused on delivering easy to use, mobile first digital experiences, coupled with advanced vehicle technology that drives productivity for customers. He is also responsible for leading the Company’s global product engineering, industrial design and R&amp;D teams, strengthening its alternative propulsion offering and overseeing product safety and compliance. All of these efforts ensure the Company’s vast product portfolio meets the highest standards for customers.I probably don’t have to introduce CNH Industrial to you, but the short version is that they are an agricultural and construction capital equipment manufacturer. His own description of his job is to deliver deliver software to customers, dealers and employers that is easy to use to makes their job easier every day. &nbsp;Make sure you stay tuned to the end of today’s episode for a more detailed spotlight of Adam Henkel and how he’s using technology like Farmwave on his farm.&nbsp;

Put AI to work on your farm: https://farmwave.io/Texas A&amp;M Website: https://agecon.tamu.edu/people/fischer-bart/Southern Ag Today: https://southernagtoday.org/As we approach the end of 2023, one thing that many in agriculture thought would happen this year that hasn't is a new farm bill. "The farm bill attracts this outsized attention. It's carrying some baggage that probably was not envisioned, you know, 80 to a hundred years ago when this process was started."That's Dr. Bart Fisher, who spent eight years with the House Agriculture Committee, and today is a professor of ag policy at Texas A&amp;M. The lack of a farm bill brought up a lot of questions for me about this legislation. Like what are the impacts of not having this bill in place? What causes these types of delays and are these farm bills which have been around since the 1930s even still relevant?"It's just incredibly important for the productive capacity of this country that we maintain a safety net for growers because it costs so much to produce."Bart gives me quite an education about the past, present, and future of the farm bill. We talk about some of the nuances to getting these bills passed, and what goes into these farm bills from support programs to crop insurance, to conservation and beyond, and we cover the impacts of the policies on farmers and rural economies. "Farm bills aren't written for the good times. They're written for the bad times. One of the challenges though is that even though they're written for the bad times, they're often written during the Good Times." Dr. Bart Fischer is a research assistant professor and co-director of the Agricultural and Food Policy Center in the Department of Agricultural Economics. His applied research focuses on solving real-world policy problems for agricultural producers and on anticipating potential policy changes for Congress to consider. Before joining Texas A&amp;M University, Fischer served for more than eight years on the House Agriculture Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was involved in every major agricultural policy development in Washington, D.C. over the past eight years, including the 2014 and 2018 Farm Bills. He is the 5th generation to be raised on his family’s wheat, cotton, and cattle operation in Southwest Oklahoma and he continues to be actively involved.For those of you not real familiar with the farm bill: it’s an omnibus law that is addressed every five years to provide an opportunity for policymakers to address agricultural and food issues. We will reference a few of the titles of the farm bill by number in this episode, so just so you have it fresh on your mind, we’ll talk about title one, which is commodities. These are all of the price support and income support programs for the most widely-produced commodities that are produced. We will also talk about Title 2 which includes conservation programs and title 4 which is focused on nutrition and the SNAP program, which is formerly known as food stamps.&nbsp;

Put AI to work on your farm: https://farmwave.io/másLabor: https://www.maslabor.com/Edward Silva is the CEO of másLabor and AgWorks, the nation’s leading providers of H-2A (agriculture) and H-2B (non-agriculture) labor solutions. As one of six children of Portuguese immigrants, Edward and his brothers grew up farming in California's Central Valley for their family's almond and grape operation. Edward's academic background includes studies in International Agricultural Development at the University of California, Davis, and an MBA from Stanford Graduate School of Business. He has dedicated his company’s mission to saving U.S. businesses by helping them secure the workforce they need to successfully run their operation. másLabor, under his leadership, represents more clients in more industries and geographies than any other service provider for H-2 visas.One cool part of today’s story is that Edward had reached out to me cold years ago in October of 2020 when he was fresh out of business school and looking for a business to buy. I read his message later in today’s episode and explain why it was so memorable and why it’s so cool that here he is three years later as a guest on the podcast.&nbsp;So not only do we talk about the need for ag labor and some of the challenges around the H2A process, but we also talk about entrepreneurship through acquisition, and Edward’s journey of starting a search fund to find an existing agricultural business to buy, and how that led to masLabor.&nbsp;

Put AI to work on your farm: https://farmwave.io/[Founders Podcast] #324 John D. Rockefeller (38 Letters Rockefeller Wrote to His Son)[Morgan Housel Podcast] "My New Book, Same As Ever: A Guide to What Never Changes"Today’s combine harvesters are modern marvels capable of harvesting thousands of bushels per hour, including cutting, threshing, cleaning and capturing the grain. But the path from hand tools to the mechanical harvester is a fascinating one; which involved several farm shop innovations, intellectual property battles, labor challenges and pioneering business practices that are considered standard today. So buckle up for this one, because our subject for today’s episode, Cyrus Hall McCormick, was right in the middle of a lot of it all.&nbsp;Other Resources: [YouTube] THE ROMANCE OF THE REAPER " 1937 INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER PROMO FILM CYRUS MCCORMICK[YouTube] Alex Plaza- McCormick Reaper Documentary[Wikipedia] Obed Hussey[Richmond Times-Dispatch] “Jo Anderson” [Forbes Archives] Forbes Greatest Business Stories of All Time[Wikipedia] Cyrus Hall McCormick[Washington Post] Harvester: The Company That McCormick Built[PBS.ORG] Cyrus McCormick (1809 - 1884)[MIT] Cyrus McCormick: Mechanical Reaper[Investors Business Daily] Cyrus McCormick Revolutionized Farming Worldwide With The Reaper

Put AI to work on your farm: https://farmwave.io/Rhishi Pethe's Software Is Feeding The World Newsletter: https://www.rhishipethe.com/sftwVerdant Robotics: https://www.verdantrobotics.com/Verdant Robotics is offering a smart sprayer that helps farmers reduce labor and input costs. But don’t let the word “robotics” in the name fool you: their technology, although very cutting-edge, hooks right onto existing equipment like any other farm implement.&nbsp;“Here at Verdant we have a slogan called 'autonomy last.' So even though our co founders and early employees all were foundational in the birth of that (autonomous vehicle) industry, it's the last thing that we're going to do. The majority of the value that we're going to provide the grower is automating the machine on the back. That's actually where the value is being provided.” - Curtis GarnerAutomation doesn’t necessarily mean autonomy. That’s Curtis Garner, founder and CCO at Verdant Robotics. A lot of the team, like Chief Operating Officer Brent Shedd, came from the world of self-driving vehicles, but they are now laser focused on farmers, and building the next generation of smart tech-enabled farm equipment.&nbsp;“If you're a grower and you're looking at&nbsp; an implement that isn't software defined, you should really rethink the way that you're evaluating the long term viability of the equipment&nbsp; on your farm. Because you want implements that will only increase in value to your operation the longer that you own them.” - Brent SheddCurtis Garner and Brent Shedd from Verdant Robotics join guest host Rhishi Pethe on today’s Future of Agriculture podcast.

Put AI to work on your farm: https://farmwave.io/Eiwa: https://eiwa.ag/Today's episode features Carlos Hirsch, Chief Revenue Officer at Eiwa. Carlos is passionate about the intersection of agriculture, technology, and people. He has been in the Ag Industry for over 20 years and built an accomplished career in seed production, technology development and SaaS businesses. He has an agronomy degree from ESALQ in Piracicaba, Brazil and an Executive MBA from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. He joined Eiwa in August of 2021 and resides with his family in St. Louis, MO.Carlos and Tim talk about what makes data problems in agriculture unique versus a lot of other industries. Their solution, that they call the Eiwa Vault, combines all types of data sources like weather, machinery, satellite, drones, field notes etc. and puts them all in a place and format that makes them accessible to other tools and ultimately, actionable decisions. Their original market for this are researchers and R&amp;D teams so they could spend more time on leveraging the data and extracting insights, but they’ve also moved into offering this to large commercial farming companies as well. This has a lot of implications for the big wave in advancements in artificial intelligence, which we seem to be experiencing right now.Stay tuned to the end of today’s episode for a detailed spotlight of Jason Diekevers and how he’s using technology like Farmwave on his farm.&nbsp;

Put AI to work on your farm: https://farmwave.io/Gold Leaf Farming: https://www.goldleaf.ag/Today’s episode features the Director of Asset Management at Gold Leaf Farming, Sawyer Clark. Gold Leaf was founded in 2017 by Brandon Rebiero and Jack McCarthy. Sawyer met Jack while they were both in business school at Stanford, and soon became a part of the team.&nbsp;In today’s episode, Sawyer and I talk about Gold Leaf’s model for investing in farming, specializing in just a few permanent crops, how they add value after acquisition including transitioning to organic, hiring top talent, and embracing technology. We also have a lengthy discussion about the types of technology that has worked - and not worked - for their operation.&nbsp;Sawyer describes himself as a farm kid from Oregon's Willamette Valley, where his family continues to grow hazelnuts to this day. He spends his time at Gold Leaf Farming split between acquiring new properties and leading operational initiatives with the farm team - especially those regarding the company's sustainability practices.Before joining Gold Leaf, Sawyer served as an Intelligence Officer in the U.S. Army, bootstrapped and joined a couple startups, and completed a short stint in a family investment office. Sawyer received an MBA and MS in Environment &amp; Resources from Stanford University.&nbsp;

Put AI to work on your farm: https://farmwave.io/"10 years on from Climate Corp’s $1bn acquisition, David Friedberg reflects": https://agfundernews.com/david-friedberg-reflects-10-years-on-from-climate-corp-1bn-acquisitionThe Production Board: https://www.tpb.co/Almost exactly 10 years ago, an acquisition was announced that caused many people in the technology and investment community to pay more attention to what was happening in agriculture: Monsanto was buying The Climate Corporation, which was founded by David Friedberg.&nbsp;"Climate.com became the standalone software product for farmers, and that really is kind of the reason Monsanto bought the company, and really kind of set the first big precedent for digitization of agriculture."Today David reflects on the Climate Corp journey and the Monsanto acquisition with AgFunder’s Louisa Burwood-Taylor, and he shares his current thoughts on agtech now that a decade has passed. "I do think that there's going to be some big opportunities for the next transformation in agriculture in multiplex precision gene editing and in metagenomics in the soil microbiome, even in breakthroughs in biologics or other platforms that can discover the next set or the next range of biologics."David and Louisa cover everything from genomics and biologics to precision fermentation, what keeps him up at night, and where agtech is headed in the decade to come.&nbsp;"I think the world will be surprised by how much we see acceleration and advancement in productivity in ag and food systems in the next 10 years."AgFunder’s Louisa Burwood-Taylor sits down with David Friedberg on today’s Future of Agriculture podcast.

Put AI to work on your farm: https://farmwave.io/Silver Spring Foods: https://www.silverspringfoods.com/ Today's episode features Eric Rygg of Silver Spring Foods. This is a fun story for me, not only because I like horseradish, which I definitely do. This is a story of what’s possible when you carve out a niche and make moves to vertically integrate. There are also some great insights here about product positioning both to consumers and to retailers, and some of the challenges and opportunities of processing a marketing farm products. I particularly enjoyed learning about how the team at Silver Spring took it upon themselves to study the chemistry of what makes horseradish hot, and from that research they developed their own heat index for horseradish, they call a zing factor. So it’s kind of like the Scoville Heat Index in hot peppers. For the zing factor, one is beginner, or the least amount of heat, and 5 is the hottest, which will definitely give you that zing that travels up into your nose. Eric and I also hit some big trends like healthy food and regenerative agriculture along the way.&nbsp;Eric is the great-grandson of Ellis Huntsinger who founded Huntsinger Farms and Silver Spring Foods in 1929. Silver Spring Foods is the world’s largest grower and processor of horseradish based in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Eric’s mother Nancy, who took over the family business at a young age when her parents tragically passed away while she was in business school at Stanford, remains the CEO and chairman of the board to this day. She has led the company for over 50 years now. Eric worked in all parts of the family business before becoming president of Silver Spring Foods in 2018.&nbsp;Make sure you stay tuned to the end of today’s episode for a spotlight segment with Indiana farmer Jake Smoker about how he’s using technology like Farmwave on his farm.&nbsp;

Put AI to work on your farm: https://farmwave.io/Advancing Eco Agriculture: https://www.advancingecoag.com/AEA's Equity Crowdfunding Campaign: https://wefunder.com/advancingecoagRegenerative Agriculture Podcast: https://regenerativeagriculturepodcast.com/John Kempf on Twitter: https://twitter.com/realJohnKempfToday’s episode will challenge several commonly held assumptions about the future of agriculture. Take regenerative agriculture, which most define by the ability to improve soil and sequester carbon. But these are outcomes, even by-products, not the complete definition of regenerative, says John Kempf.&nbsp;John is a leading crop health consultant and the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture. He designs innovative soil and plant management systems to help growers realize the benefits of regenerative transition right away. We talk about what it means to be regenerative, the results they’ve seen from working with over 10,000 farmers across 4M acres, why they’ve launched an equity crowdfunding campaign and how we can all start to look at agricultural problems and solutions through a more regenerative lens.A quick bio on John: John Kempf is the founder of Advancing Eco Agriculture, a plant nutrition and biostimulants consulting company. A top expert in the field of biological and regenerative farming, John founded AEA in 2006 to help fellow farmers by providing the education, tools, and strategies that will have a global effect on the food supply and those who are growing that supply. John is the host of the Regenerative Agriculture Podcast, where he interviews top scientists and growers about the science and principles of implementing regenerative agriculture on a large scale.Through intense study and the knowledge gleaned from many industry leaders, John is building a comprehensive systems-based approach to plant nutrition - a system solidly based on the sciences of plant physiology, mineral nutrition, and soil microbiology. He has a unique ability to simplify and clearly explain very complex concepts in the areas of soil and plant health. He skillfully discusses the larger social and environmental impacts of food, agriculture, and ecology. John’s mission is to provide support to the world’s farmers and globally impact our food supply.

Put AI to work on your farm: https://farmwave.io/Paine Schwartz Partners: https://paineschwartz.com/Today’s episode features Kevin Schwartz of Paine Schwartz Partners. This is a really interesting look at the food and ag industry from a totally different perspective. Kevin and his team are investors, but they’re not trying to invest in early stage startups like a venture capitalist would, or into farmland like other investors might. They focus on companies that already have proven their product, but for one reason or another might be looking to sell or take on an investor.&nbsp;Paine Schwartz Partners focuses their investing in these companies into two general categories: productivity - which includes seed and other inputs and technologies that help farmers and ranchers produce more efficiently and profitably. You’ll hear Kevin use the word “upstream” a lot, and he means upstream in the value chain, so these types of companies/products and services. Then their second area of investing is further downstream into more food companies, specifically those associated with health and wellness.&nbsp;I enjoyed the chance to ask Kevin about the evolution of private equity investing in food and agriculture and their approach from investment thesis development to research and due diligence to value creation strategy to portfolio construction. We also talk about the rise of environmental, social and governance ortherwise known as ESG and impact investing as well as how interest rates impact these companies and PSP’s ability to carry out their strategies. A lot of interesting stuff here that I’m learning for the first time, so I love episodes like this.&nbsp;If you’re an ag nerd but not a finance nerd, there might be a few terms that are foreign to you. I won’t do a full glossary here, but I encourage you to pause and look them up if needed, but stay to the end, because I think there’s some real insight in this episode.A quick bio on Kevin before we dive in: Kevin Schwartz has been an investor in the food and agribusiness industry for more than two decades. Today he leads Paine Schwartz Partners as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner.&nbsp;Raised in the town of Moline on the border of Illinois and Iowa, his great grandparents were subsistence farmers in Iowa and his grandfathe, uncle and father all worked at John Deere.&nbsp;Kevin began his career at Goldman Sachs in the late-1990s, and then moved into private equity working for two organizations, Fremont Partners and American Industrial Partners, before coming to the firm which at that time was called Fox-Paine in 2001.

Put AI to work on your farm: https://farmwave.io/Farming Without The Bank: https://www.farmingwithoutthebank.com/"Becoming Your Own Banker" by R. Nelson NashFarming Without The Bank PodcastMary Jo Irmen is the author of the book Farming Without the Bank and a Infinite Banking Concept Practitioner who has set out to change how the farming industry is financed. She has helped farmers for 13 yrs see that there are financial solutions for them and the next generations. Mary Jo's mission is to take a 100 year old financial process and turn it around by making the bank plan B rather than plan A, give farmers back control, and allowing the next generation to take over without having to buy the farm from the bank with each generation.It’s important for me to note here, that I’m coming to this interview with a personal interest in this infinite banking concept. I’m not a farmer, but I see where it might be a good addition to my personal wealth-building strategy, and I also see where people who rely on banking even more than I do, like farmers, would benefit even more. That said, I’m not a financial or insurance expert. This is not advice. Please talk to an expert before making any financial decisions. This podcast is to try to better understand the infinite banking concept and the tools that go into building your own infinite bank.&nbsp;Let’s start with the 101 version. Here’s how I understand it: We all use banks - well most of us. We all have a general sense of how they make money - and we know they make that money from us. So let’s say for a minute that we see all the money that banks siphon from us through the course of our normal financial lives and we think,&nbsp; “wouldn’t it be nice if we could be our own bank and keep more of that money for ourselves?”&nbsp;You might think “sure that’s possible if you’re sitting on a big chunk of money that you can just borrow from and lend to, but what about the rest of us?”In the process of accumulating wealth maybe you have a 401k, maybe some real estate, but those aren’t assets designed to be used as a bank to borrow cash from whenever you need it and pay that money back whenever you can.&nbsp;However, there’s another type of asset that is better designed to be used as both a wealth-building tool and a bank. That asset is a certain type of whole life insurance through a dividend paying mutually owned life insurance company. If you’re first hearing about this, it may sound weird. It definitely has taken me a long time to try to get my head around this. But there are aspects of these policies that give you just the flexibility you need to become your own bank: making loans to yourself, repaying yourself, and still accumulating wealth over time. Our guest here has spent 13 years not only doing this, but helping others do the same. She even wrote the book about it, called Farming Without The Bank.&nbsp;This may be an episode you want to listen to multiple times to try to absorb. Or maybe you’re a lot quicker than me and you’ll get it the first time. There are other resources that we mention in the show and I link to in the show notes, most notably the book “Becoming Your Own Banker” by Nelson Nash, who created this concept.

Put AI to work on your farm: https://farmwave.io/Follow Farmwave and Craig on TwitterFoA 237: Use Cases for Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture with Craig Ganssle of Farmwave: https://futureofagriculture.com/episode/foa-237-use-cases-for-artificial-intelligence-in-agriculture-with-craig-ganssle-of-farmwaveToday's episode features Farmwave's harvest loss system, some broader perspective on artificial intelligence in agriculture, and how to build an agtech company that adds real value to farmer customers. Farmwave founder and CEO Craig Ganssle is my guest today. Craig first appeared on the show back in episode 237 in late 2020, where we talked a lot about Craig’s military and technology background and how he has applied it in agriculture. Today, we focus on creating real value for farmer customers, the role of artificial intelligence, and the journey of a successful agtech entrepreneur. If you’re still a little fuzzy on what Farmwave does, the most succinct way to sum it up is to say that they’ve built an autonomous harvest loss system that uses cameras and vision based AI to detect harvest loss in real time and deliver those results in the cab in real time without ever having to stop. Craig first discovered artificial intelligence while serving in the United States Marine Corps as an intelligence communications operator with the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). He was later honorably discharged in 2001 for medical reasons. Craig then spent 15 years as a senior engineer with Verizon Wireless prior to founding Farmwave.Craig is so open about his journey and the lessons he has learned along the way, so all of you who are trying to build or operate a business in agriculture will be able to pull something valuable from this episode.

Soy Checkoff: https://www.unitedsoybean.org/"The Alchemy of Air" by Thomas HagerFoA 325: Electrified and Distributed Fertilizer Production with Nico Pinkowski of NitricityFoA 337: Synthetic biology for nature-based and data-driven farming with Travis Bayer and Adam Litle of Sound AgricultureFoA 348: Investing in the Future of Fertilizer with Sarah Nolet of Tenacious VenturesFoA 370: [History of Agriculture] William J Morse, the Father of the US Soybean IndustryWe learned in elementary school that soil, water and sunlight were what plants needed to survive. But for us to produce not just plants, but also food; food for billions of people, many of which live far away from the farm….we need fertilizer. Especially nitrogen. Lots and lots of nitrogen.&nbsp;Crops need other nutrients as well, but none are more essential than nitrogen. Before the 1900s, that nitrogen mostly came from manure or compost, or the very slow process of microbes that are able to fix small quantities of nitrogen from the air.&nbsp;And that last point, the fact that nitrogen is all around us in the air, was the basis for what is likely the greatest agricultural technology in history: the Haber-Bosch process, which involved the discovery and commercialization of how to convert atmospheric nitrogen in the air into the building block of modern agriculture: fixed nitrogen.&nbsp;The Haber-Bosch process, commercialized in the early 1900s is still where we get our nitrogen fertilizer today, for the most part. It’s estimated that without this process, 2-3 billion of the world’s population, about 40% would starve to death. If that doesn’t hit home hard enough, it’s also estimated that about half of the nitrogen in your body derived from a Haber-Bosch facility.&nbsp;Listen to this short excerpt from Alchemy of Air by Thomas Hager, which is the book that much of today’s episode is based on. Hager says: “While the population nearly quadrupled during the 20th century, food production, thanks first to HB, second to improved genetic strains of rice and wheat, increased nearly seven fold. That is the simple math behind today’s era of plenty”

Soy Checkoff: https://www.unitedsoybean.org/Claire Taylor: https://www.nuffieldscholar.org/scholars/2023/claire-taylorClaire Taylor grew up on a small beef farm on the west coast of Scotland and went on to study Politics and International Relations at Edinburgh University. She is a passionate storyteller and writer, with almost a decade of experience working with the BBC and the Scottish Farmer – first as a reporter and later as political editor.Claire and I discuss her current pursuit: to travel the world in order to understand what she calls the anti-farming agenda, and learn what it means to have productive and honest conversations about the future of farming. Be sure to stick around to the end of today’s episode for a spotlight segment with Ohio farmer and United Soybean Board vice chair Steve Reinhard. What do you think? Do you think there really is an anti-farming agenda out there? And if so, what needs to be done to turn the tide on that? I’m always glad to hear from you either on Twitter or the contact form on the website.

Soy Checkoff: https://www.unitedsoybean.org/Fractal Agriculture: https://fractal.ag/Ben Gordon is the founder and CEO of Fractal Agriculture, a passive farmland investment partner that invests alongside farmers rather than competing against them for land. After serving as an Infantry Officer in the U.S. Army, Ben worked in ag tech, management consulting, and private equity due diligence before his most recent role leading Corteva Agriscience’s carbon program.&nbsp;Kyle Mehmen is a partner at MBS Family Farms, a successful family-owned, family-operated corn and soybean operation in Plainfield, Iowa. Kyle and his family are ardent stewards of their land, leaning into sustainability balanced with profitability.I’ve had the opportunity to interact with both Ben and Kyle in different capacities throughout the years. I worked with Ben’s team at Corteva to host some webinars last year on soil health, and Kyle was featured on this show as part of our Farm Data series with INTENT back on episode 226. So it was fun to reconnect with both of them.&nbsp;This is a fascinating concept though, so whether you’re a farmer, investor, or someone just generally curious about the future of agriculture, I think you’re really going to find this one interesting. We’ll kick things off by getting right the point about what Fractal is doing, having Ben explain the thought process behind the business, then having Kyle share why he’s excited about the potential here for his farming operation.&nbsp;

Soy Checkoff: https://www.unitedsoybean.org/Soy Innovation Challenge: https://www.thesoychallengelive.com/Farmer Coach: https://farmercoach.ca/Maverick Ag: https://maverickag.com/Hebert Grain Ventures: https://hebertgrainventures.com/FoA 302: Farm Business Strategy with Kristjan HebertFoA 303: Implementing a Farm Operating System with Kristjan HebertEvan Shout is the president and co-founder of Maverick Ag, a business consulting and risk management firm in Western Canada. He also sits as president, co-founder, and lead coach at Farmer Coach, an education and coaching program for primary producers in both Canada and the US. These organizations fall under the Hebert Group of Companies, which also includes Hebert Grain Ventures, a 30,000-acre grain and oilseed operation in southeast Saskatchewan, where Evan sits as Chief Financial Officer.I had the privilege of hosting Evan’s business partner, Kristjan Hebert on the show last year back in episodes 302 &amp; 303. Those were very popular episodes about farm strategy and farm operating systems. We follow that up with today’s episode with Evan Shout about the entrepreneurial mindset and how apply that mindset to running a modern farm business.&nbsp;Spotlight Segment: Mac Marshall is the vice president of market intelligence for the United Soybean Board, where his job as part of the strategy team is to best position farmer leaders and directors to have the best information for making strategic decisions that are going to determine the fate of the soybean industry for years to come.&nbsp;He studied economics as an undergrad, and started his career with the US Bureau of Labor Statistics where he covered livestock, meat, cotton and consumer packaged goods. This background in economics and commodities analysis led to a job with Monsanto in corporate strategy then government relations before he joined the soybean board in 2020.&nbsp;He says strategic decisions from the farmer-led board have had major impacts on soybean farmers for decades, and shares some of the actions they are taking today to make sure the commodity continues to enjoy its demand and distribution for years to come. One example, he says, is the use of soy in renewable diesel.&nbsp;

Soy Checkoff: https://www.unitedsoybean.org/More About Jim Rogers: https://www.jimrogers.com/Today’s episode features Jim Rogers. I will first admit that this episode is pretty selfish. I found Jim’s books, particularly “Investment Biker” “Adventure Capitalist” and “Hot Commodities” in college when I was trying to figure out where my interests were and where I might like to start my career. I already had an interest in agriculture, international travel, and investing, so they had a huge impact on me. In fact, I decided to start my career in commodities in no small part because of his writing. So, when I had the chance to interview him on his thoughts about the world generally, I jumped at it. This one might be a bit different from our normal content because Jim is looking at broader economic and geopolitical drivers from an investor perspective and not so much as a “ag person” but I think his perspective is extremely valuable. The other reason this one might be a little bit different is I couldn’t help but become starstruck by him. He really had that big of an impact on me at a formative age.&nbsp;If you weren’t a wannabe investment geek in college like I was, let me give you some biographical background.&nbsp;Jim Rogers, a native of Demopolis, Alabama, is an author, financial commentator and successful international investor. After attending Yale and Oxford University, Rogers co-founded the Quantum Fund, a global-investment partnership. During the next 10 years, the portfolio gained 4200%, while the S&amp;P rose less than 50%. Rogers then decided to retire – at age 37. Continuing to manage his own portfolio, Rogers kept busy serving as a full professor of finance at Columbia University Graduate School of Business, and, in 1989 and 1990, as the moderator of WCBS’s ‘The Dreyfus Roundtable’ and FNN’s ‘The Profit Motive with Jim Rogers’.From 1990-92, Jim Rogers fulfilled his lifelong dream: motorcycling 100,000 miles across six continents, a feat that landed him in the Guinness Book of World Records. As a private investor, he constantly analysed the countries through which he travelled for investment ideas. He chronicled his one-of-a-kind journey in “Investment Biker: On the Road with Jim Rogers”. Rogers also embarked on a Millennium Adventure in 1999. He travelled for 3 years on his round-the-world, Guinness World Record journey. It was his 3rd Guinness Record. Passing through 116 countries, he covered more than 245,000 kilometres, which he recounted in his book “Adventure Capitalist: The Ultimate Road Trip”. His book, “Hot Commodities: How Anyone Can Invest Profitably In The World’s Best Market”, was published in 2004. Another of his books “A Bull in China” describes his experiences in China as well as the changes and opportunities there.

Soy Checkoff: https://www.unitedsoybean.org/Prime Future Newsletter: https://primefuture.substack.com/Leachman Cattle of Colorado: https://leachman.com/URUS: https://www.urus.org/In agriculture, we have exponentially more examples of people collecting data than we do of people using data to unlock real value supported by real dollars. Cattle genetics company Leachman Cattle is one of those few who demonstrated the ability to do just that. "You know, we kinda had set our own course to analyze our own data, to gather our own data to store it. And that's just been part of our model. It certainly wouldn't have been the cheapest route to go. But if you go the cheapest route, which is you put your data in a breed association, then we wouldn't have had any proprietary data or indexes. And I think it is that information and the way we use that information that. That led to the opportunity that we had to do business with URUS."That’s Lee Leachman, and Uris, who he mentioned there at the end, just agreed to acquire a majority stake in Leachman Cattle to take these proven proprietary genetics and build programs around them that optimize the entire value chain. "We want to build systems that capture value for dairy farmers and beef cattle ranchers that bring more money back to the farm. And to do that, we've gotta optimize these animals from conception to consumption, and we've gotta have enough structure to pass the value back."Lee Leachman chats with Janette Barnard on today’s Future of Agriculture podcast. Lee’s going to share more about his background and his company during the conversation, but I actually wasn’t a part of this one. This interview was conducted by my good friend and occasional co-host on this show, Janette Barnard. Long time listeners know Janette from previous episodes that she has co-hosted with me, and I hope you all are subscribers to her email newsletter, which is called Prime Future, which you can signup for at primefuture.substack.com.

Soy Checkoff: https://www.unitedsoybean.org/Canopy Farm Management: https://canopyfm.com/Savanna Institute: https://www.savannainstitute.org/Kevin Wolz and I talk about the fundamentals of agroforestry, their potential in the midwest, what these systems look like, and the barriers and opportunities to agroforestry becoming a bigger part of the future of agriculture, especially in the midwest where Kevin is focused.&nbsp;In 2013, Kevin co-founded the Savanna Institute, a non-profit organization dedicated to developing and promoting perennial and tree-based regenerative agriculture systems. Under Kevin’s leadership, the Institute quickly gained recognition for its transformative research, education, outreach, and breeding efforts.Kevin is also the CEO of Canopy Farm Management. He is leading that company to drive innovation in tree establishment and management via a mobile fleet of state-of-the-art farm equipment, appropriate automation, and holistic strategies for tree-crop integration.&nbsp;Make sure you stay tuned to the end of today’s episode for a spotlight segment featuring Michigan farmer Laurie Isley. She shares some of the cool conservation practices they are adopting and some of the initiatives she’s a part of as a director for the United Soybean Board. Thanks so much to the soy checkoff for supporting the Future of Agriculture podcast.

Soy Checkoff: https://www.unitedsoybean.org/Dr. Paige Stanley's website: https://paige-stanley.com/FoA 222: Digging Deeper Into Regenerative Agriculture with Paige Stanley: https://future-of-agriculture.captivate.fm/episode/foa-222-digging-deeper-into-regenerative-agriculture-with-paige-stanleyMetrics, Management, and Monitoring (3M) Project: https://www.noble.org/3m/Dr. Paige Stanely is an interdisciplinary scientist working to understand how grazing management can sequester carbon in soils to help mitigate climate change and build more resilient rangeland ecosystems. She draws on a wide range of disciplines including soil biogeochemistry, grazing and rangeland ecology, agroecology, rancher sociology, and political ecology to approach research questions holistically. Paige is particularly interested in the use of “regenerative grazing” (or adaptive multi-paddock grazing) by ranchers on rangelands -- a form of high-intensity, short duration grazing with potential for increasing soil C sequestration.We really have a great and wide ranging conversation here about regenerative agriculture, from the challenges of carbon measurement to grazing management to carbon nitrogen ratio dynamics to producer economics to rancher sociology and beyond. Really a lot of fun to talk to Paige again. Speaking of which I should mention that this is her second appearance on the show. Her first episode, which also happens to rank up there as one of my favorite episodes, was number 222, back almost three years ago in September of 2020. In fact that’s a great one to go back and listen to after you finish this one, it’s titled “Digging Deeper into Regenerative Agriculture”.&nbsp;We’ll kick off today’s episode with Paige recapping what led her into the long process of understanding what it takes to properly sample, analyze, and measure soil carbon sequestration. I think this is really relevant to the current discussion which seems to take for granted, how difficult it is to get this right with a high level of accuracy.

Soy Checkoff: https://www.unitedsoybean.org/Sustain-A-Grain: https://www.sustainagrain.com/The Land Institute: https://landinstitute.org/Today’s episode features Peter Miller and Brandon Schlautman, Ph.D. of Sustain-A-Grain. Sustain-A-Grain has a two-part mission: to introduce consumers to Kernza® perennial grain and to support family farms in growing Kernza®. The team has been growing Kernza® themselves for nearly 5 years in close collaboration with The Land Institute—where Kernza® was first developed. They are certified seed dealers, handlers, and growers, and they work with dozens of farmers across the Great Plains to grow and market their grain. They also work with food companies, restaurants, breweries, and distilleries to source high-quality Kernza®.&nbsp;This is an interesting episode about the potential for perennial grains, and what it takes to commercialize a brand new crop. The problems are different that what you would expect. For example, Kernza® has received a ton of press and excitement from some pretty big end users, which sounds like a great thing, and ultimately it is. But Peter and Brandon have to find ways to build the supply chain in a way that buyers remain happy, farmers remain profitable, and supply and demand can grow together at a sustainable pace. No easy task. We’ll talk about the research and breeding efforts that continue to go into the crop and what this means for farmers, food companies, and the future of agriculture.&nbsp;Peter Miller, CEO &amp; Co-founder, has global agribusiness experience and previously worked in three early-stage startups, including helping to launch FarmLead’s online grain marketplace. Peter has over 10 years of operations and private equity experience in the ag industry. He holds an MBA from University of Illinois.Dr. Brandon Schlautman, Chief Science Officer &amp; Co-founder, is a crop scientist who previously led cranberry breeding and domestication efforts at University of Wisconsin and perennialization of edible legumes at The Land Institute. Brandon serves as the Research Director for a $10M National Institute of Food and Agriculture grant for perennial cover crops and holds a Ph.D. from University of Wisconsin.We begin the conversation with Brandon talking about where this all started, the place where Kernza® has been developed over the past 20 years: at The Land Institute.&nbsp;

Soy Checkoff: https://www.unitedsoybean.org/Perry Agricultural Laboratory: http://www.perryaglab.com/FoA 370: [History of Agriculture] William J Morse, the Father of the US Soybean IndustryJoining me today is the Chair of the United Soybean Board, Meagan Kaiser. Meagan has an impressive background growing up in agriculture and pursuing a degree in Soil Science from the University of Missouri. This set her up to join her family’s soil laboratory business, Perry Agricultural Laboratory which has been around for forty years based in Northeast Missouri. She is now a soil scientist and the chief operating officer for that business, and at the same time she farms with her husband, Mark, on the other side of the state in northwest Missouri. We will certainly talk about soil and about farming in today’s episode, but she’s here in another capacity, as the chair of the United Soybean Board, where she leads a group of 77 farmers who share one goal: to increase return on investment for US soybean farmers.&nbsp;It was a treat to talk to Meagan about the role of the soy checkoff and some of their many approaches to creating value for farmers: from infrastructure to biofuels to health and nutrition to innovation and technology.&nbsp;

Soy Checkoff: https://www.unitedsoybean.org/FieldClock: https://www.fieldclock.com/Sometimes in agtech we get a little too focused on solutions that are still years away from reaching widespread adoption, and overlook providing practical solutions for today’s problems on the farm.&nbsp;Joshua Farray is the CEO of FieldClock which helps track and manage farm labor. They’re a great example that ag technology doesn’t have to mean big venture capital bets on a world that’s drastically different than it is today.&nbsp;Through their customer-focused approach, FieldClock has remained laser-focused on helping farmers and farmworkers with very practical tasks like clocking in and out, getting paid properly for piecework, and keeping compliant with labor regulations. Joshua has a family history in the produce trade, and that’s also where he started his career. But int 2011 he decided to get into tech, and helped a lot of people in his network modernize their business through technology. His network was mostly made up of farmers and people in agriculture, and he eventually started building the product that would become FieldClock along with his co-founders which included farmers in Washington State. Joshua started off as CTO of the company and took over as CEO about a year ago.&nbsp;I appreciate FieldClock’s customer-centric approach and relentless focus on challenges related to managing labor. I hope you’ll find the product and the conversation as interesting as I did.

Soy Checkoff: https://www.unitedsoybean.org/Alexandre Family Farm: https://alexandrefamilyfarm.com/The Business of Food Newsletter: https://jenniferbarney.substack.com/Today's episode features Blake Alexandre of Alexandre Family Farm. Blake is based in Crescent City, California on the far north coast of California. He and his wife Stephanie have been dairying there for over 31 years, and has raised five children who have started coming back to the family operation full time. They have been an organic dairy for about 25 of those 31 years, and in 2017 they started selling dairy products under their own brand, which is Alexandre Family Farm. There’s a whole lot more to the story, but he tells it much better than I do.&nbsp;This story was put together by my guest co-host for today’s episode, Jennifer Barney. As you might recall from previous episodes, Jennifer is a consumer-packaged goods (CPG) expert who lives in the Central Valley of California and got her start in the food industry 16 years ago when she founded the almond butter brand Barney Butter. She also writes a great weekly newsletter called The Business of Food that you should subscribe to. I’ll leave a link for that in the show notes.&nbsp;We covered so much in our conversation, that I thought the best way to share it with you and still come somewhat close to our normal format was to share highlights, so I’ll be popping in throughout today’s episode to narrate around some of the thought-provoking points Blake made about what they’re doing and his views on the future of agriculture. Starting with some backstory on the farm and the business.

Soy Checkoff: https://www.unitedsoybean.org/Soy Info Center: https://www.soyinfocenter.com/Studying the past is one of the most important activities for not only gaining perspective on the current state of the industry, but also to zoom out and get a better vantage point on where things may go from here, and what factors may drive it in that direction. That’s why, perhaps ironically, studying the history of agriculture is essential for a podcast that claims to be about the future of agriculture. Plus, I think most of you are just a little bit nerdy about agriculture like I am and enjoy knowing more about its history.One of the things that has held me back from ever trying one of these episodes is that I worried it could very easily become a boring lecture of random facts and names and dates that didn’t really provide the real context I was hoping to provide. So I wondered, “what is the FoA approach to learning more about the history of agriculture?” And I came up with this: I’ll focus on a specific person who I wish I could go back to that time and interview. Then hopefully that individual’s story can provide insights and context into the time in a relatable way, and allow us to connect those experiences to our current situations.&nbsp;Keep in mind that this is an experiment, so if you like it or if you don’t like it, I’d sure like to know either way. I think you know where to find me by now, but tim@aggrad.com is probably the easiest to remember.&nbsp;All right, let’s get into it. Today’s guest that I wish I could interview if he were still alive today is William J Morse, considered by many to be the father of the U.S. soybean industry. When William graduated from Cornell with a bachelor’s of science in agriculture in 1907 he started his job two days later at the age of 24 with the US Department of Agriculture He was hired as an Agrostologist. That’s a term I don’t think is used too much any more, but agrostology is the study of grasses. Which is a little odd because he would end up studying soybeans, not a grass at all. Whether he knew it or not, but soybeans would be his focus for his entire 42 year career, all at USDA. What’s incredible is during that time, the U.S. soybean industry would grow from an obscure forage crop sparsely grown in parts of the southeast to one of the top three most important cash crops in the country, grown on over 11M acres. Now today that number is over 80 million acres, but the meteoric rise of the soybean during William Morse’s life was just incredible. I try to think of something like that happening today. Think about hemp that had all of that hype, and I think it’s grow today on something like 7k acres in the US, I mean almost nothing. But in one man’s career he saw the birth and growth of a major industry that is one of the most important crops in American agriculture today. How did this happen? What were the catalysts for this growth? What lessons can we pull from this for today’s agriculture and the agriculture we want to see in the future?&nbsp;

Find out how Calgary is leading the agribusiness revolution: www.CalgaryAgbusiness.comINTENT: https://intent.ag/Randy Barker is the CEO of INTENT, an Agricultural Company focused on the use of technology to accelerate new innovations in agriculture. Randy is the co-founder of the business which draws on his vast global experience in launching agricultural technologies in over 30 countries over the past 25 years. INTENT serves a wide range of customers from startups to multinationals in their quest to improve adoption using data science &amp; digital technologies.Long time listeners might recall hearing previous episodes with Randy and others from INTENT here on this show. They started the company around the same time this podcast started I believe, and we’ve always been really aligned in the mission to try to accelerate innovation, so it has been really cool to watch their development. Today, Randy gives an update on the company as they’ve evolved from managing farmer trials to offering a suite of digital solutions to customers and adding sustainability measurement and monitoring to their list of services. We also get a little bit into their approach to artificial intelligence, some of the continued challenges with on-farm data collection, and the importance of providing not only accurate data, but relevant context.&nbsp;Randy began his career in Canada for the largest network of ag input retailers in progressively senior roles, ultimately as Director of Crop Protection. He then joined Monsanto Canada as Vice President of Crop Protection serving agriculture, forestry and industrial businesses. Randy relocated to Monsanto’s global headquarters in St. Louis taking on various senior leadership roles with global responsibility.&nbsp;

Find out how Calgary is leading the agribusiness revolution: www.CalgaryAgbusiness.comCorteva Agriscience: https://www.corteva.com/Replenish Nutrients: https://replenishnutrients.com/Today’s episode features Brian Lutz. Brian leads the Farming Solutions &amp; Digital sub-function within the Research &amp; Development organization for Corteva Agriscience.&nbsp; In his role, Brian is responsible for the development of digital solutions that support the R&amp;D pipeline and enable Corteva’s business.&nbsp; Brian joined Corteva in 2021 in the Portfolio Strategy Program Management role and continues to contribute to the company’s long-term strategic planning.Brian and I talk about the role of digital tools in the future of agriculture. No, not another app or piece of software farmers are expected to use, but how a company like Corteva can leverage these tools internally to produce superior products and outcomes for farmers. Through this discussion we cover a variety of important topics, such as farmer data, biologicals, artificial intelligence, and more.&nbsp;Prior to starting at Corteva, Brian was Chief Science Officer at The Climate Corporation, and was also a member of Bayer Crop Science’s R&amp;D Leadership Team.&nbsp;Brian was raised on a fourth-generation corn and soybean farm in Ohio and remains closely connected to his family’s farming operation. Make sure you stay tuned to the end of today’s episode for a spotlight of Replenish Nutrients which is based in the Calgary area with their CEO Neil Weins.

Find out how Calgary is leading the agribusiness revolution: www.CalgaryAgbusiness.comAgGateway: https://aggateway.org/Today’s episode features Jeremy Wilson of AgGateway. Jeremy has been a passionate advocate and catalyst for digital connectivity throughout his professional agriculture career, working within organizations serving farmers including crop insurance, data collection and analysis, systems development, and field agronomy as a consultant for three decades. Leading up to his current role at AgGateway, Wilson was a highly active participant for more than a decade on some of the organization’s most important connectivity projects and volunteer leadership roles, including chairman of the Precision Ag Council and the SPADE project. He also served as chairman of AgGateway’s Board of Directors. Jeremy says his other real passion outside of ag data is farming, and he continues to operate the 800-acre family grain farm he was raised on near Olney, IL.&nbsp;Helpful to know before we dive in is a little bit more about AgGateway. To try to sum it up, AgGateway is a global, non-profit organization whose members develop standards and other resources so that companies can rapidly access information. They bring the industry together to strive towards:Cost savings from more efficient business processesInventory management/traceabilityInteroperability in field operationsAbility to leverage data to increase profitability and sustainabilityThey provide a unique, global forum across industry sectors, so that companies can meet to solve digital challenges for agriculture and related industries. The 200 member companies that make up the organization include ag retailers, distributors, manufacturers (equipment, seed, crop nutrition, crop protection, etc.), grain and feed companies, precision ag providers, specialty chemical manufacturers, and software and data service providers.So this is important work that could have a real impact on the future of agriculture, and I’m excited to dive deeper into this with Jeremy.

Find out how Calgary is leading the agribusiness revolution: www.CalgaryAgbusiness.comSubscribe to Ag Data News: https://agdatanews.substack.com/Aaron Smith Website: https://asmith.ucdavis.edu/Ag Data: Where Do I Find It?: https://asmith.ucdavis.edu/data/ag-data-where-do-i-find-itThe Artificial Intelligence Institute for Next Generation Food Systems: https://aifs.ucdavis.edu/Alberta Veterinary Laboratories / Solvet: https://solvet.ca/today’s episode features Dr. Aaron Smith. Aaron’s newsletter, which I highly recommend, covers a wide range of food and ag topics, so fittingly, we cover several in today’s episode as well. I have learned a lot from reading Aaron’s work, and I appreciate his approach as a data-driven teacher and communicator. Certainly part of my motivation to get him on the show was selfish, because this is an area I want to improve in as well. I’m only half-joking when I say it’s selfish, because I do think this is an area all of us will benefit from improving in.&nbsp;Aaron and I discuss increasing the accessibility of ag data, some basic research skills, his approach to ag data news, and how the data has informed some of his thoughts on topics ranging from biofuels to carbon sequestration to pineapple production and beyond.&nbsp;Some more about Aaron: he is the DeLoach Professor of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of California, Davis, where he has been since 2001. Originally from New Zealand, he earned his PhD in Economics from the University of California, San Diego. His research addresses policy, trading and price dynamics in agricultural, energy, and financial markets. He has over 50 publications in refereed journals, and he has been recognized with a multitude of awards and achievements which I won’t list here, but trust me it is impressive.. Aaron is also the cluster lead for socioeconomics and ethics in the AI Institute for the Food System (AIFS) and a co-director of the Center for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence Research (CeDAR).Make sure you stay tuned to the end of today’s episode for a spotlight of Calgary-based Alberta Veterinary Laboratories / Solvet with their CEO Lionel Gibbs.

Find out how Calgary is leading the agribusiness revolution: www.CalgaryAgbusiness.comSoiltech Wireless: https://www.soiltechwireless.com/Today’s episode features Soiltech Wireless founder and CEO Ehsan Soltan. To try to summarize, Soiltech Wireless builds sensors and platforms that helps farmers and downstream partners produce more with less by optimizing inputs, organizing manpower, and collecting data from the farm and beyond more seamlessly. Ok, what does that mean? Their flagship product is a small round device that appears indestructible - that’s my claim not their’s - but it’s meant to either be buried in soil or to be placed anywhere else that the data it collects can be useful such as a developing crop or a warehoused harvest. Soiltech has its own app for cell phones and tablets and its own web browser application for farmers to interact with the data, but they and have also integrated with other parties as well to make sure customers can access the data wherever makes the most sense for themI really enjoyed this interview in which Ehsan will share about the technology and the company, how they’ve relied on early farmer customers to really guide the development of the product and even become early investors, and some of his thoughts on agtech more generally. Coincidentally, I found out after reaching out to him for an interview that he and I live in the same town, so that was kind of a cool connection as well.&nbsp;Before Soiltech, Ehsan was living Taiwan and working in the telecommunications device manufacturing industry. But his wife was from Southern Idaho and her mother works for a potato packing house, so she was really the genesis for the whole venture to get started and off the ground.Special thanks to Jim Cupples for the guest recommendation.

Find out how Calgary is leading the agribusiness revolution: www.CalgaryAgbusiness.comTrusted Advisor Partnership: https://trustedadvisorpartnership.com/General Mills' regenerative agriculture commitment: https://www.generalmills.com/how-we-make-it/healthier-planet/environmental-impact/regenerative-agriculture"Trusted Advisor Partnership with Dr. Abbey Wick" on Soil Sense: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/soilsense/episodes/Trusted-Advisor-Partnership-with-Abbey-Wick--Ph-D-e1virlc/a-a9dbsgs"Soil to Cereal with Dr. Steve Rosenzweig of General Mills" on Soil Sense: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/soilsense/episodes/Soil-to-Cereal-with-Dr--Steve-Rosenzweig-of-General-Mills-e20191k/a-a9evon2Today’s episode features soil scientists Dr. Steve Rosenzweig of General Mills and Dr. Abbey Wick of North Dakota State University. There’s been plenty in the media and even on this show about the idea of paying farmers for carbon sequestration and other ecosystem services. But what often gets lost in the conversation is how do changes in practices like reducing tillage, planting cover crops, integrating livestock, etc. actually happen? I mean there’s a lot of risk involved. In some cases there is new equipment that needs to be purchased, new techniques to develop, new thought processes to exercise and new expertise needed. Sure, financial incentives can help with this, but what’s equally important are collaborators, supporters and trusted advisors.&nbsp;That’s what today’s show is all about. We’ll start out by talking to Dr. Steve Rosenzweig about General Mills interest in soil health. Where that’s coming from, what it means to their business and what led them to programs like the Trusted Advisor Partnership in North Dakota. Then we’ll talk to Dr. Abbey Wick who is an associate professor and soil health extension specialist at North Dakota State University about this Trusted Advisor Partnership program, how it works, and why its important. Then we’ll wrap things up with both Abbey and Steve to discuss why it’s important for food companies to collaborate in this way.&nbsp;Both of these interviews were originally conducted for the Soil Sense podcast, which I co-host with Abbey. If this stuff interests you, I highly recommend you check that show out. The full interviews for the audio you’re about to hear can be found as episodes one and two of the current Soil Sense season.&nbsp;

Find out how Calgary is leading the agribusiness revolution: www.CalgaryAgbusiness.comFyto: https://www.fyto.us/It’s not every day that we get to feature a promising new crop on this show. Especially one uniquely suited to convert dairy manure into a high quality protein-rich and palatable feed.&nbsp;Jason Prapas is the founder and CEO of Fyto, which is pioneering the commercial production of aquatic plants that are not only nutritious for animal feed, but also highly productive.&nbsp;But to truly make their mark on agriculture, Fyto will need to scale. Are aquatic plants the answer for converting waste into animal feed? Fyto’s Jason Prapas has the answer on today’s Future of Agriculture podcast.&nbsp;Jason and I are going to discuss the systems they are developing to commercially grow aquatic plants. Now, we are not talking about algae here. As Jason will explain, their focus right now is growing a very small plant that’s commonly referred to as duckweed. Fyto is in the process of setting up their systems on dairy farms to grow this crop in the effluent from the cows and have it immediately readily available as a high protein feed.&nbsp;He’ll explain what makes these types of plants so important and promising for the future of agriculture. I learned a ton in this episode, and I think you might learn a thing or two as well. It’s super interesting.&nbsp;Jason has a PhD in Mechanical Engineering and Prior to Fyto, he was the Director of Translational Research at the MIT Tata Center for Technology and Design. There, he led the Center’s efforts to select, shape, and position projects for large scale deployment, and helped develop 8 spinout companies in 18-months across the energy, health, agriculture, and water sectors. He was also an instructor of entrepreneurship courses at MIT Sloan School of Management.&nbsp;Prior to that role at MIT, Jason was the Co-Founder and CTO of Factor[e] Ventures, a venture development and investment firm.Years ago he also worked as Process Engineer for the world's first algae-to-biofuel company, GreenFuel Technologies.&nbsp;

Find out how Calgary is leading the agribusiness revolution: www.CalgaryAgbusiness.comFeedlot Health by TELUS Agriculture and Consumer Goods: https://www.feedlothealth.comTELUS Agriculture and Consumer Goods: https://www.telus.com/agcg Over the past five years or so, a Canadian telecommunications company has established themselves as a major player in agtech. Telus Agriculture has acquired a number of agricultural technology companies including Feedlot Health Management Services.&nbsp;Tye Perrett is the general manager of services and pharmaceutical supply at what is now Feedlot Health by Telus Agriculture and Consumer Goods. They are one piece of an overall strategy to optimize the food value chain through connected data from farm to fork.&nbsp;This is an ambitious vision, but Telus likely has the resources and patience to see it come to fruition.&nbsp;&nbsp;Tye and I will talk about Feedlot Health specifically, both before and after the acquisition by Telus. We’ll also learn a little bit more about Telus’ overall approach to ag data. And we’ll get some of Tye’s thoughts on data, artificial intelligence, and the future of agtech.&nbsp;This a bit of a shorter episode because it was originally intended to be a 5-7 minute spotlight. But when it came down to it, I thought it would be worthwhile to share the whole thing, so I hope you enjoy.&nbsp;Dr. Tye Perrett is a veterinarian by training who joined Feedlot Health in 2004, where he currently manages the administrative and consultant teams.

Find out how Calgary is leading the agribusiness revolution: www.CalgaryAgbusiness.comNorm: https://www.fbn.com/norm Farmers Business Network: https://www.fbn.com/Today's episode features Kit Barron and Charles Baron of Farmers Business Network. However, today's episode is not about Kit or Charles as much as it is about Norm, FBN's AI-powered Ag advisor tool that they launched just weeks ago, but already has me fascinated about the potential impact on the future of agriculture. Charles has been on the podcast before, but it was clear back on episode 75, which aired in October of 2017. In that episode he provided a lot of the basics of Farmers Business Network which was founded in 2014, and is best known as a farmer-to-farmer network and e-commerce platform.&nbsp;Kit Barron has worked with farm data for a very long time with familiar names such as The Climate Corporation and FarmTogether. He now serves as the Head of Data Science and Analytics for FBN.&nbsp;Charles, Kit and I talk a lot about Norm, the potential for artificial intelligence to provide useful advice for farmers, and what this means for agtech in the future. Like do we need API’s for example as data pipelines if we can train AI’s to go get the data we need. It really presents a lot of interesting questions about the future of agriculture. Questions Norm and others will someday be able to answer.&nbsp;Be sure to stick around for the end of today’s episode where you’ll hear Kit, Charles and I come up with the idea to have Norm write a script for a potential intro to this podcast episode, then I give that script to another AI tool called Descript which generates an audio of that script in my voice. I’ll be honest it’s a little spooky what’s possible, so stay tuned for that.&nbsp;To kick things off though, Charles is going to provide a little catch up since our last interview nearly six years ago. Then you’ll hear Kit’s voice describing more about Norm specifically.&nbsp;

Find out how Calgary is leading the agribusiness revolution: www.CalgaryAgbusiness.comBibamba: https://bibamba.com/ The Business of Food Newsletter: https://jenniferbarney.substack.com/  Mara and Patrick Tcheunou live in Denver, Colorado. In 2015, they decided to buy a farm in Cameroon where Patrick is originally from to grow cacao.Their first harvest was ready to go in 2020 - the year the pandemic started and the world changed. Circumstances pushed Mara and Patrick into creating their own unique single-source product line of premium chocolates, which they branded Bibamba. So how did they overcome all of the many challenges of creating this full value chain from scratch? And what are the pros and cons of living in the US while operating a farm in a country like Cameroon? The fascinating story of a young chocolate company on today's future of agriculture podcast.

Find out how Calgary is leading the agribusiness revolution: www.CalgaryAgbusiness.comTruLeaf Sustainable Agriculture: https://www.truleaf.ca/ Goodleaf Farms: https://www.goodleaffarms.com/ Today’s episode features Jeff McKinnon of TruLeaf Sustainable Agriculture. Jeff and I have a really frank conversation about the current state of controlled environment agriculture. He holds nothing back in talking about the industry’s struggles, but also about why he is still more bullish than ever about what they’re doing to provide local, fresh, indoor-grown produce. He also has some interesting ideas about other products that might be uniquely suited for these growing systems, and some great insights into the current state of fundraising and venture capital.&nbsp;Some background on Jeff: he has been working in senior financial Leadership roles over the past 18 years within a variety of sectors including financial services, real estate, retail and food &amp; beverage.Jeff has always been active in the start-up to growth phase food &amp; agtech ecosystem in Canada but more recently has developed a passion for assisting these companies capitalize and execute their growth strategies.&nbsp; He is currently the SVP of TruLeaf Sustainable Agriculture, a Canadian based agriculture-technology company that uses technology to displace field-grown produce.&nbsp; In 2018, the company partnered with McCain Food Limited to develop and execute an international expansion strategy.&nbsp; During Jeff’s tenure at TruLeaf, he has served as CFO and SVP, leading the company through a number of significant financing rounds (both debt an equity) and has led corporate development and government relations.&nbsp;&nbsp;Under Jeff’s leadership, the company has completed farm builds in Nova Scotia, Ontario and has two significant projects underway in Quebec and Alberta. Jeff is also a General Partner in a carbon-tech venture fund.

Find out how Calgary is leading the agribusiness revolution: http://www.calgaryagbusiness.comEdgar's Feed and Seed: https://www.edgarsfeedandseed.ca/I know many of you are entrepreneurial. Maybe you’ve dreamed about starting a company. But there are many established companies that are looking for their next owner. In 2013, at the age of 23, Elliott and Rebecca Miller acquired Edgar’s Feed and Seed in Ontario, Canada. Through a good relationship with the previous owner, Elliott and Rebecca were able to utilize seller financing to buy the local ag retail company. Now after 10 years of ownership, they’ve been able to not only keep it afloat but to grow and expand.&nbsp;In 2013 at the age of 23, Elliott and Rebecca, purchased a business, got married, and bought a farm. That’s a busy year! The business they bought is Edgar’s Feed and Seed, which today offers retail products for livestock and agronomic services for a wide range of crops. They’ve also started carrying frozen meats, cheeses and other specialty pantry items from all over Ontario and Canada. They purchased the business from Niel Edgar, who was Elliott’s boss there at the time, and now works for the Millers as an employee of the company.&nbsp;Today’s episode will focus on their journey to acquiring a business at such a young age, making it work in the early years as they paid it off, and how they’ve grown it since. This is a pretty inspiring couple, and hopefully will help get your wheels turning about business opportunities in your local area.&nbsp;

Find out how Calgary is leading the agribusiness revolution: http://www.calgaryagbusiness.comElevate Agronomics: https://www.elevateagronomics.com/Today’s episode features Trent Kubik of Elevate Agronomics. In 2020, Trent and his brother Troy purchased a long-standing seed business in Winner, SD named Winner Seed.&nbsp; From this purchase, their new company Elevate Agronomics was born.&nbsp; Along with the robust offering of seed and seed cleaning that the business already had, they added on chemicals, starter fertilizers, livestock supplements, Precision Planting planter enhancements, as well as other misc agricultural products.&nbsp; Shortly after their acquisition, they took over operations of a similar business in a neighboring town and expanded their footprint which services out of two locations.&nbsp; Currently they sell products into 10 counties in South Dakota and Nebraska.You’re going to hear about what led to finding this business opportunity for them to acquire, how they lined up their financing, how they manage the financial and operational sides of the business, coping with the stress and workload of running your own business, growth/expansion opportunities, modernization through technology and efficiencies, hiring and retaining employees, and more.&nbsp;The audio is not our best work. Trent’s bluetooth headset wasn’t working, so we had to use the old office computer mic. But if you’ll forgive me for that, I promise the content is well worth your time.

Try Acres for Free: https://www.acres.co/FoA 334: Cybersecurity in Agribusiness with Mike Moore of Ever.AgFoA 310: Investment Models with Hannah Senior of Innovating AgtechFoA 351: Agritourism and Adding Value on the Farm with Allan RobinetteFoA 355: Tule Technologies Acquired by CropX with Tom Shapland and John GatesFoA 301: Funding Innovation for Agriculture, People, and Planet with Suma Reddy of Future AcresSeven business opportunity ideas i've been thinking about lately: Security: Data security, cybersecurity, farm/ranch/rural crime securityAcquiring small/medium sized ag-related businessesPremium produceFarmer feedback and on-farm validationSoftware/outsourcing of farm regulatory/compliance Commercialization of university tech transferVenture studio in partnership with established industryBonus: independent education/analysis/insights of farmland investments: platforms, REITs, syndicates, physical deals, etc.Plus, a spotlight segment featuring David Gorder!

Try Acres for free: https://www.acres.co/Tule Technologies: https://tule.ag/CropX: Today’s episode features Tom Shapland of Tule Technologies and John Gates of CropX. We have a great episode for you talking about Tule’s technology, Tom’s entrepreneurial journey, The decision on both sides for Cropx to acquire Tule, M&amp;A in agtech and integration lesson, and the future of artificial intelligence in agtech.&nbsp;Tom is the co-founder and CEO of Tule Technologies, which is now part of CropX. As a graduate student at UC Davis, Tom developed the underlying technology that Tule commercialized which is a way to measure water use of crop plants over a broad area. Specifically they measure actual crop evapotranspiration or ET and he’ll talk a lot more about that. He founded Tule in 2013 after finishing his PhD work in this area. He went out and started talking to customers and getting sales early, which you’ll find is an important part of his entrepreneurial journey. Him and his co-founder Jeff LaBarge went the Y Combinator program, which is our second episode this month with a YC alum.&nbsp;Joining us from CropX is senior vice president and global head of product John Gates. John also has a background in academia. He was a professor of Hydrology at University of Nebraska. He evenutally joined CropMetrics as their Chief Scientist and stayed on with CropX after they acquired CropMetrics a few years ago.&nbsp;You’ll hear from Tom first about Tule’s technology and trajectory, and then we’ll invite John in to talk about the acquisition and much much more.

Try Acres for free: https://www.acres.co/AGvisorPRO: https://getagvisorpro.com/Today’s episode features AGvisorPRO CEO Robert Saik. Rob is a well-known outspoken champion of agriculture, a Distinguished Agrologist, Professional Agriculture Consultant, and a veteran entrepreneur who has been on this show twice before in episodes 095 and 166.&nbsp;He has leveraged these strengths to found over 15 companies in the areas of Farming, Agri-Retail, Distribution, Media and Ag Tech. He was the founder and CEO of The Agri-Trend/Agri-Data Group of Companies which was acquired by Trimble.&nbsp; He also served as CEO of DOT Technology Corp (Autonomous Farming) through the acquisition of DOT Robotics by Raven Industries.Robert is the founder and CEO of award-winning AGvisorPRO, a technology platform that connects those seeking agriculture advice with trusted experts who can provide answers now. Rob describes AGvisorPRO as a connectivity ecosystem that combines elements of other tools like Uber, e-harmony, Twitter and FaceTime to connect seekers of agricultural knowledge with relevant experts.&nbsp;

Try Acres for free: https://www.acres.co/IFPA's Fresh Field Catalyst Accelerator: https://www.freshproduce.com/resources/technology/fresh-field-catalyst/"Taste is King" on the Fresh Takes on Tech podcast: https://www.freshproduce.com/resources/technology/takes-on-tech-podcast/episode-56-taste-is-king/"Locally Grown Through Vertical Farming on the Fresh Takes on Tech podcast: https://www.freshproduce.com/resources/technology/takes-on-tech-podcast/episode-59-locally-grown-through-vertical-farming/ "Traceability is Crucial to the World Produce Industry" on the Fresh Takes on Tech podcast: https://www.freshproduce.com/resources/technology/takes-on-tech-podcast/episode-55-traceability-is-crucial-to-the-world-produce-industry/"New Innovations are Improving All Aspects of Our Produce Supply Chain" on the Fresh Takes on Tech podcast: https://www.freshproduce.com/resources/technology/takes-on-tech-podcast/episode-68-live-from-the-global-show-2022-part-four/"The Future of Automation is in the Fields" on the Fresh Takes on Tech podcast: https://www.freshproduce.com/resources/technology/takes-on-tech-podcast/episode-57-the-future-of-automation--is-in-the-fields/ Today’s episode features Vonnie Estes, vice president of innovation at the International Fresh Produce Association or IFPA. You probably noticed in our opening segment more than just Vonnie’s voice. That’s because we will be playing clips of some of the entrepreneurs and mentors that participated in IFPA’s Fresh Field Catalyst this past year.&nbsp;You see, Vonnie reached out about coming back onto the podcast to talk about how applications are open for their second cohort. After talking to Vonnie and hearing about how the first cohort went, I realized this would be a great chance to talk about tech and innovation in the produce industry in general. Our conversation today covers some of the challenges facing this industry, including water, labor, food safety, traceability, quality, compliance and more. And you’ll hear from entrepreneurs and industry leaders about differentiation, consumer preferences, indoor ag, traceability, and automation and robotics.&nbsp;Before we dive in, I want to make it clear that the intention of the accelerator is to attract companies that already have a product in the market somewhere. That could be a market outside of agriculture, or perhaps in row crops, or maybe in produce but in another geography. So they’re looking for companies that already have some traction, but maybe haven’t directed much focus to produce yet but think that there might be value in that market. If that sounds like you or someone you know, applications close soon: March 20 of 2023. I’ll link to the application in the show notes.&nbsp;You may remember hearing from Vonnie back in episode 270 of this podcast. To refresh your memory, she has held leadership positions at prominent companies including DuPont, Monsanto, and Syngenta along with start-ups including DNAP, Emergent Genetics, and Caribou Biosciences. She has a BS in Horticulture from New Mexico State and a Masters in Plant Pathology from UC Davis.&nbsp;In addition to Vonnie, you’re going to hear clips from some of the entrepreneurs and mentors in the program’s first cohort. These clips came from Vonnie’s podcast called Fresh Takes on Tech. You definitely want to go check that out. I’ll link to it in the show notes as well.&nbsp;

Try Acres for free: https://www.acres.co/PYKA: https://www.flypyka.com/Michael Norcia is CEO of Pyka, which as I mentioned earlier is an autonomous electric aircraft company. Michael has a deep technical background in autonomous flight, having contributed to a wide variety of manned/unmanned electric aviation projects at Joby, Cora, and Kittyhawk. In 2017, Michael co-founded Pyka with the goal of combining two of his lifelong passions: electric aviation and business.&nbsp;This is a really fascinating interview that not only features some pretty mind blowing technology, but also a great example of finding product-market fit, overcoming regulatory hurdles, and taking a futuristic idea and converting that into a real business that solves real problems in the present day. For those of you who are entrepreneurial, I think you’ll be especially inspired, and you’ll probably also enjoy the questions I ask him about his Y-Combinator experience towards the end of the episode.&nbsp;

Try Acres for FREE: https://www.acres.co/Robinette's Apple Haus &amp; Winery: https://robinettes.com/The Land Podcast - The Pursuit of Land Ownership and Investing https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-land-podcast-the-pursuit-of/id1572511098 Exodus Outdoor Gear: https://exodusoutdoorgear.com/ Hello fellow ag nerds! Thanks for joining me for another episode of the Future of Agriculture podcast. My name is Tim Hammerich and every week you and I get to hear from the farmers, founders, innovators and investors shaping the future of the ag industry.Today’s episode features Allan Robinette. Allan is a fifth generation fruit grower and orchard manager at Robinette’s Apple Haus &amp; Winery in Grand Rapids, Michigan. They grow primarily peaches, apples, and sweet cherries and sell everything retail. We get into all sorts of interesting value-added concepts here including u-pick, farm retail, operating a bakery, winery and cider mill, corn mazes, gift boxes and a lot more. This one was a blast for me who grew up in direct-to-consumer agriculture and still dreams of owning an enterprise in this part of the industry some day. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Try Acres for FREE: https://www.acres.co/Magnetic Ag Newsletter: https://magnetic-ag.com/"Farm and Other F Words" https://bookshop.org/p/books/farm-and-other-f-words-the-rise-and-fall-of-the-small-family-farm-sarah-k-mock/16922376Imagine Content and Consulting: https://newsletter.imagine-content.com/"AEI.Ag Presents" podcast: https://aei.ag/podcast/"Agtech - So What?" podcast: https://www.agtechsowhat.com/One important change to agriculture that we probably don’t talk about enough is the changing ag media landscape. Farmers and those of us who work in agriculture traditionally would read industry publications and listen to farm broadcasters on the radio to get ag information. Those programs were funded by agribusinesses who new they had a fairly captive audience. Well as you know all of that has been turned on its head in the past 20 years. Now companies can have much more direct contact with their target audience, whether that’s a potential customer, a trade association member, a potential investor, collaborator, or any number of important people you might want to interact with. That’s awesome, right? But it also means ther are no more captive audiences. You have to earn attention. And that’s becoming increasingly difficult to do.&nbsp;After years of interacting with those of you who listen to this show, I know that for the most part you have an honest intention to improve the future of agriculture. In order to do that you absolutely will need to know how to get the word out there. That’s what today’s episode is all about.&nbsp;Sarah Mock joined me back on episode 210 to talk about the future of ag media. She jokes that she is slowly working her way through every job in ag, having worked for USDA, RFD-TV, Farmers Business Network, and others. Today she’s an independent contractor who does research, content, journalism and a number of other interesting projects in agriculture including producing podcasts like AEI Presents and Agtech, So What? She is also the author of two books that I personally recommend: “Farm and Other F Words” and “Big Team Farms”.&nbsp;Travis Martin started his career in agribusiness, and ended up finding his love for marketing while working at Elanco. Since leaving the company in 2018 he has worked for a variety of agtech companies in both full time and contractor roles, including a couple companies you’ve heard on this podcast like Leaf Agriculture and Advanced Agrilytics. In 2020 he started a weekly newsletter called Magnetic Ag that really is different from just about any content you’ll see anywhere else in agriculture. Still going strong, over 12,000 people read Magnetic twice a week. That led to Travis staring his own content and consulting business for agricultural clients called Imagine Content &amp; Consulting.&nbsp;I’m very lucky to have Sarah and Travis on the show, and I really think this topic and their advice is important for all of us, no matter whether you see yourself as a creator or not. One quick clarification before we jump in. This was recorded in December of 2022, so when we say “this year” - we mean 2022.&nbsp;

Try Acres for free: https://www.acres.co/advance.farm website: https://advanced.farm/ Today’s episode features Kyle Cobb, president and co-founder of advanced.farm. They describe themselves as a 21st-century ag equipment company centered around robotics, with a current focus on automating harvest and postharvest in fresh fruit. advanced.farm is based in Davis, California and has raised over $35M of venture investment led by Kubota, Yamaha, Catapult Ventures and Impact Ventures. Before advanced.farm, Kyle was a Co-Founder of Greenbotics, a cutting-edge platform for robotic solar panel cleaning that was acquired by SunPower in 2013.Kyle and I talk about the journey that led him and his team to robotic harvesting, the challenges of bringing this type of technology to the market, why Kyle is convinced that now is the perfect time for robotics in agriculture, how they’ve approached raising money and much more.

Try Acres for free: https://www.acres.co/Agtech - So What? Podcast: https://www.agtechsowhat.com/Tenacious Ventures: https://tenacious.ventures/Today’s episode features a conversation on the future of fertilizer with Sarah Nolet. Both of us have been exploring the future of fertilizer on our respective podcasts, and we thought it would be fun to do a joint episode to talk about what we’ve learned. So you’re going to get not only Sarah and I’s thoughts, but also some highlights from episodes that provide insights into the future of fertilizer.Sarah Nolet is an internationally recognized food systems innovation expert and co-founder of Tenacious Ventures, a high-support, high conviction, sector-specific agrifood tech venture firm. Sarah has been instrumental in building the early stage agtech ecosystem - from advising dozens of startups, designing accelerator programs and consulting to established agribusinesses, to helping industry, universities and government develop and implement forward-looking initiatives in food system innovation. Sarah is also the host of the AgTech...So What? podcast, telling stories of innovators building the food system of the future.Sarah holds a Masters in System Design and Management from MIT, and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Human Factors Engineering from Tufts University.

Try Acres: https://www.acres.co/The Ugly Company: https://www.theugly.company/The Business of Food Newsletter: https://jenniferbarney.substack.com/Today's episode features Ben Moore, founder of The Ugly Company, an upcycled dried fruit snack company. Ben is a 4th generation California farmer tackling the complex problem of food waste. Through Ugly Fruit, Ben is on a mission to achieve zero waste at farms by upcycling unmarketable fruit directly from farms to consumers.&nbsp;&nbsp;Ben had an epiphany while in his tractor plowing culled fruit. Ben reasoned that much of this fruit is perfectly good to eat and a shame being dumped. So, he did some research on ways to bring stone fruit to use as a value-added product. It’s another way for consumers to minimize food waste – some of the listeners may have heard of grocery ecommerce companies like Misfit Market and Imperfect Foods where you can purchase slightly off-spec food. The two main problems with food waste is food insecurity – getting nutritious foods transported to those in need that is shelf stable and able to withstand varying storage conditions, and second, emissions problems – the EPA estimates food that is dumped contributes 170 million metric tons of carbon dioxide.In order to solve the problem the way Ben envisions he is tackling the challenge of operational scale. We learn that stickers on fruit are an operational nightmare and that current dehydrator operators don’t have the capacity or automation to make the business economically feasible. So Ben is building it himself.&nbsp;&nbsp;It’s a single ingredient snack with no added sugars or preservatives which is a huge differentiator from a lot of other dried fruit snacks and trail mixes that contain sugar and other additives.

Visit Acres: https://www.acres.co/"How to Grow and Sell Carbon Credits in US Agriculture" https://www.extension.iastate.edu/agdm/crops/html/a1-76.html Dr. Alejandro Plastina is an Associate Professor/Extension Economist in the Department of Economics at Iowa State University (ISU). His area of specialization is agricultural production and technology, with an emphasis on farm business and financial management. His research focuses on the socioeconomic drivers of conservation practices, voluntary pest resistance management, carbon programs, and agricultural productivity.Prior to joining ISU in 2014, Dr. Plastina was Senior Economist at the International Cotton Advisory Committee in Washington, DC. He graduated with a BA in Economics from the University of La Plata (Argentina) in 2000, and an MS in Statistics and a PhD in Agricultural Economics from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2005 and 2007, respectively.I reached out to Alejandro when I was trying to make heads or tails of the various carbon programs that have been popping up in recent years. I wanted to know what the differences were for these programs and I found his report titled “How to Grow and Sell Carbon Credits in US Agriculture” to be one of the best resources out there. The first thing you ought to know is there are a lot of differences between carbon programs. Alejandro and his colleagues analyzed the terms associated with 13 of these programs, and he joins me today to share from a high level some of their big takeaways. If you want more detailed information to compare programs, I will link to his report in the show notes. Keep in mind that it is more than a year old so some things have changed. Also at the end of today’s interviews I ask directly for Alejandro’s advice for farmers comparing programs and he has some great tips for you there as well.&nbsp;

Visit our quarterly presenting sponsor, Acres: https://www.acres.co/Mineral website: https://mineral.ai/Dr. Elliott Grant is the CEO of Mineral, which is Alphabet's bet in sustainable agriculture.&nbsp; Mineral is applying the latest breakthroughs in artificial intelligence (AI) to the existential challenge of sustainably doubling the planet’s crop productivity.&nbsp;Elliott and I really get past the buzzwords here and into the details of what exactly this technology is enabling on a practical level, and how it has the potential to impact agriculture and the way we do business. From my personal perspective, AI and ML have been talked about since way early on in this podcast, but it often felt like marketing to make their tool seem special. But it does feel like we’re hitting this tipping point now, where there are some really impactful technologies emerging, that can only exist because of the explosion in data collection and advancements in AI and ML, and I find that to be one of the most exciting aspects of agtech today.&nbsp;Elliott is a recognized business leader and innovator in food and agritech. He was the founder and CEO of HarvestMark, the world leader in fresh food traceability; the CEO of ShopWell, a pioneering personalized nutrition company; and served as the Vice Chair of the Produce Marketing Association.&nbsp; Elliott is a manufacturing engineer by training. He earned a PhD and MEng in Engineering from Cambridge University, and is a named inventor on 36 US patents covering topics ranging from cryptography and food traceability, to satellite image analysis and plant phenotyping.&nbsp;

Try Acres for free: https://www.acres.co/Today we hear from AcreTrader with data science director Dr. Aaron Shew. Aaron is unique in that he has an extensive background in agriculture, economics, remote sensing and GIS and of course, data. In his current capacity, Aaron works with a team of software engineers, data scientists, and land experts to build advanced land analytics tools. He has master’s degrees in geography and agricultural economics and a doctorate in environmental dynamics from the University of Arkansas. He has more than 15 years of experience in the agriculture industry with 10 years of research experience focused on agricultural production and geospatial technologies.Aaron and I talk about the origins of the Acres tool, how it has already been helpful to AcreTrader which has 123 farms under management and ambitious goals to grow that number, why they would want to share this with the world - there’s even a free version that I’ve used - it’s pretty cool, and how this access to better data and insights will impact the farmland market more broadly.&nbsp;

Sound Agriculture: https://www.sound.ag/CropIn: https://www.cropin.com/Software is Feeding the World Newsletter: https://www.rhishipethe.com/newsletterToday’s episode features Krishna Kumar of CropIn. Krishna shared with me CropIn’s 12 year journey in the agtech world, which I think is in some ways representative of agtech’s journey more generally. They started by building applications for farmers and companies with a vested interest in agricultural supply chains. From scaling their digital solutions to now 500 crops and 10k varieties in 92 countries, they realized they were capturing a lot of data and built what they call the Data Hub. They also started to build artificial intelligence models which now exist for 22 commodities in 13 countries. Krishna gives some examples of the wide range of use cases for those AI models.Now, CropIn is entering the next phase of the 12-year old company. A few months ago, the company announced the launch of a cloud platform with integrated apps. Founded in 2010, Cropin’s other products are live in 92 countries, it is partnered with over 250 B2B customers and it has digitized 26 million acres of farmland. It claims the world’s largest crop knowledge graph from the data I mentioned of more than 500 crops and 10,000 crop varieties.In short, CropIn wants to help make it easier for companies to build their own AI models by providing the data and infrastructure needed, which Krishna says is roughly 80% of the work.&nbsp;Like many people lately, I’ve been playing with OpenAI’s ChatGPT platform lately. It has really opened my eyes to what’s coming. The chance to really pull together data sets into optimal answers in a user friendly way. I have no doubt we will see a similar trajectory in agtech, and companies like CropIn are doing interesting work to that end.One interesting aspect to this story is CropIn’s ambition to build a knowledge graph for agriculture. This is a term that I was not familiar with a year ago, but i’ve learned about knowledge graphs this past year from reading Rishi Pethe’s tremendous newsletter Software is Feeding the World. He explains the concept in his 116th edition in September. I’ll link to that in the show notes, I highly recommend it to understand this episode even better. He revisited it again in his 2022 recap edition which is 126, and I thought I’d just read his excerpt that he included in both editions. Here are Rhishi’s words:&nbsp;“How can knowledge graphs work in agriculture?Knowledge graphs can incorporate both structured (for example, coming from a spreadsheet, or precision agriculture equipment) and unstructured data (a twitter feed, images, YouTube video, bulletin board information, books etc.) Knowledge graphs can be successful and valuable if they can uncover new insights by automatically incorporating new data sources, understanding the context, finding new connections, and continuously evolving and learning.Building a data set of crops and varieties is a necessary and an early step to building a valuable knowledge graph in agriculture. It is an extremely hard challenge to go from data, to context, to connections, to new and surprising insights using knowledge graphs. It will take some unknown (aka long) amount of time.” - Rhishi Pethe, <a...

Visit Sound Agriculture: https://www.sound.ag/XtremeAg: https://www.xtremeag.farm/ Farmer innovators featured on this show: Kristjan Hebert Greg Bethard Mike &amp; April Clayton Paul Greive Zack Smith Peter van Wingerden Trey Hill Claire Smith Jesse Pella Patrick Smith Kelly Garrett Mike Evans

Sound Agriculture: https://www.sound.ag/California Cotton &amp; Climate Coalition: https://californiacottonandclimatecoalition.com/Bowles Farming Company: https://bfarm.com/FiberShed: https://fibershed.org/Today’s episode is about the work being done by the California Cotton and Climate Coalition or C4. This is an example of a group of people that aren’t interested in the hype and greenwashing that goes on in so many “sustainability” circles. They are doing the hard work of bringing the right people together, collaborating, and collecting the data to find ways to evolve the cotton industry in California. I think this is a model many other ag industries can learn from.&nbsp;Today you’ll hear from Cannon Michael, President and CEO of Bowles Farming Company in Los Banos, California. He is the 6th generation of his family to work in the family farming business, which has farmed in California for over 160 years. After working in commercial real estate, Cannon joined the family farm in 1998, and they have since diversified from three crops to over twenty. Cannon is an advocate for California agriculture, intelligent water policy and environmental stewardship.&nbsp;Joining Cannon and I is Rebecca Burgess. Executive Director of Fibershed, a 501(c)3 focused on regionalizing the textile system and supporting growers to be more economically viable while rebuilding carbon stocks in the soil and providing transparency into the supply chains of textile brands. Rebecca has two decades of experience working at the intersection of ecology, fiber systems, and regional economic development. Her work as a vocationally trained weaver and self-trained natural dyer initially led her into wondering how the industrially made clothes reflected her values of transparency, connection, land stewardship, etc. Started working in wool with using sheep for regenerative grazing then was encouraged to expand into cotton as well.&nbsp;

Sound Ag: https://www.sound.ag/ Ripe Robotics: https://www.riperobotics.com/ Today’s episode features Hunter Jay, CEO and cofounder of Ripe Robotics, a startup working on autonomous harvesting of fruit. The prototype is in small scale commercial trials, and will be ready to scale up in 2023 &amp; 2024. The company has 2 commercial trial partners and another 30 companies on its waitlist, who spend a combined $85m USD on picking annually.Most of you have probably heard about robotic apple picking startups in the past, some that are still going and others that have failed. But one thing I really appreciate about today’s episode is Ripe’s commitment to keeping costs low and iterating fast. I think this is what it’s going to take to find automation that works for specialty crops like stone fruit.&nbsp;Hunter is a software engineer, and has a particular focus on artificial intelligence. He previously founded a mobile game startup, and whenI asked him about that company is where i’ll drop you into today’s conversation with Hunter Jay of Ripe Robotics.

Sound Agriculture: https://www.sound.ag/Neutral Foods: https://www.eatneutral.com/Jennifer Barney's "The Business of Food" newsletter: https://jenniferbarney.substack.com/When I first read about Neutral Foods, I thought “that’s really smart branding”, but can they really back it up? And if so, how? And what’s in it for the farmer to incentivize them to make changes that benefit society, but may or may not benefit them?&nbsp;That’s really what today’s episode is all about. We’re about to bring on Jim Jarman, =vice president of product and commercialization at Neutral, and Ann Radil, head of carbon removal to answer these questions.Neutral&nbsp;Foods was founded by Matt Plitch, whose mission is to build the world’s first carbon&nbsp;neutral&nbsp;food company. He gained early investment from Bill Gates’ Breakthrough Ventures and other celebrity investors like Mark Cuban and LeBron James. Matt wanted to start with milk, which has 93% household penetration. The product,&nbsp;Neutral&nbsp;Milk is organic milk that strives to reduce carbon emissions within the whole supply chain, to become carbon&nbsp;neutral. The way they are going about their mission is by working directly with farmers. A typical dairy they work with is ~75 - 250 head, and what they do is provide financial support and subject matter expertise on things like manure management, feed, feed production, waste water management and more. They work with the farmer’s goals, and have 3rd party monitoring and measurement that quantifies the changes being made, and verifies the emissions reductions.&nbsp;Neutral&nbsp;Foods, as a consumer facing brand is already well on their way with nationwide distribution at Spouts, Whole Foods and Target. You can find their products in the organic milk section, and their retail price is in line with the set. They are very clear on their packaging that they are working towards operational carbon&nbsp;neutrality&nbsp;but that they purchase offsets today as a starting point.&nbsp;

Visit Sound Agriculture: https://www.sound.ag/Do Good Foods: https://dogoodfoods.com/Harborview Farms: https://www.harborviewfarms.net/Trey Hill Interview: https://youtu.be/FRC1Ca9klGA Future of Agriculture YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClJpE4tdH2NN6Plj1UIWNwA Justin Kamine co-founded Do Good Foods with his brother Matthew to combat climate change by fighting food waste. They’ve created a closed-loop system with state-of-the-art infrastructure designed to upcycle surplus grocery food (after community donations occur) into nutritious animal feed. Do Good Foods first product, Do Good Chicken, is raised using this healthy feed can be purchased locally, giving consumers an opportunity to make an immediate environmental impact and Do Good...for Plate &amp; Planet.™ The Kamine brothers’ company builds on the family’s 40-year heritage of over $3.5B of infrastructure of solving macro environmental problems. And stay tuned to the last half of today’s episode where you’ll hear directly from farmer and Harvorview Farms CEO, Trey Hill who has been using Sound Agriculture's SOURCE on his 10,000 acre farm in Chesapeake Bay area of Maryland.&nbsp;

Visit Sound Agriculture's website: https://www.sound.ag/ Our featured guests today are Sound Agriculture's CEO Adam Litle, as well as co-founder and CTO Travis Bayer. If you’re thinking you’ve heard all about Sound from previous episodes of this podcast, that’s great! But I will assure you there is a lot more you haven’t heard yet and this episode is well worth your time. Adam and Travis really do a great job of capturing a huge trend for the future of agriculture:&nbsp; the convergence of biology and data science and other modern technologies to create innovative products that work with nature. But, their products are commercialized with the farmer customer in mind. There are some real nuggets in here that you definitely don’t want to miss.Some quick background: As CEO, Adam Litle leads the Sound Agriculture’s strategy and overall company execution. He joined Sound to help serve both producers and consumers with more sustainable, differentiated crops. Prior to Sound, Adam was on the founding team and served as Chief Revenue Officer of Granular, the leading farm management software company acquired by Corteva in 2017.Before that he was General Manager of the cellulase enzyme business at Codexis, a publicly-traded industrial biotech company serving the healthcare and agriculture industries. He began his career as an investment banker at Barclays Capital. Adam has a JD/MBA from the University of Michigan and BA from Yale University.Travis Bayer co-founded Sound Agriculture in 2013 to identify science-based solutions to today’s complex agricultural challenges. Travis’ career has focused on understanding how to harness the diversity of the earth’s natural systems to enable a more sustainable world. His approach to discovery combines a deep knowledge of molecular biology, biochemistry, and biophysics with an innately creative spirit. He has authored and invented more than 50 research publications and patents, and spent five years at Imperial College London and University of Oxford as a lecturer and associate professor, respectively.He received a PhD in biochemistry and biophysics from Caltech, and a B.S. in molecular biology from University of Texas at Austin.We spend the first part of today’s episode talking about the SOURCE product, its significance, and where it fits into the marketplace. Then we shift gears into talking about their approach to data and technology and what this blend of biology and software means for the future of agriculture. First though, I asked Travis how all of this got started when he co-founded Sound Agriculture with Eric Davidson back in 2013.&nbsp;

Sound Agriculture: https://www.sound.ag/Farmers Risk: https://farmersrisk.ag/ Today’s episode features Dakota Hoben, co-founder and CEO of Farmers Risk. This is an interesting look at a new startup that is taking on a complicated topic: grain marketing. As many of you know, buying and selling grain is where I started my career, so I’m always curious about companies in this space, but frankly, always a little skeptical as well. Just knowing how many variables are at play in these decisions, not least of which being the farmer’s emotions. But that said, I am impressed by Dakota, and the approach they are taking, and I think he makes some really strong points in this interview.&nbsp;Dakota knew from a young age that the only industry he was truly passionate about was agriculture. Growing up on a grain and livestock farm in Southeast Iowa before heading to Iowa State to study Agricultural Business and International Agriculture, he watched family, neighbors, and other farmers ride the marketing roller coaster, but didn’t know he would become an integral part of the solution to this problem.&nbsp;Before Farmers Risk, Dakota and co-founder Eric Barnard were co-workers at Granular.

Visit Sound Agriculture: https://www.sound.ag/The Breakthrough Institute: https://thebreakthrough.org/ Alex Smith Bio &amp; Articles: https://thebreakthrough.org/people/alex-smith"To Decarbonize Food Production, Washington Must Invest" https://thebreakthrough.org/issues/food-agriculture-environment/to-decarbonize-food-production-washington-must-invest "The Problem With Alice Waters and the 'Slow Food' Movement" https://jacobin.com/2021/12/organic-local-industrial-agriculture-farm-to-table/ "Fraudulent Foods" https://thebreakthrough.org/journal/no-17-summer-2022/fraudulent-foods I’m very pleased to be joined today by Alex Smith, senior food and agriculture analyst at The Breakthrough Institute, which is a global research center that identifies and promotes technological solutions to environmental and human development challenges.Today’s episode might challenge you a little bit. Before I interview guests I ask them to fill out a brief pre-interview form to help me dig into the right areas during the conversation. One way I can tell if I’m going how much I’m going to enjoy an interview is based on how they approach one question in particular. That question is: “What are the top arguments of the critics of the work you do?”. Many times that will be left blank or answered very generically, but it’s when someone gives a thoughtful answer to this question that I really get excited to dig in. Alex gave one of the most comprehensive questions I’ve ever had to this question. And I think I’ll just read this to you, as both a trigger warning for some of you, and way to intrigue most of you. Here is Alex’s answer:&nbsp;“I think a relatively common critique that I give real weight to is that my work (and Breakthrough's more broadly) has tunnel vision for GHG/land-use and not other enviro/ecological or animal welfare/ethics issues.Another important critique is that by supporting the technologies and practices of large-scale agricultural production, I effectively justify the expropriation of land and concentration of power into the hands of the largest agricultural corporations, landowners, and interest groups.By advocating for mass-production of food (see my and Ted Nordhaus's essay in Jacobin Magazine), I miss out on the problems of nutrition and diet-related diseases.A critique from the right is that the focus on industrial policy and even public R&amp;D is significantly less important that getting the government out of the way of the ag sector and letting private entities be successful.Finally, in arguing for sustainable intensification and productivity growth, how do you limit the expansion of agricultural production due to rebound effects? Basically, given jevons paradox, do we need to have very strong conservation policy that will likely run counter to the interests of ag producers/businesses who want to expand production due to more productive practices?”Talk about doing an interviewer's work for him! What a great answer by Alex. With that, let’s dive into the conversation. Alex joined Breakthrough as a research analyst in the food and agriculture program in 2019 after completing a dual MA/MSc in International and World History from Columbia University and the London School of Economics and Political Science. In his masters, Alex studied and wrote about American foreign policy, French colonialism, and environmental history. Alex is interested in the entangled nature of politics, power, and geography and the central role that food and agriculture have played across time and space.

Visit our sponsor: https://www.sound.ag/EFC Systems by Ever.Ag: https://www.efcsystems.com/ CropLife, "Top 6 Questions (and Answers) Every Agribusiness Should Be Asking About Cyberattacks and Data Security": https://www.croplife.com/iron/software/top-6-questions-and-answers-every-agribusiness-should-be-asking-about-cyberattacks-and-data-security/ Farm Progress, "Protect your farm from cyberattack": https://www.farmprogress.com/management/protect-your-farm-cyberattack I’ve been wanting to do something on cybersecurity for a while, but just hadn’t really happened upon the right guest. Then last month I read an article on CropLife called “The Top 6 Questions Every Agribusiness Should Be Asking About Cyberattacks and Data Security”. As a read the six questions I thought “those are just about exactly the six questions I would want to ask a cybersecurity expert on my podcast. And the author was Mike Moore who you’re about to hear from.&nbsp;Mike is the Senior Vice President of the agribusiness division at Ever.Ag and has been serving as such since 1997 under the EFC Systems brand. At the start of his tenure, his initial focus was developing the technology and infrastructure services division to help guide and direct the technology needs for client partners. Although his responsibilities have broadened, he is still passionate about helping ag retailers better serve their customers in a secure and efficient way.&nbsp;Before we dive in, some context: the most common type of cyber attack is what’s called a ransomware attack. In this case the criminal inserts malware on your system, and is able to essentially lock it down until they are paid a ransom. The second common type of attack involves extracting data that can be sold. There’s been some notable examples in recent years including JBS, which reportedly paid hackers an $11 million ransom last year. Speaking at Husker Harvest Days last month, FBI agent Eugene Kowel said an attack on a farm in January 2021 contributed to the loss of nearly $9 million. This is a real issue that everyone in ag should be vigilant about, and it seems to be getting worse.&nbsp;Mike and I talk about how these attacks happen, what to watch out for, and some important tips for reducing your vulnerability.

Visit our sponsor: https://www.sound.ag/April Clayton Twitter: https://twitter.com/AppleApril111April the Apple Gal YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2DOJG_0BOYGv00KAw-CuxQ/videosApril on “Real Food, Real People”: https://realfoodrealpeople.org/april-clayton-002/April on “The Farm Traveler”: https://thefarmtraveler.com/2020/04/22/podcast-episode-53/April on “What The Farm”: https://farmercitygirl.libsyn.com/144-april-clayton-organic-orchardist&nbsp;I’ve been following April Clayton on Twitter for a while, she is @AppleApril111, and she puts out some great content about their life and work at Red Apple Orchard, where they grow organic apples and conventional cherries. She also has a PhD in Analytical Chemistry from my alma mater UC Davis, so she’s actually Dr. April Clayton farm. Her and her husband are the second generation on their Washington fruit orchard.&nbsp;A recent exchange on Twitter with April prompted me to reach out to her for this interview. She shared a video of a block of organic apples that she said they were considering not harvesting, due, in part to the labor situation. I wondered, just how expensive does labor have to be to make it not worth it to harvest certified organic fruit? Or was it that the labor was simply non-existent? Or were there other factors at play here I wasn’t aware of? I also wondered if this meant the futuristic looking robotic apple pickers that I always see demo videos of might just be close to being an option for farmers like the Claytons.&nbsp;These are the types of questions you’re going to get some answers on today. I really enjoyed this conversation with April and Mike. These are the types of conversations that really help to provide the depth and nuance and complexity of an issue like farm labor.

Visit our sponsor: https://www.sound.ag/LandScan: https://landscan.ai/Today’s episode with LandScan founder and CEO, Dan Rooney. We could spend the entire episode going through Dan’s background and expertise in this field, but I wanted to get right to the interesting work he’s doing at LandScan, a company they’ve been working on quietly since 2019. They’ve developed what they call “the most advanced and practical site characterization and analysis technology. These multiple layers are a series of digitally synchronized tools and techniques that create a unique understanding of the relationship between crop performance and the growing environment”. Dan will tell us all about this in today’s episode and makes a compelling case for why this is a critical missing piece in digital agriculture.&nbsp;Just a little bit on Dan’s impressive background: He is a scientist, inventor, and entrepreneur who has a PhD in Environmental Monitoring with an emphasis on remote sensing and spatial information analysis from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a master’s in Soil Physics from Texas A&amp;M. Following his master’s Dan’s early career with with a geotechnical firm where he built sensors for deep subsurface characterization. He was drawn to apply his discoveries from that field to near-surface applications which of course led him to agriculture. After his PhD, he dove right into entrepreneurship. And that is where today's episode begins.

Visit our sponsor: https://www.sound.ag/Seal the Seasons: https://sealtheseasons.com/The Business of Food Newsletter: https://jenniferbarney.substack.com/Today’s episode features Alex Piasecki, co-founder and COO of Seal the Seasons, a retail consumer brand of packaged frozen fruit and vegetables. Seal The Seasons is aptly named as its mission is to bring locally grown produce to your grocery store 12 months a year. They do this by sourcing high quality fruit and vegetable varieties from local growers and leveraging grower hubs for processing, packaging and distribution within the local region. It’s a different model than the bigger frozen companies where some of the competition is sourcing from outside the US.The business idea started at the Farmers Market in North Carolina where as a college student Alex’s partner and Seal the Seasons founder Patrick Mateer, was working for a non-profit that donated unsold produce to the local community. When there would be excess produce either because of a rainstorm or by not selling out, the vendors would be stuck with all this produce so the idea of freezing for distribution year around came about.So, these college students got together to form a business case, and won an entrepreneurship award at UNC and then launched the business in 2016. Since then a lot has happened.Today, Seal the Seasons operates in 6 regional markets across the country and offers a way for local growers to diversify their customer base. We get into what types of produce Seal the Seasons sources, what they look for in grower-partners they work with, and the goal behind the operation which is to rebuild connections among American consumers and the growers that feed them.This story was put together by my guest co-host for today’s episode, Jennifer Barney. Jennifer is back after she first co-hosted with me for the episode we did in August where she featured Teffola. To refresh your memory, Jennifer is a consumer-packaged goods (CPG) expert. She lives in the Central Valley of California and got her start in the food industry 16 years ago when she founded the almond butter brand Barney Butter. She successfully grew the brand to nationwide retail distribution and then sold the company. After exiting Barney Butter, Jennifer has since become an advisor and consultant to startups and ag leaders who want to get closer to the consumer with their own brands and innovations. She writes an email newsletter that I recommend called The Business of Food where she shares food industry knowledge including business modeling, growth tips, and what to focus on at the early stages of business. You can subscribe to that for free at jenniferbarney.substack.com.

Visit our sponsor: http://www.CalgaryAgbusiness.comOver the past couple of weeks, two former guests of this podcast, Vence and TeleSense, have announced that they have been acquired. This prompted a random idea in my head to do an episode called 10 former guests that have been acquired. But I first wondered: have there even been ten yet? A quick scan of previous episodes and a little bit of Googling revealed that there have been at least 10 that have been acquired in some form or fashion.&nbsp; So I spent a day going back through and re-listening to each of their episodes, researching when they were acquired and by whom, and trying to pull out insights that might indicate what about these companies allowed them to get to the finish line so to speak. That’s what I have to share with you today.&nbsp;Vence, acquired by Merck Animal HealthFoA 246: Unlocking Grazing Potential with Virtual Fencing https://open.spotify.com/episode/0NT9F695WJRmUAcUCEleKT?si=dJ2uquAERvujkUWWa7qa0A&nbsp;FoA 308 (Startup Spotlight features Vence at the end of the episode) https://open.spotify.com/episode/3yHmD4onWH7DZb7wKWSi44?si=VG4HzoD1SxmYvdUrkgMYkQ&nbsp;Merck Animal Health to Acquire Vence https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220922005501/en/Merck-Animal-Health-to-Acquire-Vence&nbsp;TeleSense, acquired by UPL (Decco Post Harvest)FoA 239: Sensors for Predicting Grain Quality with Naeem Zafar of TeleSense https://open.spotify.com/episode/6JxVEuUQq9NjufgLXrOlZR?si=3K3UWVLFQvqbHzf_oH99tg&nbsp;UPL’s Post-Harvest Solutions Subsidiary, Decco Post Harvest, Acquires TeleSense to Strengthen Offering to Combat Food Waste&nbsp; https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/upls-post-harvest-solutions-subsidiary-decco-post-harvest-acquires-telesense-to-strengthen-offering-to-combat-food-waste-301626128.html&nbsp;SWARM Technologies, acquired by SpaceXFoA 228: Solving the Rural Connectivity Problem with Dr. Sara Spangelo of SWARM Technologies https://open.spotify.com/episode/4aiIkwElCMh2wyJjs46vaA?si=U14f6XkgTQqHRwmNskdehw&nbsp;SpaceX to acquire SWARM https://techcrunch.com/2021/08/09/spacex-to-acquire-satellite-connectivity-startup-swarm-technologies/&nbsp;SWARM continues to aim skyward one year after SpaceX deal https://www.fierceelectronics.com/iot-wireless/swarm-continues-aim-skyward-one-year-after-spacex-deal&nbsp;Harvest Profit, acquired by John DeereFoA 080: Bootstrapping a Farm Management Software Company with Nick Horob of Harvest Profit <a...

Visit our sponsor: http://www.CalgaryAgbusiness.comPattern Ag: https://www.pattern.ag/FoA 170: Genetic Testing for Soil with Dr. Poornima Parameswaran: https://aggrad.libsyn.com/foa-170-genetic-testing-for-soil-with-dr-poornima-parameswaran-of-trace-genomics Today’s episode features a conversation with Mike Tweedy, VP of sales for Pattern Ag. Pattern Ag is a predictive analytics company that uses DNA sequencing of the soil to see the actual biology in farmers’ fields that they claim has never been available until now.&nbsp; They take the unknown such as very specific pathogens that rob top end yield - like soybean sudden death syndrome and corn rootworm which we’ll talk a lot about today - as well as beneficial microbes and make them known. They are based in California but focused exclusively on corn and soybeans at this time.&nbsp;Mike is the vice president of sales and leads the midwest commercial team. He’s a sales guy, but he’s also an ag guy with a long pedigree in the industry. He spent his early career with large agribusinesses like American Cyanamid, BASF and Syngenta. Then pivoted his career into startups in 2010. Before Pattern Ag, he was the Vice President of Crop Protection Sales at Indigo.&nbsp;We nerd out a little bit on soil and agronomy in this episode, but I think this also sheds some light on how much room there still is for innovation in this area of soil biology. Especially when you put it in the context of the recent episode we had about plant breeding. The combination of advancements in these two fields of plant breeding and soil biology are really critical for the future of ag in my opinion.&nbsp;

Visit our presenting sponsor: http://www.CalgaryAgbusiness.comHEMPALTA: https://www.hempalta.com/Phyto Organix: https://phytoorganixfoods.com/ We often get excited about the future of agriculture being more diverse and distributed and differentiated, but this is not going to happen by just planting new crops. Entire value chains need to be created to facilitate rich and diverse crop rotations and food choices. A critical piece of this is processing. These are the entrepreneurs that tap directly into the demand, innovate on the operations side, and develop relationships with farmer suppliers. I’m excited to feature two of these entrepreneurs on today’s show.&nbsp;First you’re going to hear from Darren Bondar, president and CEO of Hempalta, which is an agricultural technology company focused on innovative hemp processing and product creation. It is one of the only commercial-scale hemp processors in North America able to manufacture high-value hemp products.After Darren, you’ll hear from Chris Theal, founder, president and CEO of Phyto Organix Foods, which is an independent Alberta-based innovator, processor, developer and distributor of conventional and organic plant-based protein for the food and beverage industry. Our project will source yellow peas to produce high purity, protein isolate from our wet fractionation facility in Strathmore Alberta.I really enjoyed both of these conversations, and here are the three reasons these stories have my attention: For all of the people talking about regenerative agriculture and sustainable practices, very few are actually creating real markets that can make those changes work for the average farmer. In my humble opinion, it’s more likely to be processors like these that facilitate change than it is the headline-grabbing carbon markets. These companies want to buy directly from growers. They are bringing real opportunities to farmers rather than just the vague promises of future benefits that a lot of new ideas to agriculture seem to have. This is not your typical silicon valley type capital I innovation. These are the real nuts and bolts advancements that I think agriculture needs. What do you think about the future of value added processing? How do you like this narrative format compared to more of an interview format?

Visit our quarterly presenting sponsor: https://www.CalgaryAgbusiness.com Bruins Seed Consultancy: https://www.bruinsseedconsultancy.com/"20 Most Famous Plant Breeders": https://european-seed.com/2022/07/20-most-famous-plant-breeders-1-5/Dr. Marcel Bruins studied Plant Breeding at Wageningen University in The Netherlands, followed by a PhD award on Fusarium resistance in wheat. He worked for 10 years with a vegetable seed company as Manager Plant Variety Protection. He then served for 7 years as Secretary-General of the International Seed Federation (ISF), lead the Secretariat of the International Grain Trade Coalition (IGTC) through a phase of transition and continued working as their Scientific Advisor. Besides being the Editorial Director of the ‘European Seed’ magazine, he also operates as an independent consultant, helping out companies and non-profit organizations with their questions on seed, grain, trade facilitation, intellectual property and international outreach.I came across his work from a series of article he recently published in European Seed called “20 Most Famous Plant Breeders”. I really enjoyed that series and we talk a little bit about it towards the end of today’s episode. I’ll of course link to those in the show notes. Beyond that, Marcel and I also talk about what has changed about plant breeders, how they balance grower demands (like pest management) with consumer demands (like flavor and nutrition), how the field of plant breeding will need to adjust to big challenges like climate change, and how new technologies will change the game.

Visit our presenting sponsor: www.CalgaryAgbusiness.com California Ag Solutions: https://www.calagsolutions.com/Livestock Water Recycling: https://www.livestockwaterrecycling.com/ Joining us on today's episode is Silas Rossow, president of California Ag Solutions, which is a crop consulting company that helps growers leverage technologies and production practices that meet the needs of the crop and the goals of the farmer. Silas says they're known for their in depth understanding of the ecological environments where their growers operate, and their ability to use biomimicry and other nature based approaches that we will talk about.&nbsp;Silas received his college education at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo and grew up around agriculture his whole life. Driving tractors, irrigating fields, and figuring out how crops grow was a valuable education. He started at CA Ag Solutions in 2008 and in 2014, he began managing the day-to-day operations. He says his drive to seek out the very best practices for California farmers comes from his love of agriculture and technology.&nbsp;In today’s episode we discuss regenerative practices in specialty crops, especially tree crops, although Silas works in plenty of other crops as well, we discuss how water becomes a factor in decisions to implement these practices, and the toughest transition of all, which is the mindset shift that this approach requires.Also, stay tuned for a bonus segment at the end of today's episode featuring Livestock Water Recycling CEO Karen Schuett.

Visit our presenting sponsor: www.CalgaryAgbusiness.comNitricity: https://www.nitricity.co/Today’s episode features Nico Pinkowski, co-founder and CEO of Nitricity, which is a company electrifying and distributing the production of fertilizer. As it is done today, fertilizer emits as much as&nbsp; 5-7%/yr of total global GHG emissions. The company can trace its beginnings back to Stanford University where Nico received his PhD in Mechanical Engineering. Nitricity and Nico have been awarded numerous awards and grants from Stanford, MIT, Caltech, ASU,&nbsp; Forbes 30 under 30, NSF, USDA, and ARPA-e SBIR, and a recent $20M venture finance round.&nbsp;We’ll start off with a fascinating history of fertilizer production, then talk more about Nitricity’s solution, how they’ve developed it, and how they’re bringing it to market with farmers and retailers.

Visit our presenting sponsor: www.CalgaryAgbusiness.comPosterity Ciderworks: https://posterityciderworks.com/Brendan Barnard Twitter: https://twitter.com/IntractableLionPosterity Ciderworks Twitter: https://twitter.com/posteritycider Kris Barnard Twitter: https://twitter.com/KrisMBarnard FoA 318: The Budding American (Hard) Cider Industry with Greg Peck, Ph.D. https://player.captivate.fm/episode/49237ec9-117d-4d16-9569-0672b5e9aecaToday’s episode features Brendan Barnard of Posterity Ciderworks.&nbsp;To set some context here, a lot of the episodes on this show are focused on efforts to scale solutions: venture capital, commodity crops, hardware and software. And those are incredibly important to continue to find ways to improve our global food system. But I think too often there’s a tendency in agriculture to think something has to have the potential to reach some sort of global scale and FEED THE WORLD in order to matter. If you’ve listened to many of these episodes, you already know that I believe innovation and progress can many different forms. Some will look like solutions that can improve the way millions or billions of people eat. Others, which I equally enjoy, are stories of craft, of skill, of care, of community. Stories that are delightfully unscalable, but no less important. Many times, these are the stories that can teach us the most about agriculture and the most about ourselves. I think we have a story like that for you today.&nbsp;It also helps that it ties together a few passions of mine: cider, nature, and value-added agriculture. Today’s episode speaks to several of the seven consumer values we talked about in episode 300, especially the need for a connection to an authentic source.&nbsp;Brendan and his wife Kris were living in the bay area working in tech. They had some fruit trees in their backyard and seven years ago Brendan dove headfirst into cider making. Eventually they bought property in Calaveras County, about 140 miles away with a long term plan of eventually starting an orchard-based cidery. Today, that is alive and well as Posterity Ciderworks. Some changes in the timeline led them to start sourcing apples from what he calls feral orchards, which have somehow survived and even thrived for decades with no care. These feral orchards have also spawned wild trees which Brendan and Kris also forage from for their low intervention, fine ciders that really reflect the place they are grown. They make these ciders with no sulfites, no added sugars, no preservatives and no artificial flavorings or colors. All of this while raising a family and starting and expanding their own dry-farmed, non-conventional&nbsp; silvopastured orchard. We’ll talk all about that, but first just a couple of cider terms to be aware of.&nbsp;We will mention abv, which is alcohol by volume. Yes, this is hard cider, not apple juice. The ABV goes up with higher sugar content which is fermented into alcohol. Those sugars are measured in fruit via a system called brix, which is another term you will hear mentioned. Finally, Brenan will talk about racking, which is just moving the fermenting cider from one container to another, which is usually done to get it off the lees, which is the dead yeast and other particles that settle at the bottom of the container. Or to move it to a barrel, bottle, or other secondary fermentation container.&nbsp;

Visit our quarterly presenting sponsor: www.CalgaryAgBusiness.comBuilders VC: https://www.builders.vcFoA 169: Investing in Farmland with Carter Malloy of AcreTrader https://player.captivate.fm/episode/2d02dd15-9faa-469b-8b5d-5b99233a3a53FoA 188: Fintech Meets Agtech to Invest in Farmland https://player.captivate.fm/episode/44a98802-07c3-4295-87c0-e0965881e5b2Joining us on today’s episode is Mark Blackwell of Builders VC. Mark is actually based in Calgary, but Builders is a Silicon Valley - based venture fund that focuses on modernizing antiquated industries. So they focus in not only agriculture, but also healthcare, industrials, real estate and construction. They have a portfolio of over 60 companies, investing from seed to series a. The team has a long history of investing in agtech before they founded Builders when they invested as part of Kosla Ventures in companies such as Granular and the Climate Corp.&nbsp;Mark and I talk a lot about the current state of venture capital, and what areas of agtech he’s most excited to invest in companies with bold visions and strategic plans. I’ll warn you, this episode gets a little into the weeds of venture capital. I’m by no means any sort of an expert on this, but if you’re unfamiliar, here’s a quick and very basic primer:&nbsp;Venture capitalists start and manage funds to invest in startup companies. They are backed by investors, called limited partners or LPs that give them money to place these bets. When VCs have money from their investors that they have not yet deployed to startups, they call that money dry powder. VCs do take a management fee from those investments, but the real money is made when a company exits. In other words it is sold or goes public. That is why we’ll talk about M&amp;A activity which is mergers and acquisitions. When companies in their portfolio exits, that is when the VC can return the fund, or provide returns to their investors and themselves. We also reference SPACs at one point in this conversation, which could be a whole other podcast, but just know that stands for special purpose acquisition company and it is a vehicle that allows companies to go public that was super popular a year ago, but has fallen out of favor based on a number of factors I won’t get into here.&nbsp;Ok hopefully that provides good context for this insightful conversation with Mark Blackwell. Mark is a general partner and lead of the Canadian Office at Builders. Previously, he was a product manager at SolarWinds which he joined when they acquired GNS3 Technologies where Mark had been the COO. He also had a background in venture capital and investment banking before that.

Visit our quarterly presenting sponsor: www.calgaryagbusiness.com Teffola: https://www.eatteffola.com/The Business of Food Newsletter: https://jenniferbarney.substack.com/FoA 221: Bringing Commercial Quinoa Production to Colorado: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/fd94a32f-7554-46b4-9ba5-bfc50a371680Claire Smith is the founder of the ancient grain granola brand Teffola. She comes from a 7th generation farming family in Michigan where Tenera Farms has been farming wheat, corn, and soy since 1837.&nbsp; In 2015 Tenera Farms started planting teff, a tiny grain rich in protein and fiber and a key ingredient in the Ethiopian bread injera. Why the farm began growing this obscure grain, how they became processors, and how that lead Claire to start making and marketing granola is the subject of this interview.Today’s episode is all about ancient grains and building a consumer packaged goods or CPG business on top of an established farm. These are two things I know very little about, so lucky for you and for me, we have a guest co-host joining us on the show today, Jennifer Barney. Several months ago, someone shared a post on LinkedIn called “Ag Companies Launching Food Brands”. Long time listeners of this show will know that is something I’m really fascinated by, so I immediately subscribed to the newsletter that produced the post. It turns out that newsletter called “The Business of Food” was created by Jennifer Barney. After reading several of her newsletters I reached out about collaborating, and here she is co-hosting her first episode.Jennifer is a consumer-packaged goods (CPG) expert. She lives in the Central Valley of California and got her start in the food industry 16 years ago when she founded the almond butter brand Barney Butter. Jennifer successfully grew the brand to nationwide retail distribution and then sold the company. After exiting Barney Butter, Jennifer has since become an advisor and consultant to startups and ag leaders who want to get closer to the consumer with their own brands and innovations. She writes an email newsletter called The Business of Food where she shares food industry knowledge including business modeling, growth tips, and what to focus on at the early stages of business.

Thank you to our quarterly presenting sponsor: www.CalgaryAgBusiness.comAgriPlay: https://www.agriplay.com/A4 Systems: https://a4.systems/Joining us for today's episode is Dan Houston, president of AgriPlay. Dan has over 17 years of experience in commercial real estate. He is a partner in a company called A4 Systems, which looks for industry issues that can use their expertise in data and technology. They have started two companies in agriculture: the first being HerdWhistle, a feedlot management system. And the second being AgriPlay which is building vertical farms in commercial real estate space.&nbsp;AgriPlay’s first big project, after their distressed environment lab where they have been testing all of this, is the Calgary Tower. Phase one is 65,000 square feed of vertical farms starting operations this coming September. But as you’re about to hear, their vision stretches far beyond this starting point. Dan claims they already have agreements with wholesale buyers of the produce and plans to expand production over the next year.&nbsp;Most of you have already heard the case for indoor farming. If not you can check out previous episodes like 71, 146, 185, 193, and 307.

Thank you to our quarterly presenting sponsor: www.CalgaryAgBusiness.comRoot Agricultural Advisory: RootAgAdvisory.com Skye Root on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/skye-root-cfa-5064463/ Skye Root is the founder of Root Agricultural Advisory where he manages and grows farmland portfolios throughout the Western USA. Prior to starting his company he worked as a senior vice president for Westchester Group Investment Management, a global farmland asset manager. And before that he was a water rights consultant for WestWater Research, a leading advisory firm in the water rights industry.&nbsp;In today’s episode we talk farmland and water, and the perception of more outside institutional money being deployed in rural areas. And when we say institutional money, we are talking about large organizations such as banks, pension funds, or insurance companies who are usually investing on behalf of their stakeholders.&nbsp;Skye is unique in that he grew up in a very rural part of eastern Oregon on a farm and ranch so he really understands the perspectives of both the producers and the investors looking to get into this industry.

Thank you to our quarterly presenting sponsor: www.CalgaryAgBusiness.comTurtleTree: https://turtletree.com/"From Farms to Incubators" https://bookshop.org/books/from-farms-to-incubators-women-innovators-revolutionizing-how-our-food-is-grown/9781610355759 Joining us on today’s episode is Fengru Lin, co-founder of TurtleTree, which is based in both Singapore and California. The company describes itself as “a biotech company dedicated to producing a new generation of nutrition—one that’s better for the planet, better for the animals, and better for people everywhere. Utilizing its proprietary, cell-based technology, the company is creating better-for-you milk ingredients sustainably and affordably, with benefits that extend beyond the dining table and into the heart of humanity.”When I first heard this description I was highly skeptical about their ability to compete with what I know is a very efficient dairy industry. But what I learned from Fengru shed a lot of light on where companies like TurtleTree still have a place in the future of agriculture. In my opinion, that includes cultivating high value proteins for things like ingredients and supplements and pharmaceuticals. Another aspect I find very valuable about what TurtleTree is doing is trying to close the gap between infant formula and real human breast milk. We’ve seen issues with formula supply chains recently, and TurtleTree’s approach can apply to all forms of milk, including human milk.&nbsp;This is the fifth and final episode in the series I’ve been doing over the past year with Amy Wu who is the author of the book “From Farms to Incubators: Women Innovators Revolutionizing How Our Food is Grown”. Amy is passionate about featuring women leaders in agtech and I have been glad to share that passion with her and all of you by featuring Joanne Zhang in episode 263, Ponsi Trivisvavet in episode 273, Shely Aronov in episode 290, Ros Harvey in episode 304, and of course Fengru today. I highly encourage you to purchase a copy of Amy’s book, as it not only includes these guests but also several other former guests of this podcast: like Pam Marrone, Fatma Kaplan, Sarah Nolet, Mariana Vasconcelos, Christine Su, and others.&nbsp;Alright, let’s get to our featured conversation with Fengru Lin, co-founder and CEO of TurtleTree - and yes, we are going to ask her where the company name came from. Since founding the company in 2019, TurtleTree has become a top player in the alternative protein industry with $40 million in startup funding. Fengru is an alumna of Singapore Management University where she studied Information Systems Management and Marketing. Before starting TurtleTree, she held positions with Google and Salesforce.&nbsp;

Thank you to our quarterly presenting sponsor: Calgary, Alberta! www.CalgaryAgBusiness.com&nbsp;Greg Peck research: https://hardcider.cals.cornell.edu/Cider Chat Podcast: https://ciderchat.com/&nbsp;Today is an episode I’ve been very excited about for a long time because it combines three of my biggest passions: cider, farming, and this podcast. It’s part history of apples and cider, part analysis of the growing cider industry, and part personal indulgence of asking an expert if I’m crazy to dream of one-day owning an orchard-based cider company.&nbsp;Dr. Greg Peck is a pomologist, cider expert, and an associate professor in the School of Integrative Plant Sciences at Cornell University. His research addresses the challenges of sustainably and profitably producing tree fruits, and has conducted research in fruit-crop production systems in California, Washington, New York, and Virginia. He really has become a leader and expert in cider in the U.S., and received the American Cider Association’s 2018 Grower Advocate of the Year Award.&nbsp;As you can already tell, this episode was selfish for me in a lot of ways as a hobbyist cidermaker myself who has planted a dozen or so apple trees. But there’s some really great stuff in here that touches on history of agriculture, local agritourism, wine, climate change, and farm economics. Enjoy this episode with Dr. Greg Peck.

Thank you to our quarterly presenting sponsor, Merck Animal Health Ventures: https://www.merck-animal-health.com/animal-health-ventures/ Prime Future Weekly Newsletter: https://primefuture.substack.com/  Video of High Plains Ponderosa Dairy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s91pH9wNKOw  Today’s episode covers some really progressive concepts in modern agriculture, and specifically modern dairy. Greg Bethard is the CEO of High Plains Ponderosa Dairy in Kansas. You’re going to hear from the lens of a producer how they are finding ways to lower their carbon footprint, produce both dairy and beef using the same resources, drive costs lower, and partner with companies like Shell to take their operation to the next level. 

Thank you to our quarterly presenting sponsor, Merck Animal Health Verntures: https://www.merck-animal-health.com/animal-health-ventures/ Poultry Sense: https://www.poultrysenseltd.com/  Ancera: https://www.ancera.com/  For the first half of today's episode you’ll hear an interview with Alan Beynon, founder of Poultry Sense. Then in the second half you’ll hear from Ancera founder & CEO Arjun Ganesan, who I’ll formally introduce a bit late in the episode.  Alan Beynon is a veterinarian in the UK who started Prognostix, which used to be called Poultry Sense, in 2016. As Alan will describe, he saw a lot of opportunity in the use of sensors and data to improve animal welfare and efficiency. Merck Animal Health Ventures invested in the company in 2019 and then ended up acquiring them in 2021. We talk a little bit about that part of Alan’s story as well. Connecticut-based Ancera is a pioneer in microbial-based risk assessment and monitoring solutions. So what does that mean? They have a proprietary technology that enables near real-time, rapid detection and quantification of microbial threats across all points in the food production process, from farm-to-consumer. If that’s still sounding vague, the way I sort of understood it in my mind was that biological interactions are more complex than chemical interactions. So for any type of biological intervention it’s important to know more than just did it work or did it not work. We need more data about the dynamics at play, and that’s what Ancera does for their customers. Founder and CEO Arjun Ganesan shares details as well as some specific use cases.

 Philip Giampietro is the CEO and president of Walden Local Meat Company. Founded in 2014, Walden is New England and New York's leading brand of locally raised, sustainable meat. They are part of the first cohort of companies to legally reincorporate as a public benefit corporation or B-Corp. Philip says their purpose is to “make local work," with a more specific mandate to: 1) Connect adjacent rural and urban communities, 2) Produce the healthiest products possible with leading standards of animal welfare and environmental sustainability, and 3) Create incentives for farmers to move to more regenerative practices — those that are not simply "do less harm" but those that provide a net positive benefit to the environment and surrounding communities. Before Walden, Philip was a Director at Bain Capital and held various positions in private equity and consulting.    Thank you to our quarterly presenting sponsor, Merck Animal Health Ventures: https://www.merck-animal-health.com/animal-health-ventures/ Walden Local Meat Co: https://waldenlocalmeat.com/ *SUBSCRIBE TO JANETTE BARNARD'S PRIME FUTURE NEWSLETTER: https://primefuture.substack.com/  Join the FoA Community: www.Patreon.com/agriculture  We have a great show for you today about what it takes to build a regional food system that can scale in today’s market that has very high expectations when it comes to taste, flavor, convenience, health, social and environmental impact, and beyond. Walden Local Meat has been building their company serving the Northeast U.S. since 2014. They have a great story about what it takes to make this approach work, and where they see the future of local and regional food systems headed. Some of you may know that I grew up in a direct-to-consumer specialty livestock business, so this concept is definitely of interest to me and near and dear to my heart.

Thank you to our quarterly presenting sponsor, Merck Animal Health Ventures: https://www.merck-animal-health.com/animal-health-ventures/ AGI: https://www.aggrowth.com/ Farmobile: https://www.farmobile.com/  Today’s episode is a fascinating look at the value of farm data. Jason Tatge has been thinking about farm data for decades now, and you’re going to hear about the early days of trading data over the phone, to how that concept is basically what we know today as carbon credits and NFTs. He’ll also talk about how Ag Growth International or AGI is using Farmobile’s platform to connect data from all sorts of equipment including things like grain bins and dryers to reach unprecedented levels of interoperable farm data. Some really interesting topics to cover on today’s show, make sure you stay to the end to hear his vision for where all this stuff is going. Jason is currently serving as a Senior Vice President for AGI Digital.  AGI Digital is the collection of technology assets that have been acquired by AGI. These include the companies of Intellifarms, Farmobile and CMC Hazard Monitoring. AGI, for those that don’t know, provides global equipment solutions for seed, fertilizer, grain, feed and food processing systems.They are a global equipment leader with several brands across five main areas: Grain, Fertilizer, Food, Feed and Seed. Jason came to AGI by way of acquisition of his company Farmobile last year. He started his career though, in the same way I did: as a commodities trader. After seven years of that work, he was a co-founding employee of Farms.com, and then started his own company called Farms Technology, which was an electronic marketplace with automated hedging capabilities. He sold that company to DuPont Pioneer in 2012.  JOIN THE FOA COMMUNITY: www.Patreon.com/agriculture 

Thank you to our quarterly presenting sponsor, Merck Animal Health Ventures: https://www.merck-animal-health.com/animal-health-ventures/  Blue Ocean Barns: https://blueoceanbarns.com/ Today’s episode features Joan Salwen, co-founder and CEO of Blue Ocean Barns. Joan grew up in the long shadow of her family’s Iowa farm where she harvested cherries and cared for the sheep. During 20 years as a Managing Director at Accenture, Joan managed $50M+ client relationships and led the firm's Atlanta practice for organization and change strategy. In 2015, Joan transitioned to Stanford, where she built a team that energized university, market and government interest in seaweed as a solution to climate change. She founded Elm Innovations, a non-profit platform for exploring the potential of the seaweed-livestock connection and ultimately co-founded the commercial engine for it, Blue Ocean Barns in 2019.  I’m very excited to share today’s episode with you. There is so much here. Not only does this project have incredible incredible potential to reduce methane emissions. But also this is an incredible entrepreneurial journey Joan went through to resurrect old research in this area, support further research, commercialize the venture, then figure out how to grow, process and distribute the product at a scale that could be meaningful for the future of agriculture.

Thank you to our quarterly presenting sponsor, Merck Animal Health Ventures: https://www.merck-animal-health.com/animal-health-ventures/ EverAg: https://www.ever.ag/ Dairy.com: https://www.dairy.com/ Prime Future: https://primefuture.substack.com/  Today’s episode is really a unique opportunity to hear from someone who has been working on what it means to digitize agriculture supply chains for over two decades. I can’t think of anyone who better understands the potential here for our industry, but also the reality of the challenges that lie ahead than Scott Sexton of EverAg and Dairy.com. Dairy.com is a leading provider of software, risk management, and market intelligence solutions for the dairy industry. The company was formed in 2000 by investors that included eight of the largest dairy cooperatives, and since that time continued to grow based off just that initial investment and their own earnings until they brought in an outside investor just a few years ago in 2019 and started expanding into some new areas that Scott will talk about with this new umbrella company called EverAg.  I’m very pleased to bring back everyone’s favorite co-host, creator of the Prime Future Weekly newsletter, ruminants lead at Merck Animal Health Ventures, and my good friend Janette Barnard. Join the FoA Community: www.Patreon.com/agriculture

Thank you to our quarterly presenting sponsor, Merck Animal Health Ventures: https://www.merck-animal-health.com/animal-health-ventures/ Jan Willem van Groenigan https://www.wur.nl/en/Persons/Jan-Willem-prof.dr.ir.-JW-Jan-Willem-van-Groenigen.htm Follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JWvanGroenigen YouTube videos:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJz4ijSeqjg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vt77IvHaZuY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6em_8iFfKIk  Jan Willem van Groenigan is a professor of Soil Biochemistry at Wageningen University in The Netherlands. He is a trained soil fertility specialist, and him and I originally connected about some soil carbon sequestration work that he was a part of. You’ll hear from one of his co-authors about that on a future episode. But when he told me that he was spending a lot of his time these days focused on the role of earthworms in agricultural soils, I knew I had to get him on the show to talk about that topic. He has been a part of several studies on earthworms such as their effect on crop yields, soil fertility, and greenhouse gas emissions, all of which we will talk about in today’s episode. I found his comments on phosphorous to be particularly interesting and important. First though, I’m going to drop you into the conversation where he gives you some more background in his own words, and we’ll take it from there. Enjoy this conversation about earthworms with Jan Willem van Groenigan.    Join the FoA Community: www.Patreon.com/agriculture 

Thank you to our quarterly presenting sponsor, Merck Animal Health Ventures: https://www.merck-animal-health.com/animal-health-ventures/ Innovating Agtech: https://soundcloud.com/user-73017811 SomaDetect: https://somadetect.com/ Books: Adventure Finance, Farm and Other F Words, The Third Plate Today’s featured guest is Hannah Senior. Hannah grew up in a farming community but followed a career into corporate life working with multinational companies, including 5 years with the retailer Tesco.  She completed an MBA at Stanford University before returning to the UK and agriculture, when she acquired PBS International, a company which makes products for plant breeders and seed producers around the world.   She describes her professional expertise as a stool with three legs, spanning agricultural technology, entrepreneurship & plant breeding.  Hannah holds Board and advisory positions with several AgriTech companies including Crop Health and Protection, the UK’s government-backed Agritech centre for Crops, and is Vice President of the National Association of Plant Breeders (although if this goes out in late August I’ll be President by then!). She is the host of two podcasts: Plant Breeding Stories, which interviews a diverse range of people in and around plant breeding, and Innovating AgTech is an audio documentary about how to better align interests in AgTech entrepreneurship between the environment, farmers, entrepreneurs and investors.   I first connected with Hannah as she was putting together this Innovating Agtech documentary-style podcast, and was very eager to both listen to the six-part series, and share some of her takeaways and perspectives with you here today. Join the FoA Community: www.Patreon.com/agriculture

Thank you to our presenting sponsor Merck Animal Health Ventures! https://www.merck-animal-health.com/animal-health-ventures/ Loftus Labs: https://www.loftuslabs.com/ FoA Community: www.Patreon.com/agriculture.  Today’s episode is all about farm business data and analytics. The story is different from others you’ve probably heard about though, in that Loftus Labs is not selling a product. They offer a service to help farmers to build customized processes to gain deeper insights into their unique business. Long time listeners might recall my interest in there being a “Geek Squad for agriculture”, this is like what I had in mind, but actually a lot better.  Patrick Smith and Dan Maycock are two of the co-founders of Loftus Labs. Pat is a fourth generation farmer and the CEO of Loftus Ranches in the Yakima Valley in Washington state. They grow primarily hops and apples, and they are vertically integrated: selling hops to breweries around the world, and packing and marketing apples both in partnership with other growers in the area. You probably know that Washington and apples go hand in hand, but you may not know that the Yakima Valley is the most important hops growing region in the world. The 50-mile stretch of the valley where Loftus is located grows 75% of the nation’s hops and about 25-30% of the world’s production annually depending on the year.  Our conversation today is about the data and business analytics journey that Pat has gone down and what led him to form Loftus Labs with a cofounding team that includes our other guest today, Dan Maycock. Dan’s background is in data engineering with companies you will have heard of like Boeing and Amazon. Their business is really interesting, and I think directly addresses the some aspects of agtech that often get overlooked. Such as the fact that every farm is different and needs customized solutions, and that the many of the tools already exist and what are lacking are implementation partners and support.

Thank you to our presenting sponsor Merck Animal Health Ventures! https://www.merck-animal-health.com/animal-health-ventures/ Floating Farm: https://floatingfarm.nl/ Vence: https://vence.io/  We have a fascinating story today about the world’s first floating farm. To some of you that may sound far fetched or maybe even like a gimmick, but I assure you it’s anything but. And it can open our minds to new possibilities for what and where a farm can be. Even a livestock farm.  Today's episode features both Peter and Vincent van Wingerden. Peter has a background in engineering and started his company to build large buildings on the water. His experience in New York City in 2013 prompted him to focus full time on the concept of a floating farm. He’ll talk more about that in the moment. Joining Peter is his son Vincent, who also happens to work in agtech with Microsoft. Vincent is a Technical Architect for data and AI and ag is one of the sectors he is working in. It was so great to have both Peter and Vincent on the interview to talk about the floating farm, and about agricultural technology and sustainability more broadly.  Stay tuned to the end of the episode for a short profile on Vence, a company we featured by in 246 and has since become a portfolio company of Merck Animal Health Ventures.  Support the Future of Agriculture podcast by joining the FoA community! www.Patreon.com/agriculture 

Thank you to our presenting sponsor Merck Animal Health Ventures! https://www.merck-animal-health.com/animal-health-ventures/ Unfold website: https://unfold.ag/ John Purcell LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jppurcell/ Unfold Twitter: https://twitter.com/Unfold_Ag  John Purcell, Ph.D. has worked in agriculture for over 30 years, including  long career at Monsanto and then Bayer. For the past dozen or so years before leading Unfold he worked in their vegetable seed division. His earlier work led to innovations for crops such as corn, cotton, and wheat. John earned his Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst and worked as a post-doctoral researcher at the USDA before going into industry. He is also part owner of a family ranching operation in Montana.  John started thinking about genetics for vertical farming while still at Bayer, but they decided that the vertical farming industry was so different, it not only needed it’s own products, but it’s own company focused on it. It was at that time that Bayer and investment company Temasek formed Unfold as it’s own independent startup focused exclusively on vertical farming. John was tasked with building this company from scratch.  **JOIN THE FOA COMMUNITY: www.patreon.com/agriculture

Thank you to our presenting sponsor Merck Animal Health Ventures! https://www.merck-animal-health.com/animal-health-ventures/ StockCropper website: https://thestockcropper.com/ StockCropper YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheStockCropper Zack Smith Twitter: https://twitter.com/zebulousprime Today’s episode really speaks to the core of what this podcast is all about. We look at the current trajectory of where agriculture is headed, identify some of the negative outcomes associated with that trajectory, and explore how people and technology can play a role in creating a better future. I’m excited to share with you today’s conversation with farmer and Stockcropper co-founder Zack Smith. If you’ve listened to the episode with Joe Bassett, or the recent episode with Paul Greive of Pasturebird, or if you spend any time on ag twitter or ag youtube, you probably have an idea of what the StockCropper is all about. But today’s episode goes deeper into why these types of innovations are important. We talk about consolidation in ag and its impact on rural communities. Zack shares about his journey into soil health and how that’s changed his operation and led him to the point that he felt it was critical that he find a way to incorporate animals onto his crop land. And we talk about these two diverging paths of being the low cost producer vs being a value added producer. A lot of great stuff in today’s episode.  It used to be common practice for farmers to raise a diverse mix of animals and crops in a somewhat integrated system. Over the years through technological and policy changes, most farmers became more specialized, and today the majority of our crops and livestock are produced separate from each other. However, this creates other challenges that Zack will talk more about, and there is a growing push to try to integrate crops and livestock more for the sake of soil, the environment, and rural economies. StockCropper is creating a system to help with this. Their first product is the world’s first multi-species, solar-powered, electrically-driven, autonomous mobile grazing system, called the ClusterCluck. Zack’s going to talk a lot more about the system and what it represents for the future of agriculture.    

Thank you to our quarterly presenting sponsor Merck Animal Health Ventures: https://www.merck-animal-health.com/animal-health-ventures/ I’m very pleased to welcome the leader of the Merck Animal Health Ventures Team, Stephen Murray, joining me on today’s episode. Originally brought up on a sheep and beef farm in New Zealand, Stephen spent the first part of his career as a dairy veterinarian in that country. He decided to leave private practice for industry, which led him through a series of roles and acquisitions to working for Merck Animal Health in 2011. Stephen built the animal health ventures group from its foundation in 2016 - developing the team, ways of thinking and processes that are needed to invest, partner and work with young technology businesses that are of strategic interest to Merck Animal Health.  Today’s episode covers how an established industry leader embraces technology as a core competency, what the acquisition of Antelliq meant to that end, the role of strategic investors in the early stage startup ecosystem, and his thoughts for where the future of animal agtech is headed.

Today's episode is brought to you by Sound Agriculture: https://www.sound.ag/ The Yield: https://www.theyield.com/ "From Farms to Incubators" book: https://bookshop.org/books/from-farms-to-incubators-women-innovators-revolutionizing-how-our-food-is-grown/9781610355759  Joining us on today’s show is Ros Harvey, founder and CEO of The Yield, which is an Australian agtech company that focuses on leveraging data science to provide large specialty crop producers with digital playbooks to improve farming operations and supply chains. The Yield is planning an expansion into the U.S. market this year after establishing themselves in Australia over the past seven years. We have an interesting conversation about their approach to farm data, why their playbook is a different approach from other digital ag companies, her thoughts on data ownership, and the need for more holistic approaches to agtech. 

Kristjan Hebert Twitter: https://twitter.com/KristjanHebert Kristjan Hebert website: https://kristjanhebert.com/ Hebert Grain Ventures: https://hebertgrainventures.com/ "Traction" by Gino Wickman "Get a Grip" by Gino Wickman "Rocket Fuel" by Gino Wickman Joining me again on today’s show is Kristjan Hebert. Kristjan is the managing partner of Hebert Grain Ventures (HGV), a 30,000 acre grain and oilseed operation in southeast Saskatchewan. If you listened to the last episode, you already know that this is part two of the interview, and I highly encourage you to go back and listen to part one if you haven’t done so yet. Kristjan talked in that episode about his transition from working in accounting to coming back to his family’s farm, the business principles and processes he has put in place to grow his operation, and a lot of just great business advice relevant to not just farmers, but anyone who is trying to run their business better.    We continue that theme today as we dive into the operating system that Kristjan uses to run his company. When I say operating system, some of you might think I mean software, and that’s not what I mean at all. This is adapted from a program called the Entrepreneurial Operating System or EOS. We talk about the principles involved which include vision, people, data, issues, process, and traction.    Kristjan describes his scorecard of 15 key metrics that he tracks to make sure his business is performing well and headed in the right direction. In the last episode he talked about some of the financial metrics that are included in the 15, but today he’ll go into some of the other important metrics he tracks.

Today's episode is brought to you by Sound Agriculture: https://www.sound.ag/ Kirstjan Hebert: http://www.kristjanhebert.com/ HGV: https://hebertgrainventures.com/ Maverick Ag: https://maverickag.com/ Kristjan Twitter: https://twitter.com/KristjanHebert Joining me on today’s show is Kristjan Hebert. Kristjan is the managing partner of Hebert Grain Ventures (HGV), a 30,000 acre grain and oilseed operation in southeast Saskatchewan. After a brief stint at accounting firm Meyers Norris Penny, he came back to farming with a focus on profitability. He is a graduate of Texas A&M’s The Executive Program for Agricultural Producers (TEPAP), which you will hear reference a couple of times today.  Danny Klinefelter of TEPAP, whose name will also come up in the interview, refers to Kristjan as “one of the most progressive young farmers he knows”. On top of all of that, Kristjan is also the co-founder of online farm labor platform WorkHorse Hub as well as Maverick Ag - providing custom designed lending, accounting, and insurance solutions to producers.   For this interview, I’m doing something I almost never do: I’m splitting it into two episodes because I thought there was so much here worth your time. In part one today, we talk about the financial lessons he learned from being a CPA that he now applies to his farm, the importance of building a team, dealing with landlords, how is thinking about policy and sustainability, and more. Next week we will go over the operating system he uses to do all of this as well as some of his views on agtech - so that’s just a teaser to listen in again next week.  Know some other strategic, forward-thinking, unconventional producers that should be featured on this show? Email me: tim@aggrad.com

Today’s episode is brought to you by Sound Agriculture: https://www.sound.ag/ Suma Reddy LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suma-reddy-0285386/ Future Acres: https://www.futureacres.co/ Wavemaker Labs: https://www.wavemakerlabs.com/  JOIN THE FOA COMMUNITY: www.patreon.com/agriculture Joining me on today’s show is Suma Reddy, the co-founder and CEO of Future Acres. Suma’s company builds advanced mobility and AI solutions for farms, starting with a robot called Carry, an autonomous harvest companion that increases production efficiency, improves farmworker safety, and provides real time data and analytics. So think like a fully autonomous cart or wheelbarrow that transports table grapes from where they are picked to where they are loaded out of the vineyard.  We definitely talk more about Future Acres in this episode and Suma’s vision for the intersection of people and technology in agriculture. We also talk about the labor problems that technologies like this help solve. But mostly, we talk about ideas for funding companies like this. Especially, the venture studio that Future Acres was born out of, what they’ve learned from equity crowdfunding, and a tiny little bit on leveraging communities of people to form special purpose vehicles or SPVs which are ad hock groups of investors that participate alongside VCs or angel investors. So much fascinating stuff covered in this episode.  Suma’s career got started as a Peace Corps volunteer in Mali working with smallholder farmers. From there, she joined a high growth microfinance startup in India which IPO’d and eventually sold for a couple billion dollars. Then she returned home to the U.S., and after business school jumped into climate and agriculture with renewable energy projects followed by cofounding an indoor ag startup called FarmShelf. But she felt pulled back to outdoor agriculture and she found this opportunity to start Future Acres at a venture studio, and that is where we dive into today’s episode with Future Acres CEO Suma Reddy. 

Previous guests featured:  Richard Waite Dan Kittredge Jason Persall Paul Winters Xin Yi Lim Mark Remmert Sarah Mock Join the FoA Community: www.Patreon.com/agriculture For most of the history of industrial agriculture, consumers demanded of the food system four foundational criteria: price, safety, taste and convenience. This has not changed, nor do I have reason to believe it will in the future. What has changed is that we have realized that if we make those our only criteria, we fall victim to a host of other problems: health problems, climate change, environmental degradation, inequities, and unfortunately the list goes on.    New values have emerged from consumers that want more out of our food system beyond just the price, safety, taste and convenience which of course remain vital.  After spending some time reflecting on the past 300 episodes of this show, I’ve compiled a list of seven consumer values that I think will continue to shape the future of the ag industry, and I’ve drawn from former guests to share them with you today.  Now I realize fads come and go. But I don’t think we’re talking about fads here. I think we are talking about underlying values that will continue to inform the way consumers eat, buy, and vote in the future. And we as an ag industry ought to be aware of them and factor them into our strategies for the future of agriculture. Climate Impact Nutrition/Health Connection to an Authentic Source Fun & Social Experiences Hunger and Poverty Alleviation Waste Reduction Social Impact

Pasturebird: www.Pasturebird.com Prime Future newsletter: https://primefuture.substack.com/  Join the FoA Community: www.patreon.com/agriculture  Paul Greive and his in-laws decided to raise 50 chickens in their ¼ acre backyard, when those sold quickly he bought more, eventually becoming the largest pastured poultry producer in the country.  To scale Pasturebird, they built their own automated range coop to autonomously move 6,000 birds to new pasture every day using solar energy. This growth and innovation caught the attention of one of the largest animal protein companies in the country, Perdue Farms, who acquired Pasturebird in 2019. Janette Barnard returns to co-host today’s episode which is an incredible story of entrepreneurship, technology, regenerative farming, and a glimpse into the future of agriculture.  

Farmland LP: https://www.farmlandlp.com/ Join the FoA Community: www.Patreon.com/agriculture  Today’s episode is a unique approach to farmland investing. Farmland LP buys farmland and adds value by doing things like planting higher value crops, converting to certified organic, and implementing regenerative farming practices. The company then leases the land back out to farmers who agree to maintain these practices. Joining us on the show today is Farmland LP founder and managing partner Craig Wichner. Craig founded Farmland LP in 2009 and is responsible for day-to-day management, business strategy and all investment activity. He is a seasoned executive with nearly 30 years of experience building companies and investing.  Craig has also helped to manage his family’s real estate portfolio of apartment buildings for over 25 years. He also serves on the board of BN Ranch, Bill Niman’s successor company to Niman Ranch.  Craig and I have a fascinating and wide ranging conversation about investing in farmland, their strategies for acquiring property and adding value, and how he is thinking about the future of agriculture and this asset class of farmland. As you’re about to hear, Craig’s not afraid to call it like he sees it, especially when it comes to sustainability related topics. He sees a lot of greenwashing going on in agriculture and wants to see more data-backed metrics of improving the lands in which we farm.

Leaf Agriculture: https://withleaf.io/ GROWMARK: https://www.growmark.com/ FoA 238: 5 Barriers Limiting Agtech: https://aggrad.libsyn.com/foa-238-5-barriers-limiting-agtech-and-the-companies-breaking-through-them FoA 275: Digital Infrastructure for Ag Supply Chains: https://aggrad.libsyn.com/foa-275-digital-infrastructure-for-ag-supply-chains-with-jake-joraanstad-and-jesse-vollmar-of-bushel  Bailey Stockdale is the CEO of Leaf Agriculture which builds developer tools for agriculture. What that means exactly is what we’re going to spend most of today’s episode talking about, but in the meantime, you can think of them as the company that enables integrations between technology providers so that the user experience is seamless. In other words, technology users will never know they exist. Their customers are technology providers in the industry.  People like Brendan Bachman, who joins Bailey and I on today’s show. Brendan is the Senior Agronomy Technology Manager at GROWMARK/FS, which is one of the largest producer owned coops in the U.S. Brendan has worked there for about 16 years in various agronomy and technology capacities. For the past five years he’s been in thor sole working in strategy and implementation of different ag technologies with their various member companies and working with agtech companies to help them find market fit with growers. After Bailey’s first appearance on this podcast in episode 238 we also featured Bushel in episode 275 diving deeper into the concept of digital infrastructure. Both of those would be great to re-listen to with this one. Today you’re going to get something though that you didn’t get in those past two episodes: a tangible example of why digital infrastructure is needed, how companies like leaf work with technology providers, and we’ll end with a deeper exploration into how an infrastructure provider makes money, differentiates themselves, and deals with competition. This is a different episode, but one I found really fascinating. One technical note: Bailey’s air pods failed us towards the end of the interview, so you’ll notice his audio quality change pretty drastically. But stick with it: he has some really interesting comments towards the end about how all of this plays out for the future of agriculture.    **JOIN THE FOA COMMUNITY: www.Patreon.com/agriculture

FarmRaise: www.FarmRaise.com  Building a startup in ag? Email me: tim@aggrad.com  Support this show and join the FoA community: www.Patreon.com/agriculture    A point we try to drive home as often as possible here is that innovation on its own doesn’t really get anywhere until it can be implemented. For agriculture, that often means that the ideas we talk about here on this show need to actually work for farmers. So for the future of agriculture to be more data-driven or more technological or more regenerative, the tools and practices will have to be executable. And for farmers to find this out, they will need to experiment with them. Which is very risky. Luckily there are programs to help absorb some of that risk. A lot of them involve free money in the way of grants, or very cheap loans. But to access these programs requires an often tedious process of seeing if you are eligible then applying then waiting to hear back then keeping up with the ongoing reporting.  Lowering these barriers is exactly where FarmRaise comes in. Jayce Hafner is the co-founder and CEO of FarmRaise. What’s interesting about this episode is not only the impact they are having for farmers, nearly 10,000 so far and $9M in funding applications, but also where they hope to take the company. Today, they offer a freemium model where a farmer can check their eligibility on 15 programs for free or pay $25/month to check eligibility on hundreds of programs, apply to them in less than 15 minutes, and get ongoing support.  Jayce sees this as just the beginning. This valuable service can grow into many more financial services including lending, ecosystem services, and even tax support. In the interview I compare it to H&R Block for farmers, but she quickly corrects me that it’s more like TurboTax. Which is fair. FarmRaise just announced they closed a $7.2M seed round led by Susa Ventures as well as angel investments from some notable names including former podcast guest Zach Johnson (The Millennial Farmer). They also have some really interesting distribution partnerships with Corteva and Cargill with others scheduled to be announced this year. We talk about that as well. There’s so much here to dive into and I think you’ll find this full interview to be well worth your time.   Jayce grew up on a livestock farm in Virginia, where she saw first hand how these financial incentives can improve a farming operation. Before FarmRaise, she invested in agriculture with SLM Partners, completed a Fulbright Fellowship in Trinidad and Tobago, and worked on environmental sustainability at Apple. Jayce has led policy coalitions at several United Nations COP climate negotiations and founded a record-breaking conservation coalition that mobilized 100,000 citizens to advocate for the Arctic Refuge. She has an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business, an MS in Agriculture from the Stanford School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences. 

Sound Agriculture: https://www.sound.ag/ Support this show: www.Patreon.com/agriculture  Today, I’m excited to bring you an interview with a very interesting company in agtech, and a unique one in many ways. Adam Litle is the CEO of Sound Agriculture. Which is in the “sound science” sense of the word not the audio sense of the word. They have some really interesting scientific approaches to, on one hand, activating beneficial microbes to provide more nutrition to crops. And on the other hand to perform what they call on-demand breeding, which doesn’t actually change the genetics of the crop but blocks expression of certain genes by soaking the seed in a specific protein. Each of these individually is a pretty exciting innovation in agriculture, but I wanted to know where do they intersect? In other words, why is this one business instead of two? We get into that as well as some of the challenges of bringing innovations like this to the market, and much more on today’s episode.  As CEO, Adam leads the company’s strategy and overall company execution. He joined Sound to help serve both producers and consumers with more sustainable, differentiated crops. Prior to Sound, Adam was on the founding team and served as Chief Revenue Officer of Granular, the leading farm management software company acquired by Corteva in 2017.

Grounded Capital Partners: https://www.groundedcapitalpartners.com/ How would you rate the Future of Agriculture podcast using a scale of conventional (1) to aspirational (10)? Where along that spectrum do you think it should be? Email me at tim@aggrad.com to let me know or send me a DM on Twitter or LinkedIn.  Our guest today, Stephen Hohenrieder was first on the show back in episode 216 to talk about building a more distributed system. It remains one of my most popular episodes, and I still highly recommend it even after you listen to this one. In that interview in 2020, Stephen mentions that he is working on developing a more permanent investment vehicle to carry out some of his investment theses about the future of food. What he was describing is now Grounded Capital Partners, and I wanted to invite him back to talk about his work.  Stephen has over a decade of focus on regenerative food systems, having invested, studied and collaborated across diverse categories of food and agriculture — proteins, fruits and vegetables, nuts and consumer packaged goods. His perspectives were shaped by a systems approach, the teachings of others, observations in exploring a thesis for how our food system is evolving, and a belief that all stakeholders are interdependent. Since 2017, Stephen has served as the CEO & CIO of Meyer Family Enterprises, an entrepreneurial impact-focused single-family office in the Napa Valley, where he oversees entities that include direct investments, real estate and farming. Join the FoA community at patreon.com/agriculture. 

Granular: www.granular.ag Platinum Ag Services: https://platinum.ag/  We have on the show Cassie Misch who is an independent crop consultant and the owner of Platinum Ag Services located in Northwest Indiana. As part of her offerings to farmer customers, Cassie is a Certified Services Agent for the Granular Agronomy suite of services. One of those farmer customers is Jake Smoker, who also joins us on today’s show. Jake farms with his father, Greg, in LaPorte County, Indiana where they grow corn, beans, wheat, non-GMO corn, non-GMO beans, cattle, and seed corn for Corteva/Pioneer. Jake and his wife Jill were also just recognized this week with the American Farm Bureau Achievement Award, so congratulations to them. Cassie and Jake will talk about how they have worked together to leverage technology to improve yield and efficiency on the Smoker Farm. There’s some real insights here on what’s possible when the right ag technology is fully supported by the right people. As you may recall with this tech-enabled advisor series, I wanted to hear from different types of guests who each are using different types of technologies. In order to do that, I have sought out companies to partner with on each individual episode of this series. Today’s show was produced in partnership with Granular. Many of you listening are familiar with Granular, and you may even remember the episodes I did with them back in 2019, which were episodes 135, 136, 137, 138, and 153. They’ve been some of our most popular episodes ever, so I highly recommend re-listening to those. Granular is more than just a Farm Management tool. They deliver science and service for successful nitrogen management, especially in a year where prices have gone up so dramatically. Granular’s Certified Services Agents, people like Cassie, are an incredible resource to help farmers explore and push the needle as they try new software. Learn more about them at Granular.ag and thank you Granular for partnering with me on today’s episode.

Dawn Equipment: http://www.dawnequipment.com/ Underground Agriculture: https://www.undergroundagriculture.com/  Joe Bassett on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeatDawn Soil Sense Podcast: www.NDSoilSense.com  Joe Bassett is the president and CEO of Dawn Equipment Company. Dawn makes smart soil-engaging products enabling farmers to plant seeds more precisely and prepare the soil with greater efficiency while using less fertilizer. They specifically focus on row crops like corn and soybeans. You’ll also hear us mention their sub-brand Underground Agriculture which focuses on cost effective products for Regenerative Agriculture, making several novel mechanical devices that empower farmers to maximize profit through healthy soil and cover crops. Joe strikes a balance between the hope and optimism of regenerative agriculture and the realities that adoption of these practices are slow and not a fit for many farm businesses in their current form. We touch on how well-intentioned programs can try to push practices on farms without empowering them to integrate into their businesses. I really think this is a conversation worth your time, especially as so many people out there want to choose sides on these issues without considering the realities.  Dawn Equipment was started by Joe’s father, Jim, and two partners in 1992. Joe studied Physics at the University of Iowa and joined the company in 2003, eventually taking over in 2015. He founded Underground Agriculture in 2019.   Support the Future of Agriculture podcast: www.patreon.com/agriculture

Semios (108): https://aggrad.libsyn.com/future-of-agriculture-108-data-driven-sustainable-agriculture-through-iot-and-machine-learning-with-michael-gilbert-of-semios Manolin (120): https://aggrad.libsyn.com/future-of-agriculture-121-electricides-with-andrew-diprose-of-rootwave  Harvest Returns (093): https://aggrad.libsyn.com/future-of-agriculture-093-crowdfarming-with-chris-rawley-of-harvest-returns  We are revisiting three different former guests from 2018 to ask the question “Where are they now?”. This is something you all have requested over the years, but I’ve never done until now. It was a lot of fun and really insightful to catch up with the three former podcast guests that you’re about to hear from. They are: Michael Gilbert of Semios, Tony Chen from Manolin, and Chris Rawley of Harvest Returns.  So you’re getting sort of three episodes in one today. I think there are a ton of great nuggets in each of these segments, so I highly encourage you to stick around to listen to each of them.   

InnerPlant: https://innerplant.com/ "From Farms to Incubators" https://www.farmstoincubators.com/  This week we are exploring the concept of engineering a plant to provide signals of stress like pest pressure or disease pressure or nutrient deficiency. InnerPlant is developing traits that serve as biosensors for when each of these unique types of stressors occur. This can be monitored via satellite for early detection and hopefully swift and precise action by the farmer. InnerPlant founder and CEO Shely Aronov is joining us on today’s show.  And when I say us, I not only mean you I, dear listener, but also my co-host for today’s episode Amy Wu. Amy is the author of the book “From Farms to Incubators: Women Innovators Revolutionizing How Our Food is Grown”. Amy and I teamed up earlier this year to produce some episodes together featuring women in agtech. This is the third of those episodes following Joanne Zhang in episode 263, and Ponsi Trivisvavet in episode 273. I highly encourage you to purchase a copy of Amy’s book, as it not only includes Joanne and Ponsi, but also several other former guests of this podcast: like Pam Marrone, Fatma Kaplan, Sarah Nolet, Mariana Vasconcelos, Christine Su, and others.  So, joining Amy and I is Shely Aronov. Shely grew up in Israel and came to the United States to get her MBA at Stanford, where she chose entrepreneurship as her focus. After some entrepreneurial ventures including a hummus company, she was inspired by some work her father in law was doing in biosensors which eventually led to founding InnerPlant in 2018.  I usually don’t feature companies on this show that are so early that they don’t yet have a commercial offering. But when Amy brought up the idea, the concept of communicating with plants was just too enticing for me to pass up. You’re going to hear a lot about how this works, why it could lead to significant improvements in management of these stressors, what it’s like to be a female agtech founder not from an ag background, and why farmers are paying to be part of this several months before there’s even a product available. 

Omnivore: https://www.omnivore.vc/  Tenacious Ventures: https://tenacious.ventures/ SP Ventures: https://www.spventures.com.br/  Merck Animal Health Ventures: https://www.merck-animal-health.com/animal-health-ventures/  Last month I gathered four agtech venture capitalists who all happen to be very popular previous guests of this show to talk about what they’re seeing in agtech investment, and to speculate about where things might go from here. What resulted was a great conversation talking about how areas of technology are making their way into agriculture, and how that’s made them feel suddenly like part of the “popular kids” of the venture community.  The four voices you’re going to hear from today are Mark Kahn from Omnivore in India, Sarah Nolet from Tenacious Ventures in Australia, Janette Barnard with Merck Animal Health Ventures here in the U.S., and Francisco Jardim of SP Ventures in Brazil. I’ll link to each of their websites and the previous episodes where you can hear them in the show notes. Francisco Jardim LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franciscojardim/  Sarah Nolet LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/svnolet/  Janette Barnard LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janettebarnard/  Mark Kahn LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-kahn-20490a/  Sarah Nolet Twitter: https://twitter.com/svnoles Janette Barnard Twitter: https://twitter.com/JanetteJoyB  Mark Kahn Twitter: https://twitter.com/agri_technology   

Hello Tractor: https://hellotractor.com/ Jehiel Oliver on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jehiel/ Software is Feeding the World Email Newsletter: https://rpethe.substack.com/  Today’s episode is about how Hello Tractor is bringing tractors to farmers in developing countries. This is a tremendous story of figuring out the logistics of how to maximize the use of farm machinery where it’s needed most, and deploying the technology and processes to make this happen at scale. At a real basic level, Hello Tractor is an agricultural technology company that connects smallholder farmers across the emerging markets with farm equipment owners that have excess capacity through technology.  Jehiel started the company six years ago in Nigeria, and has since moved to Kenya. Hello Tractor is now operating in 13 countries in Africa as well as a few countries in Asia as well as Guatemala and Jamaica.  Today’s episode is worth listening to all the way through, whether or not you think the problems of the developing work apply to you. It’s not only a great story, but there are some fascinating insights here about the power of fleet management technology, and how innovations in this industry can be applied to farms of all sizes.  Jehiel grew up in Cleveland and started his career in investment banking. He started to become really interested in ways to use finance to work with more marginalized communities, and started volunteering his time and expertise in deal structuring to microfinance organizations. After the financial crisis he committed full time to this work, first in Afghanistan. He realized that the global poor work in agriculture, and mechanization is a key missing piece to helping to alleviate poverty. So he’s applying his finance background to pull commercial levers to address this really entrenched problem.

The Nature Conservancy: https://www.nature.org/en-us/  "Building Soil Health Through Innovation" https://www.nature.org/en-us/what-we-do/our-priorities/provide-food-and-water-sustainably/food-and-water-stories/building-soil-health-innovation/  Renée Vassilos LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rvassilos/  Today’s guest is Renée Vassilos. Renée manages The Nature Conservancy’s investments in innovative companies that will help scale regenerative agriculture production practices. Prior to joining TNC, she spent nearly a decade at John Deere, followed by leading her consulting firm, Banyan Innovation Group, advising growth-stage agriculture technology startups and investors. That’s where she was when we heard from her in episode 157 in 2019.  If you’ve never heard of The Nature Conservancy before, they are a global environmental nonprofit working to create a world where people and nature can thrive. They have a strong reputation for working with private and public partners, including farmers and agribusinesses, to find practical and sustainable solutions to conserve the lands and waters on which all life depends.  Since joining TNC a couple of years ago, Renée has led investments in seven different early stage agricultural companies. Four of which, you’ve actually heard about if you’ve been listening to this show for very long. Those four are: Grower’s Edge (ep 156 & 238), SwarmFarm Robotics (ep 271), Sentera (ep 255 & 264), and Vence (ep 246).   The other three companies will be new to this show, so I’ve asked Renee to tell us a little bit about each of them during today’s show. They are: Kula Bio, Pattern Ag, and Stony Creek Colors.  Renee and I also talk about how they’re measuring and evaluating the impact of their investments related to their ability to get closer to their soil health goals, and the chicken or the egg problem of whether the tools can change a farmers practices or if a mindset has to change first with the farmer to seek out the right tools for those practices. That’s toward the end and Renee and I disagree slightly on which has to come first.  **Join the FoA Community: www.patreon.com/agriculture

Bionutrient Food Association: https://bionutrient.org/ Bionutrient Institute: https://www.bionutrientinstitute.org/  Bionutrient meter: https://bionutrient.org/bionutrientmeter  Over the past few years, the term “nutrient density” has been popping up more and more. There are a lot of claims being made about farming practices like regenerative agriculture producing more nutritious food or more nutrient dense food. But is this true? I mean, if you increase the amount of one nutrient are you really making it more nutrient dense or are you maybe just doing so at the expense of other nutrients? And if there are more of any given nutrient in a product, does that make it necessarily healthier?  The truth is we don’t really know. There is no agreed upon standard for nutrient density. And many people and companies are not letting that stop them latching onto the term and running with it for their own marketing purposes. You’ve heard evidence of that right here on previous episodes of this show. Also, without collecting a large amount of data on the various compounds in agricultural products, we can’t really even say if it matters.   Our guest today is making progress in defining nutrient density with data and has created an open-source consumer-priced handheld bionutrient meter that can provide a real time percentile of nutrient compound levels in eight different crops so far. He has a vision of someday using nutrient density as an important data point to optimize our food system in a variety of ways. But first we need the data to define what the nutrient profile should look like in each crop and the instrumentation to test this in every level of the food system, which he’ll be the first to admit that we still have a long way to go toward that end.  We have on the show Dan Kittredge. Dan is the Founder and Executive Director of the Bionutrient Food Association. Dan was an organic farmer for more than 30 years and founded the Bionutrient Food Association or BFA with the mission of increasing quality in the food supply. Dan’s perspective is healthier food comes from healthier plants which come from healthier environments. So, if we can develop a reliable and accessible measurement of healthy food, we can use that as a critical metric for a better food system.  Dan’s vision is really interesting: once we have clear definitions and the instrumentation to give everyone access to the data, it creates a feedback loop that can optimize our food system for true quality. Dan believes this can nullify the need for a lot of labels about how a food is grown because what will matter is the data - both on quality and environmental impact. He’s going to share the effects this could have on farming practices, genetics, health and consumer choice. Some of this may stretch your thinking here a little bit and you may find yourself wanting to see the evidence. That’s ok - and the story here is what Dan and the BFA are doing to search for the data to inform this very interesting thesis. In order to make sure this was a pre-competitive effort, Dan and the team have made their device open source. Dan says it’s a very early version of what we will need in the future, but it has allowed them to initially start collecting data with consumers at grocery stores and farmers markets and grow into working with 150 farmers as they did last year. Dan starts our conversation off with an overview of the Bionutrient Food Association. 

AgWorld: www.AgWorld.com  John Silvera on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-silvera-02b838175/  Today’s episode is another installment in that series, and it’s a really cool story of how John Silvera, an Independent Crop Consultant in the central valley of California, is using one tool in particular, AgWorld, to offer much more to growers than just agronomic recommendations.  In this episode we’ll talk about the return on investment of farmers hiring independent crop consultants, why John decided to start using AgWorld, and how he estimates he can save an average sized grower around $100,000 per year through his integrated budgeting, agronomic advising, and input purchasing service. We’ll also get into how he’s thinking about the future of agriculture and his crop consulting business.  Today’s show was produced in partnership with AgWorld.    Founded in 2009 with an Australian headquarters in Perth, AgWorld is a global leader in collaborative farm management, enabling farmers, advisors and third parties to work together as one on a single platform. AgWorld’s standardized database makes it quick and easy to create accurate, reportable farm data and serves over 100 million acres across five counties. AgWorld also made headlines recently by announcing it was getting acquired by Semios, and John and I talk about that a little bit in this episode. Learn more about AgWorld at www.AgWorld.com.  The son of a long time farm manager, John Silvera has a degree in Ag Business from Fresno State University. From there he spent about four years working for a large inputs provider before starting his own company in 2016. What I find most striking about John’s story is how he’s leveraging technology to become much more of a trusted business advisor who integrate agronomic decisions with business decisions for his clients.   **JOIN THE FoA COMMUNITY: www.Patreon.com/agriculture.   

See GUSS in action: https://gussag.com/ Almond Journey Podcast: https://www.almonds.com/almond-industry/industry-news  We have on the show today another great example of this in GUSS Automation. GUSS stands for Global Unmanned Spray System, and joining me for today’s episode is COO Gary Thompson. As the name implies, GUSS sells a fully autonomous sprayer for use in orchards and vineyards. Which is really interesting, because there is no piece of equipment that goes through these operations more than a sprayer does, so the savings and efficiencies here are compelling.  Gary is going to share their interesting story of how this technology was developed out of their traditional custom spraying business, how they’ve grown without outside capital to start selling these machines, the value and benefits of these machines for farmers and other custom sprayers, and what these capabilities means for the future of agriculture.  GUSS came up on another podcast that I host called the Almond Journey podcast. For any of you who are interested in almonds as a crop, I highly recommend subscribing to that one as well. It’s a little shorter than this one with a different feel and it’s of course focused specifically on almonds. I was talking to a grower on the podcast about his low dust harvest equipment, but he made the point of talking about how happy he was with his purchase of some GUSS sprayers.  Gary Thompson from GUSS grew up on a dairy farm in Arizona and went to Cal Poly where he met a lot of people in the central valley. It was there that he got connected with GUSS, where he now oversees all daily operations including manufacturing, sales, marketing, finances, dealers, and customer relations. 

Calgren Renewable Fuels https://www.calgren.com/  Maas Energy Works: https://www.maasenergy.com/ California Milk Advisory Board: https://www.realcaliforniamilk.com/  Dairy Sustainability Award: https://www.usdairy.com/media/press-releases/2021-dairy-sustainability-awards-winners-10-year-anniversary  Today’s episode is a great story of collaboration, public-private partnership, innovation, and sustainability. Before I introduce the guests on today’s show, let me set the scene for you a little bit: a group of 15 dairies in the central valley of California are getting paid to turn their cow manure into renewable fuel. Twelve of these dairies are connected via underground pipeline that transports biogas from on-farm digesters to a centralized conditioning facility which processes and markets the fuel. So the dairies not only receive a milk check, they also receive a manure check. All the while they are drastically reducing their own emissions and replacing 3 million gallons of fossil-fuel diesel with near-zero emissions from dairy-sourced renewable compressed natural gas, or CNG.  This project is a collaboration between a lot of people, including the local dairy farmers, Calgren Dairy Fuels which is the renewable energy company, and Maas Energy Works which makes the digesters. Joining me to talk about this innovative project is Lyle Schlyer, president of Calgren Renewable Fuels, and Daryl Maas, CEO of Maas Energy Works. I want to recognize that this project was nominated by the California Milk Advisory Board for a U.S. Dairy Sustainability Award. They won the award for their socially responsible, economically viable, and environmentally sound impacts on their community. The California Milk Advisory Board brought this incredible story to my attention and was willing to partner with me on this episode to share it with you. If you’re not familiar, they are an instrumentality of the California Department of Food and Agriculture with a vision of nourishing the world with the wholesome goodness of Real California Milk. They are very proud of the fact that dairy farm families in the state have made tremendous progress in reducing their environmental footprint while producing nutritious, planet-smart dairy products, an d becoming world leaders in sustainable farming. Thank you very much to the California Milk Advisory Board for bringing this story to my attention and for partnering with me on today’s episode.

OWL GitHub https://github.com/geezacoleman/OpenWeedLocator Weed AI https://weed-ai.sydney.edu.au/about  Guy Coleman Twitter: https://twitter.com/GeezaColeman William Salter Twitter: https://twitter.com/williamtsalter  Video: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/guy-coleman_the-openweedlocator-owl-is-now-live-its-ugcPost-6835703385925283840-LdvF  On the show today we have Guy Coleman, and William Salter. Guy is PhD Student at the University of Sydney and Fulbright Future Scholar currently based at Texas A&M University. His research focuses on the interaction between artificial intelligence for weed recognition and plant morphology in large-scale production systems. Guy also has experience in alternative weed control technologies like lasers and targeted tillage. Willam Salter, who you will also hear called by his nickname in this episode, Tam, is a postdoctoral agricultural scientist at the University of Sydney. His research focuses on several important aspects of plant and weed science, ranging from improving crop productivity to killing weeds more effectively. William has a keen interest in developing new low cost tools for use in scientific research and the agricultural industry. The project is called the Open Weed Locator or OWL for short. My two guests today are leading the efforts to develop an open source, low cost weed detection and control device. Essentially, it’s a site-specific spot spraying system that you can make yourself for around $400. Right now, it’s only designed for fallow type weed control scenarios because it sees green and sprays it, so you obviously wouldn’t want it running through a growing crop. However, I think with the open source community that they’re developing, I think it’s only a matter of time before they add the artificial intelligence to identify and spray specific weeds or perhaps even some sort of non-chemical control like electricity or lasers. As you heard Brian talk about last week, the opportunities with low cost hardware in the hands of an innovative community are really incredible.  As if that’s not a cool enough story on its own, we also highlight another project in this episode: Weed AI. It’s a repository of weed imagery in crops. This gets back to something we’ve talked about numerous times on this show: the need for quality data sets for companies to develop artificial intelligence. Weed AI is doing this in a sort of open source way.  These two guys will take us through the evolution of the Open Weed Locator, or OWL, project, the importance of open source technology, the role Weed AI can play in the future of agriculture, and much more.  **Join our upcoming Agtech Investor Roundtable by joining the FoA Community at Patreon.com/agriculture.  

AgOpenGPS: https://github.com/farmerbriantee/AgOpenGPS Autonomous Tractor Skiing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-T-rrny1Vk Brian's Twitter: https://twitter.com/efarmerdot  Brian Tischler is a farmer in Alberta, Canada. He farms with his neighbor who he shares equipment with to cover a combined 2,500 acres of wheat, barley, oats, canola, flax, and peas. He started his career in the medical technology industry, which you’re about to hear more about, but then he bought his family’s farm when his dad was ready to retire in the mid 90s.  Brian is going to share how he started learning how to build software to solve a basic problem, and how that lead to a community of thousands of people around the world who are a part of what is now an open source project called AgOpenGPS. We’ve done a few episodes on open source before, and its really inspiring to see farmers, who have always found ways to hack together solutions to their own problems, do the same with digital technologies as well. Today’s episode will focus on GPS-based technologies including mapping, section control, auto steer and making a tractor autonomous. These technologies exist in the marketplace, but you’re going to hear how our guest and his open source community are finding ways to make them for themselves much cheaper and more tailored to their individual needs.

OGRAIN: https://ograin.cals.wisc.edu/ YouTube videos: https://www.youtube.com/user/uwipm/search?query=erin%20silva Today’s episode is all about organic farming. Now, organic may be a concept that you have strong opinions about one way or another, but no matter what your perspective, I really encourage you to listen to what our guest has to say.  I originally invited today’s guest, Dr. Erin Silva onto the show to clear up one specific question I had: are organic standards so restrictive that it makes it difficult to grow organically and build soil health through practices like no-till. But once we started the interview I started thinking of all sorts of perceptions of organic that Erin was able to clear up for me. If you’re open to really examining the myths and realities of organic agriculture, we’ve got a great show for you.  Dr. Erin Silva is an associate professor and state extension specialist in organic and sustainable cropping systems at University of Wisconsin - Madison, a position she’s held for about 15 years. She works in partnership with farmers to conduct research related to organic grain production, with a focus on reducing tillage and incorporating soil health practices.  Erin and I will try to pick apart myth from reality on several assumptions that exist out there about organic agriculture, such as:  Organic is just about marketing Organic is not conducive with building soil health Organic is winding back the clock and moving backwards instead of forwards Organic is only the super small and super big farmers  Organic systems can’t ever be as productive as conventional systems Organic doesn’t embrace technology Of course there is no one perfect system for the future of agriculture, but in my opinion, organic does have an important role to play, and there’s even practices that other growing approaches, even conventional, can learn from the organic principles.  Have a listen and see if you agree. Erin first dove deep into learning about organic agriculture in the early 2000s, but says her real education came when she started working directly with farmers in 2006.

Precision AI: https://www.precision.ai/ Fulcrum Global Capital: https://www.fgcvc.com/ Protein Industries Canada: https://www.proteinindustriescanada.ca/  Today’s episode is another great example of how artificial intelligence and computer vision are impacting the ag industry. Today’s episode will focus on a row crop application. Specifically, we’re talking about new drone spraying technology from Canadian startup Precision AI.  Long time listeners will recall that we’ve talked about drone spraying on the show before, but today’s episode goes even deeper into both the technology and the opportunities that can come from the per plant precision that it offers. Also cool about this episode is our guest, Precision AI founder and CEO Daniel McCann. A three-time startup founder with over 25 years in technology in diverse industries such as artificial intelligence, fintech, security, fast food, and agriculture, Daniel provides a unique perspective on how technology impacts our world.  Daniel was a finalist in the 2013 ABEX Young Entrepreneur of the Year award, personally holds six patents, and his previous company NetSecure was mentioned in Peter Thiel’s book Zero to One. Precision AI is a portfolio company of Fulcrum Global Capital, who I’m very happy to be partnering with again on this episode.

SomaDetect: https://somadetect.com/ Prime Future Newsletter: https://primefuture.substack.com/ Our guest on today’s show Jordan Lambert actually mentioned back on episode 261. She has a technology that is easily installed in a milking parlor that collects milk data at the individual cow level. Not just on milk quality - which is one big factor, but also on cow health. It turns out, the milk can tell us a lot about how that cow is doing. This way, a dairy producer can see trends in not just their herd as a whole, but also in individual cows.  Bethany Deshpande is on the show. She is the CEO of SomaDetect, which is the company doing all that stuff I just mentioned. Bethany completed her PhD in Biology, and isn’t from a dairy background originally, but started SomaDetect when she saw an opportunity in the industry to apply some technology originally developed by her father. We’ll get more into that background later in the episode.  But she’s certainly dove headfirst into the dairy industry these past five years since starting the company. This is a great profile of what’s possible as we continue to find new ways to both collect data, but really to put it into management practices. I think there’s a lot of lessons to be learned here about the future of agriculture, whether dairy is of interest to you or not.  Here is my conversation with SomaDetect CEO Bethany Deshpande. 

Benson Hill: https://bensonhill.com/  Today’s episode features Matt Crisp, CEO and co-founder of Benson Hill. Benson Hill describes themselves as a food tech company unlocking the natural genetic diversity of plants with its cutting-edge food innovation engine. Basically, they are trying to improve plant-based ingredients by attacking every aspect of the value chain from seed to processing to sales.  The “plant-based” movement so far, has been trying to mimic the flavors and nutrition of the products they are trying to replace. Matt Crisp’s vision at Benson Hill that you’ll hear today on this show, is that they have the chance to surpass those products, but they will have to do so with better ingredients - which can only come as a result of better genetics and processing.  Matt’s road into health, nutrition, and agriculture actually came from his early career in venture capital. Hearing about how those things tie together is how we’ll start today’s episode with Benson Hill CEO and co-founder, Matt Crisp.    Matt has also appeared on a couple of other agtech podcasts recently:  Agtech, So What? https://www.agtechsowhat.com/agtechsowhatepisodes/2021/8/24/designing-crops-to-change-the-plant-based-food-system The Modern Acre https://themodernacre.com/2021/08/185-plant-based-meat-ingredient-breeding-with-matt-crisp-ceo-and-co-founder-of-benson-hill/   

AGCO Corp: https://www.agcocorp.com/  Louisa Parker-Smith: https://news.agcocorp.com/news/agco-names-louisa-parker-smith-director-of-global-sustainability Email Newsletters: Upstream Ag Insights: https://upstreamaginsights.substack.com/ Software is Feeding the World: https://rpethe.substack.com/    Today’s guest is Louisa Parker-Smith, who is the Global Head of Sustainability for AGCO Corporation. Most of you listening know all about AGCO - they are a major farm machinery designer, manufacturer, and distributor, including tractors, combine harvesters, hay & forage machinery. This includes brands like Fendt, Massey Furgeson, Challenger, Valtra, Gleaner, and many others. They also have a growing grain and protein division which offers grain storage, seed processing, and protein production equipment. In Louisa’s role as head of sustainability, she sets strategy for AGCO’s sustainability programs and ESG which stands for environmental, social, and governance. It’s a very hot topic especially among publicly traded companies, which AGCO is. Sustainability roles like Louisa’s are unique, in that she is constantly engaging with all of the key stakeholders surrounding the business: customers, dealers, AGCO colleagues, and investors. It’s also a role that requires her to be thinking much further out than most others. She says she’s regularly thinking 10 years out or longer, which brings a very interesting perspective on the future of agriculture.  In today’s episode, we talk about ESG and the interest of investors to know what AGCO is doing in terms of sustainability, where AGCO is focusing their efforts particularly on reducing emissions including scope 3 emissions which includes the footprint of their customers who use their products, future innovations in farm machinery, and her time in Africa where she held multiple roles with the company including Director of Distribution Development on the continent. 

Visit Bushel online: https://bushelpowered.com/ Today’s episode takes a peak inside one of the hottest agtech companies to come along in recent years: Bushel. I’ve known about Bushel for a couple of years now, and originally just understood them to be a company that was digitizing scale tickets, which is actually how they started. Scale tickets, for those of you who don’t know, are the paper receipt that accompanies a load of an agricultural commodity that usually includes how much was delivered to where, what the grade factors were, etc. It’s really important because historically this is what is used to get paid properly, to keep effective records, and to have a paper trail for bankers, etc. Then this year they raised a $47M series B round and acquired long time farm management software company FarmLogs, and it became clear that I needed to get them on the show to explain all of these pieces and how they fit together.  Joining me is Bushel co-founder and CEO Jake Joraanstad as well as Jesse Vollmar, who was the cofounder and CEO of FarmLogs and now is the VP of Farm Strategy at Bushel after the acquisition. We discuss why a company that is focused on supply chain would get into the farm management software business, what is digital infrastructure and how it makes money, why they don’t see blockchain as the answer for this digital infrastructure, and how they might use the data they’re collecting to provide unprecedented insights back to their customers.  Bushel has some pretty impressive feathers in their cap: they’ve raised a total of around $75M now, much of it from corporate venture capital arms of large grain companies such as Cargill, Scoular, The Andersons, and Continental Grain (which I actually think is more of an investor and holding company than a grain company nowadays, but we’ll count them anyway). Even more impressive is that Bushel boasts 60,000 active users on its platform, which is used at 2,000 grain buying locations throughout the US and Canada. They reach 40% of grain origination in the US  and handle $22 billion of grain contracts each year.

Learn more about SWAT Maps: https://www.swatmaps.com/ Fieldwalker Agronomy: https://fieldwalker.ca/  Jonathan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ZRAgri  Today’s episode is all about precision agriculture, so if you’re into agronomy and variable rate technology, or what our guest would prefer to call optimal rate technology, you’re in for a real treat. If these terms are new to you, at a basic level we are talking about technology that is being used to understand the variability of a field so that the precise (hence the name precision) amounts of a given seed, fertilizer, or other input can be applied in a way that maximizes the crop response, and of course, overall profitability. Plants don’t grow by the acre, they grow on an individual basis and may respond differently based on site-specific factors. For more on precision ag, find these previous FoA episodes: 256, 244, 243, 218, 211, 200, 196, 179, 175, 108, 25.  Today’s episode is part of a series I’m doing called the Tech-Enabled Advisor. These are episodes I’m releasing once per month with the intention of better understanding agtech through the lense of the buyers and users rather than just the entrepreneurs or investors. We’ve done four of these so far: 255, 259, 264, and 269, and from what I’ve been hearing the reception has been excellent.  Joining me on today’s episode to talk about precision ag is Jonathan Zettler, who is an agronomist and the founder of Fieldwalker Agronomy Limited, a private crop consultancy in Minto, Ontario. After 17 seasons in ag retail, Jonathan launched the company to provide “profitable, actionable advice” to farmer customers.  To make sure we hear from different types of guests on this Tech-Enabled Advisor series, I’ve asked various agtech companies to partner with me on these episodes. For today’s episode, I’m fortunate to be partnering with Croptmistic Technology, the creators of SWAT Maps. Some of you may remember Croptimistic from my interview with company president Cory Willness last year in episode 211, or the separate podcast I do in partnership with them called SWAT Agronomy. Jonathan at FieldWalker was the first provider to test and start offering SWAT Maps in Eastern Canada.   For a brief refresher on SWAT Maps, SWAT stands for soil, water, and topography. These maps are high resolution soil foundation maps used to execute variable rate fertilizer, seed, soil amendment, herbicide, and precision water management. Instead of just using imagery of vegetation, also known as NDVI imagery, SWAT Maps takes an integrated soil-based approach that starts with RTK or LIDAR elevation, soil color sensors, and electrical conductivity. Then they use that data to build more useful layers: topography models, water flow paths, normalized EC layers, and soil organic matter. With a patented process and proprietary software tools, layers are modeled into a single encompassing map that depicts soil properties, water influences, and topography of the field. Croptimistic Technology is the company that created SWAT Maps and they partner with companies like Jonathan’s to implement the technology and combine it with local agronomic advice. Learn more about them at SWATMaps.com.  In today’s episode, Jonathan and I discuss the evolution of precision agriculture adoption in his area of Ontario. How he is building his agronomy business using SWAT Maps as part of his foundation. His agronomy tech stack, what tool he still would like to see created, and why tech will never fully replace the agronomist. Oh, and why he prefers the term “optimal rate” over the term “variable rate”. 

Inari: https://inari.com/ "From Farms to Incubators" book: https://bookshop.org/books/from-farms-to-incubators-women-innovators-revolutionizing-how-our-food-is-grown/9781610355759  We have on the show Ponsi Trivisvavet, who is the CEO of Inari, the SEEDesign company that uses predictive design and advanced multiplex gene editing to unlock the full potential of seed to build a more sustainable future for the food system.  Ponsi joined Inari in 2018 when they were just over a year old. Since that time they have grown from a 35-person company to a 190-person company. Before Inari, she held a number of leadership roles at Syngenta, most recently as president of Syngenta Seeds North America.  Today’s episode talks about some of the potential for gene editing for the future of our most widely grown crops, the approach Inari is taking to commercialize this technology, whether or not consumers are accepting this more than they did with GMO’s, and what impact this could have on farmer profitability and overall sustainability.  This interview with Ponsi was coordinated by today's co-host, Amy Wu, who is the author of the new book “From Farms to Incubators: Women Innovators Revolutionizing How Our Food is Grown”. Ponsi is one of several women innovators featured in the book and I highly recommend you pick it up. You’ll recognize other former guests of this podcast like Pam Marrone, Fatma Kaplan, Sarah Nolet, Mariana Vasconcelos, Christine Su, and others. 

www.futurityfood.com www.linkedin.com/in/jackbobo www.twitter.com/Jack_a_Bobo TED Talk: Why we fear the food we eat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thiOicCQRWY White paper: The role of innovation in transforming the food system: https://animalagalliance.org/resource/white-paper-the-role-of-innovation-in-transforming-the-global-food-system/ I have on the show a guest whose work I’ve followed for a long time, and someone who I’ve connected with a handful of times over the years, and am really glad to finally get him on the show, Mr. Jack Bobo. Jack is a food futurist and the author of ‘Why smart people make bad food choices.’ He is also the CEO of Futurity, a food foresight company that advises companies, foundations and governments on emerging food trends and consumer attitudes and behaviors related to the future of food. Recognized by Scientific American in 2015 as one of the 100 most influential people in biotechnology, Jack is a global thought leader who has delivered more than 500 speeches in 50 countries. He previously served as the Chief Communications Officer and Senior Vice President for Global Policy and Government Affairs at Intrexon Corporation. Prior to joining Intrexon Jack worked at the U.S. Department of State for thirteen years as a senior advisor for global food policy.    The first part of our conversation today will be about Jack’s new book “Why Smart People Make Bad Food Choices”, then we’ll pivot into what these dynamics mean for agriculture, which opens up what I think is a fascinating conversation about the future of food and ag after that which weaves in points about sustainability, differentiation, and food policy. So you’ll definitely want to make sure you stick around for that. 

SWARMFarm Robotics https://www.swarmfarm.com/ Burro https://burro.ai/  Farmwise https://farmwise.io/  ZTractor https://ztractor.com/  Carbon Robotics https://carbonrobotics.com/  TerraClear https://www.terraclear.com/ Today’s episode is going to be a highlight reel from a virtual event I hosted for the FoA community. That event was an ag robotics roundtable, which featured six robotics companies to have a discussion about the challenges and opportunities of bringing more automation to agriculture. The event lasted every bit of the 90 minutes we had scheduled, and it was even more enlightening than I had anticipated.    So today, I’m going to bring you some of the highlights from that event in a condensed format, and make sure that You’re going to get a chance to hear more about:      What’s driving the robotics revolution?  Labor costs Non-chemical options Precision agriculture Tech advancements and cheaper materials (generally) How they’re setting up their business models to both lower the upfront costs, but also improve the ROI over time.  How they are handling the upfront costs to customers of autonomous equipment How these robots can become more than just replacements for machinery or labor, and truly realize their potential as the central “brains” of the farming operation.  How they’re setting up distribution, support, and supply chains to manufacture these machines A brief conversation about raising capital and how they’re thinking about exits in this robotics space.      We’re not going to get too far into the weeds about the technical aspects of each of the robots represented here, but I’ll do my best to introduce you to these six ag robotics leaders and their companies along the way. Just as a preview, you’re going to hear from (in order of appearance):    Andrew Bate, founder of SwarmFarm Robotics Charlie Andersen, CEO of Burro or you might know them as Augean Robotics Thomas Palomares, co-founder and CTO of Farmwise Bakur Kvezereli, CEO of ZTractor Paul Mikesell, CEO and co-founder of Carbon Robotics Trevor Thompson, president of TerraClear    

PMA Takes on Tech: https://www.pma.com/content/podcast/takes-on-tech Aromyx: https://www.aromyx.com/ Today's two part episode starts off with a higher-level picture of the innovations in produce with Vonnie Estes, vice president of technology for the Produce Marketing Association. Then we’ll drill deeper into one aspect of food quality, arguably the most important aspect of food quality: flavor. For that we’ll talk to Josh Silverman, CEO of Aromyx, a company that is digitizing taste and smell. I was able to sit down with Vonnie Estes and capture some valuable insights about the challenges and opportunities of bringing technology to the produce industry, the role of indoor agriculture in fresh produce, alternative funding models for companies that want to serve some of these niches, and the digitization of quality and of supply chains, which will of course lead us into part two with Josh.  Vonnie Estes is the VP of Technology at the Produce Marketing Association.  She has held leadership positions at prominent companies including DuPont, Monsanto, and Syngenta along with start-ups including DNAP, Emergent Genetics, and Caribou Biosciences. Vonnie has a BS in Horticulture from New Mexico State and a Masters in Plant Pathology from UC Davis.  Also joining me is Aromyx CEO Josh Silverman. Josh has a Ph.D. in Biochemistry, and is a serial entrepreneur. He has been the founder of 5 different biotech companies, including some in the new protein ingredient space. It was through these experiences of trying to bring sustainable foods and ingredients to the market that he realized flavor is most important, but was also really subjective and nearly impossible to predict. So he joined Aromyx, and the company just recently a $10 million series A round with investors that included the Rabobank Food & Agri Innovation Fund.   

This episode is brought to you by AgVend (www.AgVend.com)  Today’s installment of our Tech-Enabled Advisor series is really an insightful look at how a farmer-owned cooperative is leaning into the digital changes that are happening in our industry to remain relevant and provide value to their farmer shareholders.  KC Graner is the senior vice president of agronomy at Central Farm Service, a co-op in southern Minnesota. As an advocate of the cooperative system, KC has spent his career embedded in member-owned organizations. Prior to taking on his role at Central Farm Service, KC worked at WinField United, serving over two dozen different retail cooperatives across Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa.   For today’s episode, we are partnering with AgVend. You may remember AgVend from  Episode 125 back in 2018 with CEO Alexander Reichert. AgVend is the leading provider of digital tools to serve the producer of tomorrow. Their suite of products is designed to strengthen the relationship between manufacturers, retailers, and growers by providing the agricultural distribution channel with white-labeled information, engagement, and commerce portals. They make it easier to do business with ag retailers, help them unlock profitability for their growers, and make more time for high-value touchpoints.  “What we've seen is the outperformance of growers who do leverage data and do look to it first in making their decisions. Those are the ones that are outperforming the rest…. Those are the growers that are picking up acres more rapidly.” - KC Graner KC shares what offering an AgVend portal has done for Central Farm Service’s business. Central Farm Service has grown their locally-powered precision agriculture platform, which is called Central Advantage, to a 300,000 acre footprint that cooperates with two neighboring retailers. He sees their operation as a “B.S. meter” for the farmer and a way to trial and troubleshoot new technology to present the best options to producers. “When I look at the adoption rate for use in our portal, there's a high correlation to those that are selling the most revenue and the most margin for the cooperative and using the portal. It's because they already naturally are the types of people that find ways to save time so they can do more.” - KC Graner This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Meet KC Graner, the vice president of agronomy at Central Farm Service, a coop in southern Minnesota Explore the use of data by the coop and how it has impacted their business Discover the advantages and benefits of the AgVend platform he uses to support his producers Thanks to AgVend for sponsoring this episode. Make sure you go learn more about them at www.AgVend.com    Join the FOA Community! Be sure to join the new Future of Agriculture Membership for even more valuable information on the future of the ag industry. I’m sending out my email newsletter on a more regular basis, focusing on what I call the front lines of agtech: where product meets producer. You can sign up for that at www.FutureOfAg.com. There’s an email icon in the center of the page, just click on that and it will take you to a signup form. Do you have...

Today’s episode is broken down into three parts: first, a brief primer on some of the issues contributing to the issues in California. Second, one potential hydrological solution going forward: groundwater recharge. And finally, we’ll talk about water markets by highlighting the new Nasdaq Veles California Water Index. To help me tell each of these three stories I have for you three different guests that you’ll hear from today: Dr. Safeeq Khan, Dr. Helen Dahlke, and Lance Coogan.   You can also listen to previous episodes 159 with Dr. David Zetland, 161 with Adam Borchard, or 198 with Chris Peacock to get more information about these topics. 

Resilient Biotics: https://resilientbiotics.com/ Fulcrum Global Capital: https://www.fgcvc.com/  My guest on today’s show is Chris Belnap, the CEO of Resilient Biotics, which is an early-stage animal health company that develops microbiome-derived, live therapeutics for livestock. In other words, they analyze the microbes that naturally live inside of cattle, then they administer those that are most beneficial to make the cattle more resilient to certain diseases. Specifically they are focused on a biological solution to bovine respiratory disease, which is currently very reliant on antibiotics.  Resilient Biotics is a portfolio company of Fulcrum Global Capital, which long time listeners will remember have partnered with me on several episodes in the past. What stands out about Fulcrum, and you can probably pick up on this if you’ve listened to all of these episodes with portfolio companies from their first fund, is that their LPs, their investors, are from production agriculture. They care about solving real problems in the food system.  One of the perks of these Fulcrum episodes for you and I is that we get to hear briefly from the investors first about what attracted them to this company, then we dive into the entrepreneur’s story. So joining me today is Fulcrum venture partner John Peryam, who along with his venture partners Duane Cantrell and Kevin Lockett, had been looking at potential companies who could help reduce reliance on antibiotics. 

Ranveer Chandra: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/people/ranveer/ Overview of Azure FarmBeats: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/industry/agriculture/overview-azure-farmbeats  FarmBeats: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/publication/bill-gates-features-farmbeats-on-gatesnotes/ Microsoft has been making waves in the agtech industry with its FarmBeats project and Azure cloud computing service. That effort can be traced back to 2015 when today’s guest, Ranveer Chandra, wrote a memo which led to him starting and running the FarmBeats project. FarmBeats for those who do not know, provides a way to collect on-farm data and track that data using cloud computing models. It’s not a product that farmers buy, but it’s a platform that agtech companies build upon. In fact, previous guests of this show are customers of Microsoft to power their technology.    Ranveer is the Chief Scientist of Microsoft Azure Global, and Partner Researcher at Microsoft Research. He started the FarmBeats project at Microsoft in 2015, and has been leading it since then. He is also leading the battery research project, and the white space networking project at Microsoft Research. That is a project where he provided rural connectivity using unused TV channels. He was invited to the USDA to present his work on FarmBeats, and this work was featured by Bill Gates in GatesNotes, and was selected by Satya Nadella as one of 10 projects that inspired him in 2017.  Ranveer has published more than 80 papers, and filed over 100 patents, more than 85 of which have been granted by the USPTO.  Both FarmBeats and the TV white spaces projects started with memos, and as you’ll hear, Ranveer wrote his 2020 memo on sustainability. So we also get into the discussion about sustainability metrics and Microsoft’s big open source carbon purchase from a few months ago. 

World Resources Institute: https://www.wri.org/ Follow Rich on Twitter: https://twitter.com/waiterich Recent blog post: https://www.wri.org/blog/2020/08/us-agriculture-emissions-food  More from Rich: https://www.wri.org/profile/richard-waite  Our guest today has spent years diving into this question of the environmental impacts of the food system, and what can be done to optimize the amount of food that gets produced and distributed, while minimizing the negative externalities of that system.  Rich Waite is a Senior Research Associate in World Resources Institute’s Food Program. He is an author of the World Resources Report: Creating a Sustainable Food Future, which focuses on solutions to feed 10 billion people by 2050, including boosting agricultural productivity, reducing food loss and waste, shifting toward plant-rich diets, and protecting and restoring forests and other natural ecosystems. Rich is also the Data Lead for Cool Food, an initiative that helps major food providers reduce food-related greenhouse gas emissions in line with climate science. Prior to joining WRI in 2007, Rich lived in Cameroon for four years, where he served as an agroforestry extension agent with the U.S. Peace Corps and helped coordinate the U.S. Embassy’s international development programs. Rich and I discuss that, for all the talk about climate change, there has been very little progress to reducing the carbon footprint of the food system. We discuss why actions must be taken, and what the data tells us about what levers can be pulled to realistically make that happen while producing and distributing adequate amounts of nutritious food to people around the world. 

Thanks to FieldAgent by Sentera for sponsoring. Visit https://sentera.com/.  On today’s episode I’m joined by Todd Vagts who is a technical agronomist for the Channel Seed brand which is part of Bayer Crop Science. Based in southeast Minnesota, Todd works with Channel salespeople and seed dealers (who they called “Seedsmen”), to make sure they are up to date with technologies and to problem-solve in the field. Todd is a farmer as well - lives 30 minutes from the farm where he grew up. Todd has a master’s in Agronomy from Texas A&M, and stayed down in Texas to focus on cotton for a while before coming back to the midwest where he is focused now.  Todd has been interested in drones for over a decade, but as you'll hear it took a while for them to really find a place in his day-to-day work.

Today’s episode highlights two interesting consumer trends in food and agriculture. And on the surface, these two trends seem to be going in totally opposite directions, but not necessarily as you’ll hear from our guest today.  The first trend is the increasing desire for healthier, simpler, more nutritious food. The second is that demand for processed food is strong and getting stronger. You might be thinking, wait aren’t those two things complete opposites?  Well, not necessarily. Our guest today, Joanne Zhang is the founder of Phytoption, a food ingredient company that uses proprietary technology that allows them to replace certain ingredients in processed food that are synthetic or modified - like certain emulsifiers and texturing agents, with essentially simple flour like rice flour or chickpea flour. This allows more processed foods to be made with more naturally occurring ingredients.  As you’ll hear Joanne describe, these ingredients are used because they make food functional. For example, they help give a plant-based beverage the same texture as cow milk. Joanne’s technology allows these basic flours to serve the same functions without having to be chemically treated or altered in any way.  Important to note before we dive into today’s interview is that Joanne’s company Phytoption, will be separating this food division into a new company Flouring, LLC and Phytoption will continue to focus on pharmaceuticals. So you’ll hear us mention both Phytoption and Flouring, LLC in the episode because they are currently the same company.  Joanne started the company using technology developed by Purdue University after a career as a food scientist. I was connected to Joanne by Amy Wu, who is the author of the new book “From Farms to Incubators: Women Innovators Revolutionizing How Our Food is Grown”. Joanne is one of several women innovators featured in the book and I highly recommend you pick it up.  I told Amy how much I enjoyed the book and that I would like to interview some of the women she featured, and she said she had considered doing a podcast as well, so we decided it would be fun to interview Joanne together, and a couple of other women trailblazers in agtech that you’ll meet in future episodes later this year.    Join the FOA Community! Be sure to join the new Future of Agriculture Membership for even more valuable information on the future of the ag industry. I’m sending out my email newsletter on a more regular basis, focusing on what I call the front lines of agtech: where product meets producer. You can sign up for that at www.FutureOfAg.com. There’s an email icon in the center of the page, just click on that and it will take you to a signup form. Do you have suggestions for topics to be explored? Tweet them to me @timhammerich or email them to tim@aggrad.com.  Find us online! Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website

My guest today, Allan Fetters, is a third generation agriculturalist who has worked in agribusiness for over 30 years. I say agriculturalist, because he was not born into a farm family, but a family that has been working selling products to farmers. However, he recently also started doing some farming himself in addition to his consulting.  In today’s episode, I try to glean as many insights as I can from Allan’s vast experience in agriculture technology. We touch many of the important aspects of specialty crop agtech such as water, labor, pest management, and the need for yield data. Allan explains why he believes that we are still in the very early days of digital agriculture.  I could spend several minutes describing Allan’s successful career, but I’ll sum it up by telling you that he has spent most of his career in field research, sales, marketing, business management, and technology development and implementation. Until 2019 Allan worked as the director of technology at Simplot, the global agribusiness based right here in my area of Boise, Idaho.  Currently, as principal of AGceleration Advisory Service, Allan works with companies to introduce new innovations to agriculture, including testing, evaluating, and analysis.  Join the FOA Community! Be sure to join the new Future of Agriculture Membership for even more valuable information on the future of the ag industry. I’m sending out my email newsletter on a more regular basis, focusing on what I call the front lines of agtech: where product meets producer. You can sign up for that at www.FutureOfAg.com. There’s an email icon in the center of the page, just click on that and it will take you to a signup form. Do you have suggestions for topics to be explored? Tweet them to me @timhammerich or email them to tim@aggrad.com.  Find us online! Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website

Today’s episode is all about data and technology for the modern dairy. But even if you’re not specifically interested in the dairy industry, you’re going to want to stick around. And here’s why: one of the big challenges to agtech is the long feedback loop. You try a technology out for an entire year and you get one shot - harvest to see how it performed. Dairy is way different. That scorecard happens three times per day when the cows are milked. This rapid feedback loop has allowed dairies to embrace data analytics arguably faster than other areas of agriculture. And I would argue all of ag could learn a thing or two from this episode.  We have on the show Jordan Lambert. Jordan is the VP of Business Development for VAS, a software and data analytics company that provides sustainability and profitability insights to dairy producers. Jordan grew up on a dairy farm in rural Colorado, and graduated from my alma mater, UC Davis with a bachelor’s in Biotechnology.  She spent her early career as a genetic engineer before pursuing an MBA at Harvard. From there her career took her into consulting and back into agriculture with a role at Indigo. But she returned to Colorado and to the dairy industry to take this position with VAS.  There’s some great stuff here on data including collection, standardization, and privacy. As well as some interesting discussion towards the end about what it’s like to have private and cooperative ownership in the company, and how sustainability metrics are increasing the need for farm-level data.   Join the FOA Community! Be sure to join the new Future of Agriculture Membership for even more valuable information on the future of the ag industry. I’m sending out my email newsletter on a more regular basis, focusing on what I call the front lines of agtech: where product meets producer. You can sign up for that at www.FutureOfAg.com. There’s an email icon in the center of the page, just click on that and it will take you to a signup form. Do you have suggestions for topics to be explored? Tweet them to me @timhammerich or email them to tim@aggrad.com.  Find us online! Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website

PLEASE COMPLETE OUR LISTENER SURVEY: https://airtable.com/shrCB33GWIUCIxVRU Today you’re going to get to hear the story of Dave Oien of Timeless Seeds and Timeless Food. He shares how he figured out how to convert to organic when very few thought it was possible, then how we built a seed business that ultimately became a food business. And make sure you stay to the end for some really interesting comments about resiliency.  Dave returned to the farm in Montana and convinced his dad in the 1970s to let him convert the farm to organic. Then, over the next four decades he built a seed business and a food business selling organic lentils and chickpeas as well as ancient grains and some other farm products.  His story is so remarkable, it was made into a book called “Lentil Underground.” This episode was created and originally was published as a part of another podcast I host called Growing Pulse Crops. Audrey Kalil who produces that show has graciously allowed me to re-air the episode on my show because I think it’s so good. So if you’re at all interested in pulse crop production - that’s peas, chickpeas, and lentils, go check out that show: Growing Pulse Crops on any podcast platform.    Join the FOA Community! Be sure to join the new Future of Agriculture Membership for even more valuable information on the future of the ag industry. I’m sending out my email newsletter on a more regular basis, focusing on what I call the front lines of agtech: where product meets producer. You can sign up for that at www.FutureOfAg.com. There’s an email icon in the center of the page, just click on that and it will take you to a signup form. Do you have suggestions for topics to be explored? Tweet them to me @timhammerich or email them to tim@aggrad.com.  Find us online! Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website

Today’s episode is brought to you by FarmQA (www.FarmQA.com)  Today’s guest is Shannon Winny with GroWest Ag Ventures in Central Saskatchewan. She is a Professional Agronomist and a Certified Crop Advisor. About 18 months ago she decided to start her own company to meet the need for independent agronomy services in Saskatchewan. Farming is a team sport. Certainly nobody shares the same risk profile as a farmer, but every successful farmer that I can think of has strong relationships with people like consultants, agronomists, farm marketers, other farmers, extension agents, researchers, and more. These trusted advisors often serve as the extension of that farm business and play critical roles in the decision-making.  These individuals are all too often overlooked by agtech companies and agribusinesses. So this summer I’m hosting a tech-enabled advisor series. One episode per month will be dedicated to featuring one of these trusted advisors to learn about their business, their tech stack, and how they view the future of agriculture as it pertains to the farmer customers in their area. “I saw the fit that farms need a hundred percent unbiased, independent agronomy recommendations. It's really hard as the retail agronomist to maintain a hundred percent and be a hundred percent impartial when you know what's in the chem shed, how much margin you're making off specific products, stuff like that. So I decided to go the completely independent route.” - Shannon Winny   Shannon’s services are charged by the acre, sample or hour but because of her business model she is not beholden to quotas or specific products. This allows her to maintain an unbiased approach for producers that will provide them the best advice and benefits. She has circumvented the obstacle of producer adoption of different software by using the all inclusive, customizable, intuitive software from FarmQA. Farmers are able to see real time data and reports to monitor, save and analyze the data their operation provides.   “Agriculture is just changing so rapidly and we need to start really targeting specific zones and how to effectively manage those zones because land is expensive. We should manage the land that we have as efficiently and effectively as possible to be profitable.” - Shannon Winny   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Meet Shannon Winny, an independent agronomy consultant with GroWest Ag Ventures in Central Saskatchewan Discover the advantages and benefits of the FarmQA technology she uses as an independent consultant   Thanks to FarmQA for sponsoring this episode. Make sure you go learn more about them at www.FarmQA.com and tell them thank you on Twitter @farm_qa.   Join the FOA Community! Be sure to join the new Future of Agriculture Membership for even more valuable information on the future of the ag industry. I’m sending out my email newsletter on a more regular basis, focusing on what I call the front lines of agtech: where product meets producer. You can sign up for that at www.FutureOfAg.com. There’s an email icon in the center of the page, just click on that and it will take you to a signup form. Do you have suggestions for topics to be explored?...

Check out the SWAT Agronomy Podcast on any podcast platform!  Please participate in our listener survey to help us focus the direction of the show:  https://airtable.com/shrCB33GWIUCIxVRU If you’ve ever tried to grow any food crop - shoot, even a garden - you know that insect pests are unavoidable. Over the past 100 years, chemical pesticides have been developed as efficient and cost effective ways for farmers to manage these pests. But as I’m sure you know, they are not without their downsides: pests are building resistance, they are constantly under environmental scrutiny, and frankly, there hasn’t been much innovation in this space.  Our guests today, Anna Rath and Ben Cicora of the company Vestaron say: we’ve seen this before. They’ll lay out a case for you that what’s happening right now in ag chem has already played out in human chemistry. The clear winner has been biotechnology: namely using peptides, which are essentially just proteins except smaller, instead of chemistry. In human pharmaceuticals, this gave rise to companies like Genentech and Amgen. In agriculture, Vestaron is pioneering their peptide-based products that have the same effectiveness as the chemical alternatives, but with a new mode of action, and without some of those negative externalities of chemicals.  Now I want to be clear here, because it can get confusing: peptides are different from other biologicals that you hear about in agriculture, and may have even heard about on this show. Those are generally microbes, these are short chain amino acids. Again, they’re basically proteins, only smaller. So they’re not ag chemicals, but they’re also not biologicals in the classic agricultural definition of the term. Making this clear is actually part of their challenge in commercialization, which we get into in this episode.  I know some of this gets a little technical, but I highly recommend you stick around and have a listen to this episode. If this is the first time you’re hearing about peptides, I guarantee you it won’t be the last.   

Please participate in our listener survey to help us focus the direction of the show:  https://airtable.com/shrCB33GWIUCIxVRU  While we here in the U.S. have an agricultural system built upon exports, while our guest today lives in Abu Dhabi, part of the United Arab Emirates which currently imports 80% of their food. What we view here as needed viable technology to create a more sustainable agriculture is likely to be different there.  We have on the show His Excellency Dr. Tariq Bin Hendi. Dr. Tariq is the Director General of the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO). He leads the organisation’s efforts to grow and diversify Abu Dhabi’s economy through private sector investment. He also oversees strategic initiatives that support the emirate’s economic growth and reputation on the world stage. One of those initiatives was to entice leading agtech companies from around the world to establish new R&D and production facilities in the emirate. In 2020, ADIO announced partnerships with AeroFarms, Madar Farms, RNZ and Responsive Drip Irrigation to bring innovation to the area to turn sand into farmland, solve complex global agriculture challenges and expand the profile of local food producers. ADIO is investing $100 million in those four companies to build facilities in Abu Dhabi, each tasked with solving regional and global challenges. They are also partnering with three AgTech companies, US-based Nanoracks, India’s FreshToHome and Pure Harvest to develop ‘land, sea & space’ AgTech projects in Abu Dhabi, offering $41.3m in incentives to the innovative companies to develop next generation agriculture solutions to support food production in arid and desert climates. In this episode, we talk about these initiatives from a high level, and how Dr. Tariq is looking at bringing ag innovation into the region to create a more food secure environment. His Excellency holds a PhD in Economics from the Imperial College London, and graduate degrees from Columbia University and London Business School.   Join the FOA Community! Be sure to join the new Future of Agriculture Membership for even more valuable information on the future of the ag industry. I’m sending out my email newsletter on a more regular basis, focusing on what I call the front lines of agtech: where product meets producer. You can sign up for that at www.FutureOfAg.com. There’s an email icon in the center of the page, just click on that and it will take you to a signup form. Do you have suggestions for topics to be explored? Tweet them to me @timhammerich or email them to tim@aggrad.com.  Find us online! Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website

Check out the SWAT Agronomy Podcast on any podcast platform!  Please participate in our listener survey to help us focus the direction of the show:  https://airtable.com/shrCB33GWIUCIxVRU  Over the past decade, one of the areas agriculture has changed significantly is in the number of available digital tools that can be used on the farm. On the surface this is a great thing, but if - and only if - these tools are easy to use and produce actionable results. And even then, a farmer is only going to use so many tools even if they are all great.  Jim Ethington has been thinking about these issues for over a decade. He started at The Climate Corp in 2008, when it was still known as WeatherBill and was not yet exclusively an ag-focused company. He stayed with the company for a decade, through many milestones including the acquisition by Monsanto and the integration of the 640 drive that we featured in episode 241 with Craig Rupp. He left the company in 2018 as VP of Product to take a job as the CEO of Arable, which is where he still works today.  Arable offers systems that are easy to install on any farm to enable data-driven decisions using Measurements that Matter. With real-time, continuous visibility and predictive analytics of over 40 metrics, their flagship product, the Arable Mark is a straightforward and versatile tool that can be adapted to any field's demands, and can satisfy any producer's need to know even the most granular tidbit of information about their harvest.    Join the FOA Community! Be sure to join the new Future of Agriculture Membership for even more valuable information on the future of the ag industry. I’m sending out my email newsletter on a more regular basis, focusing on what I call the front lines of agtech: where product meets producer. You can sign up for that at www.FutureOfAg.com. There’s an email icon in the center of the page, just click on that and it will take you to a signup form. Do you have suggestions for topics to be explored? Tweet them to me @timhammerich or email them to tim@aggrad.com.  Find us online! Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website

Today’s episode is brought to you by FieldAgent by Sentera. One key piece of the agtech conversation that often gets overlooked is the most likely customer for a lot of digital tools may not actually be a farmer. For many of them, an advisor to that farmer may be the one actually performing that task, and may have the biggest vested interest in adopting cutting-edge technologies.  We’re calling this little mini-series “The Tech-Enabled Advisor.” We will profile some of the farmers’ advisers: agronomists, ag retailers, consultants, and other local professionals that farmers rely on for guidance, advice, and implementation. To help me identify the right tech-savvy advisors for these episodes, and to make sure we hear from different types of guests, I’ve asked various agtech companies to partner with me on these episodes.  The first one to say yes, was the sponsor of today’s episode: FieldAgent by Sentera. FieldAgent enables agronomic advisors to make more timely decisions by taking data they’re already using on a daily basis – such as satellite, weather, equipment, soil, and field operations and integrate it with drone data and their machine learning capabilities. In this episode, we are joined by Matt Larson, Agronomy Sales Manager for CHS in Holdredge, Nebraska. CHS is a leading global agribusiness owned by farmers, ranchers and cooperatives across the United States. Matt and his team of 6 utilize technology like FieldAgent alongside Climate FieldView and CHS’s Agellum platform to service their farmer customers.   “The biggest thing we need to do to separate ourselves is bring new ideas. Everybody has a fertilizer price. Everybody sells a seed of some kind or a chemical of some kind. The big thing that we need to do is separate ourselves with technology, being a big one, service, information to growers, and just being able to offer those different ideas that maybe somebody else hasn't quite caught on to yet.” - Matt Larson   Matt has seen the business model of agronomists and agronomy sales evolve over the last 12 years whether it's via communication methods, producer expectations or relationships with the farmers. He has found that farmers want to see more verified data before adopting new technology and a lot of that can now be shared via the new digital platforms.     “Growers have all this data. They have the planting data, they have the seeding data, harvest data, their spraying, all that stuff. What do they do with it? And that's where I think it's our job to dig through the weeds and find out what's the real, what's the fake for them, what makes a difference and then bring that to them.” - Matt Larson    Please participate in our listener survey to help us focus the direction of the show:  https://airtable.com/shrCB33GWIUCIxVRU    This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Matt Larson, Agronomy Sales Manager for CHS in Holdredge, Nebraska Discover how Matt incorporates new technologies like <a href=...

Please participate in our listener survey to help us focus the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/shrCB33GWIUCIxVRU Today we get a unique global view into agtech and agribusiness. We are joined by Greg Meyers, who is the Chief Information Officer and Chief Digital Officer of Syngenta based at their world headquarters in Switzerland. Most of you are familiar with Syngenta but you may or may not know they are the largest crop protection company in the world and the third largest seed company in the world. They also provide digital ag platforms to 125 million acres of global crop production.  Greg offers his perspective as someone with a front row seat to the global digitization of agriculture. We talk about the agtech customer in various countries, Syngenta’s acquisition strategy, their role in both digital ag and soil health, and some interesting ideas worth pondering about the future of agriculture.  “The reality of it is that a lot of the growers really have a very specific set of things they're trying to accomplish. And obviously the nature of the work is there's a really compressed window in which those activities have to happen. So if you're trying to create these solutions and they don't fit within that window of work, they really have a hard time finding a fit.” - Greg Meyers Greg comments that he sees a lot of agtech startups with a really innovative piece of technology that doesn’t answer a direct problem the farmer needs solved. “It’s almost like a solution looking for a problem...So what we’re trying to do is to take our innovation experience in chemistry and biology and marry it to agronomy and computer science,” explains Greg. Finding market fit without incorporating these many different aspects of farming within a specific problem and pain point can lead to a lack of interest by the producer. For example, predictive models in Brazil help solve scouting issues for Asian Soybean Rust while in the “mega farms” of Eastern Europe maximizing fuel efficiency and coordinating the use of different farm equipment is a significant advantage. Syngenta has strategically chosen partners and acquisitions to support specific pain points identified by producers in their specific region.  “We focused on companies that have already had traction. They had a great market fit. They already had customers and we acquired them not because of the revenue they were getting, but because they really understood the local market well and they had good customer relationships. They were adding value to the grower. They're adding value to the growers advisor….and so we've really built our software platform around trying to be able to help the whole ecosystem that helps farmers.” - Greg Meyers This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Meet Greg Meyers, who is the Chief Information Officer and Chief Digital Officer of Syngenta Explore the agtech industry from a high level perspective and why Greg thinks some technologies are more successful than others in getting adopted Discover the goals of Syngenta’s acquisitions and how they choose partners going forward Learn about the future of Syngenta and where their focus is for the future Join the FOA Community! Be sure to join the new Future of Agriculture Membership for even more valuable information on the future of the ag industry. I’m sending out my email newsletter on a more regular...

Please participate in our listener survey to help us focus the direction of the show: https://airtable.com/shrCB33GWIUCIxVRU  E-commerce is nothing new. I think all of us have probably bought more online than ever this past year. But the company we’re featuring today, Pinduoduo, has taken this to a whole other level by gamifying e-commerce and making it a social experience. A big part of their strategy is selling agricultural products online. One of the biggest drivers changing the future of agriculture is consumer preferences, what they buy and how they buy it. Today we explore some pretty incredible insights into how this is changing in China.  We have on the show Xin Yi Lim, who is the executive director of Sustainability and Agricultural Impact at Pinduoduo. The platform, which has been described as “where Costco meets Disney”, started in 2015 and has grown to over 700 million active users in China. Before joining Pinduoduo in 2018, Xin Yi worked for SIngapore’s sovereign wealth fund, GIC, both in its Singapore and New York offices as a technology and media analyst.  “Really what we are trying to provide is a way for producers or merchants to sell a larger volume of products in a shorter period of time. And in so doing, they can reap the benefits of economies of scale and how we do that is through this notion of a team purchase. So it starts off by the realization that for a lot of people, what you actually want to buy for things like say food or fresh produce can be influenced by those around you.” - Xin Yi Lim   She highlights that this opportunity gives producers “a lot more visibility” to their consumers by allowing customers to share their interests and purchases. Pinduoduo introduced team purchase to consumers with discounted products and has expanded to including a gaming component. Participants can play a game that results in free or discounted produce. This allows Pinduoduo to not only get more engagement from their users but also to see which participants are most influential to other users. In fact 90% of their revenue comes from merchant advertising targeting likely consumers.    “As we continue to grow, I think it's really also gone beyond just a team purchase. It's also encouraging more and more interactions by the users with the platform. So like what I mentioned earlier, that social graph of how you interact with your friends, how you influence them and they influence you. That helps us to refine our idea of what it is that you're interested in and give you the right recommendations.” - Xin Yi Lim   Pinduoduo has expanded beyond grocery items and also supplies agricultural inputs among other products. Xin Yi Lim comments that she has seen value and influence for agricultural producers from live streaming efforts by scientists, agronomists and other fellow producers suggesting the ongoing expansion of the scope of potential influence.    This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Meet Xin Yi Lim, who is the executive director of Sustainability and Agricultural Impact at Pinduoduo Explore this e-commerce platform that is influencing consumer trends and allowing producers to...

Thanks to the Field Work podcast for sponsoring this episode. Visit www.FieldWork.org to learn more.  Interest in local and regional food systems has been trending upward for a long time. The pandemic has only accelerated consumer interest in having strong relationships with where they buy their food. But what sounds easy on the outside: farmer produces food and consumer buys it - is much more complicated in practice. First of all, there aren’t enough local/regional slaughterhouses for livestock producers to scale their direct-to-consumer operations because of low margins, regulations, and labor. Today’s episode tells the story of how Adam Parks built a local meat business, and how he is part of a group that has formed a cooperative to solve this problem of local meat processing. Adam is the founder of Victorian Farmstead Meat Company located in Sebastopol, California. They have been selling local meat in the area since 2010 at farmers markets, through a CSA (community supported agriculture), and more recently through home delivery.    “I developed a network of six to eight local ranches that raised for me… And we set about taking fresh meat to the farmer's market. That was kind of what made us unique was that we were the first local people to really bring fresh meat to the farmer's market.” - Adam Parks   Adam’s collaboration with local producers allowed him to take advantage of a trend he noticed after the 2008 recession involving the consumer preference for a more controlled, less extravagant splurge with high quality food items. Adam also created a newsletter that has helped to build a relationship and trust with customers developed at farmers markets.    “Once we gain that trust, we protect it like gold. Our long-time customers will tell you that they don't worry about what they buy from us. They know that it's as good a product in terms of how it's raised and how it's processed as they can find. And so they just get what we have available.” - Adam Parks   Adam remarks that having control over the meat processing aspect of his operation became more attractive as his business continued to expand. He started a 120 square foot butcher shop and is hoping to expand to a much larger standalone facility very soon. Slaughter and USDA sanctioned facilities tend to be hours away which is another part of the business he hopes to make more efficient and sustainable. Adam is one of 16 founding members of the Bay Area Ranchers Cooperative (also known as BAR-C), which is a coop of local producers who are pooling resources to build a mobile USDA-inspected meat processing facility in the area. They hope to be in production this May.    This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Meet Adam Parks, the founder of Victorian Farmstead Meat Company located in Sebastopol, California Explore how Adam grew Victorian Farmstead Meat Company through local farmers markets and collaborations with producers Discover Bay Area Ranchers Cooperative (also known as BAR-C), which is a coop of local producers developing a semi-permanent USDA sanctioned slaughter facility   Join the FOA Community! Be sure to join the new Future of Agriculture Membership for even more valuable information on the future of the ag industry. I’m sending out my email newsletter on a more...

The reason for today’s special episode is The Farm Workforce Modernization Act that recently passed the U.S. House of Representatives and is now moving on to the Senate. This legislation is an effort to make progress on the mess that is U.S. ag labor policy. Shay Myers, a farmer who was featured on this show back in episode 178, called me to talk about the importance of this bill to U.S. farmers and their employees. In fact, over 300 agricultural organizations supported the bill. Ag labor reform like this has been attempted for decades, but has never been passed, mostly due to politics.  First, what does this bill do? Put simply, it improves the process for H-2A workers, which is the name of the visa for temporary agricultural workers. It also makes it mandatory that agricultural employers e-verify employees legal work status for employment. Finally, and perhaps most controversially, it establishes a program for agricultural workers and their families who are already in the United States to earn legal status through continued agricultural employment if they meet certain requirements. 

Thanks to the FieldWork podcast for sponsoring this episode. Visit www.FieldWork.org to learn more.    This episode is a good follow up to Episode 250 about one example of how agtech is helping smallholder farmers in developing countries. We are again talking about the potential for agtech in developing markets in this episode, but this time from a different perspective. My guest Igor Buchatskiy sees real opportunities in very large integrated agricultural operations. Whereas last week we focused on smallholder farmers, this episode is about the very large, sophisticated operations that are hungry for technology and innovation in the developing world.  Igor is a mechanical engineer by training, but after getting his MBA at the University of Chicago, he started a career in management consulting. That led to a job with a family office back in his home country of Ukraine. It was in that role that he discovered his love and fascination for agriculture in 2007. Since that time, he’s worked all over the world with agricultural operations and agtech startups. He’s based in Boston, but you never know where in the world he is going to be. In fact, at the time of this interview he was working on a project in Saudi Arabia.    “(Working in agriculture) was a revelation. Seriously, I thought wow, that's what I should have been doing for the last 10 years instead of mechanical engineering and management consulting because it was just an amazing experience. So I dove head in into that business and we started growing it, bringing new technology, new breed, new genetics, et cetera, et cetera.” - Igor Buchatskiy   Igor shares that he was able to be a part of the “Ukranianian Golden Rush” which involved former Soviet union republics recovering from the collective farm system that was no longer in place. The economics and margins were very favorable in the agricultural sector that had previously flown under the radar of other investors. He observed the consolidation of many small farms into large dominant players in the industry.    “What gets me excited is the fact that there are so many bright ideas, you know out of the box ideas that are happening now. And we are at the point in time where the technologies are becoming more accessible, more affordable, and we're getting to the sort of a scale at which all these technologies and all these ideas are starting to converge.” - Igor Buchatskiy   Igor shares that in Ukraine and Russia he is observing a lot of large vertically integrated operations. By virtue of the size and employment support of these companies, they are able to use, take advantage of and capitalize on new agriculture technologies where a small benefit in margin can create major revenue on that scale. This allows for large gains in agricultural technology companies by engaging with some of these major players.    This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Meet Igor Buchatskiy an entrepreneur, ag startup mentor, and board advisor. Discover Igor’s journey into agriculture and the potential he saw in the industry Learn about the agriculture industry in the Ukraine and Russia and the trend towards large vertically integrated operations   Join the FOA Community! Be sure to join the new Future of Agriculture Membership for even more valuable information on the future of the ag industry. I’m sending out my email newsletter on a more regular basis, focusing on what I call the front lines of agtech: where product meets producer....

Thanks to the FieldWork podcast for sponsoring this episode. Visit www.FieldWork.org to learn more.  We talk a lot about the types of technologies that are geared towards larger operations, but what’s out there that has the potential to really improve the lives of small farmers, especially of those in developing countries. We have a really interesting example of one of these innovations in this episode. Weather Risk Management Services is an India-based company that collects data to help producers manage their risks. The company started off as offering just crop insurance products, which is still a big part of their business, but they’ve also expanded into products that incentivize and reward farmers for using risk management strategies.  In other words, a farmer pays a premium and agrees to certain farming practices. In return they are provided a guaranteed yield, and paid if their yield drops below that threshold. This helps take away the risk of adopting new practices. Weather Risk Management Services has worked with over 30,000 farmers in India already, and hopes to grow to one million farmers in the next five years. Founder Sonu Agrawal joins us to share the process, goals and impacts of the company. “So in many developing countries … not only in India, but several countries in Asia and Africa, there is very low or no access to crop insurance contracts. And since there is no crop insurance, access to finance is also a big challenge because banks do not lend money to small farmers. The banks are not covered against losses due to adverse weather events. So there is a complete lack of access to crop insurance.” Sonu Agrawal Sonu shares that Weather Risk Management Services provides access to affordable crop insurance that also provides incentives to “the farmer to use better risk management practices.” These practices include things like using drought resistant seeds, applying additional nutrition to the crops or arranging irrigation to their fields. Satellite data helps to monitor these additional practices to make sure the crop is insured appropriately. Farmers then either benefit by way of a reduced premium or increased coverage based on a projected yield. “Before we enter a village, a lot of analysis is done…..So we analyze and then identify the more important risks or the factors which have resulted in sub optimized yield. And then the whole production process, what we call the package of practices, is designed in such a way so that we can improve the yields gradually.” - Sonu Agrawal Farmers are offered smaller contracts when they start with Weather Risk Management Services. This is done to overcome any trust concerns and allow producers to take advantage of the gradual increased yield at their desired pace. There is a lot of learning done by the farmers and the company to assess what yields can be expected and what measures can be taken for improvement in these initial smaller contracts. Sonu shares that in the first year of collaboration with a farmer they expect a 5-7% increase in yield, followed by 10-12% in the second year and up to 15-20% in the third year.  This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Meet Sonu Agrawal the founder of Weather Risk Management Services Discover what their company offers small farmers in rural areas of India where crop insurance and financing access is limited Explore the innovative methods used to incentivize increased yield production practices Join the FOA...

Thanks to the FieldWork podcast for sponsoring this episode. Visit www.FieldWork.org to learn more.  David Doll is the General Manager of Rota Unica Agriculture based in Portugal. He grew up on a direct-to-consumer apple and peach orchard in southern Indiana, then got a master’s degree in plant pathology from UC Davis. After a decade as a farm advisor for the University of California focused on tree nuts, he took on his current role of moving to Portugal to manage a large-scale diversified tree crop operation there. On top of all of that, he writes what I think is probably the most in-depth blog dedicated to just one crop that I’ve ever seen at The Almond Doctor. I’ve really appreciated interacting with David online and in the FoA community. I think you’re going to really enjoy his perspective here today.    “I think everyone would say the same thing, but you have to be able to be willing to know what your shortfalls are, be honest with yourself and then throw in the extra effort in order to pick yourself up. I'll be honest, I never thought I would ever be negotiating a loan that's probably more money than I'll ever earn in my life. But you know, you walk in, you do it and you learn a few things along the way and move on.” - David Doll   David shares his experience in going from managing an operation with a $250,000 annual budget to his current operation with more than a $80 million budget. His employer felt that he could be taught the finances overtime but needed to come prepared with the horticulture and orchard experience to support their endeavors. David dove in and has learned and experienced a lot since being there.    “So the investment group is not a Portuguese company. It's actually an American company. And their thesis is food is a way to move water in a commodity that people want. That's it. It’s such a simple statement but it's right on the spot.” - David Doll   “We are taking a resource from where we have it and where it may be plentiful at a given time and producing something with it and then moving that to an area that one can’t produce that crop or doesn’t have the resources to produce that crop.” David elaborates by discussing the value of water based on whether it is from a renewable or finite resource. This is definitely a different perspective than the more short-sighted opinion of not viewing water as a significant valuable commodity. David’s blog explores some of these concepts and many other management techniques with all things almonds. “It’s kind of a niche blog but I enjoy it.”   “It's kind of this technical writing with a translational twist is what I call it. So I'm always writing about a technical subject, but I'm using that and translating that to help people understand my thought process of how I approach that problem.” - David Doll   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Meet David Doll the General Manager of Rota Unica Agriculture based in Portugal and author of www.TheAlmondDoctor.com.  Discover the journey David Doll has taken to become a major almond producer in Portugal Explore an international perspective for the future of agriculture and the unique challenges faced by our counterparts in different parts of the world Learn what inspired “The Almond Doctor” blog and the benefits it offers Join the FOA Community! Be sure to join the new <a href=...

We can all agree that sustainability that comes at the expense of productivity and efficiency is not truly sustainable at all. We are going to need to meld together what’s best for the productivity and profitability of growers with the ecosystem services they can provide.  Just recently agtech company FluroSat announced that they acquired another agtech company, Dagan, and the combined company was re-branded to a new name: Regrow. You might remember FluroSat founder Anastasia Volkova from her first appearance on this podcast back in episode 175. She joins us again today, now as CEO of Regrow, along with Dagan co-founder and now Regrow Chief Strategy Officer Bill Salas. Both of them are accomplished scientists as well as entrepreneurs. We have a great conversation here about why this merger made sense, what differentiates their carbon model, called DNDC, from other ways to model carbon sequestration, and how their newly combined and rebranded company will help growers maximize productivity, profitability, and sustainability.    “DNDC’s approach is much more first principles on how management influences soil environment, which in turn influences which microbes are more active and drives the outcomes in terms of soil carbon turnover and greenhouse gas emissions.” -Bill Salas   “Dagan was interested in how to create the value proposition for soil health at scale.” They went about this by achieving satellite monitoring to monitor large acreages. The network that Dagan had developed between researchers, NGO’s such as the Nature Conservancy, consumer packaged food companies and carbon markets was extensive but lacked a direct connection to producers themselves. Bill shares that they had focused on creating data for multiple partners and by merging with FluroSat they were able to pair that mission with an easy-to-use platform.    “We saw that by adding sustainability monitoring to agronomy and marrying our crop model with the DNDC soil model, we would ... understand where it would be profitable to start adopting these practices and it could form the decision support tool that our customers are seeking as well as connect players across the supply chain.” -Anastasia Volkova   Anastasia highlights that one of her goals has always been to facilitate the decision making of producers to incorporate sustainability into their operations. Making the data acquisition process easy and accessible allows producers to capitalize on any sustainable efforts they are making. While carbon sequestration is a great benefit of sustainable practices, nitrogen management, greenhouse gas emissions and better biodiversity are also common sequelae and part of the Regrow mindset.    “We want to make sure that agriculture gets a chance to get it right, scientifically, transparently, and bring this sustainability excitement into an operationalizable business model that scales without taking too many shortcuts on the quality and transparency.” -Anastasia Volkova Checkout the FieldWork Podcast as well on any podcast platform or at www.FieldWork.org.   Join the FOA Community! Be sure to join the new Future of Agriculture Membership for even more valuable information on the future of the ag industry. I’m sending out my email newsletter on a more regular basis, focusing on what I call the front lines of agtech: where product meets producer. You can sign up for that at www.FutureOfAg.com. There’s an email icon in the center

The question of “what are the real problems in agriculture that need to be solved?” is one we ask often here on this show. If you ask that to a dozen people, you’ll probably get about 20 different answers. But herbicide resistance is one that hits home for many. As you’re about to hear, the tools we’ve been using for decades are becoming less and less effective, and the pipeline for new active ingredients has been empty for a long time. Every year more and more weeds show signs of resistance - which is not a trend that can continue.  Today’s guests are the co-founders and co-CEOs of Israel-based WeedOut, a biological herbicide company which uses proprietary pollen to sterilize weeds like Palmer Amaranth, otherwise known as pigweed. Dr. Efrat Lidor Nili and Dr. Orly Noivirt-Brik are both accomplished scientists who have already been a part of one successful exit: they worked at Rosetta Green which was purchased by Monsanto in 2013. WeedOUT is a portfolio company of Fulcrum Global Capital, who partnered with me on this episode.   “As we continued to focus on (weed resistance) we understood that this a very significant problem not only in the US but also in Europe, also in China, Australia, South American and all over the world. Out of the 26 modes of action of herbicides 23 have already reported resistance.” -Dr. Orly Noivirt-Brik   “In order to slow down this process of resistant development, it’s very important to combine new tactics.” WeedOut has produced a biological pollen that works with the weeds biology to obstruct their reproductive cycle. This is a new mechanism of action that the weeds will not have developed any resistance to. It will also be difficult for weeds to create resistance because they will not be capable of producing more generations that could evolve and adapt. “We are actually reducing significantly the seed bank year after year.” Their main focus so far has been to target Palmer Amaranth as it is a weed of significant resistance and wide dissemination. They do not plan to replace chemical herbicide but rather increase its efficacy by not solely relying on it.    “By blocking resistance using our own methods, then you can extend the lifetime of the chemicals that are currently used instead of switching to more toxic chemicals...So actually by blocking resistance, we are preserving the entire set of products that are available today making them efficient for many more years.” -Dr. Efrat Lidor Nili   “Our strategy is first to fit our technology to the standard tools that all farmers have. And with the second layer we will continue and explore this opportunity to spray it using drones.” As well as developing different methods of delivery they hope to expand to different weeds. Weeds most susceptible to this technology would reproduce via cross or wind pollination. WeedOut has found success in finding investors that will allow continued expansion and development with a hopeful launch in 2023.   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Meet Dr. Efrat Lidor Nili and Dr. Orly Noivirt-Brik, co-CEOs of WeedOut Explore the concern regarding herbicide resistance and the lack of progress being made in that space Learn about the biological solution WeedOut has proven and will be providing to producers globally to combat herbicide resistance of Palmer Amaranth Join the FOA Community! Be sure to join the...

Today Janette Barnard co-hosts to bring us an innovative virtual fencing product for cattle ranchers. Frank Wooten joins us as the founder of Vence. Vence offers producers optionality in their grazing operations whether large or small. This technology provides for rotational grazing opportunities while bridging obstacles such as large uneven terrain, poor connectivity and weather dynamics. The ramifications of this opportunity may allow US producers to better compete in the grass fed and grass finished product market.    “At a high level we are solving the problem of increasing yield and land management for cow-calf and cattle operators around the world…..we are enabling the ability to set up animal control at a very granular level without the need for physical fences or manual labor.” - Frank Wooten   “It’s not that physical fences are an insufficient solution. It's that they are a static solution to a dynamic problem.” To be able to adapt your ranching practices to changes in your land and terrain allows for more flexibility and improved land stewardship. “There are more livestock on the planet than there are cars on the road” leading to their management and land use being of the utmost significance. Producers would be able to access the location of their animals and schedule their proposed movement to best suit their needs.    The cattle become trained to the sound emitted by individual collars to be able to know where they can move without stimulating an electric shock. GPS chip technology and a tower built at a high location makes cell coverage not an issue for producers to connect with their animals.  Only the tower itself needs cell coverage. Each collar then communicates with their assigned tower like a walkie-talkie. “We have yet to find a farm that in the right position we can’t get some sort of cell coverage on.”    “A cattleman’s job is to translate grass into a saleable final product….the increase in grass productivity is driven via managing the grass in a particular way and it is also driven via the soil….that allows customers to increase the productivity of the land. ” - Frank Wooten   “We spend a lot of time making sure that we understand exactly what the cost structure looks like for our customers and making sure that we are giving them something that is materially better than what they have currently and that it is cost justified.” One expected financial benefit is that producers are seeing a decrease in needing external sources of feed for their animals. However, Frank does explain that there “is a process there” and that the land will take some time to recover as weather, water and grass species allow. The flexibility Vence allows for will allow for optimization of land management practices from a convenient platform the producer can access from their mobile devices.     “We're in this for the long run with (producers) as well. We're not making money off those collars on day one, or even year one or year two, for that matter. It's a long-term business relationship that we're looking to have and establish with customers.” - Frank Wooten This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Meet Frank Wooten, co-founder of Vence  Explore the different obstacles this technology has overcome and the opportunities in virtual fencing available to cattle producers Learn about available techniques to better contribute to land stewardship in the cattle production industry   Subscribe to Janette’s newsletter: PRIME FUTURE. Join the FOA Community! Be

Today’s show connects back to episode 241 with Craig Rupp of Sabanto, where we talked about, among many other things, how the Climate Corp has been able to become a central data collection platform on so many large scale farms.  Ranjeeta Singh, the Chief Product Officer of The Climate Corp joins us to further explore data ownership, product strategy and design thinking. Ranjeeta was hired last year to drive the product strategy and roadmap for Climate’s digital farming solutions. She has more than two decades of background in hardware and software at the intersection of IoT, AI and data science with companies like Intel and Teradata. She holds five patents at Intel, and multiple publications. She is also the recipient of the “Top 50 under 50 most powerful women in technology”. Her perspective as someone coming from a career in tech to now a career in agtech is something I found interesting and insightful.    “People only think of Climate as a Fieldview platform...I have talked about the three lines of business. We talk about software as a service which is a Fieldview platform, data as a service which is the actual platform and how you organize and store data...and then we have professional services where you’re more focused on tailored solutions.” - Ranjeeta Singh   Ranjeeta highlights design thinking principles in developing new products whereby you focus on customer pain points and design solutions with a go-to market approach. “Product really helps you define the business case and the requirements so it helps define why you’re doing something before you get into the what and the how.” Data as a service is a hot topic now among producers including what happens after the data is collected and analyzed. “The concern has always been about what constitutes proper notice to the consumers that the data is being collected and the privacy of that data….the producers are understandably worried about the information getting in the hands of the wrong people.”   “Our view has always been that the data collected to the digital farming tools belongs to the farmers....You can anonymize the data and you can leverage the insights based on it but do not share the data without the consent of the farmers.” - Ranjeeta Singh   Insights from this data analysis can for example establish calculated recommendations as to what inputs, at what rate and in which location can be most beneficial to their operations. “We are giving value to them through professional services.” The current focus of her team is evolving the software to best address the needs of producers and creating pilot programs to optimize the benefit to individual operations and their exposure to these new technologies.   “I think we need to build out this ecosystem of players and ecosystem of products and technology, but people should be able to choose what they want to.” - Ranjeeta Singh   Ranjeeta believes that by making a compelling product producers will be able to accomplish multiple goals within one system. If a company is unable to fill a specific void and provide that type of service then producers should have the choice to use and combine different technologies together. While they may be deemed competitors, Ranjeeta supports not locking producers into any one system but rather focusing on making the best product for her customers and allowing them to choose the system that best fits their needs.  This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Meet Ranjeeta Singh, the Chief Product Officer of The Climate Corp Explore the intricacies and considerations regarding collecting, analyzing and disseminating producer generated data. Learn about the core belief systems and three lines of

This is one of two short episodes I’m releasing for you today, both exploring some aspect of farm data. You may have already listened to the first part with Dr. Terry Griffin at Kansas State University. Now we turn our attention to another Purdue graduate, Aaron Gault, cofounder and agronomy manager of Advanced Agrilytics. Advanced Agrilytics offers agronomy services equipped with their analytics platform, which helps farmer customers get a better picture of what’s working and not working in their agronomic practices.  Aaron focuses on in-season crop management and the understanding of real-time crop performance influenced by the environmental conditions of any given growing season. Aaron’s ability to integrate yield response probability with in-field stimuli is a key component of Advanced Agrilytics sub-acre approach to understanding yield. Before joining Advanced Agrilyitcs, Aaron worked as a professional agronomist for leading agriculture companies. Aaron and I discuss what makes Advanced Agrilytics approach different from others, how this aspect of the precision agriculture industry has evolved, and how the farmer can best utilize their own data to improve their operation.   JOIN THE FOA COMMUNITY: www.Patreon.com/agriculture

For the first time, I’m releasing two episodes on the same day. I’ve trimmed each of the two episodes down to about half of my normal length so the total time commitment on your part is still about the same as a regular week, but if you’re a subscriber, you probably already noticed, there are two today.  There’s a few reasons for this, but mostly it’s to try something new. This isn’t something I’m planning to keep doing on a regular basis, but maybe occasionally, if you like it, so let me know what you think.  Both of today’s episodes are about farm data. This one you’re about to hear is on the economics of farm data with Dr. Terry Griffin, and the next one is on the analytics of farm data with Aaron Gault, which I encourage you to listen to after this one.   I’ve been meaning to bring Dr. Terry Griffin on the show for a long time, because he is not only well-researched and data-driven, but as you’ll hear he’s not afraid to explore ideas that may be somewhat unconventional or even unpopular. Terry is associate professor and cropping systems economist at Kansas State University specializing in farm management and agricultural technology. For his achievements in advancing digital agriculture, Griffin has received the 2014 Pierre C. Robert International Precision Agriculture Young Scientist Award, the 2012 Conservation Systems Precision Ag Researcher of the Year, and the 2010 PrecisionAg Award of Excellence for Researchers. Terry and I discussed how farm data should be valued, some of the nuances of adoption of variable rate technology, and why he doesn’t advise farmers to jump headfirst into joining a data service.    JOIN THE FOA MEMBERSHIP COMMUNITY: www.Patreon.com/agriculture

Big shoutout to two new members of the FoA community this week, Italo Guedes and Sara Faivre, thank you both for your involvement and support. If you’d like to support this show and join a community of some really smart people passionate about ag, you can do so at www.patreon.com/agriculture.  For years, I have been on a somewhat public quest to understand regenerative agriculture. Where is the line between regenerative and not regenerative? Are these claims I’m hearing of more profit with very few inputs credible? Where is the science that backs all this up? Where does ag innovation and technology fit into this model? These are just a few of the many questions I have asked. This goes back to episode 44 in 2017, and shows up again and again in episodes 64, 109, 135, 182, 199, 216, 222, and 232...just to name a few. Frankly, I’m often left with more questions than answers. Not because my guests haven’t been forthcoming - they have. I think it’s more due to the fact that it’s more complicated. As my guest on today’s show will say, it’s not about practices, it’s about principles.  As it has caught on in popularity, there are a lot of people who have wanted to come on the podcast and talk about regenerative agriculture. But the people that I have gravitated to most on the subject are the practitioners themselves, the farmers making this work. And the scientists trying to provide the data to separate fact from fiction. We have on today’s show, someone who is both a farmer and a scientist, Dr. Jonathan Lundgren.  Dr. Lundgren is the director ECDYSIS Foundation, and CEO for Blue Dasher Farm in South Dakota. He received his PhD in Entomology from the University of Illinois in 2004, and was a top scientist with USDA-ARS for 11 years. His research and education programs focus on assessing the ecological risk of pest management strategies and developing long-term solutions for regenerative food systems.

Craig Rupp is the CEO and founder of Sabanto. Prior to founding Sabanto he was a cofounder of 640 Labs where FieldView Drive was originally created. The first part of today’s episode will be about Craig’s journey at 640 Labs and its eventual acquisition by Climate Corp. Despite all of these impressive innovations and industry game-changers, that’s not the only thing he joins us to share about today. His current project, Sabanto, is gaining momentum and continuing to develop its autonomous tractors.    “In the last month, I was just amazed as to how mature our software is and how hands-off we have become. The little tractor that we use is very dependable and our software is very mature.” - Craig Rupp   The Sabanto tractors can participate in tillage, cultivation and tine weed and are one of the “hardest working tractors in the US” according to Craig. While initially they required intensive monitoring they have continued to develop and allow for more autonomy. By continuing to develop the technology and allowing Sabanto to take care of some procedures, farmers will be able to repurpose labor needs, expenses and focus on their own efficiency.     “I think everyone’s waiting around to see what the industry brings them…..I wanted to bring autonomy into agriculture and I wanted to completely change the landscape of agriculture.” - Craig Rupp    In conventional farming with large manual equipment, Craig feels that we have “peaked in horsepower” as an industry. While the previous objective for agricultural equipment was to cover as many acres as possible leading to larger equipment, now we see Sabanto prioritizing efficiency, ease of use, connectivity and decreased soil compaction. Craig looks forward to continuing to spread the use of autonomous tractors in more locations and on more operations.   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Meet Craig Rupp, founder and CEO of Sabanto Learn about the journey and major successes Craig has experienced in his career with agriculture technology Explore the many uses and value Sabanto can bring to a farming operation Follow Sabanto at @sabantoag on Twitter Join the FOA Community! Be sure to join the new Future of Agriculture Membership for even more valuable information on the future of the ag industry. I’m sending out my email newsletter on a more regular basis, focusing on what I call the front lines of agtech: where product meets producer. You can sign up for that at www.FutureOfAg.com. There’s an email icon in the center of the page, just click on that and it will take you to a signup form. Do you have suggestions for topics to be explored? Tweet them to me @timhammerich or email them to tim@aggrad.com.  Find us online! Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website

In recent years, the idea of farmers getting paid based on stewardship has really taken off. Whether that’s the discussion of companies paying for carbon sequestration, soil conservation, water quality or any other number of “ecosystem services”, it seems to be a trend that is not going away any time soon. But how much real demand is there for this vs. just marketing and PR? Obviously, we all want cleaner air and water, but who is lining up to pay for it to create the right incentives to make it happen? And, does this even scale? Jason Weller is the Vice President of Truterra, LLC, the sustainability solutions business of Land O’Lakes Inc.. Many do not know that Land O’Lakes Inc. is one of the nation’s largest farmer-owned cooperatives. Before joining Truterra, Jason served as Chief of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, the nation’s largest working lands conservation organization. That makes him uniquely suited to talk about the role of both public and private sectors in this sustainability conversation.   “I was interested in coming to work for a company that was dreaming and thinking big. So Land O’Lakes was building a sustainability team….It felt like a once in a lifetime career opportunity to come work in agriculture for one of the largest farmer co-ops in the country who was thinking big and not just talking, but actually investing in building out the team to help farmers on a scale that's unprecedented. - Jason Weller   Truterra is the name of the business that represents the sustainability arm of Land O’Lakes. Jason highlights that this is a business division and not simply philanthropic. “I think what also frankly is energizing is trying to find that balance between ROI and good natural resource conservation.” So beyond promoting soil health and water conservation, they focus on making it profitable for producers and therefore enticing sustainability on a large scale.    “Our job is to then not just dream big, but to then get tactical and think about how we weave sustainability into that huge enterprise? How do we bring solutions to those local regional retailer owners and individual farming operations that compliment their businesses but also start to address broader issues around soil health, around water quality, water availability and biodiversity?” - Jason Weller    Truterra is blazing new trails in creating incentives, insights and expertise for producers with a goal of financial viability and improved sustainability practices. Jason admits that mandates are not easily accepted or embraced and so his goal is not to force farmers but help them in these efforts with “shared risk and shared opportunity.” The Truterra Insights Engine “connects public information and then private information that the farmer shares.” This information is then amalgamated with management information. This combination then gives farmers a platform to see what adjustments can be made on their operations and what the outcomes could be both financially and environmentally. It also allows them to monitor their progress in these efforts and share them with retailers to improve their value.   “We do view farmers as our customer, but we don't charge the farmer for access to the tool because it's really a decision support tool for the farmer. And we don't want cost to be a barrier to access to the information.” - Jason Weller   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Meet Jason Weller the Vice President of Truterra, LLC, the sustainability solutions business of Land O’Lakes Inc. Explore the initiatives the Land O’Lakes Inc. cooperative are taking to promote sustainability and help producers Learn about the new platform they are developing to support farmers and provide information to...

Today we are joined by Naeem Zafar. Naeem is a 7x serial entrepreneur and 5x CEO, with multiple successful exits. He is currently the co-founder and CEO of TeleSense, an IoT company creating real-time wireless sensing and predictive analytics for the stored grain industry. TeleSense is a portfolio company of Fulcrum Global Capital and adds to their story that we have had the privilege to share with you so far. A lot of the attention has been paid to sensors in agronomy with soil, water, etc. But think about this with stored grain: every year we produce billions of bushels of corn, soybeans, and wheat, just in the U.S. alone. A lot of that is stored and handled multiple times: maybe in farm bins, in a local grain elevator, on a barge or rail car, at a processing facility, or export house where it goes on to further handling. So there are several opportunities for the grain quality to be affected, and a lot of current solutions of checking quality are still mostly manual: meaning sending someone up to look at and even smell the commodity.  “Knowledge is king. When you know what's going on, you can make a sensible choice. That's what it all is about. Avoid the surprise.” - Naeem Zafar  TeleSense has developed technology to monitor grain storage conditions and upload those findings to the cloud. This gives farmers the opportunity to adjust as needed for the conditions of the grain during storage reducing loss of product or quality. Naeem understands that “margins are thin” in the grain industry so his goal is to make it not just affordable but ultimately profitable for the producer. Their target is that the price should reflect approximately 2 cents per bushel which is recognized as a reasonable discount for a loss of quality making this technology more than feasible. “The data science and the alerts level will change based on the type (of grain), but the hardware is the same and the basic software is the same.” Alerts will be sent to the producers mobile device if a finding is a concern. You can access your data over time and at any instant on your desktop or mobile device.  Phase 2 of their technology will be a device that creates a “smart bin” to collect the data, analyze conditions and make its own adjustments to rectify an issue if found. Beyond that, Naeem is looking forward to creating a reward for higher quality grains in general. “So we are coming up with an index, a fine grain index, which will tell you what's the quality of the grain…..If you can do that, that opens up all kinds of interesting ideas.” Naeem Zafar This value can expand into knowing which bin is best to sell and when. This also adds value to the extra effort you have put into the timing and storage of your grains. “It’s going to take a couple of years but that's the direction” TeleSense is headed towards.    This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Meet Naeem Zafar the co-founder and CEO of TeleSense Explore the problem TeleSense solves for those in the grain industry Learn about the technology they have developed and the advantages this can give producers Hear about the entrepreneurial journey Naeem took to get where he is now as a CEO, co-founder and professor. If you enjoyed that conversation with Naeem Zafar of TeleSense, check out their website at Telesense.com. Thanks as well to Fulcrum Global Capital who partnered with me on this episode. Learn more about Fulcrum at www.FGCVC.com.    Join the FOA Community! Be sure to join the new Future of Agriculture Membership for even more valuable information on the future of the ag industry. I’m sending

Around the new year I like to reflect on previous episodes and pull out insights that I think are important for the future of agriculture.  As I reflected on the content from this past year, an insight became immediately clear: agtech has a long way to go. As much as we talk about the money that has poured into the industry and how much potential there is for the future of agriculture, progress has been, by most measures, slow. And change - in a lot of cases - has been minimal. This isn’t an indictment on anyone in the industry, instead it’s a statement that we all probably don’t say often enough: innovation is hard.  There are some real forces working against the advancement of agricultural innovation. Today’s episode explores these barriers that are holding back the entire sector and profiles companies that are directly addressing and trying to eliminate those barriers. Loyal listeners know that I love this idea of enabling technologies. Which is to say, breakthroughs that open the floodgates for numerous future breakthroughs. The stories you’ll hear today are examples of companies trying to create something that enables future innovation. In some cases, with their technology, in others: with their business model.  Here are the five barriers holding agtech back:  Too much risk being put on the buyer (in most cases, the producer) Limited rural Connectivity Lack of integrations between ag technologies Scarcity of precision-first implementation equipment Inability to find product-market fit *LISTEN TO THE EPISODE FOR TWO ADDITIONAL BARRIERS* Companies featured:  Growers Edge www.growersedge.com SWARM https://swarm.space/ Leaf https://withleaf.io/ Rantizo https://rantizo.com/ In10t https://in10t.ag/ 

Check out another great ag podcast: www.OffIncome.com. Today’s episode is really one of those that I think embodies my vision for this show. It’s the vision you just heard me reference: where we take innovative ideas, in this case artificial intelligence, and we look at the point in which the meet practical realities.  The reason this is so important to me, is: first, it’s so much easier to learn and understand new technologies by observing their use cases. And secondly, I am convinced this intersection is really the best hope we have for getting a glimpse into the future of agriculture.  We have on the show Craig Ganssle, the founder and CEO of Farmwave:  an agriculture technology company that is transforming the world’s agricultural information into AI data models that power decision-making and preserve the future of farming. In this episode you’ll hear how Google Glass originally led Craig to agriculture, how artificial intelligence works and how it’s applied to a variety of use cases, from predicting the weight of livestock to identifying crop diseases to minimizing yield loss off a combine.   Learn more about Farmwave: www.Farmwave.io.  Follow Farmwave on Twitter: https://twitter.com/farmwave   Join the FoA Community: www.patreon.com/agriculture 

One of the biggest criticisms of ag tech and really many ag innovations in general is they often seem to be a solution that is looking for a problem rather than the alternative. This mismatch is often doomed to fail leaving many ag entrepreneurs frustrated. The Beef Alliance is trying to change that in the cattle feeding industry through their program called Feeding Innovation, a Beef Alliance Startup Challenge. The Beef Alliance wants smart entrepreneurial, problem solvers to see real potential opportunity and apply their talents to the cattle feeding industry. They're putting up $50,000 in the form of a cash prize and the chance at a pilot project to the winning startup of the competition. So even for startups that don't win that top prize and chance to pilot, it's still an opportunity to engage with leaders throughout the cattle feeding industry who could end up potentially becoming customers and investors. **Learn more about the startup challenge: https://beefalliance.com/startupchallenge/ The Beef Alliance is an organization of innovative, progressive, and relevant cattle feeding companies through collaborative innovation, scientific exploration, and value chain engagement. They are committed to being a leader and catalyst for positive change in the beef supply chain. Today we are joined by Dr. Abram Babcock, who is the CEO of Adams Land and Cattle in Broken Bow, Nebraska and John Wilson, a fifth generation Oregon cattleman and managing partner of several cattle related businesses. Both men clearly have extensive experience in the cattle feeding industry and share their perspectives of new innovations.   “If I look at it back in the early nineties and I look at it today, I would say that our industry has definitely adapted to listening to the consumer, as opposed to telling the consumer what we wanted them to hear or what we wanted them to eat. That would probably be at the top of my list.” - John Wilson   Dr. Babcock goes on to reference different management techniques, pharmaceutical protocols, and feeding practices all as a response to consumer demands.  John highlights advances in sensors and therefore different use and evaluation of individual metrics to better support sustainability practices like water usage and electricity usage.    “I think there is going to be an ability for our industry to really start to tell our story with data in a very cost-effective efficient manner where, you know, 10 years ago, some of these metrics would be very hard or very expensive to collect on a daily basis.” - Dr. Abram Babcock   Both John and Dr. Babcock ask innovators to keep in mind that cattle are living beings that are affected by health, weather and production system techniques. Their production is not as simple as creating a formula and producing a consistent product. While that seems obvious it is often overlooked by those not familiar with the industry. Labor efficiency, automation and improvement of feed conversion are all sectors that they highlight are in need of innovation in the industry.  This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Meet John Wilson and Dr. Abram Babcock, both experienced cattlemen that join us today to share what innovation has done and hopefully will do in the cattle feeding industry Learn about the technology that most interests these two experts Explore what innovators can focus on to support the cattle feeding industry’s efforts  Join the FOA Community! Be sure to join the new Future of Agriculture Membership for even more valuable information on the future of the ag industry. We’re nearing the end of 2020 and I’m planning my 2021 content. Do you have suggestions for topics to be...

Victory Farms is a Tilapia farming operation on Lake Victoria in Kenya. Since it was founded in 2015 it has become the largest fish farm in East Africa and is now the fastest growing Tilapia Farm in all of Africa. Joseph Rehmann is the CEO and founder of Victoria Farms and joins us today to share his journey towards becoming an innovative entrepreneur in Kenya with an environmentally sustainable aquaculture operation.    “It really felt like an opportunity to be where I wanted to be, in a field that I’m passionate about which is growing things and being able to have a meaningful impact from the work I do.” - Joseph Rehmann   Joseph observed that while Africa’s population is booming the development of local food sources was decreasing resulting in an increased dependence on imported food. He discusses the supply and demand mismatch that he was able to find a market in to not only build his business but help local populations.   “You've got 200 or 300 million people in the East African block and you've got this substantial decline in wild stocks of fish, a relative decline in per capita consumption of white proteins…..This region is sitting on what some folks call the African great lakes....So Lake Victoria is the largest warm freshwater body in the world. And it's not farmed.” - Joseph Rehmann   With access to one of the best natural resources for farming Tilapia, Victory Farms is now producing 300 tons of fish per year. Joseph highlights that Tilapia are native to the area and local cultures. Victory Farms utilizes local customs to then get the fish to their customers. Once the fish are prepared, they are then transported to 40 different locations and sold to about 10,000 market ladies per month. The market ladies then make the sale to the end customer in the community. By supporting the market ladies and promoting their business models, they have found great success and community compatibility. Beyond financial and cultural success, Joseph has also focused on supporting and promoting the local environment.    “I think the next generation of businesses needs to stop talking about doing less harm to the environment or mitigation or conservation. And we need to flip it to restoration. Businesses need to actually promote environmental benefits.” - Joseph Rehmann This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Meet Joseph Rehmann, CEO and founder of Victory Farms Explore the emerging Tilapia market in East Africa Discover the obstacles and challenges he has faced and the factors he attributes his success to Learn about the mission of Victory Farms, their management practices and sustainability focus Join the FOA Community! Be sure to join the new Future of Agriculture Membership for even more valuable information on the future of the ag industry. We’re nearing the end of 2020 and I’m planning my 2021 content. Do you have suggestions for topics to be explored? Tweet them to me @timhammerich or email them to tim@aggrad.com.  Find us online! Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website

This is the series finale of exploring agtech adoption with In10t. Co-founder and COO Kevin Heikes joins as co-host to setup this episode which features Josh Miller and Elizabeth Blessum from BASF.  Make sure you listen to the other three episodes in the series:  FoA 226: The Problem with Farm Data FoA 215: Bridging the Gap Between Farmers and Agtech FoA 194: Accelerating Agtech Kevin reflects on the journey of founding In10t and what we’ve covered in these episodes as well as in his first two Future of Agriculture appearances on FoA 028 and 062. “When technology gets in the way of innovation, no one is happy.” - Kevin Heikes Josh Miller is a technical market manager for plant health at BASF. He describes the thousands of farmer trials that have been a part of bringing their Revysol brand fungicides to the market. He emphasizes the importance of trust and transparency when performing on-farm trials.  “I think (on-farm trials) is becoming part of our DNA. It’s not just about the data. It’s about the experience, and it’s about where the data comes from. That’s really the critical part.” - Josh Miller Elizabeth Blessum worked with Josh on the Revex platform (short for “Revysol experience”) as part of her professional development program at BASF. She is now an Agronomic Solutions Advisor with the company.  “I think it comes down to believability. I’m a visual learner - I like to see things myself. So I have better luck selling a product that I believe in, and that I’ve been able to see in the field...being able to see things first hand has helped myself believe, and then ultimately help other believe in the product as well.” - Elizabeth Blessum Josh also emphasized the importance of not only data transparency, but also data privacy. Knowing how to handle this with integrity is of the utmost importance in the trialing process.  “Farmers have their factories out in the public domain. Everything they do is proprietary to some degree: what products they choose, what seed varieties they choose, how they do things. And it’s all out there. And I think that it can’t be taken for granted if a farmer shares that data with you. That’s a huge amount of IP that they’ve shared with us, and we need to treat it with the respect that it deserves.” - Josh Miller Be sure to visit In10t at www.In10t.ag and www.FarmerTrials.com.  Please also thank them on social media for their efforts to make this important series happen. I would have never had access to people like Josh, Elizabeth, or any of the other guests on previous episodes without In10t’s support! 

Back by popular demand is guest co-host Janette Barnard. She co-hosted on episode 225 about direct-to-consumer meat, and is back today with Lamar Steiger, a consultant who is helping Walmart rethink their beef supply chain. They’re doing some really innovative stuff trying to improve quality and create shared value. Janette is the author of Prime Future, a weekly newsletter about trends in the animal protein value chain, and she’s the managing principal of Rock Road Consulting helping companies launch, source, and fund innovation. She’s also just a great friend and my go-to source on all things animal agriculture.  Also on this episode is a startup spotlight featuring Ceres Tag.  Join the FoA Community: www.Patreon.com/agriculture

Visit another great podcast: www.OffIncome.com.  Are agtech and regenerative agriculture at odds? Regenerative is committed to working WITH nature, and agtech is often trying to manipulate nature in some way. Agtech is often automating and trying to displace human capital, when regenerative is often trying to bring people back to the land. Agtech often includes buying new hardware or paying a monthly as a service fee, when regenerative is trying to rely as much as possible on what can be generated and then regenerated from the land itself. Those are the ideas that were floating around in my head when I decided to put together this episode. Probably the best part of doing this podcast is getting to hear from those of you listening. A few months ago I got an email from a listener politely asking that I feature more European stories on the show, particularly something from Switzerland or Germany. I wrote back and asked what topics he thought listeners would find most interesting in that area, and he responded maybe something in either agtech or regenerative agriculture.  That listener’s name is Max Weitz, and he recommended a friend of his to be on the show, Benedikt Bosel. After hearing more about both of their backgrounds, I invited both of them to be on the show. I’ll tell you why and what this has to do with my thoughts on agtech and regenerative in just a moment.  Join the FoA Community: www.Patreon.com/agriculture

Visit our sponsor: www.OffIncome.com.  Today’s episode is a great example of true agricultural innovation. Most of you know our food system is heavily dependent on chemical fertilizers to efficiently get nutrients, especially nitrogen to most of our crops. However, some of those crops, think legumes like soybeans, pulses, and peanuts, have a symbiotic relationship with fungi that enable nitrogen fixation from the air and make it available for the plant.  Today’s guest asked the question, what if we could make this happen on all crops? Especially on corn, wheat, and rice, which together make up a significant chunk of the chemical nitrogen consumption. We have on the show Karsten Temme, CEO and co-founder of Pivot Bio. Pivot’s first product, Proven, is a microbe that when applied to corn can allow the plant to have a similar symbiotic relationship to, in a way, fix it’s own nitrogen from the air. If this is sounding familiar, it’s probably because we had Pivot Bio’s Director of Agronomy on episode 215, talking about the gap between farmers and agtech. Almost a decade ago, he started Pivot Bio with co-founder Alvin Tamsir. In this conversation we dig into how their technology works, why it’s significant, and how synthetic biology in general could impact the future of agriculture. I’ll drop you into the conversation where Karsten is describing the why behind Pivot Bio.    **JOIN THE FoA COMMUNITY: www.Patreon.com/agriculture

“We’re going to bring a lot of new, interesting, innovations leapfrogging across the world.” - Francisco Jardim   Today we explore an international agtech powerhouse, Brazil. And we have the perfect guest to talk about the developing agtech ecosystem in the country, Francisco Jardim. Francisco is the Founding Partner at SP Ventures which invests across multiple industries, but as you’ll hear, he has particular expertise in agtech. Francisco has been investing with SP Ventures for over 13 years, and focuses on Brazilian startups.   “We’re leveraging technology, new digital technology, to be able to make less friction, less costs for farmers to be able to empower themselves through the use of their data and access more sophisticated financial services products.” - Francisco Jardim   Historically, mainstream multinational ag companies have used fairs and large sales teams to expose farmers to new technologies. Francisco shares that by virtue of the spread of connectivity and digital technologies, farmers are more open to new technologies without following the formerly used labor intensive method of selling. Start up companies are poised to employ strategies that don’t involve a lot of people or a large marketing budget and that lend themselves to be more covid friendly. Preconceptions of farming operations being innately archaic and resistant to digital technology are quickly being proven wrong with ever-expanding digital connectivity.   “We’re seeing the grandfather become a heavy smartphone user. We’re seeing the father become a very hardcore ambassador of new digital technologies and the son of course. What’s beautiful is these new technologies, they’re bridging the gap between the grandfather, the father and the son in the family business....it’s becoming transgenerational and even generational integrative as a function.” - Francisco Jardim   For new startups, Francisco recommends prioritizing extensive testing and identifying that you have “positive unit economics.” By focusing on these two priorities you avoid wasting a lot of money and generating “negative repercussions from your customers” while you troubleshoot your product. He also recommends paying attention to specific buying windows (planting, seeding, harvesting, etc.) to know when is the best time to reach out to the producers and what timing will provide them with the most benefit.    This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Meet Francisco Jardim, the Founding Partner at SP Ventures based in Brazil Explore the journey agtech startups are taking in South America and how they have found their niche during these Covid times Learn Francisco’s recommendations to becoming a successful startup Join the FOA Community! Be sure to join the new Future of Agriculture Membership for even more valuable information on the future of the ag industry. We’re nearing the end of 2020 and I’m planning my 2021 content. Do you have suggestions for topics to be explored? Tweet them to me @timhammerich or email them to tim@aggrad.com.  Find us online! Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website

Typically when we think of food waste we imagine processed food ending up in the landfill. In this episode we explore a solution to reduce crop waste caused by microbes, mycotoxins or viral particles. Nanoguard Technologies has developed a device to reduce the microbial load without any residue or additional chemical input. Larry Clarke is the CEO of Nanoguard Technologies and joins us today to share the advances the company is making.   “Being able to reduce these mycotoxins saves the farmer from getting the discounts, allows him a non-complex supply chain by being able to get rid of his grain, peanuts and rice, but it also allows the animal industry to have better efficiencies.” - Larry Clarke   With limited treatment options, many producers have to resort to devaluing their crop in order to find a market. As well as helping row crop producers, this new technology also contributes to longer shelf lives of fresh produce and even meat products due to reduced microbial activities.    “We’re seeing shelf life extensions, 3 - 5 days on fruits and vegetables, a week or more on meats. We’ve seen tomatoes last upwards of 28 days longer. So the longer we have within our supply chain to keep these products fresh, the more likely they are not going to be wasted.” - Larry Clarke   The device uses a high voltage cold plasma technology that activates the air causing reactive gases that are then capable of killing microbes, detoxifying mycotoxins and deactivating viruses. There is no assumed residue and very low variable costs. The upfront investment is in the device itself which is then incorporated into machinery likely to be at grain and processing facilities already. Currently they are still in the testing phase but the potential ramifications are endless and can really make a difference in the global food supply chain.    This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Meet Larry Clarke, CEO of Nanoguard Technologies Discover what this company is offering producers to mitigate crop and food loss Explore the potential global impact this device can make Join the FOA Community! Be sure to join the new Future of Agriculture Membership for even more valuable information on the future of the ag industry. Find us online! Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website

Rural locations often have limited connectivity to cellular data. Dr. Sara Spangelo is the CEO and co-founder of Swarm Technologies. Their company launches constellations of small, sandwich-sized, low cost, two-way satellites into lower orbit space to provide affordable global connectivity.  Different space programs offer them access to launching their devices including Space-X and Vega among others.  “That will provide us with a network of 150 satellites for global continuous coverage - covering every point on earth at all times and essentially providing a lower cost version of existing networks.” - Dr. Sara Spangelo Swarm technologies is finding a home in agriculture technology as a solution to poor cellular connection. Sensor type devices will be able to send data continuously to producers at a reasonable cost. The business itself involves the acquisition of a modem that would then get embedded into a third party device. Users are then charged based on their data volume. The target customer is agriculture technology companies to have their technology incorporated into their devices with the end consumer being the producers. “90% of our world has no connectivity except for these very prohibitively expensive solutions. And that’s really what Swarm is trying to solve for, that 90%, at an affordable point.” - Dr. Sara Spangelo Dr. Spangelo recommends any interested companies contact them soon. Their connectivity capacity is limited so getting in line early may prove significant. Swarm Technologies is already working on the next iteration of their technology to provide more to their customers. The satellites function for 4 years before experiencing complete destruction upon entering earth's atmosphere giving them the opportunity to continually replace their equipment without any additional pollution in space.  Stay tuned to the end of the episode for a startup spotlight featuring Bloomfield Robotics CEO Mark DeSantis. Bloomfield uses artificial intelligence to help producers learn more about their crop conditions.  “We’re creating a massive digital database of plant phenotypes.” - Mark DeSantis This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Meet Dr. Sara Spangelo, CEO and co-founder of Swarm Technologies Explore the connectivity their technology in space satellites can offer remote areas Learn about the process of launching satellites and find out what makes Swarm Technology unique in the connectivity space “Startup Spotlight” featuring Mark DeSantis of Bloomfield Robotics Join the FOA Community! Be sure to join the new Future of Agriculture Membership for even more valuable information on the future of the ag industry. Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website

Great show for you today, especially for the entrepreneurs in the audience. We have on the show Joe Dales, who in his current capacity is the CoFounder and President of Agri & Food Innovation at RH Accelerator in London, Ontario, Canada.  In this episode, we talk about the importance and the elusiveness of product-market fit - meaning creating not just a great product or service, but one that the market is eager to pay for. We also talk a lot about attracting and retaining talent to the ag industry, and the future of work.  Joe’s extensive experience in bringing innovations to the market really shines through in this episode. He has been involved in successfully launching over 40 agtech innovations ranging from crop protection products, to seed varieties, to biologicals, to software companies. In 1998, he co-founded Farms.com Ltd. and AgCareers.com which have grown to become a leading supplier of innovative solutions to farmers, agriculture and food companies around the global, he remains a major shareholder and director. Be sure to stay tuned to the end of this episode for great stuff from Joe, but also a startup spotlight. This one is another Canadian company, from a few provinces over in Alberta. Rob Saik makes his third appearance on this show to talk about his newest venture AgVisorPro, so make sure to stick around for that at the end of today’s show.    Joe Dales Quotes:  “I’ve always looked at where innovation in agriculture come together, and think about how they can help farmers.” “You'll know when you get product-market fit, you definitely know when you don't have it, because there's crickets. I'll take it to (farmers like) my brother or my best friend, and say, ‘Hey, what do you think of this?’ And they'll go, ‘that's nice’, but they aren't gonna use it.” “Building (software) is sometimes the easiest part. It’s the education, it’s the branding, it’s getting people using it.” “Our sector isn't a true consumer sector. It's more B2B than B2C because every decision can be hugely costly. If they make a bad decision, you know, on selecting a crop or where they spend their time. And they've got it to do list usually a mile long, especially in season. So giving them a new scouting app or giving them a new tool. You better show them how it'll save them time and money, and that it's proven.” “Just about every company I'm dealing with, talent is the number one issue. They could scale; they could do things a lot more quickly. But there's a farmer or there's a CEO and he needs four more highly motivated, highly skilled, highly networked individuals to help them grow the business.” “We look at the product and the concept: where is it? Do we like it? And then quickly we move right to the founders: what do we think of them? Do they know the sector? You know, if they want to do something on dairy farms: are they from a dairy family? Unless you're from it and really intimately knowledgeable about the sector, or willing to pay the price and go out and visit, you’re higher risk.” “So all these technologies are swirling around in our sector and this just, how do we, how do we onboard them? How do we get them up and running? And how do we help farmers get the value out of them? Because once they do that, then there's real companies there.” “I wake up everyday trying to help farmers save money (and/or) make money through innovation. And I've had success, but still I love doing it every day. It gets me moving early in the morning and I’m very passionate about it. And I feel good in some small way, we're helping feed the world. So it's pretty easy to remain motivated.”   Rob Saik Quotes:  “The number of times through the course of the year, when a farmer could reach out to really talk to people with deep domain expertise that could help the farming operation are numerous” “If farmers or anybody out there has deep...

We talk a lot about data in agriculture. Yield data, aerial data, weather data, soil data, data interoperability, data ownership, and on and on and on. What we’re not talking about enough, however, is data quality. More and more and more data is not helpful unless it is QUALITY data. We have the quantity, there’s no shortage of farm data out there, but how do we improve the QUALITY?  We often fall into the trap of assuming more data is better data, when in reality, better data is better data. We’ll explain why in this episode. You’ve probably heard of data being “cleaned” or being “scrubbed”. But what does that mean? Why is this so hard to do with farm data? Why is this a problem and what can be done about it?  “Right now the industry is really really excited about all of the data that we can produce...but I really feel like the second generation of the data wave here in agriculture is going to be quality, and comparability, and what metrics do we measure excellence by. Those are going to be the things that make the difference.” - Kyle Mehmen, General Manager, MBS Family Farms All of these are questions and more are addressed in today’s episode as we bring on farmer Kyle Mehmen and New Leaf Symbiotics Technical Sales Lead Brad Walkup to talk about their experiences in focusing on getting higher quality data from their trials.  “Agriculture for years has been a race to see who can grow the most commodity. I feel like in the next 5-8 years, I’m hoping we can get to the point that we can differentiate crops by quality. Therefore a grower will have a unique value position in the market, rather than just #2 yellow corn.” - Brad Walkup, Technical Sales Lead, New Leaf Symbiotics   This episode is another one that I’ve partnered with my friends at In10t to bring to you. This year I’ve really wanted to explore where innovative ideas meet practical realities in agtech, and there is no company doing more in this area than In10t, so they’re the perfect partner, not only for this episode, but also for episode 194 called “Accelerating AgTech Adoption” where we talked about the importance of on-farm trials, and episode 215 entitled “Bridging the Gap Between Farmers and AgTech” where we talked about the real challenges in getting trials right.    From those episodes, you may assume In10t is a consulting company that helps arrange farmer trials. That’s how they got their start, but as VP of Technology Mike Hartquist will tell you, they have evolved into a technology platform as well.   “We look at technology as almost the third piece of the pie. We do (technology) well, and we want that to be the core of how it fits together, but our people and process is really how we got here...We don’t want to create this cool tool, but it’s not useful. Let’s get out in the field, and go walk fields and use a spreadsheet, and go figure out how it works and what works and what doesn’t, and then let’s let technology make it better for us.” - Mike Hartquist, VP of Technology at In10t   Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! And be sure to join the new Future of Agriculture Membership for even more valuable information on the future of ag. Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  <p...

Can a farmer transition from the commodity market into a full-scale direct-to-consumer brand?  The answer is “yes”, and David Newman is proof.  But this isn’t a story of an overnight success. The transition for Newman Farm has been in the works since the 1990s. Over the past 20 years he has learned many lessons, and he was kind enough to share some of them on this episode.  This is a special episode of the “Future of Agriculture” Podcast because for the first time, the interview did not include our usual host, Tim Hammerich. Guest co-host Janette Barnard sourced the story and interviewed David.  *Be sure to subscribe to Janette’s weekly newsletter about innovation in the animal agriculture value chain: primefuture.substack.com.    David and Janette discuss:  Transitioning from a commodity focus to building a brand Finding the right strategy for growth How COVID-19 has impacted their business The need for reinvention no matter how traditional your industry The challenges of a branded product with direct customer access The importance of relationships and growing with partners Advice to others interested in making a similar transition   *As a bonus, this episode includes a “Startup Spotlight” segment at the end, which features Janelle Maiocco, Founder and CEO of Barn2Door, which is a software that David Newman has used to grow his business. 

We've seen the rise of alternative energy and alternative protein, could alternative plastic be next?  Mark Remmert is the CEO of Green Dot Bioplastics. This fascinating company manufactures low-cost, biodegradable materials for a variety of uses.  There is an obvious sustainability story here, but it's also a peek into what can be a rapidly growing company and industry segment in the coming decades.  Green Dot is a portfolio company of Fulcrum Global Capital, who partnered with us on this episode. Duane Cantrell, Kevin Lockett, and John Peryam join Tim to introduce the episode and provide their perspective on why they invested in Green Dot.  What are your thoughts on the future of bioplastics?  

Daren Williams joins the show to help us better understand the role of producer-led commodity groups. Daren is the Senior Director of Global Communications at the Almond Board of California. He has worked in agricultural communications for over 30 years, much of that with producer-led commodity groups like almonds, beef, apple, dairy and pork.    The Almond Board of California supports all 7,600 almond growers, as well as many others in the almond growing community from suppliers and beekeepers to farmers and buyers. Almonds are one of the fastest growing crops in California, and the Almond Board has cast a vision for the industry that includes goals to improve by 2025 in water use efficiency, dust reduction, zero waste, and pest management.    “We fund research and production techniques. We validate techniques at work and if it's beneficial and cost effective and can help improve the return on investment for the grower, we roll it out to the industry and make sure everybody knows about it.” Daren Williams   While the Almond Board of California is a federal marketing order program, we also discuss checkoff programs in this episode. Operating under a slightly different framework, the purpose of these groups also relates to the research and promotion of the commodity. In Daren’s previous position, he worked with the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, which is a contractor to the beef checkoff.    “If (consumers) see us working together and trying to solve the issues and things that they’re concerned about, they develop trust in them, the industries, and I think trust is a critical issue for farmers and ranchers. In many cases, we’ve lost it and we need to regain it with consumers and let them know we really do have their best interests at heart when we make decisions about how we’re going to grow their food because we’re also going to be putting it on our dinner tables.” - Daren Williams This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Meet Daren Williams, Senior Director of Global Communications at the Almond Board of California Better understand marketing orders, check off programs and lobbying organizations Explore how these programs respond to consumer demands, support producers and are funded Founder Spotlight: Peter Schott of Genesis Feed Technologies Genesis Feed Technologies aims to change the conversation and consumption of feed ingredients for producers The software the developed puts nutritional information in the hands of the purchasing person to make the best decisions for the feed program they are building “We make soybeans look really good. On the more technical side, we bring nutritional value out for feed ingredients and show the economics of that so people can make better buying decisions.”   Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! And be sure to join the new Future of Agriculture Membership for even more valuable information on the future of ag. Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  <a href=...

Today’s episode is the deepest dive I’ve done to date into the world of regenerative agriculture. You’ll probably be able to hear it in my voice in the interview, but this one had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. In fact I think the conversation just gets more and more interesting the deeper we get into it.  If you’re new to the concept of regenerative agriculture, some previous episodes in which we discuss the concepts are episodes 44, 64, 109, 135, 182, and 199.  My viewpoint on regenerative agriculture since I first was introduced to the concept a few years ago is somewhere in between “cautious optimism” and maybe skepticism. I’m certainly not skeptical about the importance of soil health. I think you’ve heard that from me a lot on this show, and certainly you have if you listen to Soil Sense, one of the other podcasts that I host.  But some of the - what I’ll call hype associated with regenerative ag have left me asking a lot of questions. Many of those, we get into on today’s episode. Questions like:  Where is the line between what is regenerative and what is not?  What is really motivating regenerative farmers and ranchers to pursue these ideals? Because it’s not really what you might see in the media or from many advocates.  Also we get into some scientific questions like what is technically happening when carbon is sequestered?  And, once it is sequestered, how do we know it’s staying there and for how long?  I couldn’t be more impressed with our guest we have on the show today to talk about these issues. Paige Stanley is a finishing PhD candidate at UC Berkeley, who works at the intersection of rangeland ecology and soil science.  Born in Detroit, she grew up in rural Georgia. While as an undergraduate at a liberal arts college, she took a course on the ethics of food production, which drove her to want to talk to more farmers and ranchers and ultimately pursue a master’s in animal science. She did so at Michigan State University studying under Jason Roundtree.  This master’s program furthered her interest in soil carbon sequestration in grazing lands; how it might reduce greenhouse gas emissions, provide ecosystem services, improving animal welfare, and improving rural livelihoods. That led her to her work today at UC Berkeley. I’m going to let her describe it to you, but first a quick definition: you’ll hear regenerative grazing called AMP grazing in this episode. That stands for adaptive multi-paddock grazing, you may have heard of it as mob grazing. Essentially this is controlled and intensive grazing that is rotated across sections or paddocks of a field. For more on that  go way back to episodes 44 or <a href=...

“Quinoa is very unique. One, it is gluten free but it also contains high amounts of protein and a greater balance of essential amino acids than cereals.” - Angela Ichwan   This week we are exploring the emerging market of American grown quinoa. The financial, environmental and supply chain consequences of a few farmers from the San Luis Valley in Colorado that started developing this product are shared today. Paul New is a 3rd generation farmer that was initially introduced to quinoa production by a graduate student that rented some ground from his operation. Sheldon Rockey farms in Center, Colorado and joined Paul in the quinoa venture. The two have expanded from an initial 500 acres of quinoa production to 3000. And finally, Angela Ichwan, who leads the technical team of the specialty crop business unit of Ardent Mills joins us to explain the quinoa market and how Ardent Mills has contributed to its success.   “We were watching him grow the quinoa and it was kind of an exciting plant because it didn’t seem to use very much water, grew pretty well here in the San Luis Valley and as we learned more about the nutritional value and the versatility of it, we got pretty excited about it.... We thought it was going to be a crop of the future.” - Paul New   That excitement led to adding quinoa to their potato rotation. The product was “fairly easy to market” and initially the main obstacle was ironing out the production. They have now developed a new seed and adjusted their crop management system to overcome some of these challenges. The quinoa reduced the amount of inputs needed for their potato crop as there is less overlap between disease and pests. They also saw a significant reduction in water consumption needed for the quinoa crop in comparison to the common barley and alfalfa crops.    “We were still working on the production and Ardent (Mills) was positioned to really be able to step in and help us with the marketing and giving us the volume so that we could go out and really work with the neighbors and the other producers in the valley.” - Paul New   Ardent Mills also brings expertise and support in progressive genetics and to further develop EPA labels for inputs. Quinoa saw a surge in global acceptance when it was named the grain of the year in 2013 and also with increased consumer demands due to widespread gluten-free trends. Ardent Mills had an interest in producing ancient grains and was attracted by the nutritional profile and water conservation opportunities for quinoa. This led to an exclusive relationship and successful collaboration with quinoa producers in the San Luis Valley.    This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Meet Paul New and Sheldon Rockey, Colorado quinoa farmers Discover their introduction to the “psuedograin” quinoa Learn the benefits this crop has added to their operations Explore the collaboration these producers have created with Ardent Mills and the advantages this has provided Meet Angela Ichwan who explains how Ardent Mills is using this relationship to grow a market for American grown quinoa  

Today’s episode has some really important perspective, especially for those of us who do not see the effects of persistent hunger and poverty on a daily basis. I have on the show Paul Winters, who is the Associate Vice-President of the Strategy and Knowledge Department of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).  IFAD is part of the United Nations and is the only UN agency or international financial institution that works exclusively in rural areas. They work in around 100 countries with the aim to eradicate rural poverty and hunger through agricultural development.  Paul is an Agricultural Economist by training and holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural and Resource Economics from the University of California at Berkeley.  The first half of our conversation focuses on what agricultural development looks like in practice, and Paul shares examples from several different countries.  The second half of our conversation focuses on some of the major challenges to global food security, including the fact that global poverty was improving until about 2015. Since that time it’s actually been getting worse. We also talk about the catastrophic effects the Coronavirus pandemic and climate change can have on global food security in the future.  For starters though, I’ll drop you into the conversation where Paul is talking about some of the challenges of trying to solve these complex problems.

The idea for today’s show happened as I was working on another podcast I produce for NDSU Extension Soil Health called “Soil Sense”. I was interviewing a farmer named Mark Olson about strip tillage. It was a fascinating topic, but what really piqued my interest was the way he spoke about the company behind his strip tillage equipment. He kept talking about his SoilWarrior guy that had been so helpful. I believe he said something to the effect of “I just can’t say enough good things about SoilWarrior.”  So naturally, I wanted to learn more about this SoilWarrior company. It turns out that SoilWarrior is the product and the company is called Environmental Tillage Systems based in Minnesota. Today’s episode is about this SoilWarrior equipment, but also about strip tillage in general, and what it takes to become a farmer’s favorite company.  Brian Ryberg, who is a farmer in Minnesota and a SoilWarrior Evangelist - one of over 500, I have since found out. And Brent Brueland, VP of Sales & Marketing at Environmental Tillage Systems - which again, is the company that makes SoilWarrior.  If you’re new to the idea of strip-tillage, I’ll start with an oversimplified explanation: it’s a process where instead of a farmer tilling an entire field, he/she only tills a strip wide enough to plant into. That way, most of the ground is undisturbed which has benefits for erosion, compaction, trafficability, and overall soil health. However, the tilled strips provide benefits such as warming up faster in the spring and placing nutrients right in the root zone. There are many other benefits that Brian and Brent will discuss.  Even if soil conservation doesn’t interest you - which it should - I still think this is a worthwhile episode for you to learn more about a farmer’s throught process and what it takes to be the type of company that creates evangelists. 

Many of you know that I am endlessly interested in water and water-related topics. Today’s episode is another installment in my exploration to better understand realistic solutions to our water problems.    We have on the show Dr. Wim Bastiaanssen who is the Founder of IrriWatch. The company is very new, I think less than two years old, but it’s the culmination of decades of Wim’s research and consulting on water, irrigation, and remote sensing.   Now if you think irrigating a crop is just like irrigating your lawn - sort of set it and forget it - you are WAY oversimplifying. There are a lot of variables at play, such as: changing moisture availability in the root zone, changing evapotranspiration rates, changing crop needs with the type of crop and its stage of development, then taking into consideration the forecast, and how likely all of the above factors will be different in the coming days best on weather. And these are just a FEW factors.    There are many companies trying to help with this complexity. Wim’s approach with IrriWatch is to use satellite remote sensing to basically let each plant signal its water availability. If that sounds far-fetched, hear him out. He’s got the data to back up his claims.    Wim Bastiaanssen grew up on a farm in The Netherlands, which is the country he still calls home. Growing up 5M below sea level (the land was reclaimed by the sea), he was always around ditches, canals, and levees - which developed an interest in water and irrigation from an early age.    https://www.irriwatch.com/en/  

We are back with another Fulcrum Global Capital portfolio company this week. The company MicroGen Biotech has produced a microbe that can help encapsulate and precipitate heavy metals in the soil. This process results in a gradual cleaning of soil pollution and reduces the amount of heavy metal uptake by the plant which in turn will reduce the amount of heavy metals consumed by the public. MicroGen recently won the award for the agtech category at Samsung’s Extreme Tech Challenge. Founder Dr. Xuemei Germaine was also recognized as the top female founder of the year.    Heavy metal toxicity in the food chain is a concern being recognized around the world. Forbes published a report from the USDA that described “95% of all baby foods consumed in the United States have heavy metal content levels that are harmful to the development of organs and brains in infants and children, et cetera.”    “We are probably just a couple of years away from not potentially being able to export some of our food ag products to Europe because of that. I think the United States frankly is lagging a bit in this….Food companies are going to have to begin to demand and expect solutions to the products that are going into the foods that they are selling to the consumer.” - Dwayne Cantrell, Fulcrum Global Capital Venture Partner   Dr. Germaine explains how naturally occurring minerals and chronic use of fertilizers and pesticides all contribute to increased levels of heavy metals such as cadmium, arsenic and lead in soils. The crops that are grown in these areas will have increased levels of these metals which are then introduced into the food chain. This is especially a problem for individuals eating a plant based diet and children that are more susceptible to heavy metal toxicities.    “It’s all about how do you block (heavy metals) to make the food safer and also at the same time improve the soil health and that will be environmentally sustainable, economically sustainable, is good for farmers, good for the government and is good for every consumer. It will impact every one of us.” - Dr. Xuemei Germaine   As an added benefit, reducing the heavy metal absorption by the plant will not only benefit the consumer of the plant but also the plant itself. The microbe has been shown to increase the crop yield and has been specifically selected to also serve as a natural bio-fertilizer to the crop. Increased yield and being able to charge a premium will entice farmers to use this product with little risk to their profitability.  This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Meet Dr. Xuemei Germaine the founder of MicroGen Biotech Explore the risks posed by elevated heavy metal content in our food chain Learn about the effects these values can have on its consumers Discover what the microbe produced by MicroGen Biotech can offer to farmers by way of cleaning the soil and creating a crop with reduced levels of the harmful minerals Share the Ag-Love!  Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! And be sure to join the new Future of Agriculture Membership for even more valuable information on the future of ag. Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  <a href=...

What does a more distributed regionalized or even localized food system look like at scale? How can producers capture more of the value of that type of food system? What is the right type of investor to help fuel that sort of system? Stephen Hohenrieder spent his early career in capital markets and has an agricultural background. Stephen now works for family offices. These are investment entities that invest on behalf of a single-family. In this episode, we talk about investing in regenerative agriculture, what a distributed food system looks like and how the family office investor can be a great fit for making these ambitions a reality. Stephen began by combining different food source experiences in Hawaii to support his regenerative agriculture goals through investment.   “The goal was to develop a perspective on each of these different areas of food and then use my background in investing to deploy capital in ways that would support a regenerative food system that I hope to be a part of.” - Stephen Hohenrieder   The investment profile of a family office and the amount of risk they are willing to undertake varies between each family office. His mission is to “figure out how we could steward the vision of that operation into the future and bring in aligned capital that had a very long term perspective.”   “As I explored this thesis for how I believe our food system is evolving and really increasingly being redefined by fragmentation after a period of consolidation and centralization, I have focused on four pillars that are really authenticity, connection, traceability and transparency.” - Stephen Hohenrieder   In many of Stephen’s investments he looks to not only add value to the food chain process but also the farm itself. Stephen believes people are “reconnecting with the source of their food” leading to a consumer driven cultural shift for producers. Consumers are now more interested in connecting with a set of values than a third party certification and producers are needing to communicate these inherent values to gain consumer loyalty.   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Meet Stephen Hohenrieder, an investor supporting regenerative agriculture Explore how he views the cultural shifts in the supply chain Learn about where he sees the future of the agriculture industry heading Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! And be sure to join the new Future of Agriculture Membership for even more valuable information on the future of ag. Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram    

What are the barriers to customer acquisition for agribusiness and agri tech companies? In10nt is a company that attempts to answer that question and bridge the gap between company and farmer. They focus on being able to create trials at the farm level to introduce a product and allow farmers to find the best fit for their operations. Dan Poston is the Director of Agronomy for Pivot Bio. Sean Blomgren is a fourth-generation family farmer from Iowa and is the owner of Blomgren Seed. Both Dan and Sean join us to discuss the complicated process of developing, establishing, and managing an on-farm trial that will demonstrate the potential of a certain product's performance.   “We’re constantly thinking about how you test those products, where you test those products, and how close to the customer you get from a testing perspective…..We really want to have that footprint and that experience on a farmer field before we feel comfortable delivering to the customer.” - Dan Poston   Statistical analysis results in a specific number of trials in a specific size that will be needed to create confident data in regards to the product. Developing the plan is only step one. The logistics of shipping can be a very complicated process. The product needs to arrive at farmers in prime condition and be able to be maintained by them in order to develop the most valuable results. Farmers are then responsible for using the new product in an appropriate manner. A lot of thought is put into a protocol that is most “meaningful” in order to optimize for the most success. Sampling can also create variation in results and is therefore orchestrated. All of these facets have to come together to give the trial the best chance at being successful.   “I promise you there’ve been some great products that have gone through our farm that hasn't tested well because we didn’t build a proper test…. That should be products we’re using today but because we didn’t test them in the right way, we didn’t have the ability to understand what we should or shouldn’t do with them.” - Sean Blomgren   “It’s amazing how when it’s done right, the information is so valuable and how hard it is to get to that” shares Sean. “I think that is the great gap you have to get across with biological products, is just seeing them vetted out over a large enough area” shares Dan. A third party like In10nt allows companies to work with farmers to create the best planned and managed trial to find the best success. In10nts execution gives you the best opportunity for customer acquisition.   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Meet Dan Poston a Director of Agronomy for Pivot Bio that understands the value of a farm-based trial Also meet Sean Blomgren, a producer who has benefited from well-executed trials Explore the difficulty in introducing these products to new producers Discover how In10nt manages that process to better serve their clients Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! And be sure to join the new Future of Agriculture Membership for even more valuable information on the future of ag. Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad

Danette Amstein and Michael Uetz are the Principles and Co-Founders of Midan Marketing. Their focus is on being a full-service marketing firm for the meat industry. Both Danette and Michael grew up in agriculture and worked in the National Cattlemen's Beef Association prior to founding Midan Marketing.. Michael specifically worked on identifying “what is the consumer looking for and how do we be responsive to their needs.” They joined forces to create Midan Marketing and further pursue closing the gap between producer and consumer.  “We are working to help our clients rise above all of the clutter that’s in the marketplace, above all the noise so that they can match their products with the consumers out there that are interested in it.” - Danette Amstein Both Danette and Michael credit a lot of their success to having created and curated a good team of people. The team of Midan Marketing is made up of not only marketing specialists but also a staff that are actively farming and therefore better able to relate to their clients.The indicators they focus on is to “hire humble, hungry and smart.” This has developed into the best system they have found to support the culture they want to foster within the company.  “Our hiring process is long. It isn’t a one and done interview. It’s multiple interviews with multiple people…..so we’re investing heavily in a team member before they’re able to be productive.” - Danette Amstein They encourage their clients to find their niche and specialization in order to target a specific segment of consumers to grow trust and lead to loyalty. Midan Marketing acknowledges the dynamic evolution of the consumers and their buying habits. They have performed and evaluated studies to go beyond basic metrics for a consumer in order to better identify the best way to communicate and connect with them.  “We not only look at them from a demographics perspective, but we ask them about their attitudes, their perceptions, their behaviors and ultimately what drives them to purchase.” - Michael Uetz In the time of Covid-19, their models and strategies have had to be adjusted to better facilitate communication with consumers in an uncertain environment.They have observed “almost chaos with (the) consumer base” leading to changes in behavior and buying habits. They encourage producers at any point in the food supply chain to pay attention to consumer research. “We all have to pay attention to the consumer and their crazy whims as they have them because that’s ultimately where the paycheck comes from.” Danette Amstein This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Meet Midan Marketing Co-Founders Danette Amstein and Michael Uetz Explore the value of understanding consumer buying products at every level of meat production Learn about the impact Covid-19 has had on the agriculture marketing industry Founder Spotlight: Jordan Phasey of Phinite Phinite prevents water pollution and provides another revenue source for farmers in the place of persistent expense regarding manure management Currently, most farmers spend money to manage their manure disposal, especially on hog farms due to long drying processes and an ever increasing supply Through a natural process generated by the creation of a controlled wetland, the manure is dried and converted into a marketable concentrated fertilizer “We’ve been able to reduce the cost of drying pig manure by more than 90%. Operation of the system is simple. The farmer pumps waste out of the lagoon and into the wetland. The wetland itself has no moving parts and...

The Story of CoverCress isn’t just as straightforward as bringing a new crop to the market. Their ambitions also represent a new feed, a new cover crop, genetic engineering, a low carbon intensity feedstock and a new revenue source for farmers among others. Fulcrum Global Capital saw the potential in CoverCress and return to the show this week to share the excitement surrounding this company. If you missed episode 208 where we first introduced Fulcrum Global be sure to go listen to it. The CoverCress new crop will not compete with current midwestern crops and should provide farmers with a new marketable product.   “They’re going to create this new revenue source for the midwestern farmer. It’s going to go in on the corn soy rotation and you’re going to get the traditional cover crop benefits of which there are numerous but you’re going to get increased profitability.” - John Peryam, Venture Partner and General Counsel for Fulcrum Global   Fulcrum Managing Partner, Duane Cantrell, shares that this new product will “change the economic dynamic” for the farmer. “There are multiple pathways of product lines there” including oil for cooking and bio-based fuels and a seed crop that can be used as a high protein meal for feed additives.   “We have built this business off of I’ll call it the chassis of the native plant, pennycress. But because we have used genome editing to improve the quality, both with oil and the meal, it's a little different crop when we’re done. That's what we call CoverCress. - Jerry Steiner, CEO of CoverCress   CoverCress has the advantage of having a better grain than the agronomy and quality of its pennycress counterpart. The CoverCress “business plan is based on having really a partnership on both ends. One end with the farmer and another end with the end user” according to Jerry Steiner. CoverCress will provide the seed to the farmer creating a low barrier to entry in planting the crop. The company will then gain its revenue when the final grain product is delivered and also when it is processed into oil.   Jerry Steiner highlights the fact that CoverCress is taking a plant that is currently considered a weed and is converting it into a profitable crop with added cover crop benefits. CoverCress is considered a product of gene editing using natural occurring genes which in the United States differentiates this crop from GMOs. CoverCress is still in the research phase. The company is really “focused on getting a product that is well-tested before” it is released. This includes a well-tested process for the farmer and process for creating the end product.They expect to have their first commercial planting in the fall of 2021.   “We’re trying to use land the farmer already owns or operates, just use it at the time of year when they’re not trying to use it. And we want to have the farmer use equipment, whether its planting or harvesting, that they already have. We want to partner with people who already have existing grain handling and crushing assets for other oils seeds…..so it's kind of taking existing assets and just getting more out of them.” - Jerry Steiner, CEO of CoverCress This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Learn about CoverCress, a new crop being developed to create a new revenue source for midwestern farmers Discover the research and benefit to using CoverCress without it competing with any existing crops Meet Jerry Steiner, CEO of CoverCress, and hear about the unique opportunity CoverCress can offer farmers using existing equipment and available planting times Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable...

In recent months societies magnifying glass has been held over the existence of systemic racial inequality. It shouldn’t be surprising then, that that conversation can easily be carried on into the agriculture industry. Bryana Clover advocates for racial equality in the workplace as a consultant to companies. Bryana is biracial and through her experiences in agribusiness has found an “intense passion for creating brave spaces to have tough conversations around race in the workplace.”   “I truly believe that our future depends on us bringing that lens into our diversity inclusion initiatives and really better understanding what we can do as organizations to create inclusive environments for black people and people of color.” - Bryana Clover   Bryana helps identify what systemic racism may look like in both agribusiness and agriculture production. She highlights the lack of diversity at the CEO level in the vast majority of companies. She offers these tips towards addressing what an individual can do to combat racism and microaggressions in their workplace:   Education Education involves understanding and identifying the dynamics of racial inequality in current events. “There is a structural dynamic that’s going on that impacts every aspect of our life. And I think that understanding that is the first step.”   Introspection Reflecting on “racial identity and how that impacts you personally and then how that impacts the spaces that you're in” allows you to identify how you fit in the corporate culture and how that environment may be contributing to a lack of equality.   Action Call attention to your discoveries and observations. Be an advocate for someone who might be disenfranchised. Training at a corporate level can “facilitate conversations around this.” Bryana also suggests contributing to organizations that are supporting and promoting racial equality.   On a more corporate level, Bryana calls companies to put real effort and work behind the many statements that have been issued supporting racial equality. Financially supporting organizations that have the expertise and focus in creating racial equality is a great first step. Committing time and money to making sure the workplace is a safe and supported environment for all employees is needed. “This is a journey, not a destination.” Bryana has created six modules for executives and a tool kit for employees for more internal change within a business culture. Bryana’s consultancy provides assessments, plans, tools and follow up to allow companies to follow through with their commitments and initiatives.   “We cannot afford as individuals or as a society to do nothing anymore.…..Activism looks different for all of us. Just do the next right thing.” - Bryana Clover This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Meet Bryana Clover, a consultant with ties to agribusiness who now addresses racial inequality in the workplace Discover tips to identify how we are all apart of a cultural climate that is calling for change Learn about different resources available to help your efforts. Contact Bryana Clover on LinkedIn and visit her website to learn more about racial equality progress in agribusiness. Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural...

We do a lot of agtech episodes on this podcast, but I don’t think we’ve had one quite like this. Today’s episode is primarily focused on the area of agtech that includes site-specific agronomic tools that you’d hear referred to as variable-rate or under the umbrella of precision agriculture.   “The agtech industry in general looks pretty glamorous, but it’s a tough, tough business.”   My guest is Cory Willness, the President of CropPro Consulting, which is an agronomy consulting services firm in Western Canada, based in Naicam, Saskatchewan. Started in 2003, the company has grown to 30 employees. Along the way, Cory and his team started to develop digital tools to help them be more successful in their agronomy work. Eventually they started a separate business to offer these tools to others. That business is called Croptomistic Technology.   “The field never changes. The field is always the same. So when we go out to soil test, there is no crop on the field. What we’re sticking the probe into is soil. So where is the map of soil? A satellite image or yield map does not give you a map of soil. It just gives you a map of variability and you don’t know what that’s due to.”   Cory and I talk about the rise of the tech-enabled independent agronomist, how he decided to develop these tools and ultimately market them as a separate business, and some of his frustrations with agtech, which I think many of you will find both unconventional and enlightening.     Before we dive in though, it might help to define a couple of these technologies for context: SWAT stands for Soil, Water, and Topography, and a SWAT map combines multiple layers of field data into a single map for zone management and variable-rate fertilizer and seed applications. Cory created a SWAT Box, which is a box that is mounted to an ATV, truck, or piece of ag equipment and driven over the field to collect electrical conductivity and elevation data, which are necessary layers for SWAT Maps. Lastly Cory is one of the founding partners of CropRecords, which is a crop consulting system for crop scouting, record keeping, making recommendations and jobs, and synchronizing all of the information between agronomy staff and farm staff. It is an essential part of implementing the SWAT Maps system.   “Farmers are smart people. They know their fields. They know what their problems are in any given season. They see them all the time because they’re out there all the time. If you go out there to the farm and say ‘I’ve got a specific solution that’s going to solve this problem on your farm’. They’ll try it.”   Cory represents to me, someone who has spent his career working directly with agronomists and farmers, who knows their needs and pain points, and who has strong opinions rooted in firsthand experience. You’ll hear some opinions and perspectives on this episode that may challenge your own when it comes to agtech, especially as it relates to precision agronomy.   You can find out more about CropPro and his various offerings at www.CropPro.ca. Also, he’s a great follow on Twitter @CropProCory.   Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! And be sure to join the new Future of Agriculture Membership for even more valuable information...

“In a lot of ways ag’s desire to be united is the thing that divides it the most.” - Sarah Mock   Sarah Mock has built her career around having difficult discussions and chasing the realities of agriculture. She is committed to not being an enemy or a cheerleader of agriculture creating a more balanced, real reporting style. In a world of fake news, her journalistic integrity is most welcomed. In an attempt to not isolate any particular views, mainstream agriculture media has historically chosen to offer very little divisive content. Unfortunately for some, that has led to an overall apathy towards having difficult conversations and being willing to go out on a limb.   “I hear people talk about the need to walk down the middle of the road. But walking down the middle of the road means never saying anything critical about the industry. That’s like the code word in ag media a lot of the time and it's a pushback I’ve gotten from editors before.” - Sarah Mock   Rural journalists, while present, tend to be more rare and deal with agriculture on a national basis. As a freelance journalist, Sarah has been able to explore stories that interest her and that she feels needs to be told including more philosophical based questions to more localized topics. With no interest in avoiding difficult conversations, she strives to open up a platform for honest discussion. She remarks that there seems to be a focus on “positivity” in traditional agriculture narratives that can be detrimental to the wellbeing of those in the industry.   “You’re creating a misconception for people that it’s normal to be happy and positive all the time and that’s how you should want to feel. And it isn’t always the case.” - Sarah Mock   Sarah has given herself a personal pursuit of exploring the possibility of agriculture without exploitation. The use of “exploitation” encompasses time, money, consumers. resources, the environment and the farmers themselves. She doesn’t have an answer to that question but is determined to discover as much as possible towards formulating one. Sarah shares that “we should know the answer to that question” regardless of its outcome in order to better inform our choices. She reflects on what she has observed in agriculture media and the future it might hold.   “Ag got this idea in our collective brain 10 years ago that our real problem is that consumers don’t understand about agriculture and….if we could just explain to people what was happening then we wouldn’t have any problems anymore which seems like a fundamental misread of the whole situation at this point.” - Sarah Mock   The agriculture industry has attempted to bridge the gap between the producer and consumer by providing explanations for practices rather than addressing the specific concerns the public might have. She promotes engaging people by being open to questions and criticism alike. Sarah predicts that the future of agriculture media will be “individuals that have interesting compelling personalities and perspectives that can go straight to their audience themselves.”   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Meet Sarah Mock, a rural journalist not afraid to take on difficult topics Sarah reflects on her experiences within ag media and the shortfalls she sees occurring Explore the future of ag media and marketing Founder Spotlight: Tyler McGee of Shepherd Farming “Shepherd is a digital labor platform designed specifically for farms and agriculture operations. It allows growers to quickly see what work needs to be done on their farms for that day and to send and receive tasks from other...

Pristine Gourmet was formed in 2005 with the vision of supplying the food industry with quality local non-GMO artisan foods. Jason Persall owns Pristine Gourmet in Waterford, Ontario. He converted his 1000 acre strictly traditional commodity soybean farm to support the three pillars of Pristine Gourmet; heritage, passion and craftsmanship. They produce fresh and unique cooking oils for retail, restaurants and bulk ingredients. The major obstacle faced by Pristine Gourmet was finding shelf space in the supermarkets and somehow making their product stand out. Jason quickly understood that was going to be a perpetual obstacle and so chose to pursue a different strategy. Jason shares that he invested slowly and allowed his business “to grow organically.”   “That was kind of just the beginning of where we are now. Just starting out with chefs and realizing that that is really our focus of where our brand is going to be widely accepted. Chefs just love new products, something that’s local to them, something that has a story, that’s direct from the farm.” - Jason Persall   Chefs and their teams take tours of his farm and engage in the process of developing their products. The bulk ingredient supply side of their business has helped support them during the Covid Pandemic while restaurant need is reduced. They also sell their cooking oils online through their website. Their retail products include cold pressed sunflower and canola oils similar to extra virgin olive oils. The process they use allows for better taste, higher antioxidant levels and an all round better quality product. For food service clients they can also prepare hybrid fryer oils. Each oil has a different purpose in mind. The canola oil is touted as the “queen of oils” with a “very impactful” nice flavor. The soybean oil has a more mild flavor when compared to the canola oil but with additional nutty flavors. It also has the added benefit of an impressive viscosity at room temperature which lends itself to being an excellent garnish. The final oil is a sunflower oil with a light, fresh sunflower taste and has the widest range of use in the kitchen. They also produce a pumpkin seed oil typically used to enhance different flavors.   “That’s kind of the reason why we do the oils that we do is because they’re drastically different from each other and their applications are different….It’s really geared towards the chef.” - Jason Persall This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Meet Jason Perall, owner of Pristine Gourmet Learn about how Jason moved his commodity based farm towards artisan cooking oil production Explore what makes Pristine Gourmet unique and loved by local chefs Visit PristineGourmet.com to order your cooking oil direct from the farm!   Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! And be sure to join the new Future of Agriculture Membership for even more valuable information on the future of ag. Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: Future of Agriculture Website <a...

Fulcrum Global Capital is a venture capital firm focused on global food production. Traditional row crop agriculture, production animal health and agriculture technology are the main interests of their investment thesis. They often find themselves investing in early stage companies that are “not only early stage in terms of a company’s life cycle, but early in terms of where the technology falls in the value chain of the food production.”   When they initially heard the pitch by P&P Optica Founder Olga Pawluczyk they were impressed. 16 months later they made their investment. P&P Optica addresses “challenges such as the $4 billion annual loss that takes place in the food processing space around foreign material detection.”   “Where we see the long term vision of this company (P&P Optica), is really becoming a data company. The more units a customer will have, call it a Tyson or a Maple Leaf (for example). The more that they have, the more DATA we are able to provide them to make decisions.” - Kevin Lockett, Fulcrum Global Capital   This results in catching foreign material at a “much higher rate and at a much smaller size.” The origin of P&P Optica was not in food processing but rather in lens development for detection of different particles in the oil industry. When the oil industry suffered, an opportunity presented to identify fat content in meat. This opened the door to using their detection technology in food production.   “If you look at what are the important aspects of food production; you want safety, you want quality and you want to produce exactly what you need to produce.” - Olga Pawluczyk, P&P Optica “The estimated costs of a single recall is about $10 million on average” in product loss and is commonly compounded by brand damage. Plants will process “hundreds of thousands of pounds” of meat per day so inspecting each piece of meat for safety and quality can be difficult to do thoroughly at that pace. “So if we can take a step back and look at it with technology that sees chemical composition and can see the gradation of the cells, how all the cells are, how much water there is, what type of protein, and what type of fat; that information can translate into the quality and therefore can sort every single piece on the line.” - Olga Pawluczyk, P&P Optica This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Meet Fulcrum Global Capital as they share their philosophy and some of the companies they have been able to invest in Meet Olga Pawluczyk of https://ppo.ca/about-ppo/P&P Optica and learn about the innovations her company is creating and the impact it will have on food production Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! And be sure to join the new Future of Agriculture Membership for even more valuable information on the future of ag. Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook <a href=...

Playing with puppies and kittens most of the day and selflessly saving any and all helpless animals in between are the common perception of being a veterinarian that many people pictured as a child. James Herriot painted a beloved picture of adventure and fun that many fell in love with. I’d be remiss to admit that occasionally this does describe the job but unfortunately, the more common reality faced by veterinarians is a lot less rosy.    Dr. Judson Vasconcelos is the head of the Veterinary and Consumer Affairs Team at Merck Animal Health. Merck has committed to performing a study in US veterinarians every few years “to monitor wellbeing and mental health of US veterinarians.” Having practiced as a veterinarian for years in Brazil, Dr. Vasconcelos can not only share the most recent study that illustrates the struggle many veterinarians are facing but also relates to them through his own experiences.   “We want to have a good idea of what’s going on with veterinarians based on the trends that we’ve seen in the past. We want to have a good understanding of wellbeing and where they are from a mental health standpoint. We want to benchmark some of (that) data with some of the findings from other scientists...” - Dr. Judson Vasconcelos   Through a partnership with the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), they were able to analyze 3000 answers from a survey sent out to practicing veterinarians in the United States. This comprehensive survey illustrated many different concerns, however, the team was able to identify three main concerns affecting the veterinary profession today and have labeled them the “Three S’s.”     Stress Student Debt Suicide Rate     These three main issues all contribute to a multifactorial result of reduced quality of life and low job satisfaction for veterinary professionals. Factors like a poor work-life balance and high expectations of customers magnify the gravity and significance of the Three S’s. Surprisingly to most, “52% of the veterinarians do not recommend the profession.” Reasons such as debt, low salary, stress, and difficult clients are all cited as causes for this finding. Veterinarians are 2.7 times more likely to attempt suicide, a number which is significantly higher than their human medicine counterparts. However, identifying these concerns is only useful if something is done to ease the burden they present.

Blockchain. A word that has been overhyped and yet still becoming more realized every day. Bridie Ohlsson joins us and is the Founder of Geora, a protocol for blockchain applications in agriculture. Bridie’s career with blockchain began with AgriDigital when the world was discovering and getting excited about the potential applications of blockchain. Bridie shares what the goals of any blockchain company were at that time.   “So you needed to be kind of an open and fairly non-competitive technology to encourage people to come in and experiment and work together and integrate their systems and share data.” - Bridie Ohlsson   Where AgriDigital provided access to blockchain for producers, Geora was formed to build on that and provide the next step. Geora’s protocol has isolated what data needs to be retained on blockchain and what data while significant to have for logistical reasons does not need to be tied to the product on blockchain. Bridie describes Geora as an “infrastructure” where they “work out where there’s a valuable data point.”   “We’re really trying to build tools, digital tools, that are really useful for ag so there is adoption...” - Bridie Ohlsson   Bridie expects that these “data rich assets” will lead to financial gain for producers. At the moment her company is trying “to get a really solid base of digital record keeping systems.” She admits that blockchain is not necessary to acquire that data but if the goal is to monetize that data then blockchain will be needed, so the technology is being employed now. This will ultimately provide another avenue for people or companies to invest in agriculture with real time access to the farmer’s data and all to the farmer’s benefit. The farmer will have absolute control over their data and how and when it is shared. This focus on agriculture amplifies the impact the protocol can have for its participants.   “If we can get participants who work in similar spaces, they’re going to generate value for each other quicker, which is a good test of the network effect and the network value.” Bridie Ohlsson. This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Meet Bridie Ohlsson, founder of Geora, a blockchain protocol company Explore the next steps being taken in blockchain and what they may mean for the industry Learn about some of the financial implications of blockchain     Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! And be sure to join the new Future of Agriculture Membership for even more valuable information on the future of ag. Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram      

We are going back to the farm today. Zach Johnson, the YouTuber Minnesota Millennial Farmer and Mitchell Hora, farmer and founder of Continuum Ag, join us today. These two co-host the Fieldwork Podcast, “a podcast for farmers, from farmers.” Fieldwork Podcast focuses on sustainable farming practices, their environmental impact and how to make them profitable. For Mitchell, Continuum Ag specifically supplies health data analytics and does consulting for farmers. Mitchell and Zach farm 500 miles apart but find common ground in adopting soil health principles and are enjoying the opportunity to share that with other farmers.   “I think everybody has the opportunity to improve. I think it’s just more so looking outside of the box and looking holistically, but there’s a lot of ways to do this.” - Mitchell Hora   Mitchell draws attention to the fact that being more sustainable can involve different applications of soil health protocols on different operations. This isn’t a call for “one size fits all” in farming. He highlights impacting the carbon footprint in agriculture, water quality, water use, and nutrient density to name a few options to focus on.The Fieldwork Podcast’s goal is to “utilize some of these other agronomic sustainable type principles to be more profitable.” Mitchell is very clear that any changes need to “drive profitability” and be a sound “business decision.” Zach discusses that one barrier to fully adopting all of these soil health practices rapidly on his farm has been the amount of moisture and weather conditions in Minnesota. His dad attempted some no-till in the 1980’s but didn’t find success at that time.   “I think now we understand more about the soil. We have better technology, maybe better machinery to try to understand really what it is we’re doing and try to achieve those results.” - Zach Johnson   Zach is excited to start trying some new soil health practices including cover crops but admittedly hasn’t found the opportunity yet. Both Zach and Mitchell discuss how difficult it can be to initiate new practices and wait for the results to become evident. This is why ultimately every decision they make is backed by increasing profitability and making their farm as successful as it can be both for the environment and for themselves.   “(Fieldwork Podcast) is a great educational tool for farmers and for non-farmers to learn and to support each other and to realize and understand that it isn’t so easy and we’re all trying to figure this out to make sure that we move forward progressively.” - Zach Johnson     This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Meet Mitchell Hora, farmer and co-founder of https://continuum.ag Continuum Ag Meet Zach Johnson, the Minnesota Millennial Farmer Learn about their podcast Fieldwork Podcast in which they explore improving soil health practices with the bottom line in mind Hear about Zach’s experiences with Youtube notoriety and the impact it is having on his audience Founder Spotlight: Luke Silinski Founder of Agtech Steam Luke’s mission is to help other rural kids get interested in coding and provide them with resources so that they can develop their skills in a practical way Specific content is sent that would appeal to young learners and their interests Luke encourages anyone who wants to learn to code to take it slow, find a game or program you are interested in and...

Kellee James joins us today to discuss what it takes to build a platform as co-founder and CEO of Mercaris, a market information service and online trading platform for identity preserved agricultural commodities.   “We’re a market data and information service. We are also an online trading platform but we have chosen to focus on a specific part of the ag supply chain, and that is identity preserved ag commodities.” - Kellee James   Mercaris provides price discovery while allowing customers a procurement tool within a very specific field in agriculture through trades and auctions. Only 15% of their revenue is derived from trading fees. Most of their revenue comes from the sale of data. There is very limited tracking in imports and exports with these specific commodities so creating a data marketplace creates real advantage for their customers as well as a way to connect with vendors who may be interested in their products.   “You’ve got to establish yourself as the marketplace. So getting out ahead of others that are trying to do the same thing, I think is important.” - Kellee James   Kellee didn’t grow up on a farm. Her family is originally from New York but she fell in love with agriculture and pursued that industry in college. She found an opportunity when she learned that farmers could sell credits based on environmentally friendly practices.   “I was hooked. It was a way to provide real dollars in the pockets of producers who were undertaking something that had an environmental benefit. I liked the appeal of using a market mechanism to put a price and a value on something that we all need in society.” - Kellee James   Kellee highlights that the goal in these marketplaces is not to spend the most money to reduce emissions. The measure of success is to create an environment of supply and demand so that the “market finds the lowest cost reductions.” But how do we get so many different sectors on board and what incentivizes them to carry through with their promises?   “It’s a tough problem for humanity because it does require collective action and last time I looked, collective action is still best accomplished by the federal government.” - Kellee James   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Meet Kellee James, CEO and co-founder of Mercaris Explore what the Mercaris platform looks like and what it means for its customers Learn about the structure behind commodity markets and what it takes to create one Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! And be sure to join the new Future of Agriculture Membership for even more valuable information on the future of ag. Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn <a href=...

What affect will animal genomics have on the future of agriculture? Dr Jesse Hoff from Gencove joins us today to explain the advantages assessing livestock genomics can offer. Gencove performs genetic sequencing providing half of the animal’s genome. This allows for an avenue to assess the genetic potential of any animal for a breeding program in a rapid, efficient, affordable fashion.   “What we’re trying to capture is what we call the genetic value or sometimes the breeding value of that bull. And that really describes very purely, the genetic component of who they are.” - Dr. Jesse Hoff   Dr. Hoff explains that the genetic value encompasses their “genetic contributions on average to their offspring.” In the dairy industry you might focus on milk production or in beef cattle, the marbling, but neither of those things can be assessed in a bull without evaluating the production or carcass of their offspring.   “Using that genetic data really takes quite a bit of risk out of the process of buying a bull or using new semen from a new AI stud or retaining heifers in our population. So we don’t need surprises of open animals. We don’t need surprises of animals that don’t perform well.” Dr. Jesse Hoff   Studying the animal's genomics can answer that question as soon as the bull is born, saving time in selection and feeding. It is rare to find any elite bulls that haven’t had some genotyping technology used on them. Previous genomic processes assess 10-50,000 positions in a genome. Gencove’s sequencing technology provides 10’s of millions of sites.   “We’ve been able to get a great running start in animal genetics and breeding by defining these marker panels and helping us understand an elite and a core population in a well-defined way.” - Dr Jesse Hoff   As more datasets accumulate with more testing Dr. Hoff sees the potential to continue to identify “unique sets of genetic locations that are influencing those phenotypes that matter to you.” All of this will add detail to the picture of genetic potential Gencove can provide livestock producers.   As an aside, Dr. Hoff mentioned his opinion on a different cutting edge field in agriculture. Being raised as a beef rancher and working as a scientist with a PhD, Dr. Hoff has very unique insight into lab grown meats. He comments that “there’s a lot of incredibly sophisticated biological things” that contribute to animal protein that are unlikely to be replicated in a lab. He also sees many ways that animal protein processes can be enhanced, promoted and made to be more efficient that can open opportunities to that industry. Lab grown meat may not have the same versatility. Dr. Hoff also gives us an update on genetic modifying and editing in livestock animals and the potential it allows. This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Meet Dr. Jesse Hoff, Agrigenomics business development manager at Gencove Explore the advantage genomics can give livestock operations Hear about Dr. Hoff’s perspective on other new and up and coming technologies in agriculture Check out Heifer International and Helping Hands to see how you can get involved! Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed...

What does food security mean? We hear about it frequently but this complex category involves much more than just assessing our agricultural capabilities. The main pillars of food security involve food affordability, food availability, food quality, food safety, and natural resource and resilience. One tool for evaluating where companies and governments land is provided in the Food Security Index Report performed by the Economist Intelligence Unit and sponsored by Corteva. Dana Bolden joins us today from Corteva where he acts as the Global Corporate Communications Leader. He shares the motivation behind creating the Food Security Index Report and the impact it could have.   “We really wanted to put into the mainstream discussions about food security.” - Dana Bolden   Over the years there has been a shift of interest in these annual reports. You now find local governments taking positions on the data and working to increase their rating. Dana shares his optimism about how the data will influence global food protocol. Getting the governments to take ownership and discuss their efforts towards food security, food sourcing and feeding populations is “a conversation that we want to have.” Corteva’s perception of food sustainability is “trying to create a profitable business model in a sustainable way….using fewer inputs to get more yield and profitability while continuing to be responsible stewards in the environment.”     “This is why we do things like the Food Security Index. To show governments that the traditional ways do not need to be the ways of the future. There’s technology that’s out there that can help agriculture become more effective with less impact on the environment and we need you to embrace it. We need the industry to embrace it.” - Dana Bolden   To further highlight these efforts, Corteva also sponsors the Climate Positive Challenge. This program provides $500,000 to growers that can demonstrate that they have scalable sustainable practices. Corteva does not consider themselves exempt from following sustainable practices either. They went public in June and are actively collecting a year's worth of data that they will share in order to hold themselves accountable and also plan for the future. This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Learn about the Food Security Index Report Meet Dana Bolden, Global Corporate Communications Leader at Corteva Explore what Food Security means to Corteva and the actions they are taking to promote it Learn about the effects the Index Report has had at both local and global levels. Read The 2019 Report! Food Security Index 2019 Report Food Security Index Data Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! And be sure to join the new Future of Agriculture Membership for even more valuable information on the future of ag. Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter <a href=...

Make sure you listen to FOA 201 with Matthew Pryor. This is some bonus content from that episode where Tim asks Matthew about water issues, policy, and innovation.    Connect with Matthew Pryor AgThentic Website Tenacious Ventures Website Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! And be sure to join the new Future of Agriculture Membership for even more valuable information on the future of ag. Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram    

Matthew Pryor joins us today as not only a partner in AgThentic, an Australian based food, and ag sustainability and innovation consulting firm, but also as a co-founder of Tenacious Ventures, a food and ag venture capital firm that just closed their first fund of nearly $30 million. As though that wasn’t enough, Matthew has already successfully exited two different startups. To say he has his finger on the pulse of ag innovation, sustainability and company start-ups is putting it mildly.  In this episode, we discuss Matthew’s rise to success from an entrepreneurial point of view beginning with his first company, Observant. Observant is a company that was born from an issue of water management for cattle in remote areas of Australia. Matthew was solving this water management problem with “bespoke micro-electronics” that they were building themselves.   “We were pretty mindful about looking at other industries. And the filter that we wanted everything to pass was why should this be different in ag?” - Matthew Pryor   Observant focused on finding different ag applications for technology originating outside of ag They also strived to create a simple “solid, reliable, agricultural product” to ease any consumer-adoption challenges. Matthew shares that especially in the agricultural hardware space the “product better work and if it doesn’t, your reputation will suffer.”   “Customer success is about fundamentally understanding human psychology and what makes people feel like you know what they need and that you’re going to get it to them as soon as possible.” - Matthew Pryor   Observant supplied all of “the information and diagrams” and provided a great deal of support to their customers if needed. He compares their strategy to an Apple store. If an Apple product needs repairs you will gladly return to the Apple store to visit with their technicians because of their perceived customer service. By doing this, they provided a “sense of being supported (and) a sense of being understood” which the customers appreciated. Following the success of Observant, Matthew spent his time growing the agtech space in Australia and eventually moved on to AgThentic. AgThentic assists startups by giving them access to experience, advising them on how to raise money, and “helping them work out how to tell a story better.” This exposure to startups led him to create Tenacious Ventures to help match startups with capital. With years of experience under his belt, he is not only supporting startups but also organizing funds for them. So what basic advice does he give would-be entrepreneurs?   “There is nothing harder than being an entrepreneur. You’re strapping in for a long period of hard slog and you better know why you’re doing it.” - Matthew Pryor   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Meet Matthew Pryor Learn about Matthew’s rise to success as an entrepreneur in Australia’s Agricultural Technology Industry Explore what set his original company apart in customer service Discover how he helps guide startups and what advice he shares with them Connect with Matthew Pryor AgThentic Website Tenacious Ventures Website Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! And be sure...

We made it to episode 200! Drones have become a sort of symbol for modern ag technology whether over-hyped or legitimate. Michael Ott, CEO of Rantizo, proves that there is little room to be a drone skeptic anymore. Rantizo uses drones with a ten foot boom sprayer to spray, seed and sometimes even pollinate crops. Their main customers are retailers interested in expanding their territory by virtue of ease of application and mobility of equipment.   “We can get into fields where nobody else can….We’re doing a demo tomorrow, it’s going to be super sloppy and muddy. That’s totally fine. We can get out and apply in those situations.” - Michael Ott   The inputs carried by the drone are tailored to keep its weight below 55 pounds. At this weight, Michael says he “can train pretty much anyone to be an operator” through a 2-3 day course. The drone flies itself requiring the operator to only hold the controller rather than actively maneuver the drone. The light weight does result in multiple trips to refill tanks to be able to cover a field. But in this instance that doesn’t serve as a disadvantage. Using this technology enables the farmer to precisely deliver the inputs to specific areas in the field that require them.   “So rather than spray the whole field, we sprayed just a portion of it. So there’s a significant advantage for the farmer, especially because we can dramatically reduce your input costs.” - Michael Ott   Another added benefit is the mechanical air movement of the crops caused by the drone. This slight movement allows the spray to better cover beyond the top of the plants. A coordinated effort with this equipment can keep pace with what most tractors are doing. Does it sound too good to be true yet? Regulatory restrictions represent the biggest obstacle to drone spraying operations. While Rantizo is licensed by the FAA there are individual state requirements that can involve anything as simple as filling out a form to 500 hours of experience. With Rantizo’s operator course they help you find and meet all of the requirements for each state. There is very little these drones can’t do and at a fraction of the cost. This is the future of agriculture.   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Meet Michael Ott, CEO of Rantizo Learn about the groundbreaking technique Rantizo is able to achieve with automated drone farming Explore the many benefits in labor costs, chemical costs, equipment costs and long-term weed resistance that can be achieved Discover the barriers to entry to becoming an operator of this technology and how Rantizo can help you navigate them Hear why operators were required to wear a seatbelt when they first became licensed Connect with Rantizo Share this episode and tag @rantizosprays to possibly be selected for a demonstration of the technology at your location! Visit their website at rantizo.com Farmer Spotlight: Clayton Wolfe Northerly grows and delivers sustainably grown oats to not only grocery outlets but also directly to its consumers Learn about the Climb to Give Program and Northerly’s commitment to supporting St. Mary’s Food Bank and get involved! Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your...

Is it possible to become a rancher when you aren’t born into a land inheritance? Aimee Danch and Jeremiah Stent from Square Mile Ranch join us today to talk about their recent purchase of a 370-acre ranch in Wallowa, Oregon.   Like people buy a fixer-upper home for their first one. We’re buying a fixer-upper ranch for our first one and we feel really excited about (it). -Jeremiah Stent   Both Jeremiah and Aimee have experience managing ranches across and even outside the country. Originally their goal was to manage livestock and land rather than own their own. They planned on being able to “sell semi truckloads of finished animals and get a paycheck.” But the allure of ownership, autonomy, personally contributing to a local community and being able to manage at their own discretion led them to start looking at land for sale. By pursuing services from the Farm Service Agency Joint Financing Program they were able to gain access to operating loans. Pairing that with an individual investor allowed them to take their first steps into ranch ownership.   That’s what people think about farmers and ranchers buying land. They (think) they probably pay for it with what they’re going to grow there. But that's not very common anymore” - Aimee Danch   Despite working very long hours and needing to find supplemental income off the farm Aimee explains that their “quality of life is so high.” They enjoy the food they produce, the “amazing relations” with their neighbors, the “hands-on time with their daughter” and the control over their own schedule.   There is a huge amount of flexibility in this lifestyle and just the sheer beauty and satisfaction of what we’re doing seems to make up for the other parts.” - Aimee Danch   At this time they are raising grass-fed beef, pastured hogs, pastured chickens and grass-fed lambs. Their farming model relies on a small quantity of high-quality livestock focused on a customer base that is “looking to make a direct connection to where they’re sourcing their food and to know what their food is eating.” In this model, they are able to sit down and tell their customers their story and to have them ask questions. This has created a very loyal following in their customer base that by word of mouth continues to expand. I took a visit to one of their pork drop off sites in Boise and was struck by the ability of their product to be used as a powerful tool for building a real community.   Their main takeaway for would-be ranchers is to “find somebody to work for that's going to help pay for your education.” Work in the field and gain experience before jumping all in to avoid “a really steep learning curve getting into this.” They also suggest “seeking out people that are going to give you a really hard honest truth about what it looks like.” “Unless you can afford your mistakes” this experience and knowledge will save you from being overwhelmed. This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Meet Aimee and Jeremiah of Square Mile Ranch Learn the journey they took towards gaining ranch ownership Explore how their current ranch model was not what they anticipated it to be Find out what makes their product unique and the retention rate of customers consistent Learn the advantages to ranch ownerships and some of the hardships Hear their advice to would-be ranchers looking to pursue ranch ownership someday Connect with Aimee and Jeremiah Square Mile Ranch Instagram Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If...

    Chris Peacock is the CEO and Founder of AQUAOSO, a company that aims to build a water-resilient future through software and technologies that identify, analyze, and monitor water risk in the economy. Chris is a three-time water tech entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience in the water industry. He works with agricultural lenders and helps reduce their financial risk by providing analytics and insights on water risk management.   Chris joins me today to share AQUAOSO’s main goal and how it can help interpret water data that can benefit both banks and farmers. He discusses the importance of knowing where farm water is sourced and how much water they use. He explains why there is an imperative need to address water needs from both an economic and humanitarian perspective. Chris also describes what happens if AQUAOSO becomes a successful company in the future.       “The reality is, extreme water events, degrading water quality, these are all happening. We need to find ways to manage around them. We can't really ignore them anymore.” - Chris Peacock       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   My thoughts on the current effects of the coronavirus. What AQUAOSO is and what it aims to do to help farmers. The importance of knowing water data and how it impacts bank loans. How AQUAOSO’s tech can help provide accurate water data. The different water problems and issues each state faces. How Chris defines water scarcity and how it impacts economics. The economics of water and how you price it. AQUAOSO’s plans for the business and what to expect in the future. The water risks we're facing now and what we should do.     Connect with Christopher Peacock   AQUAOSO Email: chris@aquaoso.com LinkedIn         Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! And be sure to join the new Future of Agriculture Membership for even more valuable information on the future of ag.   Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram       

    Mark Kahn is the Managing Partner of Omnivore, an India-based venture capital firm specifically focusing on funding entrepreneurs who are working to advance agriculture and food systems. Before this role, Mark served as the Executive Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at Godrej Agrovet and Strategy Manager of Syngenta. Mark earned his MBA from Harvard Business School and has extensive experience in rural marketing, corporate strategy, product development, research and development, mergers and acquisitions, and new business incubation.   Mark joins me today to discuss his business, Omnivore, and share his insights on the agritech landscape in India. He shares differences between the makeup of the agricultural sectors in India versus the United States, including how the family dynamic plays a role in certain Indian aspects of agriculture such as dairy farming. Mark also explains impact investing, and what Omnivore looks for when it comes to choosing which start-ups to invest in.       “Venture capital is like jet fuel. If you put jet fuel in a jet, the jet flies. If you put jet fuel in a Ford, the Ford explodes.” - Mark Kahn       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   What led Mark to build his venture capital firm Omnivore and some of the companies the firm has invested in. How to determine whether or not your company is suited for venture capital and the role of scalability in making this determination. Trends Mark has noticed with entrepreneurship and the talent dynamic in India’s start-up sector. The farming dynamic in India, including how many farmers there are in the country and the average farm size. How the Indian dairy industry works, the socio-cultural aspects of this, and the industries India ranks highly in. What leads many smallholder farmers to want to adopt new technologies and how accessibility plays a role. What impact funding and impact investing is, how it is a spectrum, and how it differs from ESG investing. Changes Mark has seen in agriculture, what he sees for the future of agriculture, and why Mark prefers “agritech” over “agtech.” Mark’s thoughts on exits and three ways exits could happen.     Resources Mentioned:   Upstream Ag Insights     Connect with Mark Kahn   Omnivore Mark Kahn on LinkedIn         Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! And be sure to join the new Future of Agriculture Membership for even more valuable information on the future of ag.   Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on...

    Sam Watson Jones is a fourth-generation farmer and the co-founder of Small Robot Company, an agri-tech startup firm that specializes in advancing agriculture through artificial intelligence and robotics. Specifically, Small Robot Company uses precision agriculture to promote efficiency over speed. Sam is also a director of his family’s farming, house building, and manufacturing business, Howle Manor Group. Sam joins me today to discuss a different way of looking at precision agriculture and how his brand, Small Robot Company, is making waves in the agricultural industry. He shares some insights on agricultural technology entrepreneurship as well as current trends in agriculture. Sam also highlights how his brand’s technology enables per plant precision agriculture as well as his vision for the future of farming.       “We are not looking to replace the farmer. We are looking for this technology to empower the farmer.” - Sam Watson Jones       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   Sam’s journey back to his family’s farm and what he realized about the farm’s business model. The trend of precision farming and how big of an industry it currently is. The potential relationship between small smart machines and per plant precision farming. Concerns Sam has with bigger machines and the impact they could have on soil health. Sam’s perspective on what kills so many entrepreneurial ideas. The power of shifting your mindset from thinking “how” to thinking “who.” The three robots that Small Robot Company is working to create and their functions. Sam’s “farming as a service” model, how it differs from other models, and why his company chose that route. The reason monocultures exist, whether or not it is natural, and the implications. How innovation will influence big players in agriculture. The potential of what could happen to the cost of production over the next five years. How Sam’s farmer background aided his perspectives as an entrepreneur. Sam’s hopes for the future of agriculture, our farmlands, and the 4th Agricultural Revolution. The personality behind Small Robot Company and why this branding matters.     Resources Mentioned:   Strategic Coach RootWave     Connect with Sam Watson Jones   Small Robot Company Sam Watson Jones on LinkedIn         Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter <a href=...

    Michael Stenta is the software developer and owner of farmOS, a web-based app used for planning, record keeping, and general farm management. What sets farmOS apart from other apps is its open-source nature. This means the app can be tweaked or fixed by virtually any contributor. To take advantage of its open-source nature, Michael also created Farmier, a platform that makes it easy for farmers to update or host their farmOS systems.   Michael joins me today to discuss what farmOS is, its purpose, and why he decided to develop it. He shares where his passion for programming came from and what inspired him to apply his skills to the ag industry. He explains the unique aspects of creating an app that is open-source by nature and some of the benefits and risks involved with open-source platforms. Michael also describes what the farmOS community is like and the onboarding process involved with using the app.       "We've been sharing ideas forever. It's really the foundation of civilization." - Michael Stenta       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   When his passion for development met agriculture. Comparing software development to solving puzzles. The humble beginnings of farmOS and what it aims to do. What it's like working with an open-source community. The advantages of working with open-source software. The different costs involved in software development. What the farmOS community is like and its members. How farmers will be onboarded using farmOS.       Resources Mentioned:   Drupal Discourse Farm Hack GOATech       Connect with Michael Stenta   Farmier farmOS Community farmOS         Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! And be sure to join the new Future of Agriculture Membership for even more valuable information on the future of ag.   Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram       

    In10t CEO Randy Barker joins me to share some high-level thoughts on customer adoption. He told me it all starts with the farmer, and the recognition that all farmers are different.     In10t collaborator Chad Rubbelke is a farmer in Central North Dakota who is a great example of someone who is the right type of collaborative, intelligent, and curious farmer collaborator any company would want to work with. Along with Chad, we talk with John Grandin, who is the National Agronomy Coordinator for Compass Minerals, which is an industry-leading plant nutrient company.         "Adoption is important to everyone. It's the transactional endgame." - Randy Barker       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   What IN10T looks for in farmer collaborators. The ideas and questions discussed when engaging with farmers. Problems farmers bring up that the company often addresses. The difference between new and old ways of connecting with farmers. How Randy got started with doing technology trials with tech companies. The negative outcomes that can happen if they get the trials wrong. Why Chad chose to work with John and his company. The results of the project and what they learned from the trials. The benefits of using his farm as a testbed for new technologies. What Compass will do with the data they gathered from Chad's farm. The skills Chad has learned since working with Compass. The different challenges and crops Compass encounters.     Resources Mentioned:   Climate FieldView World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit     Connect with Randy Barker:   IN10T Farmer Trials       Connect with John Craft and Chad Rubbelke:   Compass Minerals         Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! And be sure to join the new Future of Agriculture Membership for even more valuable information on the future of ag.   Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram       

    Jim Pantaleo is a renowned expert and consultant for Indoor Vertical Farming and offers ag companies sound and technical advice on best practices. Some of his services include performing market research and business development work. Other than companies, Jim also works with different universities such as the University of Arizona, UC Davis, and the University of Santa Barbara. He also enjoys writing about indoor vertical farming and regularly speaks at ag-related conventions.   Jim joins me today to describe how indoor vertical farming will change the way we look at sustainable food sources. He shares the current technology available for indoor vertical farming and what we can expect in the next few years. He discusses the myths about soil nutrition and crops regarding indoor environments. Jim also explains why the ag industry is experiencing its own version of the Dot Com era.       "There's no degradation of nutrients when growing indoors because you’re controlling that environment." - Jim Pantaleo       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   The different kinds of skills modern agriculture needs. Why fruiting plants are the goal of indoor agriculture. The current challenges of indoor vertical farming. The debate around nutrients, soil, and natural sunlight. How they control the crops' nutrient inputs. What The AgTech scene in Los Angeles is like. The major costs of having an indoor farm. Startups that have made great strides in indoor farming. Comparing the Dot Com era and the rise of indoor farming.     Resources Mentioned:   Gotham Greens     Connect with Jim Pantaleo:   Jim Pantaleo on LinkedIn         Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! And be sure to join the new Future of Agriculture Membership for even more valuable information on the future of ag.   Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram       

    Michael Bosworth is the President & CEO of Next Generation Foods, a food business that markets and distributes locally produced foods in the Northern California area. Brent Lafollette, Martin Miller, and Robert James Woodry are 5th generation farmers and the founders of Premium Growers, a company that produces and sells a variety of flavored, premium roasted Oregon Hazelnuts. They are some of the many farmers who transitioned from being producers to direct-to-consumer retailers.   Michael joins me today to share his company’s humble beginnings. He explains how he puts a price tag on his products and how much of his farm is dedicated to retail. He also describes the benefits of going to food shows. Brent, Martin, and Robert discuss why they decided to start a hazelnut company. They share the effort it took to get their company up and running. They also describe the marketing process involved with their hazelnuts.       “It's incredible what you can learn about how people are using your products.” - Michael Bosworth       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   The origins of Michael Bosworth’s company and how they transitioned from a farm to a food business. The first client who asked them to supply organic ingredients. Adding their margin and how the ingredient price and competition factor in. The percentage of farm production that goes to the food business aspect. Attending food shows and scouting for new food products to offer clients. The type of clients they like to work with. Brent's farming background and how he, Bob, and Marty founded Premium Growers Their hazelnut product and the processing involved before clients receive them. How they set up their business to be a direct-to-consumer type of company. How long it took for their business to become stable. The customer feedback they've received since they started.           Connect with Michael Bosworth:   Next Generation Foods     Connect with Brent, Martin, and Robert:   Premium Growers         We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg and leave a recorded message!   Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! And be sure to join the new <a href=

    Micki Seibel is an investor, advisor, and tech builder who was part of the team behind internet products such as Netscape and eBay. She is currently an Operating Partner for Radicle Growth, an acceleration fund that partners with entrepreneurs who have ideas that can innovate the future of food. She has over 20 years of experience in building companies and has made much of it at Silicon Valley. Micki also serves on the advisory board of multiple food system startup companies such as Swarm Technologies.   Micki joins me today to share how Radicle Growth is helping startups in the AgTech industry. She discusses the goals of Radicle Growth, their criteria when selecting companies to fund, and the ideas that they want to promote. She describes her career in Silicon Valley and how it led her to be part of the food industry. Micki also explains the effects of climate change on the ag economy and ag innovations.       “Selling to a corn grower in Iowa is not at all the same as selling to a strawberry farmer in California or Chile.” - Micki Seibel       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   Solving the problem of rural connectivity in AgTech. Where her interest in food and agriculture stems from. The different companies she has worked for previously. The technical experience she gathered before becoming part of the AgTech industry. How she developed an interest in the connectivity problem in agriculture. Her thoughts on AgTech and IoT companies and what they should focus on. The people behind Radical Growth and the aim of the company. What it takes to sell the same product to a variety of ag markets. The difference between AgTech and a typical tech investing business. Will the ag industry favor indoor farms or regenerative agriculture? The effects of climate change on agriculture innovations.     Resource:   SWARM TECHNOLOGIES Episode 87: BLOCKCHAIN AND THE INTERNET OF FOOD WITH RAJA RAMACHANDRAN OF RIPE.IO       Connect with Micki Seibel   Radicle Growth LinkedIn         We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg and leave a recorded message!   Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please <a href=...

    Mike Barrow is the Project Lead at OpenVino, a company that aims to create the first-ever open-source, transparent winery, and wine-based cryptocurrency under the Costaflores label. Costaflores is a boutique organic winery based in Argentina. As suggested, OpenVino will rely on blockchain technology to engage in a new and innovative way of selling wine products. With over 30 years of experience in IT, data science, and cloud services, Mike aims to disrupt the wine world with a business that converts consumers into shareholders.   Mike joins me today to share how OpenVino will innovate the way we consume wine through blockchain tech. He shares his passion for wine, what inspired him to start OpenVino, and why he chose to make the company open-source. He explains their data collecting strategies and how consumers can benefit from buying their cryptocurrency. Mike also describes how wine is priced and why quality is second to story.       “The quality of the wine is not dictated by the quality parameter as much as the story behind it.” - Mike Barrow       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   How an open-source winery works and how you can profit from it. Why it's difficult to sell wine regardless of price. The questions that led him to start an open-source winery. The data he needs to collect and how he makes sure his customers understand it. How blockchain fits into their business strategy. A quick recap of what blockchain is and how it works. Determining the best price for their wine products. Why they chose to tokenize their wine production.     Resource:   Episode 110: How Carbon Trading Can Benefit Farmers with Aldyen Donnelly of Nori Episode 189 - Farmers Building Their Own Open Source Technology       Connect with Mike Barrow   Costaflores OpenVino LinkedIn         We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg and leave a recorded message!   Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest...

    Reinier van der Lee is the CEO & Founder of Vinduino, an AgTech company that supports farmers and other producers in the ag industry with products that improve profits and fruit quality as well as increase yield. One of the company’s latest products is the Vinduino R4 Sensor station, an open-source sensor that gives farmers data on water usage and efficiency. Reinier also owns a 4-acre vineyard and credits his need for better irrigation management as the reason why he founded Vinduino.   Reinier joins me today to share how Vinduino is helping farmers gather the kind of data they need and understand when it comes to water management. He explains how their products work, what separates them from other AgTech companies, and why knowing how much water you’re using is critical to your business. He also discusses why he chose to keep their products open source and shares some of the upcoming events and projects they have lined up this year.       “Water use is important because it impacts the quality and yield of your crop.” - Reinier van der Lee       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   The contributing factors of understanding their need for water. The methods they used to determine how much water they should use. How Vinduino’s software provides water data for farmers. What inspired them to name their product "Vinduino." Where Reinier’s interest in growing grapes rose from. Why they chose to keep their program open-source. Encouraging others who are not tech savvy to innovate existing solutions. When he decided to scale this his business. What it means to sort good solutions from bad solutions. Why simply more data from sensors is not good enough. What's next for the Vinduino company?     Resource:   Citizen Science Hackaday       Connect with Reinier van der Lee   Vinduino Reiner van de Lee         We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg and leave a recorded message!   Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of...

    David Chan is the COO and Founding Team Member at Farm Together, a company that offers a simplified approach to US farmland investment. The company not only serves Americans, but also welcomes foreign investors who are interested in growing their assets or simply having a continuous source of income in their retirement. David has over five years of Fin-Tech experience in the ag industry. He describes himself as a meteorologist by background, but a financier and technologist by training. David earned his MBA at Harvard Business School and is also part of the Board of Directors at the Harvard Alumni for Agriculture.   David joins me today to share how their company, Farm Together, will make it easier for local and foreign investors to invest in US farmlands. He explains how their platform works, when their investors get paid, and the due diligence they conduct prior to putting a property for sale. He discusses several risks involved in investing in different states. David also describes how they plan to put regenerative agriculture in the limelight.       “You must consider what the environment may look like in the future when you are purchasing these properties today.” - David Chan       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   Connecting insurance, farmlands, and current trends in institutional investments. The characteristics of the typical user and investor on their platform. How foreign investors can own farm lands in different locations. How their due diligence process works. Knowing the risks of investing in farmlands and how they calculate for them. Why water is always a risk in any irrigated agriculture. How they inform investors of earnings and how investors make money. The feedback they receive from their clients. The SIGMA legislation in California and what it is about. The steps they have taken to make regenerative agriculture mainstream.       Connect with David Chan   Farm Together Email: david@farmtogether.com         We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg and leave a recorded message!   Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad...

    Kenneth Quinn is the former President of the World Food Prize Foundation, an organization that seeks to give individuals recognition for achievements that directly improve the quality, quantity, and availability of food in the world. Kenneth is often referred to as “the Ambassador” because he was the US Ambassador to the Kingdom of Cambodia. During his time as President, he received various high-level honors and awards from different organizations, including The American Farm Bureau and The Crop Science Society of America.   Kenneth joins me today to describe what the World Food Prize Foundation stands for, how it got started, and what makes it similar and different to the Nobel Peace Prize. He shares his journey, his time as Ambassador, and how he began to follow in the footsteps of Norman Borlaug. He explains the current state of agriculture across various countries and the agricultural hindrances that America needs to fix. Kenneth also discusses what he wants his legacy to be and the dangers that Americans face in regards to agricultural research.       “That's what I look for in the world: building peace through agriculture.” - Kenneth Quinn       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   Kenneth's life before agriculture and how he started to work in the industry. The countries he’s worked with and the projects he has spearheaded. The laureates who stood out to him over the years and their accomplishments. Their international reach and the different nationalities in their group. Notable agricultural milestones that ushered in an era of peace in American history. His thoughts on China's road and rural infrastructure over the last few decades. How roads are connected to hunger and suffering. The history of the World Food Prize Foundation. Addressing the challenge of feeding 10-billion people on the planet. What he wants his legacy to be for the organization and the world. The danger America faces when it comes to agricultural research.       Resources Mentioned:   Freedom From Famine The Wizard and the Prophet Norman Borlaug     Connect with Kenneth Quinn   World Food Prize Ambassador Kenneth Quinn Archive         We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg and leave a recorded message!   Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the...

    Happy New Year, and welcome to everyone listening to the very first episode of the year for the Future of Agriculture podcast. 2019 was such a good year for the show and was rife with amazing guests bearing their trade secrets and intelligent insights into the world of agriculture. To commemorate the year we had, I decided to categorize the overarching themes that summarize what 2019 was like for the Future of Agriculture podcast.   In today’s episode, I discuss the five trends that governed much of the events in 2019. I share a few clips of the most well-received episodes that relate to the trends we had. I discuss some of the trends that we’ll be doing a deeper dive this year and some of the changes that will happen. I also share some of your wonderful ideas and suggestions.       “Technology takes away gatekeepers in the food industry, just as it had done so in other industries.”       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   The five themes we discussed in the show throughout 2019. What it means to quantitatively prove farm sustainability The importance of farmer profitability when it comes to innovation Why we should be worried about the future of water for the ag industry Changing Five Minute Farmer to Farmer's Spotlight What's coming for 2020 on the Future of Ag Podcast Ideas to improve the show and audience suggestions.       Resources Mentioned:   Managing the Modern Farm Business with Farmers Justin Dahlgren and Eric Thalken Tackling Tough Questions about AgTech with Renee Vassilos Water Economics with Dr David Zetland Real Meat Without the Animal with Mike Selden of Finless Foods Plant-Based and Cellular Agriculture Alternatives with Bruce Friedrich of GFI             We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg and leave a recorded message!   Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on...

    Joe Swartz is the Vice President and Lead Horticulturist at AmHydro, a company recognized as a top innovator in the ag industry and focused on developing products that promote efficient hydroponic growing systems. Joe is also widely recognized as one of the leading consultants when it comes to Controlled Environment Agricultural industries that include commercial greenhouse farms. He specializes in crop production improvements, pesticide-free insect and disease control, and professional grower training, among other skills.   Joe joins me today to discuss the economic implications of fusing traditional farming with greenhouse technology. He shares why he is interested in greenhouse farming and how he initially tried it himself. He explains how controlled ag works and the factors required to make it work. He describes the benefits traditional farmers can reap from adapting greenhouse operations. Joe also shares some of the limitations of controlled environment agriculture.       “Incorporation of greenhouse techniques into an existing traditional farm is really a very natural and very positive progression.” - Joe Swartz       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   What Joe's focus was before he became invested on greenhouse technology. Where his interest in controlled ag came from. The importance of the environment and location when it comes to controlled ag. The practicalities of controlled ag during the winter. Benefits of merging traditional farming and controlled environments. The return on investment when it comes to greenhouse farming. Encouraging the youth to join the ag industry. Limiting factors of setting up a controlled environment type of farm. Determining standards of practices for controlled environments.       Resources Mentioned:   Hydroponics and Controlled Environment Ag with Joe Swartz of American Hydroponics     Connect with Joe Swartz   AmHydro Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn         We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg and leave a recorded message!   Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please <a href=...

    Richard Collins is the owner of California Endive Farms, a farming operation that specializes in growing endive, a vegetable of the chicory family that is so special, it’s grown twice. Due to the strict conditions and labor-intensive manner of growing it, the endive was deemed a rare crop to produce. However, Rich took advantage of this fact and decided to niche down and focus on building a farming business around it. Today, California Endive Farms is still the largest American endive grower.   Rich joins us to share the story of how he learned about the endive plant and what made him decide to grow such a complicated crop. He explains what endives are, why they’re difficult to grow, and the market potential it has. He describes the various factors they have to consider and how they manage to control them on their farm. Rich also shares why there’s hardly any competition for them when it comes to growing endive.       “There's a huge window of opportunity for us to grow crops in a much more rational manner with respect to soil and water resources.” - Rich Collins       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   Rich’s journey in the ag industry and the people who influenced his business decisions. What endive is, why it needs to grow in the absence of light, and the difficulty in farming it. What the market is like for endive, its uses, and its health benefits. How marketable is it growing endive as a primary source of income? The factors that influence endive growth and the conditions they control. Finding a niche like endive farming today compared to what it was like decades ago. The competition for endive growing and why they hardly have competition. The costs of growing endive and why it's not easy to automate.       Connect with Rich Collins   California Endive Farms         We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg and leave a recorded message!   Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on...

    Bruce Friedrich is Co-Founder and Executive Director at The Good Food Institute (GFI), a company that promotes plant-based and cultivated meat food products by making them just as good, just as convenient, and just as affordable as real meat. Their company has several branches in over six countries, all working towards the goal of making the alternative meat industry more attractive to consumers. Bruce oversees the business’ global strategy and programs. He also works with its directors, staff, and international representatives to guarantee the effectiveness of their programs.   Bruce joins me today to discuss how GFI is making plant-based and cultivated meat products more consumer-friendly and just as competitive as traditional meat. He shares where he drew inspiration to innovate food, how the idea of starting GFI began and the company’s current progress. Bruce also explains why they’re not here to disrupt the meat industry and shares his thoughts on animal agriculture.       “Animal-based meat is made up of fats, proteins, minerals, and water. All of that exists in the plant kingdom.” - Bruce Friedrich       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   How Bruce became passionate about improving the world through food innovation. Replacing meat with foods that cost the same or less with their product. Appealing to palatability and cost over environmental impact. What if plant-based meats and traditional meat product consumption rose together? The time needed for consumers to adapt to cultivated meat. How far along they are with regards to scaling their cultivated and plant-based meat products. His thoughts on animal agriculture and their business focus as a company. The difference between disrupting and transforming the meat industry. The big milestones he is excited about in the near future.       Resources Mentioned   Quorn     Connect with Bruce Friedrich   The Good Food Institute Essential Reading and Research         This episode is sponsored by Indigo Ag   What if surviving a drought began with just a microbe? What could accessing 10,000 buyers do for your agriculture business? Indigo Ag helps farmers improve profitability, environmental sustainability, and consumer health by working with growers to reimagine every aspect of the agriculture industry - from soil to sale.   To learn more about Indigo Ag and their mission to improve the environment and agriculture industry, visit IndigoAg.com/Questions   Indigo. From questions… we grow.     We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to

    Russ Conser is the CEO of Blue Nest Beef, a regenerative agriculture and food startup. What makes Blue Nest Beef special is how they raise cattle from bird-friendly land, citing that the presence of birds indicates a healthy agricultural ecosystem. Russ specializes in soil health and regenerative agriculture, business strategy development, and managing highly creative people. He was also featured on the podcast two years ago, where he talked about the benefits of multi-paddock grazing.   Russ joins me today to discuss how Blue Nest Beef is promoting regenerative agriculture. He explains how birds indicate the health of the ecosystem and why it’s critical to farm on bird-friendly land. He shares data that indicates the benefits of raising cattle over not raising it from a greenhouse gas perspective. He shares the type of grazing system they want other farmers to adapt and why it benefits the soil. Russ also describes why regenerative agriculture is important to every person on Earth, regardless of your political affiliation.       “The birds are the treasure - and the measure.” - Russ Conser       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   Defining Regenerative Agriculture and what it's supposed to do. The importance of bird presence in agriculture. Informing consumers on how the food system works and how Blue Nest Beef plans to do it. How Blue Nest Beef works and what sets them apart from other farms. The grazing system they promote and how rotational grazing benefits the soil. Why Regenerative Agriculture is an apolitical issue. Resources and tools Russ is interested in using and working with. Data that says producing beef through regenerative agriculture is better than not producing beef at all.       Resources Mentioned   Episode 044: Grassfed Beef Through Adaptive Multi-Paddock Grazing Eddy Covariance Flux Towers     Connect with Russ Conser   Blue Nest Beef Facebook Twitter       This episode is sponsored by Indigo Ag   What if surviving a drought began with just a microbe? What could accessing 10,000 buyers do for your agriculture business? Indigo Ag helps farmers improve profitability, environmental sustainability, and consumer health by working with growers to reimagine every aspect of the agriculture industry - from soil to sale.   To learn more about Indigo Ag and their mission to improve the environment and agriculture industry, visit IndigoAg.com/Questions   Indigo. From questions… we grow.     We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the...

    Dr. Ray Goldberg holds the title of George M. Moffett Professor of Agriculture and Business, Emeritus at Harvard Business School. He’s among the pioneers of modern agribusiness, coining the term himself. He is the author of Food Citizenship, a book that talks about the global food system and the many faces that are leading the charge in changing the way we look at food and agriculture forever. Ray has decades of experience in the industry, from authoring journal articles and teaching materials to holding seminars about climate and its effect on food systems.   Ray joins me today to share the progress the ag industry has made over the many years he has watched over it. He describes the need to form a group of individuals that represent different parts of the industry, the reason why he authored his latest book, and what readers can expect. He explains the relationship between capitalism and agriculture, and why the government needs to help small farmers more. Ray also shares his thoughts on millennials and why he looks forward to what they can bring for the next generation.         “Unless we get the food system done correctly, we won’t have the kind of productivity or the kind of lifestyle we want for future generations.” - Dr. Ray Goldberg       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   Why his first meeting with those in the food and ag business was a disaster. How they came to the decision to constantly renew ag information and relationships annually. The need to limit the number of people in his group. His criteria in choosing the people to be included in his book. The relationship between capitalism in agriculture and the public good. When he coined the term ‘agribusiness’. Why he was adamant at bringing important people in agriculture together. Living in an era of distrust in the food system. His thoughts on millennials and their acceptance of change. The big questions he's always asking himself throughout his career. Why small scale farmers should have more support from the government.       Connect with Dr. Ray Goldberg   Harvard Business School Book: Food Citizenship         We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg and leave a recorded message!   Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and...

Colin Hurd is an entrepreneur and the Business Development Manager at Raven Industries, a highly diversified technology company that provides innovative products and solutions to help feed, connect, and protect the world. Raven Industries recently acquired Smart Ag, a company founded by Colin. Smart Ag is a tech company that develops autonomous farming solutions, selling products that allow farming equipment and machinery to be operated remotely, similar to drones. Colin founded Smart Ag to address the growing labor crisis in production agriculture. Colin joins me today to discuss why he formed Smart Ag and the kind of technology and solutions they offer to farmers. He describes how he was driven to start Smart Ag, the problems he wants to address, and the people who helped him put the company in the market. He explains the need for Smart Ag to be acquired by Raven Industries and the benefits it has received. Colin also discusses some of the challenges their company faced as a startup, and how he and his team solved them.       “What’s different about a startup versus a large company is everything is just hyper-compressed; things happen at light speed.” - Colin Hurd       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   The journey that led him to start Smart Ag. Labor scarcity and how it became a large problem in the industry. The people who inspired him to focus on autonomous ag technology. Determining whether someone can be a co-founder or the first employee. The challenges of starting a company that promotes autonomous tech. The technical problems they focused on and solved for their company to become successful. Differences between pre and post-acquisition of Smart Ag. Comparing and contrasting a startup and a large corporation. What it means to have an entrepreneurial spirit at a young age.       Connect with Colin Hurd   Smart Ag Raven Industries LinkedIn         We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg and leave a recorded message!   Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website <a...

Mariana Vasconcelos is the Founder of Agrosmart, a platform that brings digital agriculture to countries with low internet infrastructures under tropical agronomic conditions. The MIT Technology Review selected her as one of the Most Brilliant Innovators Under 35 and a Global Ambassador for Thought of Food. Being a farmer’s daughter, Mariana was aware of the problems that plague small farmers, especially when it comes to decisions about crops. To solve this gap, she proposed the idea to use AI and IoT to acquire more productive, sustainable, and economic agriculture which is what Agrosmart represents.   Mariana joins me today to discuss how Agrosmart works and the problems it seeks to solve for farmers in developing countries. She shares where her drive to start her company came from and the challenges of finding capital and investors. She describes how the data they collect can impact farming practices, especially in countries where farmers rely on instinct to make crop decisions. Mariana also explains why Brazil holds a lot of potential in terms of agriculture and the rising startup economy.       “We wanted to shift intuition-based decisions to fact-based decisions.” - Mariana Vasconcelos       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   Where Mariana saw the problem that needed to be addressed in the ag industry. The changes their data can impact on the current farm systems. Why they shifted from irrigation to a digital ag platform. The farmers that can benefit the most from their platform. How farmers can adapt their practices to climate change. The countries they're currently working in and some of their future projects. The crops they focus on and how their platform is universal. Dealing with rural connectivity problems in Latin America. The ag startup ecosystem in Brazil and the kind of companies that are rising. The most challenging aspects of scaling a Brazilian startup.       Resources Mentioned:   Innovators Under 35     Connect with Mariana Vasconcelos   Agrosmart LinkedIn         This episode is sponsored by Indigo Ag   What if surviving a drought began with just a microbe? What could accessing 10,000 buyers do for your agriculture business? Indigo Ag helps farmers improve profitability, environmental sustainability, and consumer health by working with growers to reimagine every aspect of the agriculture industry - from soil to sale.   To learn more about Indigo Ag and their mission to improve the environment and agriculture industry, visit IndigoAg.com/Questions   Indigo. From questions… we grow.   We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various...

Shay Myers is an onion expert and the owner of Owyhee Produce. Owyhee Produce is a 3rd generation family farm and one of the biggest vertically-integrated onion farms in the United States. Their farm grows enough onions to provide adequate supplies that reach about 6 million Americans annually. Other than managing an onion farm, Shay is also a produce industry influence and agriculture keynote speaker. He is currently working to provide asparagus, hemp, and sweet potatoes to American families on top of their onions.   Shay joins me today to describe how their farm differs from most growers when it comes to vertical integration. He shares how his dream to fly was granted when he returned to manage the farm. He discusses some of the early mistakes he’s made as the lead farmer and what he learned from them. Shay also explains some of the challenges in the ag industry, particularly when it comes to working with companies and people, and why the US safe practices system is broken and easily exploitable.       “You can't expect the consumer to be willing to pay you a fair price for something if they don't know what it takes.” - Shay Myers       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   Pursuing his passion for flying by having a career in agriculture. How his family responded to his desire to return to farming. What vertical integration is in agriculture and some examples. Some of the mistakes he's made in the industry and what he learned from them. The difference between a yam and sweet potato and why the US doesn't grow yams. What he believes is the most challenging hurdle in today's ag industry. Processing differences between mint oil and CBD oil. His thoughts on growing our own food and importing them and why the US is at a disadvantage. Eliminating labor and overhead costs with innovative technology. Why the system surrounding safety practices is broken.       Connect with Shay Myers   Owyhee Produce LinkedIn         This episode is sponsored by Indigo Ag   What if surviving a drought began with just a microbe? What could accessing 10,000 buyers do for your agriculture business? Indigo Ag helps farmers improve profitability, environmental sustainability, and consumer health by working with growers to reimagine every aspect of the agriculture industry - from soil to sale.   To learn more about Indigo Ag and their mission to improve the environment and agriculture industry, visit IndigoAg.com/Questions   Indigo. From questions… we grow.   We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg and leave a recorded message!   Share the...

Dr. Fatma Kaplan and Cameron Schiller founded Pheronym, an agricultural biotech company that provides safe, non-toxic, and innovative solutions to solve numerous agricultural problems. They also recently become involved in the development of space nematodes under the company AstroNematode. AstroNematode seeks to establish interstellar agriculture for Earth. The first launching experiment will happen this December and provide data to pave the way for sustainable agriculture outside of Earth.   Dr. Fatma and Cameron join me today to share their latest project, AstroNematode, and how it can help provide sustainable solutions for future generations. They describe the origins of this idea and the companies that helped fund the project. They discuss their tie-ins with private companies like Space-X and explain the experiments that will happen in space. They also share what it’s like to work on this project while running Pheronym at the same time.       “If you're going to colonize the moon and Mars, we need to have agriculture.” - Dr. Fatma Kaplan       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   How the project got started and where they found funding. The best qualities of the project and what it can provide data scientists. Their contingencies when the project doesn't work as planned. The kind of animals NASA plans to take to Mars. Why they think nematodes can survive and reproduce in space. The upcoming launch and how the nematodes will be packaged. Making sure the experiments are running smoothly while they remain on Earth. How they manage to run a startup and the nematode project at the same time.       Resources Mentioned   Microscopic Biological Pest Wars with Fatma Kaplan and Cameron Schiller of Pheronym     Connect with Dr. Fatma Kaplan and Cameron Schiller   Pheronym AstroNematode Email: kaplan@pheronym.com Email: schiller@pheronym.com         We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg and leave a recorded message!   Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by...

Bill York is the Founding Partner, CEO, and Chief Credit Officer at FarmOp Capital, a lending company that provides funding primarily to farm operators. Their independent business model allows farmers to decide which suppliers to buy from. Bill has over 40 years of experience in the ag lending space and has held senior positions in various major ag lending companies. He specializes in business development, particularly increasing profits and assets of the businesses he works with. Bill York joins me to describe what FarmOp Capital is and its efforts to provide farmers with a helping hand in receiving capital loans. He explains the trends that make their company ripe for the ag industry and the benefits of doing business with them from a farmer’s perspective. He also shares the criteria and requirements they have for their customers and explains what sets their company apart from traditional lending companies.   “If you’re able to get a loan that is timely and adequate to meet all of your operating needs, you’re better able to purchase inputs efficiently to buy the optimum level of inputs and actually reduce your costs.” - Bill York   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Converging trends that make the industry perfect for FarmOp Capital. How FarmOp works and the services they offer. How soon farmers should seek a loan to benefit the most from them. The customers they are targeting for the loan services they offer. The kind of crop materials they help farmers finance. Working directly with the customer and the team they assembled for the job. Transitioning from big agricultural lending companies to working with a startup. Why it will be difficult to have competition in what they do. The difference between the typical loan application and what they offer. Assessing the current farm-risk situation and his outlook.   Connect with Bill York: FarmOp Capital     We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!  The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg and leave a recorded message!   Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  <a href=...

Anastasia Volkova is the CEO and Founder of FluroSat, a company that provides scientifically-proven solutions to common agricultural problems through advanced remote sensing technologies and data from both airborne and satellite platforms. She is also an aeronautical engineer and obtained her Ph.D. in Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from the University of Sydney. Anastasia uses her vast academic knowledge as well as experience in project management in various organizations to make FluroSat the next big thing in AgTech.   Anastasia joins me today to discuss how FluroSat works to provide artificial intelligence (AI) for Precision Agriculture Decision Support. She shares why she decided to work in agriculture and what drove her to start FluroSat. She explains how their approach can help farmers and agronomists improve their data collection process and gather more accurate data from their farms. She also explains the limitations of their product and why they decided to expand their service to the US instead of focusing exclusively on Australian agricultural markets.       “The barriers to adoption of precision agriculture are, first and foremost, the fact that data is siloed.” - Anastasia Volkova         This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   When she decided to stop being an aeronautical engineer and focus on agriculture. Barriers that are preventing farmers from making AI part of precision agriculture. How FluroSat's approach can help agronomists and farmers gather data for their farms. How their product works and the important data it provides to farmers. Success stories where their product improved a farmer's business. Where her experience in aeronautical engineering comes into play. The limitations of their product in the context of crop types. The reasons they decided to expand in the US instead of focusing on Australia. How FluroSat makes money and makes their investors happy.       Resources Mentioned:   Zapier     Connect with Anastasia Volkova:   FluroSat         This episode is sponsored by Indigo Ag   What if surviving a drought began with just a microbe? What could accessing 10,000 buyers do for your agriculture business? Indigo Ag helps farmers improve profitability, environmental sustainability, and consumer health by working with growers to reimagine every aspect of the agriculture industry - from soil to sale.   To learn more about Indigo Ag and their mission to improve the environment and agriculture industry, visit IndigoAg.com/Questions   Indigo. From questions… we grow.   We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast,...

FOA174 Bringing People to the Table to Innovate in Animal Agriculture with Kerryann Kocher   Kerryann Cocher is a Principal at Rock Road Consulting, a practice that focuses on improving the translation of science and technology into something that will give value to farmers, ranchers, and other producers. Kerryann specializes in helping struggling ag businesses to be competitive again by providing re-engineering solutions. She is also an expert on animal health, feed ingredients, and protein production.   Kerryann joins me today to share the various opportunities and untapped potential in animal agriculture. She describes the challenges that the animal agriculture industry currently faces and the solutions she proposes to resolve these issues. She also explains how she brings people to the table to innovate in animal agriculture and why she remains motivated about the success of the animal agriculture industry.   “It’s more than a choice to play in ag; it’s a lifelong commitment.” - Kerryann Kocher   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   The jump she made from working in the corporate environment to starting a company of her own. Practical problems she helps her clients address. The reason behind the lack of innovation regarding animal health. How to make the animal agriculture industry more innovative to catch up with the competition. Areas of agriculture that are more at risk than others. How dietary changes can affect the meat and dairy industry. The conversations she's had with industry professionals about the future of protein. Why she remains motivated in the success of the animal ag industry.       Resources Mentioned:   Future of Agriculture 023: JJ Jones of the Center for Food Integrity Cultivated Conversations     Connect with Kerryann Kocher:   Rock Road Consulting Roots and Legacies LinkedIn         This episode is sponsored by Indigo Ag   What if surviving a drought began with just a microbe? What could accessing 10,000 buyers do for your agriculture business? Indigo Ag helps farmers improve profitability, environmental sustainability, and consumer health by working with growers to reimagine every aspect of the agriculture industry - from soil to sale.   To learn more about Indigo Ag and their mission to improve the environment and agriculture industry, visit IndigoAg.com/Questions   Indigo. From questions… we grow.   We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on <a href=...

Mike Selden is the Co-Founder and CEO of Finless Foods, a startup that aims for a more sustainable future through advanced cellular agriculture technologies. Their projects revolve around growing fish meat and other seafood products from cells. Mike is a trained biochemist and has experience working as a researcher and educator. He also has researched numerous ways to solve food crises in Africa as well as marine conservation in South East Asia.   Mike joins us to explain the many benefits of growing meat from cells and the ways it can improve life, not just on Earth but also in outer space. He shares how their company can produce real meat without the animal and the big scale effect it will have on the economy. Mike also discusses some of the reasons why this project isn’t against fishermen, how it can solve overfishing problems, and how it can help otherwise expensive fish products become more affordable.       “We're growing it directly from the cells, so no whole animals are needed after that first initial sample.” - Mike Selden         This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   Explaining the case for cell-grown meat and why it's exciting. The benefits of cell-grown meat for people and the environment. How they plan to sell their products to the average consumer. The inspiration behind starting Finless Foods. Why they chose to start experimenting with fish cells. How space agriculture factors in with the products they want to produce. The variables involved in mass-producing cell-grown meats. Solving the waste problems they may produce in the future. The financial side of scaling this type of product. The kind of progress we can look forward to if their product becomes successful.       Connect with Mike Selden:   Finless Foods Twitter Facebook Instagram Mike Selden Twitter         We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg and leave a recorded message!   Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  <a...

  Shonda Warner is the Owner of Chess Ag Full Harvest Partners, an asset management business that specializes in investing in the agricultural industry. She has over 25 years of experience in financial asset management and once held the position of Executive Director at Goldman Sachs. Shonda gained experience in trading grains from her career at Cargill in Kansas City and Minneapolis.   Shonda joins me today to discuss how Chess Ag Full Harvest works and how it makes investing in agriculture easier. She shares her inspiration for starting the company, the systems they have in place, and their commitment to having a good impact on the environment. Shonda also shares her advice to those who want to start a business in the ag industry.       “We need to be good stewards of the earth and the communities in which we’re active.” - Shonda Warner         This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   How she formed the idea of starting Chess Ag Full Harvest Partners The company's first investments and their returns. The problems they want to solve involving ancillary services to make farming a successful venture. Her sales pitch to investors and the projects she proposed. Their commitment to the environment and the community. The scale of their operations and their plans for further expansion. The products they produce in their facilities. Her advice to the young generation who are interested in starting their own ag business.       Resources mentioned:   Farmacopia Farms     Connect with Shonda Warner:   Chess Ag Full Harvest Partners       We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg and leave a recorded message!   Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  <a href=...

  Dr. John Cumbers is the founder of SynBioBeta. SynBioBeta prides itself as the premier innovation network for innovators, investors, entrepreneurs, and biological engineers. Their focus is introducing synthetic biology innovations to improve the human condition and make life more sustainable. John is a recipient of multiple grants and awards from NASA and the National Academy of Sciences for his work in the industry. He received his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Biochemistry from Brown University, his MSc in Bioinformatics from Edinburgh University, and a degree in Computer Science with Information Engineering from the University of Hull.   John joins me today to discuss the potential of synthetic biology if applied to today’s agriculture sector. He explains what SynBioBeta stands for, what they want to accomplish, and the innovations we can look forward to as consumers. He shares his thoughts on lab-grown meat, the Anti-GMO crowds, and the future of Mars exploration. John also discusses what we can look forward to from their Beta Space Event.       “Synthetic biology is not actually what you do - it’s the way you do it.” - Dr. John Cumbers         This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   What SynBioBeta is and what they aim to achieve with synthetic biology. The innovations synthetic biology has made possible. His thoughts on plant-based meats and cell-based meats. How Rural America can benefit from what he calls the "Bio Belt." What needs to happen to pursue a "Bio Belt" hub program. How the Anti-GMO community reacts to their technological innovations. Why everybody should have a bio strategy. What extremophiles are and how they can help produce food in space. His opinion on the future of Mars exploration. What people can look forward to the Beta Space event.       Resources mentioned:   BetaSpace     Connect with Dr. John Cumbers:   SynBioBeta Book: What's Your Bio Strategy? Podcast The Mycelium Revolution: How a mushroom can make food, plastic, and more       This episode is sponsored by Indigo Ag   What if surviving a drought began with just a microbe? What could accessing 10,000 buyers do for your agriculture business? Indigo Ag helps farmers improve profitability, environmental sustainability, and consumer health by working with growers to reimagine every aspect of the agriculture industry - from soil to sale.   To learn more about Indigo Ag and their mission to improve the environment and agriculture industry, visit IndigoAg.com/Questions   Indigo. From questions… we grow.     We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes...

  Dr. Poornima Parameswaran is the President and Co-Founder of Trace Genomics. Trace Genomics is a company that based its business around mapping living soil, analyzing its microbial content, and helping growers maximize yield potential without sacrificing sustainability. Poornima’s goal is to build the world’s most massive actionable body of soil intelligence, allowing even ordinary farmers to have access to expert information on what’s underground. Poornima earned her Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology at Stanford University School of Medicine, her entrepreneurial skills at Stanford University Graduate School of Business, and her Bachelor’s degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology at The University of Texas at Austin.   Poornima joins me today to discuss how Trace Genomics seeks to improve farm yield and sustainability through genetic testing for soil. She shares the benefits of knowing which microbes are dominant in a particular farmland. She also explains how their analytics engine works, their process, and what a typical scenario using their technology would be like.       “There are two sides of the coin when you’re looking at what is causing production losses above ground.” - Dr. Poornima Parameswaran         This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   The questions farmers have before submitting soil samples. Diseases that can be prevented by genetic testing for soil Knowing when it is a soil health issue instead of a disease problem. Developing food in the perspective of sustainability and not just increased yields. How they know which microbes are important for the soil. The challenges that are top of mind to growers regarding soil health. The action steps they can take based on the data they gathered from growers. Variability of microbe samples in similar soil samples. How they reconcile the difference between gene presence and gene expression. Why they don't have that many companies as competition.       Connect with Dr. Poornima Parameswaran:   Trace Genomics         This episode is sponsored by Indigo Ag   What if surviving a drought began with just a microbe? What could accessing 10,000 buyers do for your agriculture business? Indigo Ag helps farmers improve profitability, environmental sustainability, and consumer health by working with growers to reimagine every aspect of the agriculture industry - from soil to sale.   To learn more about Indigo Ag and their mission to improve the environment and agriculture industry, visit IndigoAg.com/Questions   Indigo. From questions… we grow.     We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg and leave a recorded message!   Share the...

  Carter Malloy is the Founder and CEO of AcreTrader, an online platform that seeks to provide a bridge that connects investors and farm sellers. Before starting his company, Carter was a successful Managing Director at Stephens Inc., a large private investment bank. His passion for conservation and agriculture was drawn from his experience growing up in an Arkansas farming family. This passion eventually led to founding AcreTrader.   Carter joins me to share what AcreTrader can do for farm owners and people seeking a long-term investment. He explains how the platform works, what a typical transaction would look like, and some of the fees involved. Carter discusses the total amount of investments in farmland and why it’s still insignificant from the perspective of the entire ag industry. He also describes some of the reasons why farm sellers should use their platform over traditional methods.     “There's a lot of ways we can work with people who want to sell farmland. For us, it's exciting to bring new solutions to the market.” - Carter Malloy         This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   Why he left a successful career in investments to start AcreTrader. The amount of private equity money invested in farmland. The requirements needed to bring the right deals out to the public. Motivations for sellers to use AcreTrader as a platform. How their platform works to provide information in a digestible format. The deal flow and access to market barriers and how they break them. How he describes the ideal seller on AcreTrader. What they do when a partner exits the platform and their contract.     Resources Mentioned:   CrowdFARMING with Chris Rawley of Harvest Returns     Connect with Carter Malloy:   AcreTrader           We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg and leave a recorded message!   Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter<a href=...

A brief summary of this episode

  Dr. Ray Wheeler is NASA’s Plant Physiologist and the lead for Advanced Life Support Research activities in the Exploration Research and Technology Program at Kennedy Space Center. He began his career at NASA in 1988 and the bulk of his research revolved around the use of hydroponic techniques for space farming experiments. One of Ray’s goals is to allow humanity to grow safe and nutritious crops off the Earth.   Ray joins me today to discuss some of NASA’s recent developments regarding planting crops in space. He shares some of the systems and tech that have been made commercial in the ag industry and explains why it’s difficult to experiment with plants in space. Ray also describes some of the benefits of being able to grow plants on other planets.     “We've been trying to manipulate the environment to accommodate plants. Now we have the tools to manipulate plants to fit into the environment.” - Dr. Ray Wheeler         This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   The research he's conducted that has made it in today's agriculture industry. How NASA helped in terrestrial applications of space farming. His recent projects that could be applied commercially in the future. Solving the ever-increasing CO2 emissions with space farming tech. Recent progress on the experimental planting chambers in space. Deciding which crops show promise for space production. The water content of Mars and the prospect of someday growing food there. The critical benefits of being able to grow plants in space. Recovering as much water as possible in space. The effects of low gravity environments on plant growth. His advice for people interested in space farming technology.     Resources Mentioned:   Agriculture for Space: People and Places Paving the Way     Connect with Dr. Ray Wheeler:   NASA LinkedIn           We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg and leave a recorded message!   Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website <a...

  Robert Saik is a professional agriculture consultant, author, distinguished agrologist, and thought leader. He is a serial entrepreneur who has founded over 15 companies in the agriculture sector. His latest project, AGvisorPRO, is an app that seeks to instantly connect farmers with experts to help them with their queries and problems. Robert is also the CEO of DOT Farm Solutions, a company that specializes in the development of autonomous robotic farming equipment.   Robert joins me today to discuss AGvisorPRO and how it works to support farmers. He shares his reason why he is continually starting new companies, his inspiration to write books, and his personal take on the current state of the ag industry. He describes the importance of sustainability in supporting a growing population as well as provide ideas on how to improve farm efficiency. Robert also explains how the DOT system works and the biggest contribution it can provide the industry.     “If the farm isn't economically viable, there is no sustainability. So long as we have people, agriculture needs to be sustainable.” - Robert Saik         This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   The inspiration that led Robert to write his latest book. Describing the importance of agricultural sustainability. Recent observations in agriculture and how they compare from five years ago. The demand for transparency from the ag sector. His conversation with Bill Gates. AGvisorPRO and how it helps farmers with quick advice. Traditional farm systems vs a DOT system and how DOT products work. The future of DOT technology and implements.     Resources Mentioned:   Will Agriculture Be Allowed To Feed 9 Billion People? Abundance 360 Future of Agriculture 095: Could Organic and GMO be on the Same Team with Rob Saik     Connect with Robert Saik:   AGvisorPro DOT Book: Food 5.0           We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg and leave a recorded message!   Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends...

  Lee Addams is the CEO of CropMetrics, a company that pursues innovation in US irrigation services and provide smart irrigation solutions to growers. Lee has experience in business model innovation, business unit growth strategizing, enterprise-level sustainability strategizing, and public sector water resources. He obtained his Ph.D. in Geological and Environmental Sciences at Stanford University and is also a Post-Doc Fellow for Water Resources/International Development at Columbia University in the City of New York.   Lee joins me today to share his passion for improving water irrigation efficiency as well as water sustainability. He describes how he became interested in water irrigation and what led him to work with CropMetrics. He explains how their system works and how it can benefit growers. Lee also discusses what a transaction would look like with a farmer and how they convince them to join.     “It's what's happening to 12, 18, to 24 inches under the ground that you don't see. That's what's affecting what water your crop is needing right then, at the moment.” - Lee Addams         This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   How Lee found interest in working with CropMetrics. The story behind CropMetrics and their vision. The special technology used by CropMetrics that separates them from other startups. The type of data they plan to utilize to make irrigation more efficient. His thoughts on long term water viability. How they transact their business with growers and what convinces them to join. What they do for farmers who are hesitant in trying something new.       Connect with Lee Addams:   CropMetrics Twitter         This episode is sponsored by: Agri-Pulse - For the Latest in Ag Information   Regulation and policy have just as much impact on the agriculture industry and ag-business as Mother Nature. For 15 years, Agri-Pulse has been the leading resource for ag information, reporting on agricultural issues and policies occurring in Washington, D.C., Sacramento, and across the U.S. Agri-Pulse helps keep farmers and ag professionals up-to-date on the latest changes in rules and regulations impacting their businesses - before these policies become law.   Stay up-to-date on the latest ag issues and policies impacting your business by giving Agri-Pulse a test drive. Visit Agri-Pulse.com to start your 1-Month Free Trail today.     We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg and leave a recorded message!   Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and

  Chris Damico is the CEO and Founder at Farm’d. Farm’d is described as an online platform that enables farmers to connect to local buyers directly. The idea was born from annual price hikes, long transits, and expensive middlemen. Chris’ company benefit farmers through their transparency in market prices and profitability, as well as offer convenient ways to confirm and adjust orders in real time.   Chris joins me today to describe how Farm’d works and how farmers can join the platforms. He shares what it was like to source for capital and the company’s humble beginnings. He explains how their platform works, the services they offer, and the benefits to both consumer and seller. Chris also discusses what they’re looking for in future users.     “If the technology's not right at the right time, it's not going to work.” - Chris Damico         This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   How he stumbled on the issues regarding food sourcing. Putting farmers first and how their programs work. Handling food demand and how their farmers are prepared to sell direct. Why the online marketplace is everything in this type of business. The profitability of being part of their system. Sourcing funds from angel investors when they were starting out. Their criteria for farmers wanting to join their platform.       Connect with Chris Damico:   Farm’d Instagram Facebook               We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg and leave a recorded message!   Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram

  Leif Chastaine is the Co-founder and COO of WaterBit. WaterBit is a precision ag irrigation company that wants to solve farming problems through its Automated Irrigation Solution technology. Before Leif cofounded WaterBit, he founded and helped grow other companies in the IoT and photography industry. He obtained his BBA in Production and Operations Management from Boise State University.   Leif joins me today to explain how WaterBit can help farmers gather water data through their sensor technology. He shares the humble beginnings of WaterBit and the difficulty in raising funds for this kind of startup. He discusses the pain points farmers have and how they built a solution around those issues. Leif also describes how WaterBit is unique in a type of market that is always full of standout startups.     “Someday we'll get to the point where you just walk out into the field, stick a device anywhere, and it just simply works.” - Leif Chastaine         This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   How WaterBit got started and the problems they want to address. Their sensor technology and how it works for farmers and irrigation needs. Why water cost isn't the pain point their market is concerned with. Staying close to home in terms of company expansion. How WaterBit stands out in the type of industry they're in. Placing sensors in the field and how it gathers data. Their company's plans for the future and the tech they plan to develop.       Connect with Leif Chastaine:   WaterBit           This episode is sponsored by: Agri-Pulse - For the Latest in Ag Information   Regulation and policy have just as much impact on the agriculture industry and ag-business as Mother Nature. For 15 years, Agri-Pulse has been the leading resource for ag information, reporting on agricultural issues and policies occurring in Washington, D.C., Sacramento, and across the U.S. Agri-Pulse helps keep farmers and ag professionals up-to-date on the latest changes in rules and regulations impacting their businesses - before these policies become law.   Stay up-to-date on the latest ag issues and policies impacting your business by giving Agri-Pulse a test drive. Visit Agri-Pulse.com to start your 1-Month Free Trail today.     We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg and leave a recorded message!   Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please <a href=...

  Dr. Colin Bell is the Co-founder and Chief Growth Officer at Growcentia, a company that specializes in microbial plant bio-stimulants and the developers of Mammoth Microbes. Mammoth Microbes is a product designed to help cultivators find solutions for problems ranging from soil health to crop profitability. He left his position as Research Scientist I at Colorado State University to run a startup that is set to revolutionize the way the ag world looks at microbes. Colin obtained his Ph.D. in Microbiology, Soil Microbiology, Biogeochemistry, and Ecology as well as his Ph.D. in Biology and Soil Microbial Ecology from Texas Tech University.   Colin joins me today to share how Mammoth Microbes can help the cannabis industry reach its full agricultural potential. He describes his life as a researcher and why he wanted to start Mammoth Microbes. He explains how their product works and it's potential for cannabis cultivators. Colin also discusses some of the company’s plans for the future.   Stay tuned for our Five-Minute Farmer segment with Lanie White, the fourth generation owner of the McFarland White Ranch.     “Water is the unwritten constitution of California.” - Adam Borchard         This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   Colin's career background and his work at Mammoth Microbes. The origins of Mammoth Microbes and how they came with the base tech they have in the market today. His transition from academia into the startup world. Their identity as a company and how they differentiate themselves in the industry. The data point on cannabis production and how they use them. The persona of the average cannabis grower today. Differences between outdoor grown cannabis and indoor grown varieties. Plans for the future and projects to look forward to.       Connect with Dr. Colin Bell:   Mammoth Microbes Mammoth Microbes Instagram Mammoth Microbes LinkedIn Colin Bell Instagram         This episode is sponsored by: Agri-Pulse - For the Latest in Ag Information   Regulation and policy have just as much impact on the agriculture industry and ag-business as Mother Nature. For 15 years, Agri-Pulse has been the leading resource for ag information, reporting on agricultural issues and policies occurring in Washington, D.C., Sacramento, and across the U.S. Agri-Pulse helps keep farmers and ag professionals up-to-date on the latest changes in rules and regulations impacting their businesses - before these policies become law.   Stay up-to-date on the latest ag issues and policies impacting your business by giving Agri-Pulse a test drive. Visit Agri-Pulse.com to start your 1-Month Free Trail today.     We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the...

  Adam Borchard is a Regulatory Advocate for the Association of California Water Agencies or ACWA. ACWA is an organization that seeks to inform Californians regarding their water supply and its policies. He has been actively representing California’s best interests in water policies for over five years and experienced drafting memoranda on various water-related acts in their state. Adam obtained his Juris Doctor in Environmental, Water, Public Agency Law from the University of the Pacific - McGeorge School of Law and his Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science and Management from UC Davis.   Adam joins me today to discuss California’s water problems and enlighten us on what its future looks like from a sustainable and political viewpoint. He shares California’s water problem history and explains why it’s difficult to tackle the idea of entities owning water. He discusses some of the projects he believes will greatly help the state if fully implemented. Adam also describes the next big problem that will need to be solved in the future.   Stay tuned for our Five-Minute Farmer segment with Lanie White, the fourth generation owner of the McFarland White Ranch.     “Water is the unwritten constitution of California.” - Adam Borchard         This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   California's water issues and a little history. Who currently owns water and how it affects the farming industry. The state's geographical imbalance and how it affects the population. His most difficult project to date and regulating water. How water rights can be revoked and seniority factors. The event that became a major water wake up call for Californians. The next problem that California and the rest of the world will have to tackle.       Connect with Adam Borchard:   ACWA LinkedIn         This episode is sponsored by: Agri-Pulse - For the Latest in Ag Information   Regulation and policy have just as much impact on the agriculture industry and ag-business as Mother Nature. For 15 years, Agri-Pulse has been the leading resource for ag information, reporting on agricultural issues and policies occurring in Washington, D.C., Sacramento, and across the U.S. Agri-Pulse helps keep farmers and ag professionals up-to-date on the latest changes in rules and regulations impacting their businesses - before these policies become law.   Stay up-to-date on the latest ag issues and policies impacting your business by giving Agri-Pulse a test drive. Visit Agri-Pulse.com to start your 1-Month Free Trail today.     We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg and leave a recorded message!   <p...

  Dr. Michael Miille is the CEO of Joyn Bio. Joyn Bio is a startup joint venture of Bayer and Ginkgo Bioworks. The goal of Joyn Bio is to answer the challenges of agricultural sustainability with synthetic biology. Michael has extensive experience when it comes to leading companies, having served at top level positions ranging from COO and CFO to Director and General Manager since 1995. He obtained his Ph.D. in Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry from UC Davis and a BS in Biological Sciences from Stanford.   Michael joins me today to discuss how Joyn Bio will utilize microbe technology to provide sustainable ag solutions. He shares how Joyn Bio was started and describes the benefits of being a company under Bayer and Ginkgo. He explains how their microbe tech could be applied in various forms as well as how it would positively impact both the environment and farmers. Michael also discusses the various challenges in growing this kind of company as well as some of its future projects.   Stay tuned for our Five-Minute Farmer segment with Amy Solsma, owner of Solsma’s Punkin Patch and Fireworks.         “You need that freedom, flexibility, and creativity that comes with being a small group that's focused on a moonshot.” - Mike Miille         This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   The story of how the joint venture came about. Mike's academic background and why he chose the agriculture industry. Why it's called a "Moonshot" for Bayer. The problem they want to address and their proposed solutions. Microbes vs chemicals and when he thinks this type of tech will become available. Why Joyn Bio is not what you would call a normal startup. The challenges of running this type of startup in the ag industry.     Resources Mentioned:   Bayer Ginkgo Bioworks   Connect with Mike Miille:   Joyn Bio           We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg and leave a recorded message!   Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website <p...

Dr. David Zetland is a university lecturer, blogger, and economy researcher. He currently teaches at Leiden University College - The Hague as a lecturer in political-economy. He is the creator of the Aguanomics blog, a site that focuses on topics on the different ways people manage, use, and abuse water. David obtained his Ph.D. in Agricultural and Resource Economics from UC Davis and has earned extensive experience regarding water economy and water policy.   David joins me today to discuss the water economy and where we are right now as a civilization. He shares why we should be in a global state of panic and why we’re no longer in a world where water is sustainable. He explains the need for water to be priced and how it can positively affect the ag industry. David also discusses water rights, “free water,” the water market, and possible solutions to water scarcity.   Stay tuned for our Five-Minute Farmer segment with Will Scholze, owner of Scholze Family Beef.         “If there is a price on water, supply and demand will balance.” - Dr. David Zetland         This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   Why we should be panicking about climate change and its effects on water scarcity. Water shortages and the problems it would impose on the ag industry. The two major sources of water for agriculture and the water market. Why water is essentially not free in agriculture. The logic applied on who really consumes the most water. Buying and selling water rights and how farmers conduct their water business. The political struggles involving water and how it is in other countries. Why desalination plants aren't the solution to water scarcity.       Connect with Dr. David Zetland:   Aguanomics KYSQ LinkedIn Free ebook: Living with Water Scarcity         This episode is sponsored by: Agri-Pulse - For the Latest in Ag Information   Regulation and policy have just as much impact on the agriculture industry and ag-business as Mother Nature. For 15 years, Agri-Pulse has been the leading resource for ag information, reporting on agricultural issues and policies occurring in Washington, D.C., Sacramento, and across the U.S. Agri-Pulse helps keep farmers and ag professionals up-to-date on the latest changes in rules and regulations impacting their businesses - before these policies become law.   Stay up-to-date on the latest ag issues and policies impacting your business by giving Agri-Pulse a test drive. Visit Agri-Pulse.com to start your 1-Month Free Trail today.     We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag...

  Stu Bradbury is a Strategy Adviser at Sprout Agritech Accelerator, New Zealand’s top-rated ag startup accelerator. They back startups that offer bold and innovative solutions to some of agriculture’s biggest problems. Stu’s role is to identify their country’s most promising startup companies as well as mentor and help them grow to success. He has extensive experience in product commercialization and services in the agricultural sector.   Stu joins me today to discuss the ag startup economy in New Zealand as well as how their company’s accelerator programs work. He shares his career background, his experience starting an irrigation company, and his experience working with Sprout. He describes what they look for in a startup as well as what those startups can expect from their programs. Stu also shares how Sprout initially conducted their marketing strategies.   Stay tuned for our Five-Minute Farmer segment with Jana Hocken, author of The Lean Dairy Farm.         You need to understand how your product or service affects your customer's life; how they're going to live with it.” - Stu Bradbury         This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   Stu's academic and career background and his entrepreneurial journey. Why agriculture is the backbone of New Zealand. New Zealand's drive for the numerous agricultural inventions and innovations. Why he focused on irrigation tech more than other systems. What he would have done differently if he knew the resources available when he was starting out. What it's like to work with Sprout AgriTech and what they look for in startups.       Resources Mentioned:   Episode 63 - Travel The World Learning About Agriculture with Nuffield Scholar Matt Hocken       Connect with Stu Bradbury:   Sprout Agritech Accelerator LinkedIn             We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg and leave a recorded message!   Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your...

  Renee Vassilos is an Agricultural Economist and Regenerative Catalyst. She is the Founder of Banyan Innovation Group, an agribusiness consulting company that support startups in the agriculture sector through market sizing, business model and development, and strategy. Renee has over 15 years of experience working with multinational and government companies such as John Deere and the USDA.   Renee joins me to discuss the current startup climate in the agricultural industry. She shares her story and experience while working with big companies like John Deere and where she got her passion for helping startups. She explains why the ag industry hasn’t had any real disruptions in the last few decades and discuss the kind of innovations the industry should look forward to. Renee also describes how the current trade wars are affecting emerging startups.   Stay tuned for our Five-Minute Farmer segment with Hannah Esch of Oak Barn Beef.       “I don't think we've been seeing enough technologies that have been hitting the mark.” - Renee Vassilos       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   Renee’s career with John Deere and the US Government abroad. John Deere's technology pricing and how smallholder farmers can avail them. Her thoughts on the need for traction for widespread customer adoption. The notable disruptions in the industry within the last decade. How the trade war is affecting innovations and technologies in agriculture. Examples of markets that are spearheading innovation and unique products. Why the ag sector hasn't really been innovative in the past few decades. What nutrient-dense foods are and some examples. Disruptions we can expect to see in agriculture.     Connect with Renee Vassilos:   LinkedIn         We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg and leave a recorded message!   Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  <a href=...

  Dan Cosgrove is the Chief Strategy Officer at Growers Edge. Growers Edge is a FinTech company that provides financial programs and solutions for the service of the agricultural sector. He is also a Venture Partner at Radicle Growth, an acceleration fund financed by top agtech investors. Dan has extensive experience in business development in the ag industry and is skilled in negotiation, entrepreneurship, international business licensing as well as Mergers, Acquisitions, and Venture Capital.   Dan joins me today to discuss the details involved in deciding what startup to accelerate and what company qualifies for an acquisition. He shares the story of how he got started in the industry and shares the highlights of his extensive career. He explains how he became an entrepreneur while working within another company, describes some of the challenges farmers face today, and the kind of technology startups need to focus on for the future. Dan also shares his best tips for startups looking for investment.   Stay tuned for our first segment of Five-Minute Farmer with Gavin Spoor of Spoor Farms.     “You should take feedback from everybody you talk to and learn a bit of something.” - Dan Cosgrove       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   How Dan got started in the agricultural industry. The opportunities and roles he had with Corteva. How he managed to become entrepreneurial while working within another company. His current role at Growers Edge and what Growers Edge is about. The two challenges that farmers have today that aren't being addressed properly. The role he played in the Granular acquisition. The difference between corporate venture capital than traditional venture capital. Quantifying the value of strategic benefits in the venture level. His advice to startups seeking investment.     Resources Mentioned:   FoA136 Scaling an AgTech Company with Sid Gorham of Granular Radicle Growth Corteva     Connect with Dan Cosgrove:   Growers Edge LinkedIn Email: dan.cosgrove@growersedge.com         We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.        Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture...

  Richard Hoff is the Director of Viticulture of Mercer Ranches. Mercer Ranches is a grape farm that produces high-quality wine through strict quality control and precise technology. Richard is considered an expert in wine tasting, wine manufacturing, and general viticulture. He obtained his Master’s Degree in Viticulture from Washington State University and his Bachelor’s Degree in Horticulture from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.   Richard joins me today to discuss in great detail how the production of wine works - from the grape to the bottle. He describes the vineyards Mercer owns, the grapes they produce, their different yields, and their farming practices. He explains some of the details involved in processing such as pruning and de-leafing, as well as the technologies they use. Richard also shares some of the problems he looks forward to being solved by technology in the future.     “There's just not much of an argument anymore whether mechanization is as good as hands.” - Richard Hoff       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   Introducing the vineyards, the varieties of grapes they produce, and their wine production. The time it takes to go from planting grapes to extracting wine. The longevity of a vineyard before it has to be replaced. The value of specific varieties of grapes per ton. Various labor challenges they faced that mechanization and automation solved. Implementing new technology and machinery in the vineyards. The methods they apply when creating new vineyards. Determining the best combination that marries quantity with quality. The level of attention required to grow the best grapes possible. The effect of mechanization on data collection. Problems he hopes technology will solve in the future.       Connect with Richard Hoff:   Mercer Wine LinkedIn           We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.        Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram   

  Dr. Fiona Edwards Murphy is the CEO and Co-Founder of ApisProtect. ApisProtect is a company that innovates the agricultural industry with its advanced Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Specifically, they help beekeepers both small and large gather the necessary data from their bee colonies through sensors. They aim to help preserve bees and perhaps even reverse the rising colony losses around the world.   Fiona joins me today to share her passion for saving bees and how she came up with the idea of using sensor technology. She describes the current bee problem and its possible implications in and outside the agricultural sector. She explains how their sensor technology works, how it helps beekeepers, and its potential usage outside of the pollination industry. Fiona also describes their business model and how they found the market that supported their company.     “We collect the sensor data and use machine learning to convert the raw data into useful information for the beekeeper.” - Dr. Fiona Edwards Murphy       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   The current situation with the honeybee problem. The factors affecting honeybee deaths across the world. Small and large scale beekeepers and how their businesses operate. Her academic background and how she came to be involved in saving bees. Using sensors inside beehives and the types of sensors they use. Problems that can be detected and solved by sensors. The projects their company has started and their current business plans. How beekeepers are benefiting from their programs. The challenges they have encountered in their business. Fixing and maintaining the sensors they provide to their clients. Their plans for World Bee Day and their partnerships.     Connect with Dr. Fiona Edwards Murphy:   ApisProtect Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn         We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.        Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  <a href=...

  Glen and Jason Newcomer are the fifth- and sixth-generation owners and operators of Newcomer Farms.  Glen has extensive experience in farm management, agronomy support, and agricultural risk management. Jason returned to the farm after college to help the family operate and innovate the farm to match current trends.   Glen and Jason join me to share what it’s like to manage a farm that’s survived many troubling times. They discuss the difference between how the farm was managed decades ago and how it is managed today. Jason explains the reason why he returned to farming and Glen describes some of the tasks Jason helped relieve him from. They also share how they select their board of advisors and their perspective on farm operations.     “We always have to find ways to become more efficient and more profitable.” - Glen Newcomer       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   Glen and Jason Newcomer's agricultural background and the history of their farm. Why Jason is passionate about managing their farm. The difference between how they operated generations ago and today. Why they believe they're in a pinched economy right now. The issues they encountered in the '80s versus the issues today. Why Jason returned to farm operations. Their approach to succession of their farm operations. The new tools they utilize in their day-to-day farm operations. Expectations from the newer generation of farmers.     Connect with Glen and Jason Newcomer:   Newcomer Farms Twitter         This episode is sponsored by: Granular - Manage Your Farm with Confidence   Granular is an agriculture software company dedicated to building stronger, more profitable farms. Since 2014, Granular has become a leader in developing web and mobile apps grounded in advanced data science technology to help farmers make data-driven, real-time business and agriculture decisions with greater confidence.   To learn more about how Granular’s digital solutions can help you better manage your farm, visit Granular.ag.       We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.        Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on...

  Janice Person is the Online Engagement Director at Bayer Crop Science. In this role, she is responsible for social media and internet outreach towards influencers, bloggers, and the general public throughout the agriculture space. She has connected with thousands of food, lifestyle, and agricultural bloggers and those numbers are still growing. She also blogs on her personal website, JP Loves Cotton.   Janice joins me today to share her responsibilities as Online Engagement Director and some of her notable accomplishments in this role. She describes how she found her passion for the ag industry, especially cotton. She discusses some of the more common mistakes people make on social media and what she’s learned from her experience. Janice also explains what people can look forward to SXSW and why people interested in agriculture should attend.     “Sometimes it's a lot easier to start a conversation when people know they have some common ground with you.” - Janice Person       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   Creating a position title and walking into a position no one's ever had. Why she started the blog and how it lead to her next career move. Knowing whether or not you're doing a great job in online engagement. The mistakes most people make on social media. How she uses Quora to spread her influence and engage more people. Why the South by Southwest conference is one of the best. The benefits of being part of another organization.     Resources Mentioned:   SXSW Quora   Connect with Janice Person:   JP Loves Cotton Twitter Instagram Facebook         We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.        Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on...

Aidan Connolly is the Chief Executive Officer at Cainthus, a software company dedicated to helping farmers collect the necessary and critical information they need to manage their farms better. Cainthus’ current project involves the use of sensors that interpret visual information from various farm animals. He is also the author of 2-1-4-3, a book on growing your business. Before becoming Cainthus’ CIO, Aidan previously held the same position at Alltech, an agtech company which he served for over 28 years.   Aidan joins me today to share his current business venture and how this new company can help the farming industry as a whole. He discusses their current sensor project, its applications, and how it can improve farm efficiency. He also explains the overall theme of his book as well as what the title 2-1-4-3 means.     “Make it as honest and uncomfortable as you can be in terms of evaluating what your business really is today.” - Aidan Connolly       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   Why Aidan left his previous company and the reason he founded Cainthus. His current projects and how they make use of facial recognition tech on cows. Using sensors in farms and the challenges in managing multiple species. Solving "cow bullying" on dairy farms. How sensors can help find solutions to problems in farming cattle. Why he chose to focus on farm sensors instead of other technologies. What he wants people to learn from reading his book. The 2-1-4-3 approach explained and what to expect from his book. Is investing in agtech a little too overhyped?     Resources Mentioned:   Future of Agriculture 067: Disruptive Agricultural Technologies with Aidan Connolly, CIO of Alltech   Connect with Aidan Connolly:   Cainthus 2-1-4-3 Plan LinkedIn         We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.        Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  <a href=...

  Dr. Sara Place is the Senior Director of Sustainable Beef Production Research at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, an organization that seeks to innovate and educate its members regarding their industry. She specializes in livestock sustainability systems and livestock production research. Sara obtained her Ph.D. in Animal Biology from UC Davis and worked as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Animal Science at Oklahoma State University.   Sara joins me today to discuss the idea of connecting sustainability and the beef industry. She describes the current state of the beef industry and highlights its effects on global warming. She explains why removing cattle is not the solution to global warming and shares insight into how upcycling can be applied in the beef industry. Sara also shares some of the promising sustainability projects they plan to launch this year and in the future.     “We're going to have 2 billion more people coming to dinner in the next thirty years, and we only have one planet Earth.” - Dr. Sara Place       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   How beef can become a sustainable resource. Why it matters what more than 80% of cattle eat and its effects on the environment. What Upcycling is and how they plan to use it to make beef sustainable. Examples of Upcycling outside the beef industry. How ruminants differ from other farm animals. The truth about global warming in the context of agriculture. What made her passionate about agriculture and the environment. The sustainability programs they plan to launch in the near future.     Connect with Sara Place   Beef Is What’s For Dinner National Cattlemen’s Beef Association LinkedIn         We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.        Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram   

  Aaron Ratner is the Managing Director at Ultra Capital, a company that finances small and mid-size startups in the sustainable technology industry. He has over 20 years of experience in advisory, international investment, and project development with a focus on agriculture and technology. Aaron obtained his MsM from Stanford University and his BA from the University of Pennsylvania.   Aaron joins me today to discuss what Ultra Capital is about and what they aim to accomplish with their current business model. He shares his passion for sustainable technologies and preserving Mother Nature. He describes how their business works and their criteria for investing. Aaron also explains why banks aren’t as committed to funding the kind of companies they work with.     “It is incredibly fulfilling, trying to make the world a better place. From that, there is really no turning back.” - Aaron Ratner       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   Aaron's definition of project level equity. What he believes is the one key success factor for Ultra Capital. How their business model runs and a few real world examples. Why banks hesitate to loan money for the kind of clients they handle. The reason he became passionate about this type of business. Their primary criteria and requirements in a startup before they invest. What the future holds for Ultra Capital and their upcoming projects.     Connect with Aaron Ratner   Ultra Capital LinkedIn         We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.        Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram   

  Euler Bropleh is the Founder & Managing Director of Vested World, an investment platform that seeks to bridge the gap between private investors and startups in emerging markets. Euler focuses on emerging markets because he knows what it’s live in a country that barely made any progress in the last 50 years and how access to substantial capital can make a huge difference in the economy of a developing nation. He has served as an angel investor to multiple businesses in Sub-Saharan Africa, some of which are in the ag industry.   Euler joins me today to share his commitment to helping developing countries such as Nigeria, Kenya, and Uganda. He discusses how Vested World works and describes some of the companies they helped grow and prosper. He explains some of the risks involved in their business as well as some of its more notable benefits. Euler also discusses what the FIERCE acronym stands for and how he bases his business model around it.     “If you do well by the people you're working with, your company's going to perform better, and everyone benefits from it.” - Euler Bropleh       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   What Vested World is and its business focus. The history of Vested World and some of their notable investments. Risk and benefits in investing in developing countries. Ag-related companies they've invested in. What made Euler want to invest in Sub-Saharan Africa? What it's like to grow up in an African country. Balancing the needs of the communities he is impacting. What FIERCE stands for and how he considers it with their investment models.     Connect with Euler Bropleh   Vested World LinkedIn         We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.        Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram   

  Scott Bennett is the Director of Congressional Relations at the American Farm Bureau Federation, an independent, voluntary, non-government group that is headed by people who represent the best interests of farmers and their families in the US. He obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics and Political Science at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Before joining the American Farm Bureau Federation, he was the legislative director for Rep. Bob Goodlatte, a House Agriculture Committee Senior member.   Scott joins me today to discuss the developments on lab-grown protein products and their potential benefits to the economy. He explains some of the political aspects of agriculture, particularly on its relationship with government entities. He also describes the differences between plant-based and lab-based proteins and shares his views for the future of lab-grown proteins as well as advice to those who want to support this idea.     “Five years ago, lab-grown protein was science fiction, but here we are faced with it today. It is the reality.” - Scott Bennett       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   The significance of having a primary jurisdiction with USDA. Policy differences between gene-edited livestock and cell-based meats. His thoughts on the recent press release from the FDA. Plant-based and lab-grown proteins and their key labeling differences. How he sees this technology developing in five years. Getting involved in the local government to pass the necessary laws for agtech. How the public perceives lab-grown protein. The biggest issues facing the current agricultural innovation landscape.       Connect with Scott Bennett   American Farm Bureau Federation LinkedIn         We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.        Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram   

  Henry Gordon-Smith is considered one of the leading experts in urban agriculture. He is the Founder and Managing Director of Agritecture, a global urban agriculture consultation company that seeks to spread and promote the idea of urban and vertical farming. Part of Henry’s duties as Managing Director include overseeing projects, planning events and conferences, and networking with like-minded businesses. He has a BA in Political Science from the University of British Columbia and an MSc in Sustainability Management from Columbia University.   Henry joins me today to share his passion for urban farming and discuss some of its more fascinating details. He explains what urban farming is, what makes it different from local farming, and how it can improve a city’s economic growth as well as its sustainability efforts. He shares research data on urban agriculture, how someone can be eligible to have an urban farm, and the potential profitability. Henry also describes what we can expect from their AgLanta conference in April 2019.     “If a certain population in the city know how to grow food, and there are policies to support it, the city will be able to impact its own food security and be more independent.” - Henry Gordon-Smith       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   How Henry became interested in working in agriculture. Why he chose blogging as a means to spread stories on Agritecture. Why we should be looking into urban farming and how it helps sustainability efforts. Where the most opportunities lie in sustainable urban farming. Emerging green technologies that embody the food, water, and energy systems. The difference between urban and local agriculture. Urban agriculture profitability and investments. The idea of replacing the sun using new technology. The types of plants that can thrive in an urban setting. Minimum requirements for someone to start urban farming. Some of the reasons urban farming fails and how to make it succeed. What to expect at the AgLanta conference.       Resources Mentioned:   AgLanta AgTech X     Connect with Henry Gordon-Smith   Agritecture LinkedIn         We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.        Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website <p...

Dr. Paul Zorner is the CEO of Locus Agricultural Solutions, an agricultural company that develops microbial “probiotics.” These microbial probiotics aim to become the alternative to conventional farm pesticides, effectively reducing chemical interaction with our crops as well as preserving soil health. Dr. Paul’s responsibilities as CEO include overseeing the company’s strategies, operations, and product development. He has over 40 years of experience in science and R&D operations from multiple international companies.   Dr. Paul joins us today to discuss the potential benefits of microbes for soil health and farm yield. He shares the science behind using microbes for soil and their untapped potential for the agriculture industry as a whole. He describes some of the microbes’ functions, how they are to be applied on crops, and how they can reduce pesticide usage. He also explains how these microbes can help reduce carbon gases in the atmosphere.     “We know more about the surface of the moon than we do about soil microbe ecology.” - Dr. Paul Zorner       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   Why he thinks microbes will revolutionize the agricultural industry. The microbes they've developed and their purpose in farming. How he proposes their microbes will work on various crops. How their company produces and mixes microbe "cocktails." Their marketing methods and how they do business with farmers. Carbon sequestration, the atmosphere, and soil sustainability. Real world examples of microbe usage in farms and their potential yields. Why microbes can reduce the use of chemical pesticides.       Connect with Dr. Paul Zorner   Locus Ag LinkedIn       We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.        Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram   

  Matt Zieger is the Vice President of Village Capital, a company that seeks startups offering innovative solutions and disruptive ideas that promote sustainability. As Vice President, he is responsible for developing strategic partnerships with individual investors, private organizations, and government projects. He specializes in cross-sector collaboration which allows him to weave multiple business entities into focusing on sustainability and economic growth.   Matt joins me today to discuss the idea of disruptive startups and why being disruptive may not be what the ag industry currently needs. He shares what Village Capital is all about, how they determine which companies they will invest in, and their business processes. He also shares the problems their company believes ag startups should focus on and describes when a company should scale and when it should just stay its course.       “The farm economy is the backbone of the American economy.” - Matt Zieger       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   What Village Capital is and the companies they invest in. The problems in the food system Village Capital aims to solve. Why displacing the ag industry is not always the solution. How they choose companies to invest in within the ag industry. What business models should be to benefit both investors and consumers. Why the "move fast and break things" business strategy is not applicable in ag. Determining whether it's time to grow and scale or to keep the cycle. What excites him the most about the future of the ag industry?     Resources Mentioned:   Abaca Growing a Sustainable Food System     Connect with Matt Zieger   Village Capital Twitter LinkedIn       We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.        Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram   

  Ross Thruston is the President and Founder of Livestock Water Recycling, a company that is implementing technology in animal agriculture units that recycles the water and nutrients from animal agriculture systems. He has over 30 years of experience in construction and environmental technology.   Jay Binversie is a third generation dairy farmer and the owner of Robinway Dairy and Bucky Organics. Robinway Dairy is a 1700 cow dairy farm based in Kiel, Wisconsin. Bucky Organics is a company that produces and sells organic plant nutrients. Jay has used the Livestock Water Recycling’s system on his dairy farm for over four years, extracting the nutrients from his cow’s manure and using it to create natural organic plant nutrient supplements for farmers.   Ross and Jay join me today to discuss nutrient cycling and the manure economy. Ross shares what inspired him to create a system for the agriculture industry and how it impacts farm sustainability. Jay shares the agricultural and economic advantages he has experienced since installing the system on his dairy farm as well as how implementing the system has opened new opportunities for growth and revenue. We also discuss how dairy farmers can utilize the LWR recycling system to extract valuable nutrients and materials from their farms to improve their soil health, increase product yields, and make a positive impact on the economy and environment.       “From a sustainability perspective, what we do in terms of compacting and segregating the nutrients lets the manure economy work so you can take nutrients back to your feed sources - which you were never able to do before.” - Ross Thurston       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   How Livestock Water Recycling got started in the animal agriculture industry. What inspired Ross to create the LWR system for the ag industry. How the LWR system is helping farmers increase product yields and create new income streams. Why Jay decided to implement the LWR system on his dairy farm. The economic advantages of implementing the LWR system. How using the system has impacted Jay’s life and business. The primary pain point that often drives producers to connect with Ross. The impact that the LWR system can have on ag sustainability. How the system can reduce greenhouse gasses in the environment. How it opens new opportunities for new marketplaces in the agriculture space. How the system has helped Jay reduce the use of antibiotics on his dairy farm. The impact that the manure economy has on a farmer’s ability to scale. Why farmers are often hesitant to implement new technologies.     Related Content:   Episode 99: Nutrient Management, Intercropping, and The Sharing Economy with Jason Mauck Episode 139: Building a Family Dairy Business Through a Commitment to Sustainability and Rural Communities with Ken McCarty of McCarty Family Farms     Connect with Ross Thurston:   Livestock Water Recycling LinkedIn   ...

  Steve Sarracino is the Founder of Activant Capital, a business that invests in growth-stage tech companies worldwide. They provide funding for businesses in commerce, Internet of Things, and data-driven companies. For agriculture, Steve prefers data-driven companies because they can act as a source of truth not just for farmers, but also for consumers. He obtained his MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and his BA in Finance and Economics at Southern Methodist University.   Steve joins me today to discuss how the farmers can benefit from data-driven startups and how it can have positive effects on the ag industry. He describes the current business models that govern the ag industry and the emerging trends in startups. He also shares the type of business models farmers need and describes the kind of companies they’re looking to invest in as well as what new ag startups should seek to address.     “Farming is basically a dirty data problem.” - Dr. David Williams       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   The current setup in the AgTech industry. The type of business model that can help today's farmers. Why there's a reluctance from farmers to change business models. Their criteria in looking for ag business investments. How their investment process works from start to finish. The types of business leaders they like working with. Problems in agriculture new startups should tackle.     Key Takeaways:   If you can partner with the right technology firm and sell direct, that can change the economic model. The average farmer makes about 120 important decisions, all affected by data.     Resources Mentioned:   The Merchants of Grain by Dan Morgan       Connect with Steve Sarracino:   Activant Capital LinkedIn               We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.        Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  <a href=...

  Dr. David Williams is a professor of agronomy and member of the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences with the University of Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s Industrial Hemp Program. He has been in the agronomic industry his entire career, wearing hats as a teacher, researcher, and practitioner. David has been a champion of industrial hemp agronomic science research since 2014.   David joins me today to discuss the various ways hemp can be utilized other than for its psychoactive properties. He explains what the industry currently looks like and how that will change in the coming years. He also shares some of the concerns farmers raise when it comes to growing hemp, farm data about the plant, and describes how hemp holds the potential to revolutionize the economy.     “Cannabinoids are evolutionarily thought of as a plant protection molecule. They certainly weren't put on this Earth to get humans high.” - Dr. David Williams       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   David's professional background and thoughts on Kentucky's advancements in the hemp space. What the hemp industry looks like right now and how it might look in the near future. Concerns on hemp sustainability and its effects on the economy. How the Farm Bill will change the way the industry views and uses hemp. The conditions necessary to grow hemp. What farmers can do if they find out their crops are above the THC limit. Common problems farmers encounter in growing hemp. Challenges the hemp industry faces when it comes to scaling. The selling points and applications of hemp. The yield and income farmers can expect from growing hemp.     Key Takeaways:   The supply and demand for hemp are going to define the scope and scale of the industry. Hemp is more than just a psychoactive plant, with applications that can potentially disrupt the industry.     Resources Mentioned:   Nicole Gauthier     Connect with Dr. David Williams:   UK Industrial Hemp Agronomic Research Email: david.williams@uky.edu               We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.        Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad...

  Zev Paiss is a Managing Partner at Farmers Support Group, a company dedicated to helping hemp farmers as well as laying down the foundations for a U.S. hemp supply chain. Their goal is to guarantee buyers for every hemp seed planted. Zev’s extensive business acumen allows him to provide the group with consultation, supply chain development, and investor relations services. He also manages the company’s sustainability development projects.   Zev joins me today to discuss the hemp industry, its current state, and what the future holds for it. He shares his background, why he became passionate about hemp farming, and his current projects. He explains the massive economic potential of the hemp industry and why companies in various sectors should take a look. He also describes some of the problems farmers encounter when growing hemp as well as some of his proposed solutions.     “As the market demands different products, processors are continuing what they can do and figuring out how to scale up.” - Zev Paiss       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   How Zev got started working in the hemp industry. The state of the hemp industry today and what the future may hold. Companies and businesses getting into the hemp industry. Storing hemp products before they are processed. The two emerging subsets on the CBD side of processing. The necessary conditions and considerations to grow hemp. Common problems farmers experience when growing hemp from the first time.     Key Takeaways:   The challenge with industrial hemp is you don't want that THC of going above 0.3%       Connect with Zev Paiss:   Farmers Support Group LinkedIn Email: info@farmerssupportgroup.com               We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.        Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram     

  Ken McCarty manages McCarty Family Farms, a dairy farm that has been in operation since 1914, making it more than a hundred years old. On top of using state-of-the-art equipment, their farm is also Non-GMO Project Verified. Ken is part of the fourth generation of owners and makes sure their daily operations puts emphasis on environmental sustainability and animal welfare among other concerns.   Ken joins me today to describe how he and his family run and manages their farm. He shares some of its rich history, its humble beginnings, and why they decided to focus on dairy products. He explains why they went after a Non-GMO certification and how it has improved the quality of their operations. He also discusses how using data instead of instinct is the right way to manage a farm.     “Growth, to us, isn't milking more cows and getting bigger. Growth is getting better every day.” - Ken McCarty       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   Why you should operate in multiple, small locations instead of expanding from one big hub. What his life was like before they decided to move to Kansas. Focusing on exploring milk marketing opportunities and dairy farming. The reason why they are Non-GMO Project verified. The values and principles they want to instill in their company. What's in store for McCarty Family Farms?     Key Takeaways:   Dairy from an economic development point of view is attractive to rural-American eco-devo groups. Manage by the data. Let data drive your decisions. Being biased will never let you manage your farms efficiently.       Connect with Ken McCarty:   McCarty Family Farms Facebook               We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.        Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram     

  Dick Wittman is the Founder of Wittman Consulting, a company dedicated to training consultants who can help family farm businesses in transitional processes and agricultural finance. Dick is a former manager and the current board chair for a 20,000-acre family farm located in Idaho. He has an extensive farming and ranching background in crops, cattle, and timber. He holds a degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Idaho and a Master’s degree from the University of Utah. Currently, he focuses on public speaking and running Train-the-Trainer workshops, expanding the international resource base of agricultural consultants for family-owned businesses.   Dick joins me today to share why it’s important for family farm owners to adopt the “Farm CEO” mindset. He explains why family farm managers need to operate more like executives and how they can change their mindset to function at an executive level. He also shares the skills that are required today to better manage family farm businesses and the importance of being able to adapt your organization to market changes in order to to ensure future success.     “Most farmers get into farming to grow things, but if they are going to succeed, then they need to be skilled in finance, marketing, and human relations.” - Dick Wittman       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   How Dave got into the consulting side of the agricultural business. The common areas for improvement and management disciplines seen in the typical family farm. The background of The Executive Program for Agricultural Producers (TEPAP). The downturn in the economic market and recognizing that businesses need to change and be optimized. The quick wins that can get results and creating a to-do list of the low-hanging fruit. Using the resources out there and adapting them to your operation. The Train-the-Trainer seminars for consulting professionals. The agricultural outlook and the opportunities to re-engineer your business. How to use data management to make strategic changes and improve your bottom line. Staying ahead through diversification and analysis of value-added resources.     Key Takeaways:   Strive to achieve excellence in all areas of your business. Adapt existing resources for your operation. Use data to make strategic business realignments.     Resources Mentioned:   Executive Program for Agricultural Producers Granular     Connect with Dick Wittman:   Wittman Consulting Building Effective Farm Management Systems Train-the-Trainer Seminar Email: dwittman@lewiston.com             This episode is sponsored by: Granular - Manage Your Farm with Confidence   Granular is an agriculture software company dedicated to building stronger, more profitable farms. Since 2014, Granular has become a leader in developing web and mobile apps grounded in advanced data science technology to help farmers make data-driven, real-time business and agriculture decisions with greater confidence.   To learn more about how Granular’s digital solutions can help you better manage your farm, visit Granular.ag.  

  Jeff and Garrett Sims are the owners of Sims Farms, a family-owned and operated ag business in the Centralia, Missouri area. The farm was established in 1967, and they’re the 5th generation of farmers who manage and oversee its day-to-day operations. Some of the services they offer include stewardship, soybeans production, and commercial corn production.   Jeff and Garrett join me today to describe how Granular has enabled them to manage their business at a more efficient rate. They share how they run the farm, the people they employ, and the crops they grow. They discuss how they adapted to new technologies and how Granular has served as one of their best investments. They also explain the importance of knowing which “shiny object” to focus on and how to tell if a new tool is worth your time.     “It's great to sell a product, but you have to have people and systems in place to make it work.” - Jeff Sims       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   Jeff and Garrett Sims' farming operations and how they manage their farm. Their transition from traditional to automated farm management. How Granular helped them establish an efficient farm system. Sorting through the many new tools and technologies available to them. What matters most when considering using new technology. The number of people they employ and their responsibilities around the farm. Tasks they spend more time on now than they did when they were starting out. What they need to put more emphasis on to continue growing. What they're excited about in the future of agriculture.     Key Takeaways:   Some of the technologies out there today give us a good indication of what's coming. All technologies need to be looked at and applied to your business in some way or form. Adapting to new technology isn't as expensive as it was decades ago. As farms become bigger and more complex, you need to hire outside help.     Resources Mentioned:   Autosteer     Connect with Jeff and Garrett Sims:   SIMS Farms Email: sims.farms@yahoo.com             This episode is sponsored by: Granular - Manage Your Farm with Confidence   Granular is an agriculture software company dedicated to building stronger, more profitable farms. Since 2014, Granular has become a leader in developing web and mobile apps grounded in advanced data science technology to help farmers make data-driven, real-time business and agriculture decisions with greater confidence.   To learn more about how Granular’s digital solutions can help you better manage your farm, visit Granular.ag.       2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30   Help us celebrate the top 30 future leaders of agriculture! Nominate your favorite up-and-coming, future executives, innovators, and influencers in the following agriculture categories:   Agribusiness Production Agriculture Research & Technology Entrepreneurship Education & Advocacy   Nominations for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list are now open and are scheduled to close Thursday, January 31, 2019, at 11:59 PM. Self-nominations are accepted.   Winners will be...

  Sid Gorham is the President & CEO of Granular, a software and analytics platform that aims to improve farming efficiency and help farmers make better, well-informed business decisions. As the leader of Granular, his responsibilities include setting growth strategies and maintaining a rich and diverse entrepreneurial culture as they scale the company. His extensive experience in leading companies in the tech and mobile industries, as well as seeing the needs of the ag industry, has served as one of his primary drivers in starting the company.   Sid joins me today to share how Granular enables farmers to operate and manage their farms better. He shares his passion for tech, his interests in applying tech in farms, and how he got inspired to start Granular. He describes the farming problems their company solves, explains how their business works, and how they integrate new farmers into using their platform. He also discusses some of the current innovations in ag as well as shares his thoughts on the future of farming and agriculture.   “In the next 3-5 years, we're going to see a dramatic change in how farmers market their crops and use risk management tools.” - Sid Gorham       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   Sid Gorham's tech background and what he finds unique in agriculture. What Granular is and his inspiration in founding this type of company. Where agriculture is right now regarding innovative history. The benefits of using Granular for your ag business. The hardships and successes he experienced in establishing Granular. What AcreValue is and how it helps business-minded farmers. Current problems in the industry that still needs solving. Tips on improving business and employee productivity.     Key Takeaways:   The family-owned business structure is unique and dominant in the agriculture industry. It's rare to run across a farmer who isn't trying anything related to data technology.     Connect with Sid Gorham:   Granular LinkedIn             This episode is sponsored by: Granular - Manage Your Farm with Confidence   Granular is an agriculture software company dedicated to building stronger, more profitable farms. Since 2014, Granular has become a leader in developing web and mobile apps grounded in advanced data science technology to help farmers make data-driven, real-time business and agriculture decisions with greater confidence.   To learn more about how Granular’s digital solutions can help you better manage your farm, visit Granular.ag.       2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30   Help us celebrate the top 30 future leaders of agriculture! Nominate your favorite up-and-coming, future executives, innovators, and influencers in the following agriculture categories:   Agribusiness Production Agriculture Research & Technology Entrepreneurship Education & Advocacy   Nominations for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list are now open and are scheduled to close Thursday, January 31, 2019, at 11:59 PM. Self-nominations are accepted.   Winners will be announced March 2019.   To learn more about the eligibility requirements, announcement date and location, and to nominate for the 2019...

  Justin Dahlgren and Eric Thalken are farm managers in Nebraska. They have adapted to using Granular, one of the world’s leading farm management software tools. Granular provides farmers with all the necessary tools that analyze operational, agronomic, and financial information for their farms. Justin’s farm primarily grows corn and soybeans tied to their 8,000-head feedlot. On the other hand, Eric’s 2,300-acre farm has transitioned to organic farming recently and aims to be 100% organic this year.   Justin and Eric join me today to share their passion for agriculture and how they utilized current technologies to optimize farm management. They discuss what their farms are all about, the crops they produce, and their specific roles. They describe some of the farming practices that improved the introduction of innovative software. They also explain how farm owners should interpret data in a way that benefits their farming operations and share what they believe the future of agriculture will be like in 25 years.     “Regenerative agriculture will become a commodity because that will be the only way to produce crops that people want to consume.” - Justin Dahlgren       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   Justin's and Eric's farm backgrounds and their current agricultural ventures. Why Justin transitioned to organic farming and how it started. How they determine if they can scale a process. What brought Justin from Sales Agronomy to farming again? Focusing on new prospects and how to choose among many new ‘shiny objects’. Utilizing data gathered from different types of technologies in their farms. Technologies that significantly impacted their farming practices. The people they plan to hire to make data analysis easier. What they believe the agriculture setting will look like in the next few decades     Key Takeaways:   Technology is helping farmers become more regenerative. It's not humanly possible to get through all the data and get through everything that is actionable. Farmers have been collecting data for decades, but many farmers have yet to fully utilize them to make the right decisions.     Resources Mentioned:   Future of Agriculture 107: Organic Agriculture at Scale with John McKeon of Tanimura and Antle Future of Agriculture 110: How Carbon Trading Could Benefit Farmers with Aldyen Donelly of Nori Granular     Connect with Justin Dahlgren:   Facebook Email: jdahlgren93@hotmail.com     Connect with Eric Thalken:   Burkey Farms LinkedIn LinkedIn           This episode is sponsored by: Granular - Manage Your Farm with Confidence   Granular is an agriculture software company dedicated to building stronger, more profitable farms. Since 2014, Granular has become a leader in developing web and mobile apps grounded in advanced data science technology to help farmers make data-driven, real-time business and agriculture decisions with greater...

Tim Moffett is known as the Ag Comedian, as he blends comedy and farming into a finely tuned and unique craft. He likes to combine everyday life on the farm and stand-up comedy to show everyone there is always something to smile and laugh about - even in agriculture. Tim frequently performs at agriculture conventions, fairs, business meetings, corporate events, and even at family reunions.   Tim joins me today to discuss comedy in agriculture, a side to the industry most think doesn’t exist. He shares his family background and how he discovered his passion for comedy. He discusses some of his favorite comedic materials and how he engages with his core audience. He also shares his opinions on the idea of organic farming and vaccinations.     “Not just in agriculture, but life can get you down. Sometimes you just need a good laugh.” - Tim Moffett       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   Tim's farm background and how he combines comedy and farming. How he manages their farming business and their Happy Cheese concept. What kept him motivated to run his farm despite the stress of being a comedian. How he appeals to his core ag audience. The material he uses for his comedy that relates to agriculture. Why he's not a fan of vaccinations for his cows.     Key Takeaways:   You can only grow as a person by having a mentor that will tell you when you're awful.     Resources Mentioned:   Progressive Dairy     Connect with Tim Moffett:   Ag Comedian Farm Raised on Spotify         2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30   Help us celebrate the top 30 future leaders of agriculture! Nominate your favorite up-and-coming, future executives, innovators, and influencers in the following agriculture categories:   Agribusiness Production Agriculture Research & Technology Entrepreneurship Education & Advocacy   Nominations for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list are now open and are scheduled to close Thursday, January 31, 2019, at 11:59 PM. Self-nominations are accepted.   Winners will be announced March 2019.   To learn more about the eligibility requirements, announcement date, and location, and to nominate for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list, visit: 30Under30.ag     We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media...

  The concept of Soil Health deals with making sure the land where our farms stand will remain the same for the next generation. This was the goal of my journey in bringing the awareness of soil health to the world, and I couldn’t have done it without the help of Jim Loar of Cool Planet.   This special episode will be the culmination of all the farms I visited and the amazing farmers I met along the way. I share where I draw my passion for agriculture and being immersed in this scientifically-driven industry. I discuss the different aspects of agriculture and the farmers who best represented them. I explain how much technology is driving the recent agricultural innovations. I also describe the people behind the farms I went to and how they’re contributing to soil health and sustainability.     “Agriculture exists to solve our most complex problems to meet our most basic needs."       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   Round-up of the Stories from the Soil visits and episodes. Where my love for agriculture came from. The farmers I met along the way and why they're awesome. How data and technology have affected the way farmers manage and operate farms today. How innovation is driving the growth of the agriculture industry. The six aspects of agriculture and what they mean from a global perspective.     Key Takeaways:   There is an element in agriculture of collaboration. Be willing to help out your neighbor. If you're not doing what's right for the soil, it's going to be very difficult to sustain it for the next generation.     Resources Mentioned:   Cool Planet Biochar with Jim Loar of Cool Planet Stories from the Soil         2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30   Help us celebrate the top 30 future leaders of agriculture! Nominate your favorite up-and-coming, future executives, innovators, and influencers in the following agriculture categories:   Agribusiness Production Agriculture Research & Technology Entrepreneurship Education & Advocacy   Nominations for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list are now open and are scheduled to close Thursday, January 31, 2019, at 11:59 PM. Self-nominations are accepted.   Winners will be announced March 2019.   To learn more about the eligibility requirements, announcement date and location, and to nominate for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list, visit: 30Under30.ag     We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please <a href=...

  Davon Cook is the Co-Founder of Ag Progress, a company that provides management consulting, family business advisory, and facilitation for ag ventures and other groups. Davon facilitates peer groups of ag operations and is a member of the Family Firm Institute, one of the most extensive networks of thought leaders in the family enterprise field. She received her master’s degree from Texas A&M in Ag Econ and her MBA from the University of Illinois.   Davon joins me to share the inspiration behind starting Ag Progress and how their firm works. She describes how their business consulting services help farm owners improve their businesses and the different challenges they face with each client. She also explains the three circles of family business. what succession planning means, and shares what she expects to happen in the future for the ag industry.     “When you change something in one aspect of the organization, there's movement in other places; it has an impact on the entire system itself." - Davon Cook       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   Why Davon calls themselves family business advisors. The difference between corporate farms and family farms. How they started their business and the inspiration behind it. The core business challenges they tackle. The life cycle of any business and their different stages. The three circles of family business and the difference between farms in the '90s and farms today. The definition of succession planning and how they help owners manage it. The changes she expects to see in the future for the family farm industry.     Manager Minute   Set goals and your to-do list in A, B, and C categories. Try to focus on what's on your A-list as much as possible.     Key Takeaways:   There is value in having the tough conversations by a business owner with their team. Don't assume parting ways is a failure if you're doing the right thing for your family or the business' health. An organization is made up of several parts, each one complimenting and affecting the other.     Resources Mentioned: FFI     Connect with Davon Cook:   Ag Progress LinkedIn         2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30   Help us celebrate the top 30 future leaders of agriculture! Nominate your favorite up-and-coming, future executives, innovators, and influencers in the following agriculture categories:   Agribusiness Production Agriculture Research & Technology Entrepreneurship Education & Advocacy   Nominations for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list are now open and are scheduled to close Thursday, January 31, 2019, at 11:59 PM. Self-nominations are accepted.   Winners will be announced March 2019.   To learn more about the eligibility requirements, announcement date and location, and to nominate for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list, visit: 30Under30.ag     We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on

Joe Breker is the owner of the Coteau des Prairies, a getaway lodge that offers stunning views surrounded by prairie farms and fields. He has been farming for over 40 years and practices what the industry calls “No-till” farming, a method that prioritizes soil health. With his skills and knowledge, Joe managed to successfully operate his farm during the dry ‘80s and wet ‘90s, as well as each decade’s poor farm economy. Joe joins me today to describe how his conservative farming practices have improved their farm’s soil health. He shares how his father was a sustainable farmer and what he did to build on what his father started. He also describes what no-till farming is, how it helps to restore damaged soil and explains the science behind management practices and how it affects soil health for decades.   “Once you lose soil health, it's really difficult to get it back." - Joe Breker   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: The farming legacy Joe is a part of and how his father ran the farm. What no-till farming is and what made him utilize this method. How he started his journey in soil health. Maintaining commitment to soil health despite poor farming business conditions. How he processes their compost and the processes involved. Building soil health and how they nurse damaged soil back to health. Key Takeaways: Farmers know production losses happen because of management practices on their farm. You can't fully restore the health of soil, but you can devise ways to improve it.   Resources Mentioned: Stories from the soil Cool Planet   Connect with Joe Breker: Coteau des Prairies Lodge   2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30   Help us celebrate the top 30 future leaders of agriculture! Nominate your favorite up-and-coming, future executives, innovators, and influencers in the following agriculture categories:   Agribusiness Production Agriculture Research & Technology Entrepreneurship Education & Advocacy   Nominations for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list are now open and are scheduled to close Thursday, January 31, 2019, at 11:59 PM. Self-nominations are accepted.   Winners will be announced March 2019.   To learn more about the eligibility requirements, announcement date and location, and to nominate for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list, visit: 30Under30.ag     We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more...

Brady Sidwell is the owner of Sidwell Strategies, a commodity brokerage that provides a variety of risk management solutions that caters towards those in the agricultural industry. They help farmers manage price risks by trading futures and options on the commodity market. Before focusing on this type of business, Brady enjoyed traveling to 95 countries and working in a lot of them. The experiences he had on his many trips allowed him to form a better understanding of how the economy on agriculture works from a global perspective and apply that to his business.   Brady joins me today to share his passion for helping farmers and how it led to the start of Sidwell Strategies. He shares his academic and career highlights, some of the countries he’s worked in and what he learned from them. He describes how China is trying to emulate how Americans look at farming as well as the difference between farmers from either country. He also discusses some of their projects for the coming months.     “If you think you want to do something, go get an internship related to it and see if that is what you want to do." - Brady Sidwell       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   His academic and career achievements and how he ended up working in the agriculture industry. The Chinese mindset and the ways they're trying to catch up with the American model. The big difference between farmers in the US and farmers in China. What made him leave and eventually return to farming. How big his team is right now and some of their current projects. His experience while visiting North Korea.   Key Takeaways: Places that are least populated are where agriculture is the most productive. The entrepreneurial mindset is what sets business leaders apart from those who just want to run a business.   Connect with Brady Sidwell: Sidwell Strategies Facebook Email: brady@sidwellstrategies.com   2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30   Help us celebrate the top 30 future leaders of agriculture! Nominate your favorite up-and-coming, future executives, innovators, and influencers in the following agriculture categories:   Agribusiness Production Agriculture Research & Technology Entrepreneurship Education & Advocacy   Nominations for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list are now open and are scheduled to close Thursday, January 31, 2019, at 11:59 PM. Self-nominations are accepted.   Winners will be announced March 2019.   To learn more about the eligibility requirements, announcement date, and location, and to nominate for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list, visit: 30Under30.ag     We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please <a...

  Irving Fain is the CEO & Co-Founder of Bowery Farming, a company that seeks to innovate indoor and urban farming through sustainable methods without the need for pesticides. He is a seasoned entrepreneur who is passionate about expanding access to quality produce. Before he became the CEO of Bowery Farming, Irving began his career assisting early-stage companies and startups in raising capital as an investment banker.   Irving joins me today to discuss how he and his company plan to improve indoor farming. He explains the many benefits to indoor farming and what separates them from other companies. He discusses some of the projects they’re running and will run in the near future and shares why they decided to focus on indoor farming. He also explains the technologies they use to reinvent and innovate the local produce supply chain.     “The best way to generate positive impact is tying that to an economically viable business model." -Irving Fain       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   What Bowery Farming is and why they focused on indoor farming. The technologies that allowed the innovations they developed. What Bowery Farming looks like today. Why they prioritize being in the commercial farming business. Managing pests and diseases without the use of pesticides. The most exciting aspect of their business.       Key Takeaways:   In building businesses, focus matters a lot. Being focused is a critical component in being successful. With the current systems we have, not only can we know what's happening with the crop, but also what we expect to see from it.     Connect with Irving Fain:   Bowery Farming LinkedIn         2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30   Help us celebrate the top 30 future leaders of agriculture! Nominate your favorite up-and-coming, future executives, innovators, and influencers in the following agriculture categories:   Agribusiness Production Agriculture Research & Technology Entrepreneurship Education & Advocacy   Nominations for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list are now open and are scheduled to close Thursday, January 31, 2019, at 11:59 PM. Self-nominations are accepted.   Winners will be announced March 2019.   To learn more about the eligibility requirements, announcement date and location, and to nominate for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list, visit: 30Under30.ag     We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your...

  Israel Morales Sr. is JV Farms Organic’s lead grower, carrying with him over forty years of farming experience. JV Farms Organic is committed to growing organic crops in an innovative and eco-friendly manner. Israel has extensive experience in not just knowing what produce matches the type of soil you have, but also the various factors involved in soil health. From types of plants and soil varieties to the very insects thriving within the soil itself, Israel’s wisdom regarding organic farming only serves to impress his younger peers.   Israel joins me today to impart his wisdom regarding soil health. He shares the story of he and his family came to California and how he met his partner and started JV Farms Organic. He describes what the farm was like before they developed techniques to improve the soil and what it looks like today. Israel also explains how their farm solved the pest issue without the use of pesticides.     “Your footprints are the best fertilizer. Walk the field." - Israel Morales       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   How Israel came to settle in California. The kind of produce he grows on his farm. How they made the soil capable of growing a variety of plants. The challenges he faced in improving soil health and removing weeds. The best lesson he's learned in his 40 years of being a farmer. When he plans on retiring and what he'll do afterward.       Key Takeaways:   In maintaining soil health, it's all in the balance of minerals.       Resources Mentioned: Stories from the Soil EPISODE 7 - Next-Gen Farming Cool Planet     Connect with Israel Morales:   JV Farms Organic         2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30   Help us celebrate the top 30 future leaders of agriculture! Nominate your favorite up-and-coming, future executives, innovators, and influencers in the following agriculture categories:   Agribusiness Production Agriculture Research & Technology Entrepreneurship Education & Advocacy   Nominations for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list are now open and are scheduled to close Thursday, January 31, 2019, at 11:59 PM. Self-nominations are accepted.   Winners will be announced March 2019.   To learn more about the eligibility requirements, announcement date and location, and to nominate for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list, visit: 30Under30.ag     We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest...

  Connie Bowen is the Principal and Program Manager of The Yield Lab as well as the Principal of Cultivation Capital. The Yield Lab is an accelerator program for entrepreneurs in the agriculture industry. The program’s mission is to enable agribusinesses to revolutionize agrifood systems and promote sustainability through educational resources and support.   Connie joins me today to share The Yield Lab’s mission and how they help entrepreneurs build sustainable agribusinesses through their accelerator program. She discusses how technology is impacting the agriculture industry, how the company utilizes agtech to promote global expansion, and how the company is revolutionizing the accelerator model. She also shares what startup agribusinesses can expect by applying and participating in The Yield Lab’s programs as well as her perspective on the state of technology in the agriculture industry.     “Our global network is an asset for companies - so we can help them to expand at a rate that is appropriate for them.” - Connie Bowen       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   What inspired her to build a career in the agriculture industry. How she began working with The Yield Lab. How the company is revolutionizing the way accelerators are meeting the needs of agtech and agribusinesses. How The Yield Lab defines agtech. What agribusinesses can expect when applying and working with the accelerator program. Why the company decided to expand into multiple countries. Which countries are their accelerator programs currently available? How The Yield Lab customizes their programs to meet the needs of their portfolio companies. The various programs available through the program. Her perspective on the state of agtech.     Key Takeaways:   It is very difficult to expand into a new foreign country, but it is necessary for companies to scale. There is a need for more people to look at ag as a very serious opportunity for innovation. Ag technology, right now, is such a collaborative space.     Connect with Connie Bowen: The Yield Lab         2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30   Help us celebrate the top 30 future leaders of agriculture! Nominate your favorite up-and-coming, future executives, innovators, and influencers in the following agriculture categories:   Agribusiness Production Agriculture Research & Technology Entrepreneurship Education & Advocacy   Nominations for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list are now open and are scheduled to close Thursday, January 31, 2019, at 11:59 PM. Self-nominations are accepted.   Winners will be announced March 2019.   To learn more about the eligibility requirements, announcement date and location, and to nominate for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list, visit: 30Under30.ag     We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!   ...

  Nave Strauss is an arborist and the Director of Street Tree Planting for NYC Parks. His primary function is to make sure New York City and its surrounding areas are equipped with the right combination of trees and plants that can help sustain both public and environmental health. He obtained a degree in Environmental Studies with an emphasis in Forestry from St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY in 2008 and has worked with NYC Parks since 2009. He and his team aim to become the best tree planting program in the world.   Nave joins me today to share his passion for trees and environmental sustainability. He explains what an arborist is, what they do, and how they participate in various programs involving nature and trees. He also discusses the considerations made when assessing locations and trees to be planted and explains how they aim to improve soil health by way of enhancing soil microbiome as well as how they make use of biochar.     “Trees are are investments that will outlive all of us." -Nave Strauss       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   What an arborist is and the responsibilities that come with this title. Why it's not odd to be an arborist in New York City. The amount of resources New York City should put into its parks. How trees factor into the public and environmental health in cities. Assessing the number of trees as well as the kind of trees needed per area. What soil science says about soil health and how they address it. Short and long-term solutions to improving soil microbiome. Processes involved in basic tree health. What made Nave choose to work in New York City.       Key Takeaways:   Governments shouldn’t hesitate to put more resources on tree planting because the benefits trees provide are in the interest of public health. An arborist’s main job is to speak for the trees.       Resources Mentioned: Stories from the Soil EPISODE 6 - Soil In The City Cool Planet Million Trees NYC     Connect with Nave Strauss:   NYC Parks         2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30   Help us celebrate the top 30 future leaders of agriculture! Nominate your favorite up-and-coming, future executives, innovators, and influencers in the following agriculture categories:   Agribusiness Production Agriculture Research & Technology Entrepreneurship Education & Advocacy   Nominations for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list are now open and are scheduled to close Thursday, January 31, 2019, at 11:59 PM. Self-nominations are accepted.   Winners will be announced March 2019.   To learn more about the eligibility requirements, announcement date and location, and to nominate for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list, visit: 30Under30.ag     We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the <a...

  Alexander Reichert is the Co-Founder & CEO of AgVend, an eCommerce platform that partners with various ag retailers to adapt to the evolving needs of American farmers. Their platform allows farmers to connect with retailers and purchase their products and/or services anywhere and at any time. Alex practices the Build-Measure-Learn philosophy in his life and believes customer satisfaction isn’t an option, but a critical part of success in any industry.   Alexander joins me today to describe AgVend, what inspired him to start the company, how it works, and how it seeks to help farmers. He explains the need to have an online presence in the ag industry and why farmers today are more open to online retail stores. He discusses the various ways AgVend can help both farmers and ag retailers in as transparent a manner as possible. He also shares the values and culture he promotes in his company.     “The ones who start and get on track early are the ones who will be most successful." - Alexander Reichert       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   What AgVend is and what it is designed to do. The story that inspired him to start AgVend. The reason behind the surge of online eCommerce platforms in the ag space. How they develop their business strategies and project ideas. How they guarantee a healthy and profitable platform. Fixing constantly fluctuating quotations on online items. Why customers would be inclined to use their platform. The company values he instills in AgVend.     Manager Minute   Retrofitting a culture to a company is nearly impossible.     Key Takeaways:   Growers appreciate if they can work with retailers within their community. Technological solutions that combine with the human element are the ones that stick. Farmers today are more comfortable in obtaining information and buying ag products online.     Connect with Alexander Reichert:   AgVend Facebook Twitter Instagram Email: contact@agvend.com Direct Email: alexander@agvend.com         2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30   Help us celebrate the top 30 future leaders of agriculture! Nominate your favorite up-and-coming, future executives, innovators, and influencers in the following agriculture categories:   Agribusiness Production Agriculture Research & Technology Entrepreneurship Education & Advocacy   Nominations for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list are now open and are scheduled to close Thursday, January 31, 2019, at 11:59 PM. Self-nominations are accepted.   Winners will be announced March 2019.   To learn more about the eligibility requirements, announcement date and location, and to nominate for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list, visit: 30Under30.ag     We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the <a...

Todd Janzen is an attorney whose practice covers the agricultural industry with the intent to represent farmers and their respective businesses. He is the President of Janzen Agricultural Law LLC, a law firm that specializes in the legal needs of an innovative agricultural industry. He also serves as the Administrator for Ag Data Transparent, a non-profit organization that aims to bring transparency, trust, and simplicity to ag tech contracts. Todd joins me today to help bring awareness to the idea of data transparency in the agricultural industry. He shares his career journey, what inspired him to become an ag industry lawyer, and explains how data transparency can enable farmers to improve their systems and how they manage their farms. He also explains how companies can get involved, the processes they need to partake, and how he thinks this project can impact the industry as a whole.  “Farmers have a much easier time letting a complete stranger know what they're doing on their farm than they would be letting their own neighbor know." -Todd Janzen     This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Where Todd got his love for agriculture. The risks that come with Ag Data and how to manage them. Technologies that could be collecting data without us knowing. The type of data farmers should be wary of sharing. The processes involved to help farmers become certified. Companies that will not find this type of service useful. The big questions we still need to answer about Ag Data.   Key Takeaways: With social media, people are much more tolerable of sharing private data. We have to treat Ag Data with respect and diligence.    Connect with Todd Janzen: Janzen Ag Law Ag Data Transparent   2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30  Help us celebrate the top 30 future leaders of agriculture! Nominate your favorite up-and-coming, future executives, innovators, and influencers in the following agriculture categories: Agribusiness Production Agriculture Research & Technology Entrepreneurship Education & Advocacy Nominations for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list are now open and are scheduled to close Thursday, January 31, 2019, at 11:59 PM. Self-nominations are accepted.  Winners will be announced March 2019. To learn more about the eligibility requirements, announcement date, and location, and to nominate for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list, visit: 30Under30.ag     We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!  The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.    Share the Ag-Love!  Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!  Learn more about AgGrad...

  Dr. Abbey Wick is an Extension Soil Health Specialist for North Dakota State University. In her position, she is responsible for producing soil health videos with topics ranging from soil erosion to cover crops. She is trained in soil organic matter dynamics, soil structural development, and microbial ecology. She believes all systems need a holistic approach encompassing every interaction within them. She implements this belief by working with landowners, industry, and government agencies throughout North Dakota.   Abbey joins me today to discuss the importance of soil health in the agricultural industry. She shares the story of how she got into the industry despite not having a rural background and why she decided to work on soil health. She describes what her normal, day-to-day routine is like especially when interacting with farmers. She also explains some of the projects she’s working on and how they can help the ag industry as well as the environment.     “Most farmers are not farming for themselves. They’re farming for the next generation." -Dr. Abbey Wick       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   How she got into the agricultural industry despite not growing up on a farm. Her role as an extension specialist and what she does on a daily basis. What the farmers she works with think about soil health and their primary concerns. The goals farmers set their priorities to. The first step in maintaining soil health. Can they optimize one crop to become the best cover crop? Nitrogen and when farmers can utilize the type from the soil and not from fertilizers. The tests involved in evaluating soil health. What Abbey loves so much about soil.     Key Takeaways:   Data always lead us to directions that provide good guidance to within systems we can understand No farmer wants to see soil just slough away. Apply soil health practices in small sections of land first before covering the whole farm. Planting nitrogen-fixing cover crops won't replace nitrogen fertilizers.     Resources Mentioned Stories From The Soil   Connect with Dr. Abbey Wick:   North Dakota State University Twitter     2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30   Help us celebrate the top 30 future leaders of agriculture! Nominate your favorite up-and-coming, future executives, innovators, and influencers in the following agriculture categories:   Agribusiness Production Agriculture Research & Technology Entrepreneurship Education & Advocacy   Nominations for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list are now open and are scheduled to close Thursday, January 31, 2019, at 11:59 PM. Self-nominations are accepted.   Winners will be announced March 2019.   To learn more about the eligibility requirements, announcement date and location, and to nominate for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list, visit: 30Under30.ag     We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the <a...

  Georg Banauch is a molecular biotechnologist with extensive knowledge of synthetic biology and biofuels research. He is also a Co-Founder and Development Director for HATCH, an accelerator program focused exclusively on the aquaculture industry seeking to develop and scale disruptive aquaculture startups.   Joel Harris is Ag Startup Engine’s Co-Director. Ag Startup Engine is a privately-owned accelerator program that funds AgTech entrepreneurs and supports them through mentorship and funding. Joel’s responsibility includes coordinating investor relations and mentoring new entrepreneurs.   Georg and Joel join me today to discuss how their accelerator programs work, the type of ideas they want to support, and what makes each company unique from other accelerators. Georg explains how they developed the idea to launch HATCH, why they focused on aquaculture startups, and how aquaculture can help the world grow. Joel shares what their company is all about and the checklist they use when selecting companies as well as how Ag Startup Engine can help business owners. Joel also offers great advice when dealing with investors from a new entrepreneur’s viewpoint.     "For new entrepreneurs, a small pat on the back can go a long way." - Joel Harris       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   What is HATCH accelerator and how it got started. Their motivation in starting Hatch Accelerator. How their accelerator program works and their interactions with startups. An estimate on how many aquaculture startups are out there. What Hatch looks for in startups and ideas they want to see. What excites Georg on the future of aquaculture? Joel Harris’ perspective as an entrepreneur and someone working with entrepreneurs. Joel’s best advice on how to succeed in growing an AgTech startup. Is Ag Startup Engine open to startups worldwide? How Joel motivates budding entrepreneurs into achieving their goals. Ag Startup Engine's programs and how they help entrepreneurs. Joel's advice to new entrepreneurs when it comes to communicating with investors.     Key Takeaways:   Aquaculture is efficient compared to others in the agricultural industry. Working with an accelerator is an opportunity, but where you’ll end up after that is up to you.     Connect with Georg Baunach:   HATCH Email: georg@hatch.blue     Connect with Joel Harris Ag Startup Engine         We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad...

The Iowa AgriTech Accelerator is a mentor-led program that allows startups to collaborate with agriculture industry leaders and present their solutions to refine product market fit, perform customer discovery within the industry, and build strategic partnerships. Iowa AgriTech Accelerator Executive Director Megan Vollstedt joins the show to share more about their program. One of their success stories is Rabbit Tractors, that you may remember from Future of Agriculture 118.  Learn more at https://agiowa.com   Check out the "Future of Agriculture" Blog: www.FutureOfAg.com Like the "Future of Agriculture" Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/futureofag/  

Andrew Diprose is the CEO at Rootwave, a UK tech startup that aims to provide a sustainable and efficient solution to weed problems by zapping them from the root up. The goal is to reduce weeds without using chemicals which could help solve soil contamination issues. His role is to lead the product and technology department, making sure the technology is safe and effective when it is commercially available in 2020.    Andrew joins me today to discuss Rootwave, what inspired him to start this type of technology, and how it works. He explains the need for clean methods of killing weeds relative to soil health and describes some of the ways this technology is superior to the conventional means of removing weeds in farms. He also shares his prediction of what agriculture will look like in the future.     “Electricides will be a benefit to society. It will better the environment and the health of individuals.” - Andrew Diprose       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   What are electricides and how does it work in agriculture? Why Andrew believes electricides are the best alternative to herbicides. What inspired him to come up with the idea of inventing electricides. What makes electricides different from using fire and other thermal methods? How electricides are energy efficient and where the energy comes from. Why electricides won’t adversely affect general soil health. The type of plants they aim to use the technology initially. The current stage the technology is currently in and when it is expected to become available commercially. How Andrew envisions agriculture looking differently in the future.     Key Takeaways:   With soil contamination being rampant all over the world, the need for a localized yet efficient and sustainable herbicide is critical. Electricides protect crops from unwanted vegetation without collateral damage.     Resources Mentioned: FoA118 Autonomous Swarm-Enabled Tractors with Zack James of Rabbit Tractors     Connect with Andrew Diprose:   Rootwave   We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook<a href=...

Tony Chen is the Co-Founder of Manolin Inc., a new startup in the aquaculture space. Manolin is a software company that aims to accelerate resource sharing between salmon farms as well as prevent and manage sea lice outbreaks through digital health management. Before co-founding Manolin, Tony was developing software for the U.S. government and was only interested in aquaculture as a hobby. His fascination grew to new heights when he discovered how oyster farming works and the plight of its farmers.   Tony joins me today to share his thoughts on aquaculture and why he thinks it’s going to radically change the way we look at agriculture in the near future. He explains what aquaculture is all about, how he believes it can contribute to solving the world food production crisis, and how their company aims to help ocean farmers. He discusses some of the issues of aquaculture and how they tie with the ocean’s current problems. He also describes why they worked with HATCH among other startup accelerators in the industry.   “Aquaculture is another industrial revolution and the world is starting to recognize that.” - Tony Chen   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   What is Aquaculture and how can it impact the future of agriculture? Why he focused on Aquaculture despite having a degree in Computer Science from MIT. What is Manolin and what do they aim to do? Their clients and what their operation might look like. Why they pursued a partnership with the startup accelerator HATCH. The challenges and benefits of being a U.S. company operating in a foreign country. His advice to startups planning to work with accelerators. Why people need to pay more attention to aquaculture. How their app works and what it can provide to its users.   Key Takeaways: We're at a stage where there is an opportunity for regeneration in the ocean. Knowing what's happening at a nearby farm is just as important as what's happening at your specific farm. The lack of aquaculture is one of the larger problems when you think about food production globally.   Resources Mentioned:   HATCH Connect with Tony Chen:   Manolin Manolin Aqua Email: tony@manolinaqua.com  We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  <a href=...

 Jim Loar is CEO and President of Cool Planet, an innovations company that seeks to improve upon the current agricultural technologies we have today to facilitate increased profits and crop production at a low cost in a sustainable manner. Jim has over 30 years of experience in the industry and worked with big corporations like Wilbur-Ellis Company and Griffin LLC. He has a Bachelor of Nautical Science from the United States Merchant Marine Academy and obtained his Master's degree in Business administration from Ohio University.   Jim joins me today to discuss his ideas around soil health and why he says it’s the future of agricultural innovations. He explains what soil health is and what exactly makes soil healthy. He introduces a new project called Stories From The Soil and describes its purpose and what he wants it to achieve. Jim also discusses how improving soil health benefits not only the environment but also the economy around the agricultural industry.     “Soil health really is the next evolution of agriculture.” - Jim Loar       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   Why is soil health so important in agriculture? Why he began focusing on innovating soil for agricultural purposes. The properties of healthy soil and what makes soil not healthy. The tools available to the farmer to help make the soil healthy. How Cool Planet plans to initiate the innovations of soil health. The goal of launching "Stories From The Soil" and what you can expect from it.     Key Takeaways:   Farmers have always been focused on health and it's a priority that's passed to the next generation. Improving soil health positively affects soil biology which translates to better crops and bigger profits.     Resources Mentioned:   Biochar with Jim Loar of Cool Planet     Connect with Jim Loar:   Cool Planet Stories From The Soil             We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn<a href=...

  Zack James is the Founder of Rabbit Tractors, a team that designs and builds swarm-enabled, compact, and autonomous farm equipment. His company’s aim is to help farmers save time and money while increasing productivity. He has a degree in Finance from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business and attended University of Michigan Law School with a focus on corporate governance and securities.   Zack joins me today to share his company’s ideas and solutions when it comes to increasing farm efficiency. He introduces the concept of Rabbit Tractors, describes how they developed the idea and explains how it can improve farm productivity. He also describes how they incorporated autonomy in their technology and how farmers can simply run their machines with smartphones.     “What autonomy will do is let us break the paradox of one farmer driving one tractor at a time.” - Zack James       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   What is Rabbit Tractors? How Zack got the inspiration to start the company. His unconventional background prior to starting his company. How having smaller farm equipment can help farmers with their work. How Rabbit Tractors products can help farmers save time and increase productivity To what point is their technology autonomous? Can Rabbit Tractors replace 100% of what farmers use? The current status of Rabbit Tractors. The qualities that made the company attractive to accelerators Their current business focus and their plans for the future.     Key Takeaways:   Most ag tech companies have a great technology component but don't have a good delivery method for it.     Resources Mentioned: AgLaunch     Connect with Zack James:   Rabbit Tractors Email: zack@rabbittractors.com             We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram 

  Pete Nelson is the President and Executive Director of AgLaunch, an agriculture accelerator that supports startups that innovate food and provide sustainable solutions. He has over twenty years of experience as a farmer, writer, consultant, speaker, and entrepreneur emphasizing farm-based innovation technologies and models. He has worked with a variety of public and private sector partners building a support ecosystem for new ag companies.   Pete joins me today to discuss what AgLaunch is about and how they work with new entrepreneurs in the industry. He shares his background and what inspired him to start AgLaunch and explains the problems farmers encounter when choosing which companies to invest in. He also describes the kind of startups they prefer to partner with - especially when it comes to AgTech.     “There is a lack of calibration between what is needed on the farm and the solutions coming forward.” - Pete Nelson       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   An overview of what AgLaunch is all about Pete's role in the early-stage startups they help. How agriculture is different from other industries regarding Farmers’ perspectives on the current state of AgTech. What it takes to grow the ecosystem to where it needs to be. How AgLaunch selects and works with entrepreneurs. The kind of technology or ideas AgLaunch would love to work with. Why agriculture startups have difficulty "crossing the chasm."     Key Takeaways:   Ag startups aren’t adopted by clients as fast as startups in the tech world. There are too many agriculture startups to choose from, and farmers have a hard time choosing which ones to invest in.     Resources Mentioned: GroGuru     Connect with Pete Nelson:   AgLaunch Twitter Email: PNelson@Aglaunch.com             We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram 

    Martin Gross is the Founder and President of Gross-Wen Technologies, a next generation wastewater treatment company that makes use of microalgae to provide a sustainable and efficient alternative to conventional water treatment methods. As President, he has raised over $3 million in Angel and Series A investments, applied for numerous patents, and served as Principal Investigator in non-diluting SBIR grant funding. Martin has a Ph.D. in Agriculture & Biosystems Engineering, and a Ph.D. in Food Science and Technology from Iowa State University.   Martin joins me today to discuss the potential of microalgae in innovating the world’s wastewater treatment industry. He explains how their technology works, what sets it apart from traditional methods, and why he believes their process is sustainable and efficient. He also shares how they grow microalgae and why we shouldn’t worry about the possibility of algae-produced toxicity in water as well as describes how accelerators impacted the growth of his company.   “How do you have a successful business with algae? There are two ways today. That is to clean water or produce high-value algae products.” - Martin Gross   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   How Gross-Wen Technologies grows and farms algae. The major advantage of algae to bacteria or chemical to clean nitrogen phosphorus from water. Where the nitrogen-phosphorus in water originates. Martin's background and how he started Gross-Wen Technologies. What piqued his interest in starting a business. How the technology works and how they validated the process. What makes their system much more efficient and cost-effective than conventional algae-growing technology? The challenges in growing one species of algae. How have accelerators impacted his business?   Key Takeaways:   Algae is better than bacteria or chemicals when it comes to cleaning water. An efficient water treatment system is sustainable.   Resources Mentioned: Ag Startup Engine Iowa State University Startup Factory   Connect with Martin Gross:   Gross-Wen Technologies We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  <a href=...

  Fatma Kaplan and Cameron Schiller are the founders of Pheronym, an agricultural biotechnology company that develops safe and nontoxic solutions to protect a wide variety of plants. Their flagship product is based on pheromones which is extracted from microscopic roundworms called nematodes. Fatma is Pheronym’s CEO/CSO and is an accomplished scientist with a Ph.D. in Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology and postdoctoral training in Natural Product Chemistry. Cameron is the COO and has extensive experience in entrepreneurship with a bachelor’s degree in economics and a Master of Science degree in pharmacy healthcare management.   Fatma and Cameron join me today to discuss their pheromone-based pesticide and how it can improve the agricultural landscape in the future. They describe the primary problem regarding nematodes, what inspired them to investigate the use of pheromones as a pesticide, and what eventually lead them to make nematodes work for farmers instead of against them. They also explain the science behind their product and its mechanical and legal challenges as well as share their experience with accelerators.     “We need to have rotations and multiple solutions when it comes to pest control options.” - Fatma Kaplan       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   What made them look at nematodes for agricultural purposes? What pheromones are and how they utilize it to control nematodes. The challenges of developing nematodes and the pheromones to control them. How to collect nematode secretions. How farmers can identify if they have a nematode problem. The most effective treatment against parasitic nematodes. The difference between nematodes with pheromones vs nematodes without pheromones. How damaging are nematodes to agriculture? Their experience with accelerators and how they helped the business grow. How do connections and networking work with accelerators? Should they be worried about nematodes developing pheromone resistance?     Fatma Kaplan and Cameron Schiller’s Key Takeaways:   Nematodes can hinder farm production, but they can be utilized to benefit the agriculture industry. If you’ve done everything but can’t seem to grow your crops or produce right, you might have a nematode problem.   Connect with Fatma Kaplan and Cameron Schiller   Pheronym Email: schiller@pheronym.com Phone: (352) 219-4464             We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad...

  Welcome back to another episode of the Future of Agriculture’s Follow Up Friday series - the segment when we follow up with listener-submitted questions and comments related to their favorite previous episodes of the show.   This week, I highlight Village Capital, an accelerator that finds, trains, and invests in leaders and entrepreneurs solving real-world problems. Village Capital’s US Ventures Manager Alex Arrivillaga responds to some of my questions regarding the company’s missions and goals, including what Village Capital is and its background and history as well as what sets them apart from other accelerator programs. Alex also shares what she loves about working with food and ag companies.   Resources & Related Content:   Future of Agriculture 114: Sustainable Plastics for Agricultural Use with Tony Bova and Jeff Beegle of Mobius Village Capital Alex Arrivillaga LinkedIn Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg and leave a recorded message! We want to hear from you and feature you on a future Follow Up Friday segment!  

    Jeff Beegle and Tony Bova are the Founders of Mobius, a biotechnology company that envisions to build a future where the world sees organic waste as a valuable resource instead of a burden on the planet. Tony is officially the Chief Executive Officer, and Jeff is the Chief Science Officer. Their current project is a form of biodegradable plastic made from a unique substance found in plants called Lignin. They seek to use their special plastic in various industries such as agriculture, horticulture, and food services.   Jeff and Tony join me today to discuss Mobius’ latest innovation. They share their thoughts on the current economic and environmental issues that surround traditional plastics. They describe their latest product, how it’s made, and why it’s environmentally friendly. They also discuss the different challenges of competing in a plastic market, the difficulty of getting investors, and how they accomplished solving those two problems.   “If someone really wants what you have and they're willing to give you a dollar for it, that's the thumbs up we need to know we're on the right track.” - Tony Bova This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   How they became inspired to start Mobius and the problems they are trying to solve with their products. Why plastics are double-edged swords How their biodegradable plastic works. What makes their product different from traditional PET plastics? How their biodegradable mulch affects the soil. What they did to prevent their product from biodegrading too fast. How they scaled their business. The challenges they faced while searching for investors. Why they chose to team up with Village Capital as an accelerator. The most challenging part of establishing their brand. What's in store for Mobius in the near future?   Tony Bova and Jeff Beegle’s Key Takeaways:   Biodegradable mulch films are actually improving soil health. There's no bacteria and fungi that can actually eat plastic in the soil. When we start using low-cost, but durable materials like plastic for single use, the problem is what we do with them afterwards.   Resources Mentioned: Village Capital Accelerator   Connect with Tony Bova and Jeff Beegle:   Mobius Facebook Twitter Tony Bova LinkedIn Jeff Beegle LinkedIn We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by...

    Welcome back to another episode of the Future of Agriculture’s Follow Up Friday series - the segment when we follow up with listener-submitted questions and comments related to their favorite previous episodes of the show.   TERRA’s Regional Manager Anil Suren answers some of my questions regarding the company’s ideas and services, including what it’s like being part of the TERRA organization, the company’s partners an this week, I highlight the TERRA Accelerator, a business that seeks to bring together the ag industry’s most disruptive startups and progressive corporations to boost innovation and set new standards for food and agriculture. d achievements, and the benefits startups can expect by becoming part of their accelerator program.     Resources & Related Content:   TERRA Accelerator Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg and leave a recorded message! We want to hear from you and feature you on a future Follow Up Friday segment!  

  Abi Ramanan is the CEO of Impact Vision, a company that seeks to build a more secure and transparent food system with the use of hyperspectral technology. The company envisions to reduce the cost of food waste and food fraud through software that provides users with information on food quality, rapidly and non-invasively. Abi is also the founder of Papi’s Pickles and Co-founder of DayOld, food enterprises that tackles food waste and unemployment in migrant communities and promotes gender equality.   Abi joins me today to discuss her company’s fantastic innovation for the food and ag industry. She describes what hyperspectral imaging technology is and how space technology can fuse with the food supply chain to solve food waste and food fraud problems. She also describes how their software works in detecting food fraud, how it provides users with information, and shares some of their current and future projects.     “We need to decrease food production and produce more food for the growing population with less resources.” - Abi Ramanan   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   What hyperspectral technology is and how it can benefit the agriculture industry. What inspired Abi to apply hyperspectral technology to food? How this technology can reduce food waste. The economical and global impact of testing 100% of food instead of a small representative. What food fraud is and how hyperspectral technology can help test for it. Their business strategy in choosing where to apply this technology. The company's plans for the future. Why they choose Terra over other accelerators.     Abi Ramanan’s Key Takeaways:   We need to equip the supply chain with newer tools to test for food safety. We can combine space technology with the supply chain in order to bring about a technological revolution in the ag industry.     Resources Mentioned: TERRA     Connect with Abi Ramanan:   Impact Vision Papi’s Pickles DayOld Email: abi@impactvi.com We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  <a href=...

Sarah Nolet is the Founder and CEO of AgThentic, a company that helps ag businesses and their entrepreneurs and innovators build the food systems of the future. She is a renowned food systems innovation expert and is the reason behind Australia’s early stage agtech ecosystem. Sarah holds a degree in System Design and Management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a B.S. in Computer Science and Human Factors Engineering.   Sarah joins me today to share her insight regarding the future of ag businesses and how she seeks to help expand them faster. She shares the story behind AgThentic, how it started, and how it helps farmers and agbusinesses bridge the gap between agtech and traditional agriculture techniques to create innovative solutions for various problems throughout the industry. She also defines the concept of business accelerators and incubators and how they help agtech startups gain the traction they need to succeed in the agtech industry.   “If connecting to a big company is of strategic importance to your startup, then an accelerator or incubator program can be a good way to do that.” - Sarah Nolet   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   What inspired her to start AgThentic. Her experience regarding farmers who don't adapt to the latest technologies. Do a lot of farmers need help when it comes to using basic software? What agtech accelerators are and how they help agtech startups. The criteria your agtech startup must meet to join an accelerator program. The difference between agtech accelerator programs and agtech incubators. The transformation that happens when an agtech startup goes through an effective accelerator program. Budding countries in the agtech startup space. How AgThentic helps improve the agtech ecosystem between agriculture and agtech.   Sarah Nolet’s Key Takeaways:   There is potential in combining technology and entrepreneurship that can solve a lot of problems. There's a gap between ag and agtech, and it needs to be filled to push innovation.   Connect with Sarah Nolet:   AgThentic AgThentic Resources Tool Bushtech Podcast Twitter Email: sarah@agthentic.com   Check Out Our Sponsor for the “Sustainability at Scale” Series Have you ever heard of Marrone’s BIO WITH BITE? Marrone Bio Innovation offers crop pest protection for the modern organic and conventional production systems. To make sure every grower using their products realize the best possible return on investment, Marrone invests time and resources to thoroughly test and demonstrate the efficacy of those new state of the art products. With serious trial data to back it up! You can see more and connect directly with Marrone by visiting them at www.marronebio.com Marrone is very proud to support The Future Of Agriculture blog series on sustainability in agriculture with Tim Hammerich.   We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us...

Dr. Jeremy Williams is the Vice President of Biotechnology and Agricultural Productivity Innovations at Monsanto, one of the largest modern agricultural companies in the world that develops products and tools to help farmers grow more crops and make use of resources more efficiently. His responsibilities include leading the chemistry and trait research teams that assist farmers to succeed through innovative means such as artificial intelligence. His ultimate goal is to create a discovery pipeline that streamlines projects that affect agricultural development into commercialization.   Jeremy joins me today to discuss the future of agriculture and how artificial intelligence and machine learning can impact the agriculture industry. He describes the concept of artificial intelligence, its current applications, and why he believes these technologies can create new job opportunities throughout the agriculture industry. He also explains the difference between machine learning and deep learning, how artificial intelligence can improve productivity and sustainability within the industry and shares his perspective on the future of the agriculture industry.    “Over time, there’s going to be increasing desires from society to have agriculture be even more sustainable. The development of automation, the use of data science, is going to help us meet those demands from society.” – Dr. Jeremy Williams     This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   How he ended up working with Monsanto and his responsibilities. What is artificial intelligence and how is it used in the ag industry? The difference between Machine Learning and Deep Learning. Applications of artificial intelligence on the farm. How machine learning can impact the ability to discover new crop protection chemistries. How artificial intelligence can help discover new insect control traits for expression in plants. How humans and artificial intelligence can work together. The impact that artificial intelligence and machine learning can have on future job opportunities in the agriculture industry. How the Bayer-Monsanto acquisition can impact agriculture innovation. Advice for new ag-tech entrepreneurs. His predictions for the future of the ag industry.     Dr. Jeremy Williams’ Tips for New Ag-Tech Entrepreneurs:   The quality of your team is very important. Remember: You don’t know everything as an organization. Be externally focused. Partner aggressively. Use the leverage of a much bigger ecosystem than you can build yourself with your organization. The ability to fail, learn, and recover is critical. Be patient, but also be persistent and tenacious.     Connect with Dr. Jeremy Williams:   Monsanto LinkedIn Twitter       Check Out Our Sponsor for the “Sustainability at Scale” Series Have you ever heard of Marrone’s BIO WITH BITE? Marrone Bio Innovation offers crop pest protection for the modern organic and conventional production systems. To make sure every grower using their products realize the best possible return on investment, Marrone invests time and resources to thoroughly test and demonstrate the efficacy of those new state of the art products. With serious trial data to back it up! You can see more and connect directly with Marrone by visiting them at www.marronebio.com Marrone is very proud to support The Future Of Agriculture blog...

  Aldyen Donnelly is the Director of Carbon Economic at Nori, a startup company dedicated to creating trust and transparency while lowering transaction costs throughout the carbon trading industry. Her mission is to reward carbon sequestering farmers with blockchain-backed carbon credit certificates. Nori is a blockchain-enabled platform allowing users to trace where carbon dioxide is sequestered and is currently the world’s only carbon dioxide sequestration marketplace.   Aldyen joins me to share the mission behind Nori and how it can help both the environment and farmers. She shares how she became inspired to help the world reduce its carbon emissions, where carbon emissions are primarily derived, and the company’s business strategy to help reverse this problem. She also explains the role of blockchain with regards to transparency in their platform and how farmers can benefit from regenerative and carbon sequestering practices.   “When we create a market that is transparent, a whole bunch of ideas about how to do this will come up that have never entered our mind yet.” - Aldyen Donnelly   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   Where greenhouse gases are primarily stored. How soon can we reduce the greenhouse gases to 350 ppm? The theory behind Cap and Trade and why it’s not an optimal strategy to address the greenhouse gas emission issues. The true value of one carbon certificate. Why California is a special case when it comes to emissions certificates. How Nori works and how it utilizes blockchain. Who are the buyers of the carbon certificates? How regenerative practices allows farmers to generate marketable carbon credits, even during natural disasters. Causes of the downward pressure on the price of carbon certificates. How funding U.S. farmers to sequester carbon can offset transport and gas plant emissions. Aldyen Donnelly’s Key Takeaways:   When most people are buying a certificate in the state of California market for $15, they think it’s costing $15 to reduce one ton of CO2, but if a certificate is really only worth 25% of a ton, they’re actually paying $60 a ton. Every cap and trade pollution market has crashed and burned within seven years. If we fund U.S. farmers to sequester carbon at top price, they can offset all of the U.S. transportation emissions and all of the gas plant emissions.   Connect with Aldyen Donnelly:   Nori Twitter   Check Out Our Sponsor for the “Sustainability at Scale” Series Have you ever heard of Marrone’s BIO WITH BITE? Marrone Bio Innovation offers crop pest protection for the modern organic and conventional production systems. To make sure every grower using their products realize the best possible return on investment, Marrone invests time and resources to thoroughly test and demonstrate the efficacy of those new state of the art products. With serious trial data to back it up! You can see more and connect directly with Marrone by visiting them at www.marronebio.com Marrone is very proud to support The Future Of Agriculture blog series on sustainability in agriculture with Tim Hammerich.   We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and...

Del Ficke and Graham Christensen own farms that advocate a practice called Regenerative Agriculture. This practice sequesters a massive portion of CO2 in the soil and even in forests. Del is the owner of Ficke Cattle Company, a family run farm and livestock operation with a history dating back to 1860. Graham is the Founder of GC Resolve, an environmental consulting company based in Nebraska that specializes in grassroots community development, education, and mobilization.   Del and Graham join me today to discuss the practice of Regenerative Agriculture and what they have done to implement it in their farms. They share how they learned about regenerative practices and their success stories and explain why this type of practice is based on what’s already been done before, but long forgotten due to mass production. They also share examples of how regenerative ag can benefit farmers financially.   “We don't need to get bigger; we just need to get smarter on this and work with nature.” - Del Ficke   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   How they began working in the ag industry. Their farms before and after they embarked on their journey to regenerative ag. How they're able to earn more despite having smaller farms. The first step in moving towards regenerative ag. Common concerns towards regenerative agriculture. How they trained their banker to be comfortable with the regenerative agriculture approach. How regenerative practices revitalize rural communities.   Resources Mentioned:   Episode 098: Evidence-Based Agriculture and Defining Sustainability with Marc Brazeau of Food and Farm Discussion Lab   Del Ficke and Graham Christensen’s Key Takeaways:   It's helpful when you have other farms doing regenerative ag successfully. It makes you realize this type of farming does work. You can try to run a farm at 90% efficiency, but there's always something you can't eliminate.   Connect with Del Ficke:   Ficke Cattle   Connect with Graham Christensen:   GC Resolve Regenerate Nebraska Facebook Check Out Our Sponsor for the “Sustainability at Scale” Series Have you ever heard of Marrone’s BIO WITH BITE? Marrone Bio Innovation offers crop pest protection for the modern organic and conventional production systems. To make sure every grower using their products realize the best possible return on investment, Marrone invests time and resources to thoroughly test and demonstrate the efficacy of those new state of the art products. With serious trial data to back it up! You can see more and connect directly with Marrone by visiting them at www.marronebio.com Marrone is very proud to support The Future Of Agriculture blog series on sustainability in agriculture with Tim Hammerich.   We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.  ...

Michael Gilbert is the Founder and CEO of Semios, a Canadian company that helps farmers manage their pest problems using onsite sensing, big data, and predictive analytics solutions. He has over twenty years of experience in the field of biotech research and development. Before founding Semios, Michael held positions with federal research institutions, large multinationals, medium-sized public companies, and startups.   Today, Michael joins me to share the goal of Semios and how they plan to contribute to sustainability. He explains the driving idea behind Semios, the technologies they apply in their business, and the many problems they help farmers solve. He also explains why pesticides can eventually stop working and the different applications farmers can use based on the data gathered from sensors.   “You need to have more data to understand why things are occurring and how to best manage it.” - Michael Gilbert       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    How Semios helps farmers find solutions to pest problems. How producers previously managed pest issues before using sensors. How Semios analyzes pests. How to incorporate machine learning in the agriculture industry. The four V’s of Big Data. The benefits of IoT and Machine Learning technology. His background and how he stumbled upon the pest problems farmers face. How farmers can apply the data gathered by sensors. How their technology can aid sustainability throughout the agriculture industry. Problems they hope to solve in the future.     Michael Gilbert’s Words of Wisdom: Having a bad year has nothing to do with luck. Our job is to understand what made the risk occur.   Connect with Michael Gilbert:   Semios Check Out Our Sponsor for the “Sustainability at Scale” Series   Have you ever heard of Marrone’s BIO WITH BITE? Marrone Bio Innovation offers crop pest protection for the modern organic and conventional production systems. To make sure every grower using their products realize the best possible return on investment, Marrone invests time and resources to thoroughly test and demonstrate the efficacy of those new state of the art products. With serious trial data to back it up! You can see more and connect directly with Marrone by visiting them at www.marronebio.com Marrone is very proud to support The Future Of Agriculture blog series on sustainability in agriculture with Tim Hammerich.   We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website <a

John McKeon is the Senior Manager of Organic Compliance, Commission, and Consolidation at Tanimura and Antle. Founded in 1982, Tanimura and Antle is a farm company that grows and sells both conventional and organic produce. John has almost two decades of experience working in the agricultural industry with skills in operations, management, quality assurance, and compliance.   Today, John joins me to share how he and his company are working to fulfill the world’s surging preference for organic produce. He shares the difference between managing a conventional farm and an organic farm, as well as what it’s like to have both. He also describes the business benefits of growing organic produce as well as the challenges many farmers face when transitioning to organic farming.     “There's a lot more going into organic farming than just the health claim.” - John McKeon       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    What is Tanimura and Antle and how it started? How many acres are organic and how many are conventional? What is the Organic Standard and what makes a food "organic." The hurdle growers face when transitioning to organic production. Financial benefits of growing organic crops. The logistical advantages of having both organic and conventional crops. Are organic crops difficult to scale? Various regulations regarding organic farming.   John McKeon’s Words of Wisdom: Changes to the organic regulations typically mean a change to the law as it's written in general. Organics take a little bit of a different mindset and toolset when it comes to scaling. You want to pay attention to the details when you're growing both organic and conventional crops.     Connect with John McKeon:   Tanimura and Antle Email: johnmckeon@TAproduce.com         Check Out Our Sponsor for the “Sustainability at Scale” Series   Have you ever heard of Marrone’s BIO WITH BITE? Marrone Bio Innovation offers crop pest protection for the modern organic and conventional production systems. To make sure every grower using their products realize the best possible return on investment, Marrone invests time and resources to thoroughly test and demonstrate the efficacy of those new state of the art products. With serious trial data to back it up! You can see more and connect directly with Marrone by visiting them at www.marronebio.com Marrone is very proud to support The Future Of Agriculture blog series on sustainability in agriculture with Tim Hammerich.     We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn...

Rachel Laudan is a food historian and award-winning author of Cuisine and Empire: Cooking in World History, a book about the rise and fall of various culinary traditions and philosophies. She has over twenty years of dedicated research to the evolution of our food systems. She’s also an engaging speaker who helps industry professionals, students and professors, and public groups see food from a long-term and global perspective. Today, Rachel joins me to share a brief overview of what food history is all about. She shares her thoughts on various food movements and diets, how traditional foods came to be considered traditional, and why people today have better food than most kings and queens in the past. She also explains the importance of separating processed food from what is “bad food” and what she believes we should consider to be “good food.”   “One should tell food history as a series of expansions, migrations, cuisines, or systems of eating.” - Rachel Laudan       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    What encouraged her interest in agriculture and food history? Foods we think are traditional, but really not. Is there truth to having better sustainability in the pre-processed food era? Her thoughts on how to feed the exploding human population. Why she thinks corn is an amazing crop. Her perspective on the "Natural Food" trend. What counts as a "good" food? What is "Culinary Modernism"?   Rachel Laudan’s Words of Wisdom: We should realize how great modern food is. Average-earning populations can eat better than most kings or royalty in the past. Almost everything we eat has been transformed from its natural state. If we eat nothing but raw food, the human race will find survival difficult.   Connect with Rachel Laudan:   Rachel Laudan official website Twitter Cuisine and Empire The Food Paradise Check Out Our Sponsor for the “Sustainability at Scale” Series   Have you ever heard of Marrone’s BIO WITH BITE? Marrone Bio Innovation offers crop pest protection for the modern organic and conventional production systems. To make sure every grower using their products realize the best possible return on investment, Marrone invests time and resources to thoroughly test and demonstrate the efficacy of those new state of the art products. With serious trial data to back it up! You can see more and connect directly with Marrone by visiting them at www.marronebio.com Marrone is very proud to support The Future Of Agriculture blog series on sustainability in agriculture with Tim Hammerich.   We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry...

Olympia Yarger is the Founder and CEO of GOTERRA, an Australian-based waste management company that redefines the idea of food waste through decentralized waste management. Their company’s primary goal is to manage food and animal waste using insects of which the byproduct could be used as a feed additive. This approach is an alternative and sustainable way of feeding livestock that also reduces global waste.   Today, Olympia shares how maggots can help solve global food waste. She describes what it was like to start a maggot farm, how to manage one, and what makes it unique compared to typical farms. She also explains how maggots convert food waste to animal feed and how this could be the future of sustainable agriculture.   “It's one thing to get the flies to do the act and get viable eggs, but it's another to manage consistency of production at any scale.” - Olympia Yarger       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    The problems they initially encountered with their maggots when they were starting out. What it's like to run a maggot farm vs a typical farm. What a Black Soldier Fly farm looks like. How much food waste could one shipping container go through? How they structure their business model. How long it takes to raise maggots. What they do with waste that wasn't consumed. Food items they can't use in the farm.   Olympia Yarger’s Words of Wisdom: You can streamline insect farming in a way that makes it affordable and also gives you access to a wave of ideas. There is a need to breed a lot of maggot eggs and refine the system in a way that is commercially viable.   Connect with Olympia Yarger:   GOTERRA LinkedIn Check Out Our Sponsor for the “Sustainability at Scale” Series   Have you ever heard of Marrone’s BIO WITH BITE? Marrone Bio Innovation offers crop pest protection for the modern organic and conventional production systems. To make sure every grower using their products realize the best possible return on investment, Marrone invests time and resources to thoroughly test and demonstrate the efficacy of those new state of the art products. With serious trial data to back it up! You can see more and connect directly with Marrone by visiting them at www.marronebio.com Marrone is very proud to support The Future Of Agriculture blog series on sustainability in agriculture with Tim Hammerich.   We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website <p...

Dr. Pamela Marrone is the founder and CEO of Marrone Bio Innovations, a company dedicated to finding practical, sustainable pest management solutions that are safe for people as well as the environment. She is also the founding Chair and former board member of the Biopesticides Industry Alliance, a cluster of over a hundred biopesticide and related companies. She currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research as well as a member of the Board of Trustees for Cornell University.   Today, Dr. Pamela shares the mission behind Marrone Bio Innovations and how their products help farmers through environmentally-safe pest management solutions. She describes what drew her to founding the company and explains why biopesticides are critical for tomorrow’s world. She also enlighten us on the technical aspect of their products and provides examples of how their products can help farmers.   “There's a lot more science and technology behind today's biological products, so they are better than they have been in the past.” - Pamela Marrone       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    What the "biologicals" category is all about Why are chemical solutions still preferred over biologicals? Why "snake oil" products are all but gone. Limitations on biological pesticides. How they produce biological products. What it takes to get approval of their product. How they design their products according to storage, use, and user. How the agriculture and pest control industry has changed over recent decades. What are molluscicides and how do they work? The future products of Marrone Bio.   Pamela Marrone’s Words of Wisdom: Organic farming is difficult because of weed control, so expect biological weed control products to be a household name in the future. Many farmers are also fishermen, hence the need for solutions to water infestations. There are different residue rules between export and not export.   Connect with Dr. Pamela Marrone:   Marrone Bio Innovations LinkedIn Check Out Our Sponsor for the “Sustainability at Scale” Series   Have you ever heard of Marrone’s BIO WITH BITE? Marrone Bio Innovation offers crop pest protection for the modern organic and conventional production systems. To make sure every grower using their products realize the best possible return on investment, Marrone invests time and resources to thoroughly test and demonstrate the efficacy of those new state of the art products. With serious trial data to back it up! You can see more and connect directly with Marrone by visiting them at www.marronebio.com Marrone is very proud to support The Future Of Agriculture blog series on sustainability in agriculture with Tim Hammerich.   We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the...

Michael Doane is the Managing Director of the Agriculture and Food Systems at The Nature Conservancy, a nonprofit organization and the world’s leader in providing nature conservation efforts. Their mission is to conserve Mother Nature for future generations by buying lands to prevent plant and animal extinction and restoring otherwise ruined parts of nature back to its former glory. Michael’s responsible for ensuring industries that rely heavily on nature are managed and controlled. He primarily concentrates on projects involving soil health, sustainable forestry and ranching, and nutrient loss reductions.   Today, Michael Doane shares his company’s advocacies and their many projects. He discusses the company’s history and what made them become the leading conservation organization. He also explains some of their company’s many successful projects as well as their prospects, and how they prioritize which ones to fund first.   “As food demand grows, there will be some expansion. But, we also think it can be done in a way that does the least amount of harm to nature.” - Michael Doane       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    What the Nature Conservancy is all about. What led the Nature Conservancy to agriculture? The projects the company is working on. How they work with their investors and partners. Why they prefer to partner with the private industry. How they decide which strategic priorities to pursue. What it means to manage optimal soil health. How they build trust with their investors. What is the Techstars Sustainability Accelerator all about?   Michael Doane’s Words of Wisdom: There are special places and special species and plants that need protection. Management practice change can really address a lot of the current environmental problems. There's some very cost-effective emission reduction opportunities sitting right here in agriculture. Investing in nature is a good investment.   Resources Mentioned: Nature’s Own Hedge Fund, article by Bloomberg   Connect with Michael Doane:   The Nature Conservancy Twitter Check Out Our Sponsor for the “Sustainability at Scale” Series   Have you ever heard of Marrone’s BIO WITH BITE? Marrone Bio Innovation offers crop pest protection for the modern organic and conventional production systems. To make sure every grower using their products realize the best possible return on investment, Marrone invests time and resources to thoroughly test and demonstrate the efficacy of those new state of the art products. With serious trial data to back it up! You can see more and connect directly with Marrone by visiting them at www.marronebio.com Marrone is very proud to support The Future Of Agriculture blog series on sustainability in agriculture with Tim Hammerich.   We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture

Jim Loar is the President & CEO of Cool Planet, a company founded to provide innovative agricultural technologies that increase crop production at a low cost while reducing greenhouse gas throughout the atmosphere. The company’s current research focus is on their Cool Terra Engineered Biocarbon technology, a type of soil enhancer that improves soil health, reduces water consumption, and supports optimal fertilizer performance. Prior to joining Cool Planet in 2015, Jim was the VP of Operations at Wilbur-Ellis Company, the fourth largest agricultural retailer in the USA.   Today, Jim shares their company’s latest findings on Cool Terra and how it can help optimize crop output. He describes the science behind Cool Terra, the many benefits it imparts to both soil and farmer, and how it can help fight global warming. He also explains some of its most outstanding research findings, particularly when it comes to soil microbe health.   “We're providing the habitat for the soil biology to colonize and grow and prosper.” - Jim Loar       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    What is engineered biocarbon technology all about? What is BioChar and how can it be used in agriculture? The primary benefit of a treated BioChar material. The main findings of their lab tests on Cool Terra. How their product can help ease environmental use of pesticides. Why Cool Terra can help farmers have higher income. Cool Terra and its effects on the air we breathe. Is it economically feasible to move carbon around? Does the product need more nitrogen? Are other similar products standardized?   Jim Loar’s Words of Wisdom: When it comes to soil microbes, what we all hope for is we can put the good guys in a better position to outcompete the bad guys. Different farmers have different beliefs and different ways of thinking about their soil.   Connect with Jim Loar:   Cool Planet Cool Terra Check Out Our Sponsor for the “Sustainability at Scale” Series   Have you ever heard of Marrone’s BIO WITH BITE? Marrone Bio Innovation offers crop pest protection for the modern organic and conventional production systems. To make sure every grower using their products realize the best possible return on investment, Marrone invests time and resources to thoroughly test and demonstrate the efficacy of those new state of the art products. With serious trial data to back it up! You can see more and connect directly with Marrone by visiting them at www.marronebio.com Marrone is very proud to support The Future Of Agriculture blog series on sustainability in agriculture with Tim Hammerich.   We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t...

Ryan Sirolli is the Senior Director at Danone North America, a food company that focuses on dairy products such as milk, yogurt, and plant-based foods. Ryan is responsible for leading a team that serves to develop and execute agricultural sourcing and improve supply chain sustainability. He and his team emphasizes on soil health as well as creating alternative economic models that advocate both customer satisfaction and environmental sustainability.   Today, Ryan shares how Danone North America is part of a global sustainability project. He discusses many of the company’s current environmental advocacies and how the company has aligned its goals to meet the needs of both health and environmentally conscious consumers. He also provides insight with regards to the GMO and Non-GMO debate and shares his thoughts on the future of organic and sustainable agriculture.   “It’s our responsibility to make sure that whatever we source, whatever system the farmer chooses to use or whatever the consumer wants - it’s our responsibility to make sure we do it in the most sustainable way.” - Ryan Sirolli     This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    Ryan's educational background and experience. What is the Dannon Pledge? The products Danone is focusing on. How they establish a level of trust with their customers and investors. The GMO vs. Non-GMO argument. Danone's commitment to their customers and the environment. How they invest in soil health. How they define regenerative agriculture. The possibilities for their supply chain in the future.   Ryan Sirolli’s Words of Wisdom: The consumers are more proactive about their health. They want to know where their food is coming from, how it is being made, and they want to buy from brands they can trust. Environmental sustainability is now a major factor of what drives consumers to buy healthy products.   Connect with Ryan Sirolli:   Danone North America   Check Out Our Sponsor for the “Sustainability at Scale” Series   Have you ever heard of Marrone’s BIO WITH BITE? Marrone Bio Innovation offers crop pest protection for the modern organic and conventional production systems. To make sure every grower using their products realize the best possible return on investment, Marrone invests time and resources to thoroughly test and demonstrate the efficacy of those new state of the art products. With serious trial data to back it up! You can see more and connect directly with Marrone by visiting them at www.marronebio.com Marrone is very proud to support The Future Of Agriculture blog series on sustainability in agriculture with Tim Hammerich.   We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with...

David Perry is the President, CEO, and Director of Indigo Ag, a company that seeks to harness the power of plant microbes to improve yield and lessen (and potentially eliminate) the use of harmful pesticides and insecticides. David is a well-known entrepreneur, having founded and built three outstanding companies within the last two decades. He has lead the last two companies through successful IPOs while providing significant returns for their investors. Prior to becoming a businessman, David attended the US Air Force Academy and was a National Merit Scholar.   In this episode, David explains how plant-microbe research can benefit the farmer as well as the environment. He describes the thought processes involved in founding Indigo Ag, the benefits of their research as well as its plausible risks towards the environment. He also shares their current research progress and their future projects.     “To improve economic prosperity for farmers, we should move farming from being a completely commoditized business to one where they are increasingly producing things that are value-added.” – David Perry     This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    Why he believes microbes can help improve agriculture. Their solutions to identifying microbes that increase yields. Technologies that enabled them to expand and innovate their research. Can they patent the microbes they find? The risks of this type of research towards the environment. The problems they started working on. Can microbes eventually replace chemicals in agriculture? What identity preservation means from a farmer's view point.   David Perry’s Words of Wisdom: Developing microbes are much faster than developing chemicals. There's a future in which we use less than half of the chemical fertilizers we use today, and we may eliminate 90% of the chemical pesticides and insecticides. If the farmer is delivering their crop to a local elevator and it's getting piled in with their neighbors, there's no way for them to get paid for better quality or greater sustainability.   Resources Mentioned: Marrone Bio Innovations   Connect with David Perry:   Indigo Ag Check Out Our Sponsor for the “Sustainability at Scale” Series   Have you ever heard of Marrone’s BIO WITH BITE? Marrone Bio Innovation offers crop pest protection for the modern organic and conventional production systems. To make sure every grower using their products realize the best possible return on investment, Marrone invests time and resources to thoroughly test and demonstrate the efficacy of those new state of the art products. With serious trial data to back it up! You can see more and connect directly with Marrone by visiting them at www.marronebio.com Marrone is very proud to support The Future Of Agriculture blog series on sustainability in agriculture with Tim Hammerich.   Join Our 100th Episode Celebration! We are celebrating the Future of Agriculture Podcast’s 100th episode - and we want to celebrate with you! Visit SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg to record your voice and tell us which Future of Agriculture Podcast episode was your number 1 favorite - and why! Who knows? We may even play your voice in a future episode! Head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg today to record your voice and share...

Jason Mauck is a farmer in Gaston, Indiana and the CEO of Constant Canopy, an operation dedicated to closing the gap between livestock and grain production. He is passionate about demystifying misconceptions and bringing public awareness to how the farming and agriculture industry truly works from a large-scale farming perspective. Jason joins me today to share how his large-scale nutrient management system works, discuss the imbalance between supply and demand, and why he believes a sharing economy is a perfect solution to addressing these issues. He shares the intercropping strategy he uses to create higher crop yields, effective strategies for using manure as a soil nutrient management technique, and how he describes “true soil wealth” for large-scale farmers. He also explains the concept of wheat spreading and how it impacts production costs and the benefits of planting soybeans early in the growing season.   “I don’t think there’s one subject that is more compatible with the sharing economy than manure distribution.” - Jason Mauck   This Week on the Future of Agriculture Podcast: Effective strategies for using manure as a nutrient management technique on large-scale farming operations. Why newer methods of using manure to manage soil nutrients are more effective and economical than older methods. How the sharing economy can address supply and demand issues related to manure distribution. The cropping system he uses to keep production costs low while using manure-based nutrient management techniques. The benefits of locally placing manure versus widespread placement. The benefits of developing an intercropping system. Why he advocates for early soybean planting - even when predicting another freeze. Understanding the concept of wheat spreading and how it impacts production costs. How he harvests wheat without harming soybean crops with his intercropping system. Benefits of early bean seed planting. How allowing bean plans to grow side-by-side - instead of upright - impacts the overall growth and production. Why he believes more farmers do not experiment with intercropping strategies. How farmers evaluate annual soil health. How he describes “true soil wealth.”   Connect with Jason Mauck: Jason Mauck on Twitter   Check Out Our Sponsor for the “Sustainability at Scale” Series   Have you ever heard of Marrone’s BIO WITH BITE? Marrone Bio Innovation offers crop pest protection for the modern organic and conventional production systems. To make sure every grower using their products realize the best possible return on investment, Marrone invests time and resources to thoroughly test and demonstrate the efficacy of those new state of the art products. With serious trial data to back it up! You can see more and connect directly with Marrone by visiting them at www.marronebio.com Marrone is very proud to support The Future Of Agriculture blog series on sustainability in agriculture with Tim Hammerich.   Join Our 100th Episode Celebration! We are celebrating the Future of Agriculture Podcast’s 100th episode - and we want to celebrate with you! Visit SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg to record your voice and tell us which Future of Agriculture Podcast episode was your number 1 favorite - and why! Who knows? We may even play your voice in a future episode! Head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg today to record your voice and share your favorite episode with us.     We Are

Marc Brazeau is the Chief Organizer and Editor at Food and Farm Discussion Lab, a food system think tank and online magazine for people within the agriculture industry to share evidence-based solutions, ideas, and concepts related to sustainable agriculture, hunger and food security, and public health and nutrition concerns. With previous experience as a chef and restaurant owner as well as organizing unions within the agriculture space, he brings a unique perspective to the food-to-table movement. He is passionate about helping others form their opinions regarding agricultural issues based on evidence, science, and facts. Marc joins me today to share how he became interested in evidence-based agriculture concerns, what inspired him to create the Food and Farm Discussion Lab, and how his views of food sustainability have evolved. He explains the variables that affect the global sustainability of food, why he believes scalability is a critical factor to consider when addressing food sustainability matters, and the issues that he believes have become over-hyped within the industry.   “If you’re not dealing with corn, soy, wheat, forage crops, or meat, then you’re not really having a serious conversation about sustainability.” - Marc Brazeau   This Week on the Future of Agriculture Podcast: What inspired him to start the Food and Farm Discussion Lab. The pivotal moment that lead him to begin searching for evidence-based information regarding sustainability issues in agriculture. How agriculture professionals currently view the term “sustainability” and how we should transition to more productive views. The variables that create the most impact on the global food sustainability crisis. Why corn, soy, wheat, meat, and forage crops are critical to the overall scalability factor of food sustainability. Over-hyped technologies and initiatives within the agriculture industry related to food sustainability. How his views and opinions regarding food sustainability have evolved since starting the Food and Farm Discussion Lab.   Resources Mentioned: Bio Fortified Tomorrow’s Table: Organic Farming, Genetics, and the Future of Food book by Raoul Adamchak and Pamela Ronald Accountable Ag blog post by John Phipps   Connect with Marc Brazeau: Food and Farm Discussion Lab Food and Farm Discussion Lab Forum     Join Our 100th Episode Celebration! We are celebrating the Future of Agriculture Podcast’s 100th episode - and we want to celebrate with you! Visit SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg to record your voice and tell us which Future of Agriculture Podcast episode was your number 1 favorite - and why! Who knows? We may even play your voice in a future episode! Head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg today to record your voice and share your favorite episode with us.     We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      <p...

Richard Lackey is the Chairman and CEO of the World Food Bank, an organization founded in 2015 to provide sustainable solutions to the food security and hunger issues around the world. He is a highly-regarded expert in the trading and securities industry and is passionate about finding solutions that will help end world hunger. Richard joins me today to share the driving force behind World Food Bank, their mission, and how their unique program is designed to significantly impact the food security and hunger issues we currently face worldwide. He explains how his systematized approach helps impact the world from an economic standpoint and why systematic approaches are more sustainable solutions to combating world hunger and poverty. He explains how they use model farms to help farmers in third-world countries gain access to the tools, techniques, and strategies that can improve their crop grades, quality, and profits. He also shares his prediction for investors considering food as a future asset commodity and the potential impact that a single 5,000-acre farm can have on the lives of those living in countries such as Uganda.   “The ability to now store commodities for years and years - and maintain grade - is a game-changer.” - Richard Lackey   This Week on the Future of Agriculture Podcast: The food security issues that the World Food Bank focuses on solving. What is post-harvest loss and how it impacts the export market worldwide? How they use model farms as an educational tool within third-world countries. Why organizations are beginning to shift their focus from project-based programs to systematic solutions. How the company works with investors and creates profits. The technology they use to store commodities and remove the calendar risk associated with long storage periods. How his organization helps third-world countries mitigate and control price volatility. How the systematic approach is impacting the lives of farmers as well as the poverty crisis within third-world countries. His prediction on investors considering food commodities as an asset class in the future. The potential impact that one sustainable farm can have in a third-world country. How they determine how well crop genetics will work within each region.   Connect with Richard Lackey: World Food Bank The Case for Food as an Asset Class - Whitepaper   Join Our 100th Episode Celebration! We are celebrating the Future of Agriculture Podcast’s 100th episode - and we want to celebrate with you! Visit SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg to record your voice and tell us which Future of Agriculture Podcast episode was your number 1 favorite - and why! Who knows? We may even play your voice in a future episode! Head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg today to record your voice and share your favorite episode with us.     We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you...

Tom Bottoms earned his bachelor’s degree in Plant Sciences from the California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo and in 2013, he received his Ph.D. in Horticulture and Agronomy from the University of California. He currently works as an employee of a large farming operation based in Northern California with the intention of eventually accumulating his own farm land and building his own operation. Tom joins me today to share what inspired him to work in the agriculture industry and what motivated him to continue his education in agriculture. He shares why he decided to pivot his career from agriculture academia to work in the private sector, his experience while working with the African Leadership Partners in Swaziland, Africa and the challenges he has faced and overcome while helping a small farm operation significantly grow during his missionary operation in Africa. He also explains the importance of networking and building relationships within the farming industry to help you achieve your goals as a professional, the importance of self-awareness and professional development, and tips on how to get started in farming.   “You’ve got to continue to develop yourself - to put yourself in a situation where you’re learning about the industry.” - Tom Bottoms   This Week on the Future of Agriculture Podcast: Tom’s experience as a missionary in Africa. How he helped the African farm operation become successful. How he balances his personal life while advancing his career. The importance of networking with others in the industry and how it has impacted his career. The farming operation he is currently working with. Why he believes setting firm, inflexible deadlines on certain goals is dangerous. The importance of focusing on improving processes more than the financial opportunities available when you are just starting out in farming. The importance of building trust within your farm operation. How to get started in farming. Assets that young professionals can offer to established farming operations.   Resources Mentioned: Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…And Others Don’t book by Jim Collins Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies (Harper Business Essentials) book by Jim Collins Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business book by Gino Wickman   Tom Bottom’s Tips for Getting Started in Farming: Try to keep your day job as long as you can while you are trying to get started. Ask yourself what you are doing now to make it possible. Read and understand how basic farming operations work. Question everything.   Connect with Tom Bottoms: Email: Tommy@TVFarming.com     We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the...

Rob Saik is the founder of the Agri-Trend® group of companies whose primary goal is to help farmers grow food through agriculture consulting services in areas such as agronomic production, carbon-offset trading, grain marketing strategies, and data management systems for producers around the world. He is the creator of The Agri-Prize contest series, a TEDx and keynote speaker, and the author of the book The Agriculture Manifesto - 10 Key Drivers That Will Shape Agriculture in the Next Decade which has earned an Amazon 2014 Best of Books award. Additionally, he is the Executive Producer of the movie KNOW GMO as well as the webisode series LEARN GMO.   Rob joins me today to discuss the mission behind The Agri-Trend and the connection between the organic movement and the non-GMO movement. He explains how he believes GMOs can impact the future of agriculture, sustainability, and the food supply around the world as well as the impact they can have on the health of consumers. He also shares why he believes many consumers refuse to use GMO-friendly products and the importance of due diligence when educating yourself about organic and genetically engineered crops.   “Most of what you are reading about GMOs on social media are an absolute distortion of the truth.” - Rob Saik   This Week on the Future of Agriculture Podcast:   How Agri-Trend helps farmers allocate scarce resources. The impact that banning GMO products have had on certain countries and cultures. The connection between the organic movement and the non-GMO movement. What farmers should consider to grow more crops organically. Why farmers shouldn’t be at odds when deciding to grow organically or become GMO-friendly. Why he believes many people think GMOs are bad or unhealthy. How “organic” and “non-GMO” food labels are misleading consumers. How GMOs can contribute to the agriculture industry’s long-term sustainability. The impact that embracing genetically modified food can have on the world’s starvation crisis and consumer health.   Connect With Rob Saik:   KNOW Ideas Media KNOW Ideas Media on Facebook KNOW Ideas Media on YouTube Will Agriculture be ALLOWED to Feed 9 Billion People - Rob Saik’s TEDx Talk   We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website <a...

Simone Kain is the co-creator of George the Farmer, a social enterprise that focuses on educating kids about proper farming practices as well as how food and fiber are produced using apps, music, videos, picture books, and free curriculum-aligned educator’s guides. She drew inspiration from a 2012 survey in Australia that shows 10-12-year-old students don’t know where their food comes from. Simone describes George the Farmer as “everyone’s mate” and tackles the daily activities of Australian farming with passion.   In this episode, Simone explains how George the Farmer educates children. She shares the story behind George the Farmer, how they structured their app, and why knowing where your food comes from is essential. She also discusses the need for people to learn that a career in agriculture is not always about farming and how George the Farmer aims to do just that.     “We try to get kids to start thinking about the amazing opportunities available in agriculture.” – Simone Kain     This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    The origins of George the Farmer. What their app aims to do. Who their market is and their target age group. Their response from those who don't have a farm background. How kids have benefited from their app. Their future projects for George the Farmer Their process in trying to get George the Farmer in television. The challenges they've faced What surprised her the most in this project?   Connect with Simone Kain:   George The Farmer Facebook Twitter We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram   

Chris Rawley conceived the idea of crowdfunding platforms for agriculture while visiting a farm investment in Central America. He would soon start Harvest Returns, a crowdfunding company that serves investors looking to diversify their portfolio and invest their money on actual farms. Before founding Harvest Returns, Chris obtained corporate management roles in various companies and once served as a defense consultant at Special Operations Command Headquarters thanks to his military experience. He has been investing in real estate and agriculture for almost twenty years.   In this episode, Chris discusses how his company helps both farmers and investors. He shares how he got the idea of starting Harvest Returns, the company’s main goals, and what makes them different from other agricultural crowdsourcing platforms. He also shares some of their recent projects as well as some of their strategies in handling difficult markets.     “Agriculture is for people with long-term investment horizons.” – Chris Rawley     This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    What is equity crowdfunding? Who are their primary clients? What does Harvest Returns invest in? What assurance do investors have that their farm will be well managed? What would compel farmers to give up some of their ownership to get money? How do they handle a two-sided marketplace? How does their company make money? What made them start the company? How many deals have they closed so far?   Resources Mentioned: AgFunder   Connect with Chris Rawley:   Harvest Returns Facebook Twitter We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!  The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!  Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram   

Dr. Jason de Koff is an Associate Professor and Extension Specialist at Tennessee State University. He holds a Ph.D in agronomy from Purdue University and has received numerous awards including the NACAA Achievement Award and the TAAA&S Communications Award (Learning Module Southeast Region) in 2016. Dr. de Koff joins me on today’s episode to discuss how cooperative extension programs are helping to spread unbiased information throughout the agriculture industry to help improve the future of agriculture. He also explains how cooperative extensions are encouraging the future of careers in agriculture, how they are helping new farmers get started in the agriculture industry, and how drones can be used in agricultural production.   “Cooperative extension agents are really the unsung heroes of the extension program.” - Dr. Jason de Koff   This Week on the Future of Agriculture Podcast: The history of cooperative extension programs and how the organization was funded. The importance of the cooperative extension providing an unbiased voice in the agriculture community. Who the cooperative extension programs help on a day-to-day basis. Project examples of how the cooperative extension programs work. What are “needs assessments” and how they help cooperative extensions decide which projects to focus on next. How cooperative extensions work with private industries. How they are helping new farmers learn valuable skills in the agriculture industry. How they are educating farmers and children to use drones in agriculture. Evaluating project effectiveness for the USDA and stakeholders. How to learn more about cooperative extension programs in your local area.   Resources Mentioned: 40 Chances: Finding Hope in a Hungry World book by Howard G. Buffett New Farmer Academy   Connect with Dr. Jason de Koff: Tennessee State University Cooperative Extension Twitter  

Jerod McDaniel is a farmer and cattleman from Texhoma, Oklahoma. He is progressive when it comes to farm-related data, and new technology and practices. He is quite open and excited about the idea behind blockchain and how it would impact farmers like him. Jerod took over his grandfather’s farm in 1995 when he was just 18 years old which has enabled him to acquire the necessary skills for traditional farming as well as learn and integrate new ways to make the different processes involved much more efficient. He is considered one of the agriculture industry’s top Twitter influencers.   In this episode, Jerod discusses what farmers like him expect from blockchain technology. He shares some of the issues farmers and ranchers currently face and their current solutions, and how blockchain technology can elevate the systems they already have in place. He also describes the importance of having the right data when it comes to breeding with the right genetics and how it can make an otherwise slow year profitable.     “The best thing about blockchain technology is it would unify the platform people use.”– Jerod McDaniel     This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    How much do farmers value data? Why, even with data, it would be difficult to remove the farmer from farming. What data is he collecting now that he didn't previously? Data points regarding cows he is more interested in. How will blockchain help ranchers? When it comes to data, what makes the beef industry different from the poultry and swine industries? His opinion on the cryptocurrency trend?   Connect with Jerod McDaniel:   Twitter We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!  The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!  Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram   

Emma Weston is the CEO and one of the founders of AgriDigital, a commodity management company that combines advanced technical and industry expertise with aesthetic design and intelligent systems to develop seamless solutions to complex logistical, risk, customer management, and commodity issues in the agricultural sector. Emma leads the company’s business strategies, investor engagement, and their own Blockchain and talent management. She also has responsibilities in sales and operations.   In this episode, Emma shares how their company works with Blockchain and how it enables them to support farmers. She describes the impact Blockchain has on the future of transactions and why it will eventually become a standard in the industry.     “A platform approach means there is a single source of data and a single source of truth.”– Emma Weston     This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    How Blockchain helped solve problems for their company. How does Blockchain solve the payment security problem? What's the difference between Blockchain transactions and today's internet transactions? How their company utilizes Blockchain tech when it comes to finance. Incentivizing the buyer to pay earlier than they should. How can Blockchain provide transparency without exposing sensitive information?   Connect with Emma Weston:   AgriDigital Email: emma.weston@agridigital.io Win a free book on Blockchain!   Want to know more about Blockchain? We are giving one lucky listener a copy of the book Blockchain: The Beginner’s Guide to Understanding the Technology Behind Bitcoin & Cryptocurrency. Learn the basics of Blockchain, Bitcoin, and other cryptocurrencies and how they work.   To enter for your chance to win, click this link and follow the instructions. The lucky winner will be randomly selected on February 15 2018, so don’t miss out!   We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!  The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!  Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram   

Raja Ramachandran is the CEO of Ripe.io, a company that considers itself as the Blockchain of food. Ripe.io offers solutions to food problems that involve data transparency while also providing answers to many consumer questions. Raja has a background in finance and FOREX trading and is fond of using financial technology, cloud-based systems, machine learning, and Blockchain to help solve problems around food on a global scale.   In this episode, Raja shares the idea behind Ripe.io, their mission, and how they can make use of Blockchain to solve problems specific to food and agriculture. He explains why Blockchain is not the answer, but part of a solution and how consumer feedback helps make the system work better. He also describes the current application of Blockchain now as well as how he sees it being implemented in the short term.     “Once you recognize the things you know and don't know, you're gonna be looking for different tools to make certain things happen.”– Raja Ramachandran     This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    Why they created Ripe.io Why did they focus on food in applying Blockchain? Where does the data end up and where is the value in it? How consumers can contribute to the Blockchain. How does a company insert themselves in the middle of a system where the purpose is to get rid of the middle? Who are their ideal customers? What was the Sweet Green Pilot all about? What can Blockchain do for food waste? Is an ICO something Ripe.io is interested in?   Connect with Raja Ramachandran:   Ripe.io Win a free book on Blockchain!   Want to know more about Blockchain? We are giving one lucky listener a copy of the book Blockchain: The Beginner’s Guide to Understanding the Technology Behind Bitcoin & Cryptocurrency. Learn the basics of Blockchain, Bitcoin, and other cryptocurrencies and how they work.   To enter for your chance to win, click this link and follow the instructions. The lucky winner will be randomly selected on February 15 2018, so don’t miss out! We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on...

Alex Danco is an Associate and member of the Discover Team at Social Capital, a partnership consisting of philanthropists, capitalists, and technologists who together share the same goal of funding startups and ideas that can create value and change on a global scale. Alex is fond of thinking and writing about the future, and has authored a number of blogs that discuss the future of human society and technology all over the web. This penchant for futurism has made him grow fond of little yet novel ideas that just need a bit of capital to get started.   In this episode, Alex explains how Blockchain works. He discusses what made Blockchain a necessity, how it was initially conceptualized, and why Bitcoin paved the way for its mainstream introduction. He also describes just how cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum have value, and why they are not that different from gold.     “When people talk about Blockchain, it’s just the record of the process that happens.” - Alex Danco     This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    The beginnings of Blockchain The problems that Blockchain could solve Why Bitcoin and Ethereum have value. How to determine the value of cryptocurrencies. The difference and similarities between gold and Bitcoin. What does it mean to build an agricultural product on the Blockchain?   Connect with Alex Danco:   Social Capital Win a free book on Blockchain!   Want to know more about Blockchain? We are giving one lucky listener a copy of the book Blockchain: The Beginner’s Guide to Understanding the Technology Behind Bitcoin & Cryptocurrency. Learn the basics of Blockchain, Bitcoin, and other cryptocurrencies and how they work.   To enter for your chance to win, click this link and follow the instructions. The lucky winner will be randomly selected on February 15, 2018, so don’t miss out!   We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!  The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!  Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram   

FoA085 FOA How Blockchain Technology Can Help Farmers in Developing Countries   David Davies is the Founder of AgUnity and AgriLedger. AgUnity enables the world’s smallest and poorest farmers to have access to a means to lift themselves out of poverty through smartphone and blockchain solutions. AgriLedger is the smartphone app AgUnity developed that records and transacts incorruptible data through blockchain technology. The app allows virtually every user to know their transactions and data are kept safe and tamper-proof.   In this episode, David Davies shares his ideas and vision for the future of blockchain and the agricultural industry. He explains the different problems blockchain can solve, how their app integrates blockchain technology as well as how it can boost farmer’s income significantly.     “What we use the blockchain here for is having a permanent record of trust.”– David Davies     This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    What inspired him to start AgUnity and AgriLedger? How their app helps farmers increase their income and efficiency. What blockchain would enables us to do that the internet wouldn't. Why they give farmers free phones. How does a typical transaction work with their app? Why they don't use any form of cryptocurrency in their transactions. Other industries that can benefit from their app. Things blockchain just isn’t capable of despite the hype.   Connect with David Davies:   AgUnity AgriLedger Facebook Twitter   Win a free book on Blockchain!   Want to know more about Blockchain? We are giving one lucky listener a copy of the book Blockchain: The Beginner’s Guide to one lucky listener. All you have to do is click this link, follow the instructions, and you might just win this awesome book! The lucky winner will be randomly selected on February 15 2018, so don’t miss out!   We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!  The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!  Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram   

Dr. Nishant Dass is an associate professor and Ph.D. Coordinator in finance at Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business. His areas of expertise include major areas of financing and business management including CEO-Compensation, Corporate Governance, Mutual Funds, Trade Credit, and International Finance. He has plenty of published papers under his name with regards to financing and has extensive experience providing sage financial advice to startups and other small companies. He has recently picked up an interest in Blockchain technology, citing it as the next big thing since the internet.   In this episode, Dr. Nishant Dass discusses the potential and limitations of Blockchain technology. He explains why Bitcoin is not Blockchain, the kinds of problems Blockchain can solve in the near future, and why Blockchain doesn’t guarantee truth. He also shares what he believes will happen within the next two to three years with regards to its inevitable global implementation.     “If the internet is about exchanging information and Bitcoin exchanging money, then Blockchain is about exchanging value.”– Dr. Nishant Dass     This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    Why he likes to work with startups. How he discovered Blockchain How he applies his knowledge of Blockchain to his work Is the concept of Blockchain overhyped? The differences between Bitcoin and Blockchain. How he sees Blockchain tech developing in supply chains. Situations where Blockchain tech can improve efficiency. The limitations of Blockchain. What we expect to see from Blockchain in the near future. What needs to happen for Blockchain to be successful.   Connect with Dr. Nishant Dass:   Georgia Tech profile We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!  The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!  Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram   

Tomaz Levak and Ziga Drev are the founders of OriginTrail, a service that developed the first purpose-built protocol blockchain-based supply chains. Their protocol aims to bring trust into the supply chain without the need for a middleman brokering trust. The OriginTrail platform was created to bring blockchain tech to supply chains in an interoperable, scalable, and decentralized manner.   In this episode, Tomaz and Ziga discuss their product and how it can solve many of the problems encountered with the current supply chain structure. They explain how their product works, the companies they are testing it on, and how it can impact the agricultural sector in the near future. They also share some of the ways you can become involved in their product, such as by being an investor.     “Blockchain is a technology that allows you to get rid of this middleman that is brokering trust.”– Ziga Drev     This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    How do you get Blockchain technology to scale? What are the incentives in implementing Blockchain? When did they realize Blockchain was the solution to supply chain problems? How does OriginTrail's protocol work? How Blockchain changes the way we do open source projects. What is Trace and can you buy it with currency or is it only acquired by participating in the supply chain? What's the next step for OriginTrail?   Connect with Tomaz and Ziga:   OriginTrail We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!  The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!  Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram   

In part 1 of our Blockchain series, I discussed the concept of Blockchain and how it can impact the agricultural industry. I highlighted reputable resources, possible points where Blockchain can positively change, and how it can build trust in all market participants from beginning to end. I also compared Blockchain to BitCoin, emphasizing on their similarities, and why it is the next big thing in the agricultural industry. I also discussed the advantages farmers will reap from it and how a Blockchain system can affect our current supply chain.   In this episode, I’ll explain other potential applications of Blockchain as well as some of its current limitations and scenarios where applying a Blockchain system helps improve the system for everyone involved in terms accountability and data accuracy. I’ll also explain how Blockchain can help farmers focus on farming instead of other time-consuming transactions.     “Enough people need to adopt Blockchain, to where it could be an effective use to the supply chain.”– Tim Hammerich     This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    Limitations and challenges with Blockchain. Additional applications and opportunities for Blockchain. What needs to be built to utilize Blockchain's full potential? How it can create a more efficient transaction between clients and suppliers. The potential benefits of Blockchain to logistics.   We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!  The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!  Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram   

Innovations in the agricultural industry come in many forms. From technological advances to improving farming practices, the world is slowly but surely guaranteeing safe and sustainable food sources for generations to come. But, what if we take that a step further? What if we have a system in place that enables traceability, security, improves food safety and gets everyone involved in making sure food quality is top notch? That is what the concept of Blockchain seeks to implement.   In this episode, Tim discusses the concept of Blockchain and why it’s one of the most ambitious, yet sensible approaches when it comes to advancing the agricultural industry. He lays down the facts, his sources, and why it’s not so different to how Bitcoin operates. He also explains how a typical Blockchain approach would work with our current supply chain.     “Blockchain is a series of technologies that can build trust in our supply chain.”– Tim Hammerich     This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    What is Blockchain and how can it affect agricultural businesses? What information does it provide farmers? Can you trust Blockchain with sensitive data? The similarities between BitCoin and Blockchain The five areas in agriculture where Blockchain is currently being explored. The limitations of Blockchain?   Resources Mentioned:   Future of Agriculture – Leveraging Data to Optimize Commodity Decisions with Mike Neal of DecisionNext Future of Agriculture - Disruptive Agricultural Technologies with Aidan Connolly, CIO of Alltech Blockchain Meets Agriculture: Supply Chain Transformation Possibilities How the blockchain will radically transform the economy We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!  The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!  Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram

Nick Horob is the founder of Harvest Profit, a company that provides a set of management tools focused on the business side of the farm. Their aim is to allow farmers make decisions based on objective analysis and data, preventing emotionally-driven choices which in turn gives them better, long-term returns. While Nick grew up in a family of farmers, his extensive experience in risk management, real estate investment, and business best practices motivated him to start Harvest Profit so he could help farmers not just increase their yield, but to let them know where to invest and where to cut their investments.   In this episode, Nick explains what Harvest Profit is all about. He discusses the many problems encountered by farmers when it comes to investments and how their services provide the answers to those issues. He also shares why his company stands out among the competition, their goals for 2018, and his thoughts on the future of AgTech.     “Producing a crop is a combination of hundreds if not thousands of micro variables.”– Nick Horob     This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    How does Harvest Profit improve a farmer's business? What inspired him to start Harvest Profit? Farmers attitudes towards new technologies and new software. What makes Harvest Profit much more attractive to farmers than other competitors? What it’s like to compete with bigger companies?   Connect with Nick Horob:   Harvest Profit Email: nick@harvestprofit.com   We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!  The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!  Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram   

Tyler Mayoras is a Principal at Advantage Capital Partners, a company that invests in small businesses that are ready for growth. As a principal, his duties revolves around screening and identifying potential opportunities for investments, facilitate due diligence, and close transactions. His primary focus is on investments made by their agriculture wing, aptly called Advantage Capital Agribusiness Partners. Some of the most prominent businesses he watched over were Hip Chick Farms, Shenandoah Growers, and NurturMe.   In this episode, Tyler shares the kind of businesses their company looks for when it comes to investing. He explains their requirements, what convinces them to invest in that particular business, as well as why almost half of the businesses they look at are rural or close to rural. He also shares how the government is involved in their investments and his experience working with NurturMe, a gluten-free baby food company.     “A lot of the whole food revolution is being driven by people under 40: The Millennials and Generation Z.”– Tyler Mayoras     This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    The type of investing Tyler does with Advantage Capital Partners. How hard is it to invest in a new industry? Would wheat-based products still be considered plant-based? Is it hard to merge those who are interested in progressive food and ag business and those supporting a rural economy? The trends in the natural space and how companies manage to stay unique. What do they consider as impact investing? Spaces he would like to find more companies to invest in. The impact of information accessibility on food trends.   Resources Mentioned:   23andMe NurturMe   Connect with Tyler Mayoras:   Advantage Capital Partners Twitter     We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram   

How does a 30,000 acre farm operate with just 9 employees? Lon Frahm shares with Tim how he has grown his row crop operation to over 30,000 acres, and how he uses economies of scale such as self-insuring and storing his own grain, to develop advantages over other farmers.  Lon has a very impressive story. He took over his family's farm upon his father's death when he was just 28 years old. He has lead the operation to tremendous growth over the past 30 years and has experiences very little employee turnover.  Lon knows the value in keeping good people on the team, learning quicker than your competition, and networking with peers in the industry.  Whether you are a farmer, in agribusiness, or not in any related field, there are still some business gems in this episode.  Learn more about Frahm Farmland at http://www.frahmfarmland.com Wall Street Journal Article Featuring Lon Frahm Visit http://www.AgGrad.com to connect to careers and employers in agriculture.  Reach out to Tim on Twitter @timhammerich. 

Steven Brockshus is the CEO and Founder of TERVA, an online real estate marketplace dedicated to empowering farmland professionals with knowledge, insights, and data. They aim to build a marketplace not only to educate, but to also connect with people looking to buy and sell farmland. He aims to bring the agricultural real estate industry online to shift the industry and how people interact and think about farmland.   In this episode, Steven shares his story on how he started TERVA as well as the moments and people in his life that inspired him to do so. He talks about what it can do now and what it sets to do for farmers in the future, and why TERVA is a great resource for those planning to retire on the countryside.     “Disruption in the ag context is different than a disruption in a Silicon Valley or social media based business.”– Steven Brockshus     This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    What is TERVA, their vision, and mission? How the startup company he interned with inspired him to create TERVA. How being in the FFA made him a better business leader. Who finds the most value in using TERVA? The format people want when using TERVA. Where do they plan to expand next? How they convince potential investors.   Resources Mentioned:   Zillow   Connect with Steven Brockshus:   TERVA Email: steven@terva.ag   We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!  The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!  Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram   

Dr. Peter Ballerstedt is a Doctor of Animal Nutrition and is an expert in forage and ruminant nutrition in agriculture. He stepped out of the agriculture industry for some time and ventured in the tech world for many years. He came back because he realized a fantastic source of health could be found through leveraging animal agriculture, specifically ruminants. A stern believer in grass-based animal nutrition, Peter calls this – the potential of ruminants to lead the way towards healthier diets - the Ruminant Revolution.     In this episode, Peter discusses what his Ruminant Revolution is all about. He addresses the need for ruminants and why it’s one of the best sustainable options to support an ever-growing human population. He also dives in on some facts regarding cultivable lands and current innovations in the ruminant agriculture industry.     “Our grassland resources are our largest and least well-utilized resource that remains.”– Dr. Peter Ballerstedt     This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    What made him love ruminants? Why do we need a Ruminant Revolution? What the is diet like of mostly meat eaters and the diet he recommends today. The steps needed for rangeland industry progression to catch up with road crops? Why Ruminant Animal Agriculture isn't competitive with human beings. Why he favors grass-based agriculture. His thoughts on the saying "You are what you eat.”   Resources Mentioned:   Good Calories, Bad Calories book by Gary Taubes Dr. Michael and Dr. Mary Dan Eades   Connect with Dr. Peter Ballerstedt:   Facebook Twitter Instagram Email: peter.ballerstedt@gmail.com     We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!  The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!  Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram   

Charles Baron is the Co-Founder of Farmers Business Network, an idea conceived by farmers for farmers. The company aims to gather unbiased and objective information with regards to agronomics and commodities. The idea is to pool available data from individual farmers, so every farmer in their network would benefit from them. The company started three years ago with just 3-4 farms, but through word of mouth and good service, they now have close to 4,700 farms within their network. Charles and his team plan on ultimately expanding his reach outside the U.S. and continue to improve their data interpretation and gathering services.   In this episode, Charles explains the idea behind Food Business Network, what drove him to become a farmer, and the problems farmers face in the U.S. that go unnoticed. He also shares how his company managed to grow their network to what it is now, and their outlook for the future of their company.     “Farmers Business Network exists to bring benefits back to our farmers using our technology and network.”  – Charles Baron     This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    What problems does Farmers Business Network solve for farmers? Why farmers have the worst economics. The uses of Farmers Business Network in terms of commodity prices. What does the side benefiting from the status quo think of their company's business strategy? How transparent is farmer's business network? Why did some hate their price transparency? What kinds of farms do they cover? How do they make sure the data is validated? How do they market their services to farmers? His thoughts on fluctuating commodity and input prices. Any plans on serving the animal agriculture side? What gets investors excited about Farmers Business Network?   Resources Mentioned:   Farmer2Farmer   Connect with Charles Baron:   Farmers Business Network     We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!  The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!  Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram   

Mike Neal is the Co-Founder and CEO of DecisionNext, a company that utilizes and analyzes data in a way that helps companies optimize their decision making. DecisionNext’s business relies on giving clients possible market forecasts in an event of a policy change. Regarded as a serial entrepreneur, Mike is fond of starting new businesses and has focused his entire career on mathematical models and its application to critical business decisions. He has founded plenty of SaaS companies, all of which provided highly focused analytics to business users.   In this episode, Mike shares what DecisionNext is all about and how it can help the agricultural industry. He also provides insight on the importance of recognizing patterns in today’s market as well as his thoughts on the future of agriculture.       “Having a rigorous view matters as long as it's monetized through optimizing the forward position on the buy side or the sell side.”  – Mike Neal       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    His background on what got him to start analytics companies. What prompted him to leave a good career to go on his own? What is DecisionNext all about and what services does it offer? Is there an element of machine learning that aids in their tools? The two reasons why transparency matters. How big is pattern recognition for today's businesses? How is working with commodity firms different to retail merchandising firms? Why he says there's no such thing as a true commodity. What are the steps he takes in coming up with the next big idea? His marathon analogy when it comes to starting a company. His thoughts on the future of food and agriculture. Does he see the government using DecisionNext to do sensitivity analysis on the food supply?   Connect with Mike Neal:   DecisionNext info@decisionnext.com     We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!  The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.        Share the Ag-Love!  Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!      Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram   

David Norman is the Senior Vice President of Investments Programs at Heifer International, a company that promotes a “pay it forward” approach to sustainable agriculture. Their mission is to end world hunger and poverty while also taking care of the planet by working with communities. This approach seems to be a great answer to the issue of food security and sustainability, as Heifer is driven by the “teach a man to fish” philosophy which ensures the families they help are all able to contribute to eradicating world hunger.   In this episode, David explains what Heifer International is all about, it’s humble beginnings, and its mission. He also shares the different challenges they face with every program as well as some of the successes that made it all worthwhile.     “You basically want markets to compete for your products.”  – David Norman     This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    An example of a market that is not dependable or fair. How they structure their business and programs. How the company selects which communities to target. Will the communities know Heifer International is involved or do they operate behind the scenes? Is there a difference between social capital and trust? Challenges that prevent or delay communities prospering as a result of Heifer's work. What is the value chain? How do they know if their programs are working? What are the logistics behind their programs? What are their considerations when it comes to where they invest their money? The big challenges we as a society need to overcome for their company to realize their mission.     Connect with David Norman:   Heifer International           We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!  The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!  Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram 

Andry Andriankaja is an agronomist that specializes in the field of plant biotechnology. Carl Andre is the research manager for the EPA-DHA Canola project at the BASF Plant Science Department who studied how plants convert simple sugars to oil as well as plant lipid metabolism.  They are working together on a big project in biotechnology that will innovate the way we eat and provide our body with nutrients: making the typical canola plant naturally produce EPA and DHA, two types of Omega 3 fatty acids.   We all know what Omega 3 fatty acids are and what they can do for the body, but we’re often forced to either eat their food sources or buy fish oil supplements. What if we can consume omega 3 fatty acids in products we're already eating? Andry and Carl are now working on that answer and have been working on it for the past 10 years.    In this episode, Andry and Carl discuss their big project, why they chose the canola plant as their host, and what it took for them to get this far. They also discuss  their vision with regards to the importance of plant biotechnology in the near future.     “We pride ourselves to create chemistry for a sustainable future.”  – Andry Andriankaja     This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    What's the project all about the issues it will address. What does getting more EPA and DHA have to do with canola? Where does this technology currently stand? When do they expect the product to hit the market? Why did they partner with Cargill? What made this project possible to start coming together now? Why did they choose EPA and DHA? How farmers can benefit from this project. How will this product influence how people view biotechnology and genetic engineering? Where do they see the future of biotechnology? Countries that are big canola producers.       Connect with Andry and Carl:   BASF         We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:    Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on

Joe Swartz is the Vice President of Commercial Sales and Technical Support at American Hydroponic, a.k.a AmHydro. AmHydro is a small company in the United States that designs and builds innovative hydroponic systems, a soil-free way to grow plants, and have been doing so for the last 30 years. Joe Swartz himself came from a family of farmers and started researching the science of hydroponics when he saw the traditional methods of farming were no longer paying the bills during the real estate boom of the late 80s.   After purchasing the family farm from his father, Joe put his formal education and passion in agriculture to good use and invested time and money into researching and experimenting with different hydroponics system operations. Some said he was a genius, some called him otherwise. Regardless, with hydroponics AmHydro has slowly and steadily made a huge and growing impact towards preserving the environment.    In this episode, Joe tells us all about hydroponics, its advantages and disadvantages, why hydroponics farming is still farming, and how to turn it into a profitable business.     “The real issue is that we have a need to be able to put agricultural production in areas not necessarily suitable for agricultural production.”  – Joe Swartz     This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    What is Nutrient Film Technology? How his old-school family reacted to him telling them it's time to find a new path in agriculture. How has controlled environment ag changed from the 80's to now? What factors cause people to think controlled environment agriculture is too hyped? Is that a good thing? How would he advise new farmers who want to proceed in getting started as a grower of indoor farming? What is the correct approach at building a hydroponics business? How big does a greenhouse need to be to make indoor farming profitable? The ballpark price for indoor farming packages. What is Aquaponics? Why some controlled environment agriculture growers fail? His prediction for the future of hydroponic agriculture.       Connect with Joe Swartz:   AmHydro Twitter           We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!  The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!  Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook<a href=...

Jack Gilmore is the owner and head chef of the famous Jack Allen’s Kitchen in Austin, Texas. More than good food and service, Jack Allen’s Kitchen is known for being a pioneer in what we call the “Farm to Table.” According to Jack, at least 80% of every food on his menu is locally sourced. He first got into cooking when he was 15 and taught himself how to cook when he was working part time in a restaurant. By the time he was 18, he realized school wasn’t his thing so he decided to get married and start a family.   Jack knew how to cook, so he figured he could make a living out of it. He worked for other people and was able to work with incredible chefs, until he grew tired of working for someone else and decided to start his own restaurant. From cooking for a decent wage to actually owning his own restaurant chain, he has come a long way.   On today’s episode, Jack talks about how he started his restaurant business, what made him choose to buy from local farmers as much as possible, and the logistics involved in running a locally-sourced restaurant. He also his thoughts on the future generation of farmers.     “I don't tell anybody we're a 100% local, I tell them we're as local as we can be.”  – Jack Gilmore     This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    How he partnered with local farmers How much of his menu is influenced by the ingredients available? How he manages the many farmers he partners with as well as the logistics behind. How he plans his ingredient supply forecast with the farmers. How he determines which farmers to work with How he shows his appreciation to the farmers. Why he's not worried about the next generation of farmers as much as he is about next generation of chefs. The biggest and smallest farms he buys from. Is the farm to table concept still a growing concept nationwide? The future of the local food movement. How does he manage the food waste in his restaurant?     Check Out Jack Gilmore Across the Net:    Jack Allen’s Kitchen         We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!  The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!  Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram   

Spencer Stensrude is a business analyst for Ag Ventures Alliance, a company that invests in startups aimed to support and innovate the agricultural industry. The company itself was formed by farmers in Iowa in the late 90s. One of their latest investments is a company called SwineTech and is headed by Matthew Rooda. As the name implies, SwineTech is a company focused on innovating the swine industry, and right now its focus is on preventing sows from crushing their piglets.   On today’s episode, Spencer and Matthew talk about how they met, what their companies are all about, and how they started working together. They also share their prediction for the agricultural industry in the future and one of the biggest issues in the pork industry and how it’s affecting the economy.     “We are happy the company making money and sending us a check vs having to sell the company to someone else to pay back the investors.”  – Spencer Stensrude     This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    What is SwineTech all about? How did they discovered the piglet problem and how they developed a solution? The success rate of their new technology. The process from getting the startup ready to actually getting an investment. Matthew’s long term vision for SwineTech. Why Ag Ventures invested in SwineTech? The price point of SwineTech's product for producers. The timelines and process involved in investing in SwineTech. The focus of Ag Ventures for future investments. The first objection Matthew usually gets from producers when selling his product. What excites Spencer about the industry and his prediction for the future of agricultural technology.     Check Out Spencer Stensrude Across the Net:    Ag Ventures Alliance LinkedIn Twitter     Check Out Matthew Rooda Across the Net:    SwineTech Email: mrooda@SwineTechnologies.com Facebook     We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!  Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn<a

Aidan Connolly has been with Alltech for 27 years and is currently its Chief Innovation Officer (CIO). Alltech is a company that helps farmers feed the world, raise healthy animals, and protect the environment. He works with the company’s research department focused on developing nutrition-based technologies that will capitalize on insights gained through Alltech’s investment in nutrigenomics. Aidan’s main tasks as CIO is to spearhead Alltech’s projects in multiple facets of the agricultural industry, make sure they’re always on the cutting edge when it comes to current technology, as well as incorporating new technologies into how food is produced in the future.   On today’s episode, Aidan shares how he became Alltech’s CIO and how the company decides which innovation to invest in. He also explains the disruptive technologies that will greatly affect the agricultural industry in the near future.   “Brain power and imagination are going to be very important in terms of the roles we play.” – Aidan Connolly     This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   Alltech's views on disruptive technology. How they strategically decide when to invest in an innovation. What is the Pearse Lyons Accelerator? The 8 potentially disruptive technologies. Is artificial Intelligence something humans should worry about? How he prepares his children for the future. Since 2009, TOP US food and beverage companies have lost an equivalent of $18 billion of market shares. How does this affect agriculture? Can the "local food" movement scale? How should we balance thinking about innovations and our busy lives?   Mentioned in this episode:   ONE18 Conference Humans Need Not Apply Video   Check Out Aidan Connolly Across the Net:   Alltech LinkedIn Twitter     We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.   Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!   Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram

Do we take basic decision making for granted? Do we just assume that our practices in the past should be our practices in the future? Using data based information, there may be ways to become more efficient and productive while saving money and resources. Dr. Curt Livesay from Dynamite Ag is one of those people who questions basic assumptions. He focuses on agronomy or soil management and crop production. He has been a guest on a past episode, but we mostly discussed the cannabis industry. Today, Dr. Curt Livesay shares his data based process especially around the subject of nitrogen use. We look at nitrogen efficiency and getting the desired amount of nutrients without creating waste. We also talk with Scott Wettstein, a farmer from Lidgerwood, North Dakota. If you like thinking for yourself, this is a great episode for you.    "When we test and find products that actually work, we take those on and promote them to our growers." – Dr. Curt Livesay     This Week on the Future of Agriculture Podcast: How Dynamite Ag prides themselves on research and education  How Dr. Curt Livesay always had a greater vision and wanted to sell based on independent research Nitrogen research and accepting the idea of “what everybody knows” Nitrogen is not uniform in the soil profile 360 Yield Center produces the Y drop which drops from a sprayer and places nitrogen closer to where the plant needs it Overapplying nitrogen's negative impact on the environment Looking at cost savings and capturing the yield goal based on Curt’s research Research versus tradition and nitrogen soil tests with sensors     Check Out Dynamite Ag & Dr. Curt Livesay & Scott Wettstein Across the Net: Dynamite Ag Dynamite Ag on Twitter Dynamite Ag on Facebook Dynamite Ag on YouTube Call Curt at (641)919-5574 Curt@DynamiteAg.com com ScottWettstein@hotmail.com Scott Wettstein on Twitter Scott Wettstein on Facebook       Share the Ag-Love!  Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!  Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  AgGrad Website   AgGrad on Twitter   AgGrad on Facebook   AgGrad on LinkedIn   AgGrad on Instagram   

There was a time when people found a job and stayed there for most of their working lives. Those times are in the past with modern statistics saying that 67% of employees leave a first job within the first 2 years. Having a job that is a good fit is not only important for employer cost savings, but it also makes a difference in the employee’s happiness. Bob Broeckelman was interested in agribusiness right out of high school. He has been an FAA officer and advisor, an ag teacher, and is recently retired after 33 years working in the Farm Credit system.  He understands the importance of human capital and why it's important for people to understand and find what is the right fit for themselves. Today, we talk about tools used to create profiles and questions to create good matches for people and jobs. We also talk about how this method helps the employer and employee.     "We were trying to do the students a favor by putting them in the right jobs." - Bob Broeckelman     This Week on the Future of Agriculture Podcast: How matching people who were good fits for jobs drastically reduced turnover Tools used for finding the right fit such as interview questions and questionnaires Using the predictive index for behavioral profiles Using questions to narrow down the top and bottom applicants and how these profiling methods were effective in many positions from loan officers to truck drivers Cost lowering effects of matching people to the right jobs before hiring How results proved the accuracy of these methods in success and retention rates How the age they started working was the biggest predictor of success How Bob noticed a decrease in critical thinking skills in interviews since the 80s How we will grow by taking risks and having an open mind and attitude   Check Out Bob Broeckelman Across the Net: Bob Broeckelman on LinkedIn Bob Broeckelman on Facebook     Share the Ag-Love!  Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!  Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  AgGrad Website   AgGrad on Twitter   AgGrad on Facebook   AgGrad on LinkedIn   AgGrad on Instagram  Tim@AgGrad.com  

Grasslands and grazing cattle go hand in hand. Yet, grazing cattle can be a complex process with things like dynamic business practices, the ecology of the grasses, and the biology of the animal all needing to be considered. Grass-fed beef and other grass-fed agricultural products are also fueling the modern-day demand for pastures and grazing opportunities. I recently came across a business that is trying to solve issues associated with pasture management and cattle grazing. Christine Su is the co-founder and CEO of PastureMap, a platform that collects data on different areas that are being used for grazing. It helps build on that data to help with making informed decisions on the entire process. Byron Palmer is a livestock rancher who grazes cattle in Sonoma County. He is one of the people doing the work and putting future agricultural ideas into practice. He is the owner of Grounded Grasslands. Byron grazes cattle for farmers and manages pastures. Today, I talk with Christine about PastureMap, and with Byron about how he uses the software.   “We have a lot of respect for the tradition of planned grazing and the emotional component, so we follow adaptive planned grazing methodology very closely.” - Christine Su   This Week on the Future of Agriculture Podcast: How PastureMap helps grazing managers who practice multi-paddock adaptive grazing Christine’s background and how she went from a consumer with a business background to reconnecting with the land and food she eats Features of the initial app prototype that could be accessed from a smartphone An iterative process of launching live modules and beta testing future prototypes How their mission is to help ranchers make more profits by building healthy grasslands Focusing on soil carbon data and rewarding farmers by sharing positive data How it’s not profitable to graze without productive pasture planning     Check Out PastureMap & Christine Su & Byron Palmer Across the Net: PastureMap Grounded Grasslands Grounded Grass Fed Sonoma Mountain Institute     Share the Ag-Love!  Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!  Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  AgGrad Website   AgGrad on Twitter   AgGrad on Facebook   AgGrad on LinkedIn   AgGrad on Instagram 

What do you think about an all-expenses-paid trip around the world for six months to learn about agriculture? Does it sound too good to be true? It is too good, but it is also true. This adventure is made possible through Nuffield scholarship. Today’s guest, Mat Hocken, is a husband, father, dairy farmer from New Zealand, and a Nuffield Scholar who has travelled globally to research on his chosen topic of specialization - agricultural innovation. Mat joins me today to share the details of this amazing scholarship program that’s been created for the advancement of agriculture in a global aspect. He gives an overview of the life of a Nuffield scholar and its new international scholarship program. He also shares how this can influence your view of the world and the agricultural industry.   “I think I’ve learned a lot from just observing what you do [in the US]. [Innovation] is also a cultural context.”  – Mat Hocken   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Specifics on the Nuffield scholarship, their scholars, and a list of participating countries Requirements and qualifications for scholarship application Other programs Nuffield scholars take part in while on their trip What's expected of a Nuffield scholar Elements that Mat looks into in other countries as he studies and writes about agricultural innovation Mat’s agricultural background and the business model he and his family use in their business Backstory of how the Nuffield Scholarship came to be and how it is funded   Check Out Matt Hocken Across the Net: Mat Hocken on Twitter   Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram

Today’s guests allow us to look at agricultural technology and entrepreneurship from two different perspectives. Kevin Heikes is part of the IN10T, a digital agricultural company that created Farmer Trials. Farmer Trials is a platform that connects people who have new ideas and want to test them on real farms. These people get to work with real farmers who have the skill and resources to assess whether these ideas solve real problems that farmers face. Also with me is Kyle Morrow, a farmer in Indiana who is currently a customer of Farmer Trials. Kyle shares his experience working with the company and allows us to look at matters from a practical approach since one of the goals of the program is to see things from different lenses. Today, we see that all new and innovative agricultural technology is nothing until tested and proven effective on the farm. Kevin shares how art and science are combined as a growth strategy used by Farmer Trials; the communication process among the farmer, the ag entrepreneur, and Farmer Trials; and when entrepreneurs can approach Farmers Trials if they have new insights and project proposals.   “Having something like Farmer Trials where they can try multiple things within a given year accelerate the learning curve to utilizing the data.” - Kyle Morrow This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Problems that existed on the farm before Farmer Trials came along Requirements farmers had to meet in the past if a company wanted to do farm trials Tasks that Farmer Trials manage and facilitate for agribusinesses Working in the business versus working on the business Why the services offered by Farmer Trials are appealing to companies both big and small How Farmer Trials plan to use the grant awarded them by Kansas Department of Agriculture Who determines the compensation for the projects   Check Out Kevin Heikes Across the Net: Farmer Trials Website Farmer Trials on Twitter Farmer Trials on Facebook Kevin Heikes on Twitter   Check Out Kyle Morrow Across the Net: Kyle Morrow on Twitter   Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!   Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram

While having guests and learning from people with different perspectives are the typical setup of this show, stopping to reflect on the things that have been discussed and talked about is an excellent way of seeing the learning, growth, and future direction of the program. With this said, today, I’m going to deviate from my normal program flow to look back and see where the journey has taken us. Today, I’m going to talk about the five big takeaways I have learned from the first 60 episodes of the Future of Agriculture podcast. I also explain how these five big things determine the direction and content of the program. Agriculture should be looked at from as many different lenses as possible. That’s where we’re going to get the ideas. This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Agricultural technology and agricultural entrepreneurship What agricultural education is about and why it is important Defining cooperative extensions and how this reinforces agricultural education Solving serious problems like environmental impact, sustainability, social issues, hunger, and food waste The generational aspect to each agriculture story Agriculture and empathy How we can practice empathy together in the next 60 episodes of the program     Mentioned in This Episode: Episode 49: Building a Brand from Scratch in Agriculture with Marji Guyler-Alaniz of Farmher Episode 46: Growing Cannabis and Other Fun Agronomy Topics with Dr. Curtis Livesay of Dynamite Ag Episode 39: Farmland Ownership and Cash Rent with Dave Meyers of Bird Dog Bird Dog Website Episode 19: Dr. Pamela Marrone, CEO and Founder of Marrone Bio Innovations (MBI) com Episode 51: The Power of A Plant with Stephen Ritz of Green Bronx Machine Episode 58: The Best STEM Delivery Tool with Dr Daniel Foster Episode 59: Why You Should Teach Agriculture - Part Two with Dr. Daniel Foster Episode 44: Grassfed Beef Through Adaptive Multi-Paddock Grazing with Russ Conser of Standard Soil Episode 53: Millennials Solving World Problems Through Agricultural Technology with MiKayla Sullivan of Kinosol Wasted Food Website Episode 40: From Land to Landfill - Food Waste with Jonathan Bloom of Wasted Food Episode 34: Utilizing...

Peter Schott grew up in a family with technologically inclined parents who used computers on their farm even from way back in 1984. Because of this, Peter's curiosity on the possibilities that technology can bring in solving agricultural problems grew. As a result, Peter and another guy from his college dorm decided to work together on offering solutions through mobile apps by establishing their own company called Myriad Mobile. Today, Peter talks about the significant role that mobile apps play in the future of agriculture and the solution of current agricultural problems. He shares some excellent insights from two different perspectives - one from that of a farmer’s and the other of an entrepreneur. He also explains the significance of knowing your audience, your vision, and the problem you want to solve when thinking of a good app to pursue.   “I think the industry is best served if people spend more time listening to their customers and working alongside them rather than telling them what they need.”  – Peter Schott     This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: How Peter’s family used computers on the farm in 1984 Biggest game-changer for technology on his farm from 1984 to the present How Myriad Mobile came to be and the core of Myriad’s business The platform he created as a result of a cooperative request Challenges of having and creating a mobile team and where he found his success in sales Similarities and differences between developing apps for agriculture and other fields How farmers can differentiate good technology versus salesmanship How powerful Twitter is in connecting with others in the same industry A peak on the process entrepreneurs go through when engaging with a mobile app firm The biggest unsolved problems in agriculture that can be solved by technology     Check Out Peter Schott Across the Net: Myriad Mobile Website Peter Schott on LinkedIn Peter Schott on Twitter     Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!   Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram  

Today’s episode is a continuation of a two-part series on why you should teach agriculture. In the previous episode, Dr. Daniel Foster, an educator at Pennsylvania State University, shared his insights about agriculture and agricultural education on a national scale. Dr. Foster not only makes a difference in the lives of young people, but also trains teachers who want to make a difference in the agricultural education outside the country. Dr. Foster joins me today as he talks about agriculture and agricultural education on an international scale. He shares how he tried to help establish agricultural education in Guatemala and the inspiring story when Dr. Foster and his team of agricultural instructors had an intercultural agriculture trip to Korea.   “It’s okay to be scared but saddle up anyway because there’s a young person in this world, there’s a young person in America that needs you.”  – Dr. Daniel Foster     This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Possible reasons why there is a decrease in agriculture instructors in the U.S. How agricultural businesses can offer assistance and support on ag programs Why there are high rates of out-of-school and disengaged students aged 16 to 24 in Guatemala Foster’s proposal regarding the development of Guatemala’s agricultural education Why each agricultural teacher is required to do an individualized professional development plan How Dr. Foster expands the global mindset of students Other significant student learnings Dr. Foster hopes his students will discover Challenges prospective agriculture educators face and how Dr. Foster can help instructors   Questions Ag Businesses Should Ask Ag Programs: Where are the ag programs around me? What do you have going on? Where do you need assistance and help? How can we help?   Check Out Dr. Daniel Foster Across the Net: Email: foster@psu.ed Daniel Foster on Twitter     Join our National Teach Agriculture Campaign!   As a primary supporter of the agricultural network, BASF proudly sponsors the National Teach Agriculture Campaign, a movement with a mission to raise awareness about the need to recruit and retain qualified and diverse agricultural teachers. If you are interested in making a lasting impact in developing the future leaders of agriculture, visit NAAE.org for more details.     Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!   Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram    

Daniel Foster is a proponent of agricultural literacy and is currently an Agricultural Teacher Educator at The Pennsylvania State University. He credits his mother for his love for the industry which all started when his mom decided to move out of Texas to Arizona to further her career in agriculture. He was just 15 going 16 at the time and was a starter on his school’s football team, so he considers this part of his life as a fun transition.   In Arizona, he decided to pursue a degree in agriculture and continue his studies until he eventually got his doctorate at Ohio State. To this day, he recalls never really wanting to teach agriculture. That is until February of his senior year as a student teacher. It was then he realized he wanted to keep doing this, teaching young minds about the importance and future of agriculture, for the rest of his life.   On today’s episode, Daniel talks about how his mom inspired him to pursue agricultural studies, why he decided to become a student teacher, the importance of Ag literacy, and his thoughts on Ag Educators.    “It's a lot more fun helping a kid discover what they have inside through agriculture than it is trying to twist the arm of an elected official to recognize the importance of our industry.”  – Dr. Daniel Foster      This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:  What contributes to the Ag teacher shortage? Do rural areas need better Ag programs? What does Ag literacy success look like? Why should Ag literacy be relevant to everybody? How Ag literacy can cause you to make better lifestyle choices. Why the engine of Ag education is the educator. Core pain points causing attrition in the ranks of Ag teachers. The importance of facilitating and utilizing support programs in Ag education. His goal of funding a female agricultural production operation in every continent.     Check Out Daniel Foster Across the Net:  Official Bio Twitter     We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!  The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Share the Ag-Love!  Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!  Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:   AgGrad Website  AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram   

Today’s guest grew up in Mariposa, California and has viewed the world from different lenses as a youth through the 4-H Youth Program. Marcus Hollan attributes his distinctiveness and success to his involvement in such programs when he was younger which allowed him to embrace the diversity of others and understand the importance of inclusion in a community. Marcus is one of the founders of the Cultivating Change Foundation, an organization that elevates and values the LGBTQ community within the agriculture industry. In today’s episode, Marcus talks about the roles that diversity, inclusion, equality, and equity play in the workplace - especially in agriculture. As the chief learning officer of Studio 5, Marcus also shares the organization’s goals, the business case for promoting agriculture, and how the corporate equality index has become a significant tool to know more about how open a company is to embracing racial, cultural, religious, and gender orientation differences.   “There is also power in recognizing our differences; in celebrating and honoring who we are.”  – Marcus Hollan   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Defining diversity, inclusion, equality, and equity What people want - equality versus equity Why you should ask purposeful and intentional questions What inspired Marcus to launch Cultivating Change Foundation The goals of the foundation Challenges Marcus faced in starting Cultivating Change Defining the corporate equality index and its function   Join us at the 2017 Cultivating Change Summit! On June 21 to 23, the third annual Cultivating Change Summit will take place in Sacramento, California. Learn from the excellent speakers, fantastic workshop presenters, and the 8-people panel that will tackle the future of agriculture through the lens of diversity and inclusion as they come up with plans of actions as to how we can better serve the agriculture industry. Be a part of history-in-the-making by checking out Cultivating Change Website today!   Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram

Coley Jones Drinkwater belongs to a third-generation family of farmers who tend to and sustain the Richlands Dairy Farm in Blackstone, Virginia. Richlands Farm has been a dairy farm since the 1950s. Coley’s story makes you see life in agriculture from different perspectives - a multigenerational angle, a sustainability angle, and an entrepreneurship angle. On today’s episode, Coley talks about the inspiring story of how her grandparents started and pursued the farm as they relied on agriculture in raising and sending their five children to college. She also explains how she and her family decided not to sell the farm during one of its trying times with the challenges, pressures, and sacrifices she and her family made to keep the farm and pursue their own creamery in spite of the denial of her initial proposal. “I hope in building the creamery that maybe that is something that I can do for someone else’s family as well where you can just come, get some ice cream. Sit on the porch. Just breathe and take a moment to be together as a family because that to me is really what makes farming worth all the sacrifice.”  – Coley Jones Drinkwater   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: The crops that Coley and her family grow on the farm What to expect during the farm’s Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze Fall Festivals The farm’s first ever “Dinner on the Dairy” that’s happening on June 23 Why the first ice cream flavor gives honor to Coley’s grandmother Coley’s frustration about misleading labels and marketing strategies concerning truth and honesty The hardest part in farming for Coley since she came back to the farm full-time What gives Coley hope and purpose in life   Check Out Coley Jones Drinkwater Across the Net: Richlands Dairy Farm Website Richlands Dairy Farm on Facebook   We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.   Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram

Today’s guest is an independent movie producer from New York City. Sam Goldberg grew up in Manhattan without any background in agriculture. He was introduced to agriculture when a filmmaker approached him for a concept about grain entrapment, a real and grave danger that farmers and other members of the community are exposed to. Seeing the significance of the issue socially, Sam currently is raising funds for the operation and completion of the movie titled Silo The Film. On today’s episode, Sam talks about the progress he and his team have made in the production of Silo. He also shares why he thinks this movie is socially relevant and his stand on why he wanted to pursue this film in spite of the timespan they need to devote to complete it. He also mentions some of the things that Sam and his team are currently working on like fund-raising, casting, and searching for the right location to shoot the movie.   “This, to me, represents a potential bridge for conversation where a segment of the population can be humanized in such a way that is relatable to anybody.”  – Sam Goldberg   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Overview and plot of Silo The Film What compelled Sam and his business partners to pursue this project The social significance of this film Reasons for filming a documentary Response of the people who viewed the short film at the Tribeca Film Festival The overall cost of the project and how the cost is divided How the revenue side of film works How Sam found the grain entrapment expert his team is working with on the film   Check Out Sam Goldberg Across the Net: Silo The Film Website Silo the Film on Facebook     We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!   The Future of Agriculture Podcast is a part of a network called Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today. Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram  

Joining us on today’s episode of Future of Agriculture Podcast are two educators who are making an impact in the agricultural industry by engaging the youth and influencing the future workforce of agriculture. Our first guest, Seth Heinert, is an Agricultural High School teacher in Ogallala, Nebraska who started a rural program two years ago. Beverly Flatt is a program manager who works with city schools called Academies of Nashville in Tennessee helps students discover the passion they would like to pursue after high school. Seth and Beverly share two different programs and approaches as they cater to students from diverse backgrounds and regions. Seth shares some fascinating stories about his classroom experiences in western Nebraska and the reasons why he’s so passionate about pursuing rural education and instilling in his students a love for agriculture. Beverly identifies the agriculture programs they offer in urban education. She also mentions that for the urban students, their exposure to the amount of technology used in the agricultural sector play a significant role in generating interest in the students.   “I think agricultural education plays a huge role in getting kids engaged in their rural communities.”  – Seth Heinert “Just giving students an experience and an opportunity to get involved in agriculture is often the only thing we need to do to sell them on making this an industry and a passion for life.” – Beverly Flatt   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Seth’s priorities in the program he started The essence of having an advisory council and the responsibilities they carry out The three components of Seth’s rural program The primary classifications of the courses Seth teaches What led Beverly to agriculture literacy What the program Academies of Nashville is all about and the school levels and age group they cater to The four agricultural programs in the urban program Acquiring accurate information and getting rid of fake news is the biggest challenge on ag literacy How Beverly and her team determine the courses to be offered in their program How agriculture can improve the academic performance of students     We are a Part of a Bigger Family!   The Future of Agriculture Podcast is a part of a network called Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today. Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: AgGrad Website   AgGrad on Twitter   AgGrad on Facebook   AgGrad on LinkedIn   AgGrad on Instagram

Millennials are making waves in many of today’s business and career industries – and the agriculture industry is no exception. This week, I’m speaking with Mikayla Sullivan, co-founder and “Ringleader of Regal Operations” at Kinosol. Her team of millennials – many of which are fresh out of college – are on a mission to solve one of the world’s biggest problems – world hunger – through agriculture technology. Kinosol uses dehydration techniques that can be used anywhere in the world – due to its solar-power technology – to make food products last longer, to effectively reduce food waste around the world. Currently, Mikayla and her team are focusing on helping people in developing countries reduce food waste and improve their food storage ability in an effort to help end world hunger on a global scale. Today, she shares the Kinosol mission and how the business idea got started, the interesting way the team generated the initial business capital to continue to grow and scale, and some of the food safety concerns surrounding dehydration – particularly with meat.   “People don’t care what it looks like. It really just matters if it works and if it’s going to improve what they are already doing and save them time down the road.” – Mikayla Sullivan   This Week on the Future of Agriculture Podcast: Kinosol’s mission to reduce food waste on a global scale – particularly in developing countries How the company is working to not only reduce food waste and combat world hunger, but also provide income-generating opportunities in developing countries What is a Specific Benefit Corporation and how it differs from a non-profit organization and an LLC How farmers in developing countries can receive Kinosol’s products What the Kinosol solar-power dehydrator is capable of Food safety concerns regarding meat and ensuring consumer safety Unit cost and distribution model The Kinosol “Sponsor-A-Unit” program How the business idea got started How they raised their initial business capital How the founding members decided which countries to target first Their biggest challenges throughout their entrepreneurial journey Why Mikayla believes her team’s naivety about the process of developing the product worked to their advantage New product development plans within the next two years     Check Out Kinosol & Mikayla Sullivan Across the Net: Get Kinosol Facebook Twitter – Use these hashtags to follow the conversation: #SaveTheThird and #FoodforAll Instagram LinkedIN     Share the Ag-Love!  Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!  Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  AgGrad Website   AgGrad on Twitter   AgGrad on Facebook   AgGrad on LinkedIn   <a href=...

Today’s guest is from the Bronx in New York. His journey to agriculture started accidentally while he was dealing with student conflict in his class. From zero agricultural background, Stephen Ritz created a system – a whole school program that changed how the students, the parents, and the community view agriculture. This program, called Green Bronx Machine, is more than about educating his students about farming. Stephen sees it as a way to solve real problems in the community like lack of student engagement in school, poor education, and poor health including unequal opportunities for the disadvantaged. On today’s episode, Stephen talks about the effects and benefits of Green Bronx Machine to the students and the community as a whole. He shares how he integrates growing food with academics. Stephen also elaborates on one of the goals of the program’s model, which is not about a “me” mentality, but a “we” mentality. This outlook is about people everywhere working together in achieving the goal of making wise choices, living healthy, and personal and community development. He is encouraged to see the outcome as his students are empowered to make healthy choices as a result of instilling child wellness and mindfulness in them.   “When we teach our children about nature, we teach them to nurture. And when we teach children to nurture, we as a society collectively embrace our better nature. And that’s what this work is about.” – Stephen Ritz   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: The 9-1-1 situation in Stephen’s class that lead to a 3-1-1 moment One of the significant effects of the Green Bronx Machine Project: Students you don’t expect to go through college ending up as college graduates Evolution of the program, how it has evolved today, and some of the programs offered such as after-school programming, weekend programming, and summer camps Age window of students allowed in the program How the collateral learning influence the behavior of the students How the program can change the community’s outlook on food as medicine in relation to diabetes and obesity The process that Stephen adapts especially for first-time student-growers: If they grow it, they eat it The focus of the model of the program – quality of teaching and quality of learning Metrics Stephen uses in the program concerning academics (attendance, performance, etc.) What makes the Green Bronx Machine a whole-school solution and not just any other kind of school economics program Content of Stephen’s book – his story, his children’s story, the community’s story, and tools that equip people to grow something great and impact their community Check Out Stephen Ritz Across the Net: Green Bronx Machine Website Green Bronx Machine on Facebook The Power of a Plant Book by Stephen Ritz   Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on...

Today’s guest is my close friend, James Garner. He is a partner in a company called Cogent Communications that does public affairs work in agriculture and agricultural businesses in Sacramento, California. For ten years, he has been a part of a band called Johnny Cash Tribute Band, where he is the group’s manager and front man. On top of these varied roles, James has also been doing drag racing with his dad. James’ father has been a part of a drag racing team as a racer for years. On today’s episode, James talks about the significant changes that occurred in his life when he started Cogent Communications with his colleague, together with the ideal clients they work with. He also points out the strong suits that have kept them on top of their game, which are understanding the issues on the farm and coherently communicating these matters to the board (local, supervisory, or regulatory). James also elaborates on what currently seems to be a mild concern, but can be a hot one in the future because of its impact at the farming level – the Food Safety Modernization Act.   “We try to be cogent in all our communications – clear, logical, convincing.” – James Garner   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: How technology helps shape the communications and data collection in James’ work High-level issues affecting the clients and what James and his team do: water, water quality, and sustainability James’ magic formula for building healthy business relationships More tips on establishing good business and personal relationships An on-going concern that the consumers keep asking for but valued much and lived out by farmers Check Out James Garner Across the Net: Cogent Communications Website Email: jgarner@cogentcc.com Johnny Cash Tribute Show   Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: AgGrad Website    AgGrad on Twitter    AgGrad on Facebook      AgGrad on LinkedIn    AgGrad on Instagram  

Women have been part of agriculture since the beginning of time. Today’s guest is passionate about showing how the roles of women have progressed and increased in this field. Born and raised in Iowa, Marji Guyler-Alaniz studied Graphic Journalism and Photography in college. Recently, she had a lot of surprises and transitions in her life in a span of only four years – from insurance to photography to owning a company and being a TV hostess. Today, Marji is the president of Farmher, a company that came about as a result of her passion in shining the light on women in agriculture. On today’s episode, Marji recounts the Super Bowl advertisement that inspired her to start capturing images of women in agriculture. She shares the exciting story of how she built her brand from scratch and how Farmher has progressed from a hobby to a brand with a regular TV show. She also narrates the quick progression of her journey with Farmher, talks about her mission and vision, and points out her considerations when making decisions.   “I started it with a premise of shine me a light on the role that women play in agriculture through photographs and help to update the image of agriculture with those photographs.” – Marji Guyler-Alaniz   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Marji’s mission and the tale of the first woman Marji photographed in 2013 Effects of the connection between Farmher website creation and the publication Modern Farmer Merchandise creation and the factor that made women identify to her brand Producing FarmHer TV Show and Marji’s reasons for pursuing it Company challenges and breakthroughs Marji’s biggest surprise since starting the business   Check out Marji Guyler-Alaniz Across the Net: FarmHer Website Email: info@farmher.com   Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: AgGrad Website   AgGrad on Twitter   AgGrad on Facebook     AgGrad on LinkedIn    AgGrad on Instagram   

Today’s guest grew up in Grass Valley, California. Sara Hollenbeck lives with her husband on a ranch in Molt, Montana called the Hollenbeck Ranch. Together with her husband and in-laws, Sara manages a sheep operation in Molt on top of many other diverse things they do on the farm. On today’s episode, Sara talks about an unfamiliar topic to many – sheep operation. She discusses the necessary tasks and human resources it takes to keep the operation running smoothly. She also shares who Totes MaGoats is, how her lamb company was born, and how she was able to open the community to eating lamb.   “The people I’m focused on are the ones that are interested, or curious even, about where their food is coming from or how their food is being raised.” – Sara Hollenbeck   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Brief background about the sheepherders and reasons why their presence and the H-2A program play a vital role in the sheep operation Where the sheep ranch gets the majority of its revenue The importance of breeding on the quality of the meat and wool and reasons why it is important to focus on the latter Sheep shearing and why it is considered the “fun time” in the ranch Sara's goals for the future of the ranch Check Out Sara Hollenbeck Across the Net: Sara Hollenbeck on Instagram Hollenbeck Ranch Website High Five Meats Website   Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook   AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram

Today’s guest is a scientist, researcher, and the founder of Dynamite Ag – a sales and consulting company founded in 2012. Growing up in a Christian household, Dr. Curtis Livesay was told not to do drugs, to research about it. This pursuit of knowledge led him to acquire a Ph.D. in interpersonal communication and research methods. It is also the heart of his company – to do great research and disseminate good and useful information. On today’s episode, Dr. Curtis shares his knowledge, experience, and viewpoints about a variety of topics such as critical agronomic problems, lies fed to farmers, and specific ways to deal with particular agronomic concerns.   “Don’t just try something different, but pay attention to where you put it.” – Dr. Curtis Livesay   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: How Dr. Curtis found his niche and how he finds the people he works with Difference between plant recoverable and plant available How farmers should balance the economics of farming with environmental stewardship Yield contest over profitability contest What volunteer corn is, why it’s a problem and what farmers can do about it   Check Out Dr. Curtis Livesay Across the Net: Dynamite Ag on Facebook   Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: AgGrad Website   AgGrad on Twitter   AgGrad on Facebook   AgGrad on LinkedIn   AgGrad on Instagram

On today’s episode of Future of Agriculture Podcast, my guest is an engineer by who was born in Nebraska and grew up as a city kid in Omaha. Russ Conser eventually fell in-love with energy which started his decades-long career in Shell Oil where he learned more about oil, gas, and carbon. You may be surprised to hear that the knowledge and experience Russ gained in this industry eventually led him to his present venture in the field of agriculture. Russ Conser is the CEO of Standard Soil, a company that uses adaptive multi-paddock grazing to grow grass-fed beef at scale. He spent the last 15 years in innovation and investing in pioneering startups that produce revolutionary and edgy outputs and results. A writer, speaker, investor, and game-changer, Russ talks about Standard Soil’s business model, its difference from other tech startups, the positive environmental impact it brings, and a lot more.   “I tend to think of agriculture really as the biological solar energy business in the world of farmers and ranchers.” – Russ Conser     This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Russ elaborates the difference between traditional grazing and multi-paddock grazing. He shares the effects of multi-paddock grazing that are advantageous not only to the business itself, but also in the quality of the nutrient produced in the soil. Together with the overall environmental impact of multi-paddock grazing, Russ talks about what the organic-rich soils can do for everyone. He gives some tips on how they handle moving paddocks frequently, how they manage the grazing during wintertime, and how to know the right square footage of paddocks per cow. Russ emphasizes that the methods by which these things are produced usually cause concern with broader environmental issues. He introduces the “cocktail mix” producers use to create a superior product. Forward-looking, Russ talks about the significance of multi-paddock grazing to the US beef industry 20 years from now.   Additional Resources Mentioned in Today’s Episode TED Talk by Allan Savory   Check Out Russ Conser Across the Net: Standard Soil Website Standard Soil on Twitter Standard Soil on Facebook The Grassfed Exchange   Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram  

AgTech has experienced quite a boom over the years. There is no question that innovation can boost tremendous improvements in the Agriculture industry. And like me, many Agriculture professionals and business owners are curious and eagerly awaiting the next big thing from AgTech. Louisa Burwood-Taylor is currently at the heart of the AgTech industry as the Chief Editor of AgFunderNews.com. She was originally a financial journalist and was privileged to shift to AgTech just when the industry started gaining significant progress. In today’s show, Louisa shares her experience in AgTech, along with invaluable entrepreneurial advice, insight and a glimpse of what is to come in the industry. “Agriculture is the least digitized industry in the world, which is pretty concerning because it is one of the most essential industries in our daily lives.” This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: The Agriculture industry is currently experiencing an Intersection between food, technology, and entrepreneurship. Women are making great strides in the Agriculture industry and it makes sense to have more of their voice in the corporate scene, because they influence more than half of the food choices in the family). Consumer demand and changes are really going to impact how farmers plant, what they plant, and how they grow it. There's a huge potential for robotics to revolutionize farming, but it has not yet raised much funding because the technology is not quite there yet and it can be quite expensive. Louisa shares the “hot” areas for AgTech where there are a lot of start-ups and tech innovation hubs. She discusses what accelerators do and their role in AgTech. Entrepreneurs are demonstrating more enthusiasm with AgTech this year. It may take some time before AgTech finds another unicorn, because the investors have pulled back over the last few years. Resources Mentioned How Consumer Preferences and the Role of Women are Informing Food & Ag Innovation The Climate Corporation Memphis Meats Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology Research Triangle Park Volcani Center Swiim Adaptive Symbiotic Technologies Reach out with Damian Mason: Louisa Burwood-Taylor on Twitter Louisa Burwood-Taylor on LinkedIn com com AgFunder on Twitter AgFunder on Google+ Get First Access to the Farm & Rural Ag Network! If you enjoyed this show, then you'll also love the Farm & Rural Ag Network! It is an exclusive community led by the founders of the fastest growing agriculture podcasts: the Shark Farmer Podcast, the Ontario Agcast, and yours truly – the Future of Agriculture Podcast. Subscribe now to join the community and gain access to our robust content library and grow your network by connecting to other industry players. Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews...

Food waste is a major issue in the United States, as well as the world. Research shows that about 97% of food wasted in the United States ends up in landfills and the less than 3% of waste that doesn’t see a landfill is being utilized in other commodities such as compost, black soldier fly larvae, and other methods. That means that approximately 30-40% of the calories available to the human population finds their way into the landfill. Although the global economy and environment are slowly becoming more aware of the massive issue regarding food waste, it’s still one of the biggest issues plaguing, not only the agriculture industry, but also the global economic, ethical, and environment. Public speaker and author of the book, America’s Waste Land, and founder of Wasted Food joins me today to shed some light on this significant issue, share his thoughts on what the ag industry – as well as consumers in general – can do to increase awareness and make a difference in the world by finding different ways to reduce the amount of food wasted throughout the country.   “Food waste is simply a poor use of resources. To me, it’s being a poor steward of the Earth.” – Johnathan Bloom   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Why consumers should care about food waste and its impact on the global economics, ethics, and environmental factors. About $200-Billion dollars are squandered nationally by wasted food. That’s about $2,000 per family in food not eaten. The food waste data does not show the amount of ag-level waste because we don’t have a good enough handle on the amount of food being wasted at the farm level. On an international scale, the amount of food wasted amounts to about $2.6-Trillion. Depending on the price of harvest, farmers might not be able to justify the expenditure of time and labor to harvest certain crops such as sweet potatoes. The misconception of “sell by” and expiration dates on food. Where food goes when you put it in the garbage disposal. How several European countries are making progress in reducing food waste. How the ag-community can inspire consumers to utilize food in the best ways possible. The positive changes Johnathan has seen since he began his food waste project.   Practical Things Consumers Can Do to Reduce Food Waste: Become a smarter shopper. Plan what food you will need before going shopping. Think more about portion sizes. Use your freezer as a resource. Stop treating “sell by” and expiration dates as the be all, end all. Instead, use them as a guide, trust your instincts and senses.   Connect with Johnathan Bloom: Wasted Food Wasted Food on Twitter Wasted Food on Instagram America’s Wasteland book Just Eat It documentary   Share the Ag-Love!     Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!     Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:   <p...

On today’s episode of the Future of Agriculture Podcast, my guest is a Purdue graduate who was brave enough to make a career change from being a Turkey breeder in Perdue Farms to sales. Dave Myers shares his journey in farming and how a man changed his perspective when he was taught about the soil and how it can maximize the growth in farming. As Dave saw the struggles of many growers, he appreciated that with his new career path, he can help growers become more efficient with how they grew their crop. Not only that, he created an online app, Bird Dog, that helps growers market themselves while protecting their reputations at the same time.   “Longevity and being able to put together a long term plan is a huge value for many growers.” – Dave Myers     This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: He shares the burden of many growers who desire to expand their farming operations, but are concerned about their reputation if they pursue the landowner. As he elaborates the steps he took before Bird Dog was launched, he also enlightens us how Bird Dog helps growers market themselves to landowners. He explains what landlords are searching for when looking for people who would rent their land and what growers are looking for in a landlord. Dave talks more about Bird Dog in terms of geographical coverage of their services, the challenges they face involving landowners and growers, and the benefits of using Bird Dog. He also shares the mistakes and struggles people make regarding landowner-farmer relationship.     Check Out Dave Myers Across the Net: Bird Dog Website     Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram

On today’s episode of Future of Agriculture Podcast, I have the privilege of talking with the Casey Neistat of Agriculture – Matthew Sligar.  He documents his life in relation to rice farming through video blogging.  He creates artistic videos that are made in engaging and amusing ways. Matthew is a rice farmer from Gridley, California.  He shared with us today where he got his inspiration and confidence to launch his website Rice Farming TV.  We also talked about some of the episodes on his website that have greatly impacted him, his family, and the community that encourage him to continue and push on.  He looked back and shared with us parts of his life that contributed to the overall productiveness of the videos.   “In 2015, medium grain rice from California won the world’s Best Tasting Rice Award.  So, not only do we grow rice in California, but it’s premium, award-winning quality rice.”  – Matthew Sligar This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Matthew shares his inspiration to launch Rice Farming TV. He shares the untold story about a mom who reached out to him when she saw the Halloween video that was aired on TV as she watched the response of her child with autism towards Matthew who handed over rice grains and candies to trick-or-treaters. He also shares his unexpected journey from college, to the time he met his wife, and back to the family farm. He talks about the amount of time he spends filming and editing the episodes together with the personal challenges he encounters such as balancing work, family, and hobby. He even shares with us the equipment he uses for filming and editing the episodes. He discusses how he chooses which part of his life he would share in each episode. He expresses his desire for his children when asked about passing the farm to the next generation. He also mentions some things he foresees in the future of agriculture. Check Out Matthew Sligar Across the Net: Rice Farming TV Website Rice Farming TV on YouTube   Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram

I recently had the opportunity to attend a media event held by Monsanto announcing the new project initiatives that the company will be unveiling in 2017. The information, research, and development that this company has invested to bring better technology and products to the agriculture industry is simply amazing. On this week’s episode, I’m talking with Dr. Shannon Hauf of Monsanto. Dr. Hauf graduated with a background in plant breeding and weed science, then later, she began working at Monsanto where she became experienced in many fields and departments, including pricing, sales, product strategies, and currently leading her own team within the company. She shares her insight into some of the new products the company will be launching this year, how they hope this new technology will help farmers and others within the agriculture industry, explains what “biologicals” and “digital agriculture” are and why they are important aspects farmers should consider on their farms. She also offers her advice to agriculture graduates on how the market is changing and how they should embrace these changes.   “There’s room for all types of food on the dinner plate.” – Dr. Shannon Hauf   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Hauf explains what her role is at Monsanto, her responsibilities at the company, and the type of projects her team focuses on. She explains what the term “biologicals” means in the agriculture industry and why focusing on this area is important to the future of the industry. She shares how ideas at the company evolve into projects and how long it typically takes for a new product to be released to the public. She explains how agricultural professionals can help educate consumers about biological advancements and the benefits in their field. She explains how the company is looking at the “colony death” problem plaguing the honeybee population and what technology integrations they are using to investigate and resolve the issue. She explains what Climate Corp is and why Monsanto acquired the company. She shares where Monsanto hopes to expand their services and products and why they believe they can help improve the future of agriculture in these areas. We discuss the product initiatives the company is unveiling this year and which ones she’s most excited about. She explains why it takes Monsanto 12 years to launch new agriculture technologies and products into the mainstream agricultural population.   Connect with Dr. Shannon Hauf: Monsanto website   Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:    AgGrad Website  AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram   

Utilizing Food Waste for Urban Agriculture with Tinia Pina of Re-Nuble The United States has a shortage of people who want to work in agriculture. We’ve gone from most of the population to only one percent of people working in this industry. There are fewer people with farms and a lack of individuals who want to make long lasting and meaningful careers in agriculture. There is something we can do about attracting interest in farming, though, such as enticing professionals from other industries to pivot into urban agriculture, like our guest Tinia Pina did. Tinia worked in the financial sector until she learned about the problems that existed related to entrepreneurial opportunities in agriculture. Today she is the founder and CEO of Re-Nuble, a New York City company that converts food waste into organic fertilizer.  On today’s show, Tinia shares the story of how she established Re-Nuble, and shares her insights about food waste and what it’s like to be a minority entrepreneur in the agriculture industry.  “The lack of proper nutrition and fresh available food options impacts our future generations.” Tinia Pina This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Tinia talks about how teaching her students opened her eyes about food. We talk about the supply chain that supplies organic food scraps. She cites reasons why the company may not be using all the waste that is produced in the city. Tinia tells us who her typical customers are. She explains OMRI certification in relation to Re-Nuble. Tinia tells us about her transition from the financial world to a full-time career in agriculture. She shares her vision on the issue of food waste. She fills us in on what the urban agriculture/ag-tech scene is like in New York. Tinia tells us how she attracted her first customers. She shares her thoughts on competition. She discusses the disadvantages to being a minority in the agriculture sector.     Mentioned in the Show:   Eating Bugs with Robert Nathan Allen Organic Materials Review Institute Food-X Freight Farms Crop Box Growtainer The New American Dream: My Life As A Minority Startup Owner NYC Ag Collective     Contact Tinia Pina:   Re-Nuble Email: info@Re-Nuble.com     Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn <a...

On today’s episode of the Future of Agriculture Podcast, my guest, Jared Flinn, is the founder and operating partner of Bulk Loads. His site provides an online platform that connects shippers with the transportation companies. Jared graduated with a minor in agricultural economy, but wasn’t sure what he wanted to do with his credentials. He started working as a truck driver and grew to love all the aspects of the industry and eventually moved into shipping logistics in the agriculture sector. His passion for the trade inspired his vision of connecting companies and shippers, and so Bulk Loads was born. Jared started his venture without knowing whether it would be successful, but he persevered and created a sustainable and profitable business which addressed and solved clients’ pain points. On today’s show, you’ll hear his thoughts, wisdom, and advice about taking ideas and building a business in agricultural and transportation space.  “You have to have the commodities to trade, but behind that you have to have the efficient supply chain to get it through.” – Jared Flinn This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Jared shares his story about the route he took after he graduated from university. He tells us how he found the industry’s pain points and turned that into his success. Jared shares the best life and work advice he received and took to heart. We talk about how the industry has changed for transportation entrepreneurs. Jared explains how he strikes a balance with his business model. He gives us an idea about his marketing techniques. Jared shares his story about starting the company despite the resistance he met from other businesses. He reveals his thoughts on Donald Miller’s message and how it relates to business. We talk about the future of the transportation industry. Jared talks about how he caters to his customer base.   Mentioned in the Show:   Donald Miller     Connect With Jared Flinn: Bulk Loads website Smart Freight Funding Call Jared at 800-518-9240    Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram

This is a good time for reflection on this past year and anticipation of what is to come in 2017, and I’m energized about the potential we have in some of the strategic objectives that we’ll be rolling out here in the coming year. I’m also excited to interview our guest today who came from humble farming beginnings and is now a leader in agri-business and a force in politics. On today’s episode of the Future of Agriculture Podcast, we have who could very well be our next United States Secretary of Agriculture, Kip Tom.  Whether Kip is nominated or not, he will play an integral role in the leadership of our industry from his home in Indiana, from Washington D.C., or across the water in South America where he has a farming operation. He is passionate about encouraging and motivating our youth to step into the agri-business sector to continue family farming operations. Kip shares his wisdom, insights, and advice, about this business and you’ll hear how a young man who grew up on his family’s homestead became a passionate advocate of continuing the American dream of keeping family-run farming businesses alive.  “If there’s one thing you do, work towards succession planning to prepare the next generation to grow your business and sustain it. “  Kip Tom This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Kip talks about what his unique business model. He talks about how he diversifies in the farming industry. He tells us about his involvement in politics. Kip describes his role in the family operations. We talk about ag-policy and innovation. He talks about his focus and goals in the event he becomes the next Secretary of Agriculture. Kip tells us his views on the challenges of our Ag producers. We discuss the needs in farming and how important it is for young people to get involved. Kip talks about how social media impacts our agriculture stories and relays valuable information. Kip speaks about his story about agri-business in South America. He shares his insights about the future of   Check Out Kip Tom Across the Net: Tom Farms CereServ, Inc.   Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram

On today’s episode of the Future of Agriculture Podcast, I am extremely excited to chat with a guest with whom I have the utmost respect for and who I am in awe of. Dr. Temple Grandin is an author and a professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University who is passionate about agriculture and the people involved in it. Temple has revolutionized the industry with practices she devised and is a highly-regarded internationally known speaker on the subjects of autism and cattle handling. Temple’s incredible story of overcoming personal and professional challenges to revolutionize the agriculture industry, a sector which is set in its ways, will blow your mind. She is an inspiration to everyone in general and to people who want to break into an industry where they don’t necessarily fit the mold. Temple brings value, wisdom, and inspiration to today’s show and I’m honored and humbled to interview her. She is passionate about keeping the agriculture industry alive and shares her invaluable advice for those seeking a life in the agricultural sector. “Students get interested in things they get exposed to.” – Dr. Temple Grandin This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Temple discloses her experiences in the agriculture industry in the 20th century. She expounds on the ethics of eating animals. Temple speaks about encouraging all types of careers in the agriculture industry and keep it in the forefront. She talks about how to best serve people in the industry who are visual learners or thinkers. She gives you information and advice on autism. She tells us what she likes most about teaching students. Temple recounts about her life since the movie about her aired. She talks about improvements in the agriculture and food processing industry. Temple tells us about what’s changed in animal handling.   Mentioned in the Show: National FFA Organization 4-H   Check Out Temple Grandin Across the Net: Temple Grandin on HBO Video Tour of Beef Plant Featuring Temple Grandin Temple Grandin on Ted Talk     Share the Ag-Love! Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter <p class="western"...

Kevin Heikes is the Founder of In10t.io, an advisory firm dedicated to helping clients solve problems in Agriculture related to technology strategy, product commercialization and digital system design. Kevin has worked with several start-ups, including FarmLink, where he served as Vice President of Product and Farms Technology where, post acquisition, by DuPont Pioneer he led the integration and product migration to DTN.  This episode is filled with new ideas, tactics, and anecdotes that will both entertain and inspire anyone interested in the future of agriculture. Kevin mentions a couple of tools including Full Contact and Product Hunt. Check out Kevin’s personal website: http://www.kevinheikes.com/ or his company: http://www.in10t.io/.   Thanks for listening!   We really appreciate you taking the time to listen to the Future of Agriculture Podcast. The response has been outstanding. Please feel free to leave a note in the comment section below. The best way to spread the word about our Podcast is to share your favorite episode using the social media share buttons in the podcast player you are using. You can also leave a review on iTunes. This helps us spread the word about the people, perspectives, and innovations that provide our future food, clothing, fuel, shelter, and natural resources. We also encourage you to tell any of your friends that are interested in farming, livestock, agribusiness, or AgTech to check out our show!

AgriCorps sends American college graduates and professionals into developing nations to teach agriculture and to build local agricultural communities. The volunteers, known as AgriCorps Fellows, work for one year in countries such as Ghana and Liberia. Trent shares his perspective on the future of agriculture in Africa, challenges and rewards of agricultural development, and the differences between U.S. and African food production. I agree with his perspective that Africa will grow into a major player in global agribusiness. So do many major corporations, who are rapidly expanding into the region.   Enjoy Trent’s firsthand experiences and I look forward to hearing your feedback about your perspective on international development and the future of agriculture in Africa.  Learn more about AgriCorps: https://agricorps.org/join/im-interested-in-more/ Like AgriCorps on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/agricorps/   I encourage you to consider becoming an AgriCorps Fellow or contributing to their crowdfunding campaign!   Thanks for listening! We really appreciate you taking the time to listen to the Future of Agriculture Podcast. The response has been outstanding. Please feel free to leave a note in the comment section below. The best way to spread the word about our Podcast is to share your favorite episode using the social media share buttons in the podcast player you are using. You can also leave a review on iTunes. This helps us spread the word about the people, perspectives, and innovations that provide our future food, clothing, fuel, shelter, and natural resources. We also encourage you to tell any of your friends that are interested in farming, livestock, agribusiness, or AgTech to check out our show!

Dr. Nate Storey holds a PhD in Agronomy and Crop Science from the University of Wyoming. He started his company, Bright Agrotech while completing his graduate studies. Six years later, Bright Agrotech are leaders in the high density indoor and greenhouse farming industry. They partner with farmers of all sizes to build a fresher, more distributed food system. Many of you, especially the more entrepreneurial-minded, will really enjoy this episode. Vertical farming holds promises of entry-level farming with low startup costs, good margins, and excellent production per square foot. We often talk about the future of agriculture battling the challenge of producing more food with less land, water, fertilizer, chemicals, and environmental impact. Many of those elements are addressed with vertical farming and mentioned in this episode. If you’ve often dreamed of being in production agriculture but don’t have land in your family, give this one a listen! Check out Bright Agrotech’s Website and YouTube Channel.   Thanks for listening!  We really appreciate you taking the time to listen to the Future of Agriculture Podcast. The response has been outstanding. Please feel free to leave a note in the comment section below. The best way to spread the word about our Podcast is to share your favorite episode using the social media share buttons in the podcast player you are using. You can also leave a review on iTunes. This helps us spread the word about the people, perspectives, and innovations that provide our future food, clothing, fuel, shelter, and natural resources. We also encourage you to tell any of your friends that are interested in farming, livestock, agribusiness, or AgTech to check out our show!  

According to AgFunder, over $4 billion poured into AgTech investments in 2015. Many times when people think of the recent AgTech craze, their mind immediately goes to drones. I have been curious about drones for quite some time, both from a "coolness factor" perspective and from the perspective of "what's really that great about them in agriculture?". I had been looking to bring on a drone expert to the podcast for quite some time, but didn't want someone who would be too technical or would look at it from an impractical angle. One day on Linkedin I came across the article "Applications of UAVs in Agriculture" by Michael Dunn, CCA. I knew I had found my next podcast guest. Michael is able to talk about drones from the perspective of the farmer and from someone who is trying to help the farmer utilize technology to improve their operation. He is both technically knowledgeable as well as practically sensible about the uses of drones in agriculture, their limitations, and their potential. I hope you enjoy this interview with Michael Dunn of Anez Consulting.   Connect with Michael on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-dunn-cca-75a64028 Check out Anez Consulting: http://anezconsulting.com/   Thanks for listening! We really appreciate you taking the time to listen to the Future of Agriculture Podcast. The response has been outstanding. Please feel free to leave a note in the comment section below. The best way to spread the word about our Podcast is to share your favorite episode using the social media share buttons in the podcast player you are using.  You can also leave a review on iTunes. This helps us spread the word about the people, perspectives, and innovations that provide our future food, clothing, fuel, shelter, and natural resources. We also encourage you to tell any of your friends that are interested in farming, livestock, agribusiness, or AgTech to check out our show!