Podcasts about aggrad

Delaney: Delaney grew up on a grain and livestock farm in Southeast Iowa and has been involved in agriculture from a very young age. She holds a Bachelor's of Science degree in Agricultural Sciences and minors in Broadcasting and International Studies from Northwest Missouri State University and a Master's in Agricultural Communications through Texas Tech University. Delaney and her fiancé Blaine live in central Iowa and are working to continue the Groth Family Farm's legacy, started by Blaine's family over 100 years ago, on their diversified row crop operation. Outside of podcasting, Delaney works with small businesses in the agricultural industry to help them advance their PR, Marketing, and Content Curation abilities. Wearing multiple hats as both an industry woman, farmer, and farm broadcaster, Delaney strives to bring the most up-to-date information on the latest “news cycle” in DC politics, commodity markets, and the international agricultural scene through her travels to 23 countries. You may recognize Delaney from her role as first female host of the nationally syndicated Agribusiness show Market to Market, or on a variety of other ag media outlets such as the "Spokesman Speaks" podcast on behalf of the Iowa Farm Bureau; freelance reporter for This Week in Agribusiness, Agri-Pulse, or from her daily radio program on Your Ag Network. Delaney was named one of AgGrad's 30 under 30 in 2020, is a broadcast member of the National Association of Farm Broadcasting (NAFB) organization. Tanner: Tanner is an Ag Lender in Iowa. He grew up in Northwest Iowa on a swine and row crop farm, attended AIB the College of Business and received his bachelor's degree in Business Administration and Financial Services. He is also a graduate of the Iowa Bankers Association's Ag Credit School, Commercial Credit School and of the Ames Chamber, Leadership Ames Class XXX. ​ Tanner is no stranger to podcasting, as one of the hosts of the Farm4Profit Podcast, an ag podcast focused on bringing profitability to the farm. He brings with him lifelong involvement in agriculture and 14+ years of banking experience. His experiences in everyday problem solving and providing guidance for his customers helps to shape the content of this conference. ​ Tanner, his wife, two daughters live in Huxley, IA and stay active in both family farms. Connect with them: @Iowabankerman @delaneyhowell07 @agnewsdaily @globalagnetwork Connect with Ally IG: @agchicks Website: www.agchicks.net Email: agchicksinfo@gmail.com

Welcome back to Soil Solutions with Jessica Gnad.  This episode features Mitchell Hora, a 7th generation farmer and entrepreneur from southeast Iowa.  In 2015, while studying Agronomy and Ag Systems Technology at Iowa State, Mitchell launched Continuum Ag, which now houses the largest private soil health dataset and has amassed a footprint of over 40 states and 16 countries.  The Hora's implement a wide array of conservation practices including diverse cover crops, relay cropping, diverse cropping systems, no-till, and conduct a wide array of data-driven trials.  For their efforts, Mitchell and his father, Brian, have been named to the "Soil Health Champions" list from the National Association of Conservation Districts.  Mitchell has been named to the Forbes Under 30 List, the AgGrad 30 Under 30 list, and was voted the "Rising Star" by his peers in the Amplify Network at Brookside Labs.  From the beginning, Mitchell has focused on helping farmers to improve their holistic management system, focusing on both soil and economic resiliency. His life mission is to be a catalyst for regenerative relationships and a shepherd for God's creation. To further the sustainable ag effort, Mitchell co-hosts a conservation-focused podcast, Field Work, which is produced by American Public Media.  The podcast has reached over 1,000,000 downloads in its first three seasons on the air.  

Zane Peterson is here to celebrate #FriYAY and our fifth episode of our AgGrad 30 Under 30 series. Tune in to hear more about Zane and Peterson Timber.

Alacyn Cox is on for our fourth episode of our AgGrad 30 Under 30 series. Tune in to see how Alacyn mixes her knowledge of engineering into her position in customer service at John Deere.

Mitchell Hora is a 7th generation Iowa farmer and the founder/CEO of Continuum Ag.  His passion with farming started from a young age and today he assists with operating his family's 700 acre farm, which in 2020 produced corn, soybeans, cereal rye, malt barley, and mustard.  Mitchell and his father have been named "Soil Health Champions" by the National Association of Conservation Districts for their cover crop, no-till, relay cropping corn and interseeding efforts. Mitchell launched Continuum Ag in 2015 and has grown the company to a footprint of over 40 states and 11 countries. They help farmers profit via their first of its kind soil health data platform, TopSoil.  Mitchell was also named to the AgGrad 30 under 30 list and strives to ensure economic resiliency and environmental sustainability for the family farms he works with.  In this episode, I speak with Mitchell about his mission and the impact Continuum AG is making in the world.  Let's dive in! https://continuum.ag/

Mitchell Hora is a 7th generation Iowa farmer and the founder/CEO of Continuum Ag.  His passion with farming started from a young age and today he assists with operating his family's 700 acre farm, which in 2020 produced corn, soybeans, cereal rye, malt barley, and mustard.  Mitchell and his father have been named "Soil Health Champions" by the National Association of Conservation Districts for their cover crop, no-till, relay cropping corn and interseeding efforts. Mitchell launched Continuum Ag in 2015 and has grown the company to a footprint of over 40 states and 11 countries. They help farmers profit via their first of its kind soil health data platform, TopSoil.  Mitchell was also named to the AgGrad 30 under 30 list and strives to ensure economic resiliency and environmental sustainability for the family farms he works with.  In this episode, I speak with Mitchell about his mission and the impact Continuum AG is making in the world.  Let's dive in! https://continuum.ag/

Today we are talking to our first member of AgGrad's current 30 Under 30 cohort! Join us as we talk to Ellie Symes about what lead her to success, The Bee Corp., and more.

Tim Hammerich of AgGrad is here to kick off a new series here on the podcast! Tim tells us about AgGrad, the current 30 under 30 cohort, and helps us start this series off.

Future of Ag CrossOverIntroductionThank you again for suggesting topics for us to talk about on the podcast and keep them coming.  Send those to farm4profitllc@gmail.com or find us all over social media.We greatly appreciate your help in growing our audience.Listener Review: - @JayJaylc8  “Listened to all of it and had a great time laughing and listening to it.  LOVED it!”What’s Working in AG – Next Level Ag – Understanding what is going on in your fieldBodie Kitchel is the National Director of Agronomy at Biodyne-USA and is also the owner and Regional Business Director for Next Level AgStarting in 2015, Next Level Ag has been testing soil and plant tissue samples, analyzing the results, and converting them into valuable information - all while keeping the farmer’s perspective at the forefront.Understanding soil testsSoil test results can be complicated and confusing to read, but they don't have to be. Next Level Ag has developed a unique approach in measuring Physical/Chemical/Biological aspects in the soil and displaying them in a format that keep the grower's perspective, not a chemist's.  In Season ManagementUtilize many different tools and methods to gather your infoDrones Sampling (Soil and Tissue)Boots on the GroundSatellite Imagery365A dashboard to view each field and watch the progress it is makingView and track sample recordsManaging your crop like you would an investment in the stock marketUse this to help understand the why behind the whatEnd with a tease about wanting to understand biologicals in more detailFuture episode will focusunderstanding our soils and how some functions of biology work with plantsunlocking potential and then feeding that potentialimproving overall efficiencies Main Topic – Future of Ag (Crossover)Tim Hammerich  is a former National FFA President and a graduate of the University of California, Davis with a degree in Crop Science and Management. He also completed the Masters of Agribusiness program at Kansas State University. Tim spent the first eight years of his career as an agricultural commodity trader and manager, where he developed a background in trading, management, sales, strategy, business development and risk management. He and his family reside in Eagle, Idaho. Tim was one of the founders of AgGrad and is now the Senior Director of Strategic Communications for Congent Consulting.  He is also someone I would consider a mentor and friend, but the main reason he is with us today is…. He’s the host of the Future of Agriculture Podcast.  This show explores the people, companies, and ideas shaping the future of agribusiness and what is what we want to explore today – the future!As we focus on the profitability of our farms today. How do you see the advancement of technology affecting profitability?What have you noticed are challenges of companies starting out and looking to improve agriculture?When a startup succeeds what have they done right?What fuels your passion to continue with the future of Ag podcast?What do you look for when thinking about or coordinating a guest for a podcast episode?Back to the focus on profitability.  Thank you for sharing with us a couple of companies you think might have a big impact on profitability. Let’s start with Rantizo……Can you tell us a little about Rantizo?What’s the advantages of their equipment?What can they apply with their drones?What are some obstacles they need to overcome or have surpassed?Their company strategy is unique. How are they targeting the expansion of their market?Do you remember the costs to get operational for one and what the life span is?Alright, so we explored a business venture that a listener could look into. How about exploring the company you introduced us to called CoverCress.  What is this plant? Combination or crossbred?Is this a gmo plant?Now this is a leap forward in technology that could have a major impact on profitability.  What are the uses?New crop, livestock feed, feed stock for bio fuels, cover crop, genetic engineering technology But how could those impact a farmer’s bottom line? Where can this be grown?How do they plan to harvest it?What’s the timeline for implementation and wide spread adoption?Let’s get a bit geeky with the next one.  Introduce us to FarmWave-Harvest LossCan you explain What Google glass is and how its involved in AG?What’s Farmwave-HarvestLoss using this technology for? Plant diseases?Do they have future applications or plans in the works?What about Harvest Loss - using some of the same technology?How does this set up?  Work on all combines?Could be used for sprayers too right?As you’ve explored the future of Ag....how do you think a majority of farmers feel about AI?We’ve talked on shows before about creating your niche. The “something about yourself and your farm that sets you apart.  Can you explain how Pristine Gourmet did this?That episode reminded us about being diversified. Can you remember how they worked to become diversified?What kind of sacrifices have you seem commonly made with your guests to be successful?What do you think the future for the Future of Ag looks like?What do the most successful farmers or business leaders have in common?SummaryChallengeClosingRemind the listener to leave a comment if this episode brought them value.  Ask them to like, leave a review where they listen, and share with their friends.  They can always send topic ideas to farm4profitllc@gmail.com

During the digital agriculture revolution, digital technologies have become available for making better input decisions for crops, mapping crop productivity at high resolutions, breeding more resilient hybrids, and monitoring machinery performance, amongst many other things. One aspect of farming that digital technologies have hardly addressed is labor management. Finding the right labor and managing labor well is one of the most significant challenges that farmers face, and potentially one of the biggest inefficiencies in a farm operation. Tyler McGee, founder and CEO of Shepherd Farming, joins the FarmBits Podcast for this episode to discuss how Shepherd Farming is ushering in digital technology for farm labor management. Shepherd Farming, based in Raleigh, NC, is a digital platform that allows farmers to organize and control labor more knowledgeably through an app on their smartphone or other mobile device. This episode will cover the challenges that farmers are facing in labor management, the story behind Shepherd Farming, what Shepherd does, and where Tyler envisions Shepherd going in the future. Tyler was recognized in the 2020 cohort of AgGrad's 30 Under 30 for his work with the Shepherd Farming platform, and his passion for what he does shines throughout the episode. If you're looking for digital solutions for your farm labor management challenges or simply curious about how digital technologies may impact farm labor, this episode is a must-listen. "I tell farmers, that when we look at what we're trying to do, who our biggest competition is, what we are trying to replace, it's a yellow legal pad and Microsoft Office. We're wanting to move farmers into that digital world but make it easy and make it really efficient and better for them than trying to keep it all down on a scratch pad somewhere. Because that data is vital - it's how you run your operation." - Tyler McGee Shepherd Farming: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHD3dal1PZj5lUryNFNVXhg Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShepherdFarming Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shepherdfarming/ Website: https://www.shepherdfarming.com/ Tyler McGee Contact Info: https://go.unl.edu/tylermcgee-linkedin FarmBits Team Contact Info: E-Mail: NEDigitalAgTeam@365groups.unl.edu Twitter: @NEDigitalAg Samantha's Twitter: @SamanthaTeten Jackson's Twitter: @jstansell87 Opinions expressed by the hosts and guests on this podcast are solely their own, and do not reflect the views of Nebraska Extension or the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.

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:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website

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:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram   

SHOW NOTES If you are the type of person who wants to continue to grow, better themselves and continue achieving at a high level than you have people in your lives who push you.  These folks aren't necessarily even personal acquaintances.  They are people in your industry who set the standard that you try to live up to. In today's episode I am having Tim Hammerich back on the show.  Tim first appeared on the show in episode #129.  When we recorded that episode we were both relatively new to podcasting, and we were two of the few podcasters concentrating on the agricultural space.  Since that time I have been lucky enough to get to know Tim personally, and converse with him about thoughts and ideas in business.  One thing has remained true for the entirety of our relationship, and that is that Tim is one of the people in my industry that pushes me and helps to get better based on the standard that he sets. Today we are going to catch up on all the developments in Tim's career, his podcast and his efforts to help people find their place in agriculture.  We are also going to talk a bit about Tim's history in agriculture as he has been involved in niche markets for a long time.  Tim also has a great history in the FFA.  He achieved the highest office possible in the FFA in our nation's largest state, only to follow that up by achieving the highest office possible as an FFA member at the national level. It is always a pleasure to get Tim's perspective, and to share his knowledge with our audience.  All of the show notes and links from our first interview are below.  Enjoy the show! KEY IDEAS: I have had a great time getting to know Tim Hammerich.  He first contacted me and asked me to be a guest on his podcast, the Future Of Ag Podcast.  Tim is a past, national president for the FFA.  He worked for several years in agriculture and then decided to go out on his own.  Now, Tim is completely involved in matching the right people with the right agricultural careers or the right college student with the right agricultural internship.  All through our interview I kept thinking "if AgGrad had only existed when I was in college". Tim talks a lot about not just building his business, but also tips an advice for students looking to make their career in agriculture.  This episode will be very valuable for anyone who wants to make their career in agriculture.  Whether you are seeking a job or want to start your own business, there are great tips for you in this interview. ADVICE FROM TIM HAMMERICH: GAIN EXPERIENCE: Tim says to do whatever you can to gain experience.  Find a job, an internship or a mentor that will help you get the experience you need to live the life that you want. STICK WITH IT: As an executive recruiter Tim sees one of the biggest mistakes that people make being failing to stick it out when a job gets difficult.  Tim's advice is that even when the job starts to not be what you want to do forever, don't just give up and jump to another job.  He says that sticking with a job for at least three years is about right.  Jumping from job to job to job faster than that becomes a red flag for potential employers. BEST BUSINESS ADVICE THAT TIM HAMMERICH HAS RECEIVED: FOCUS: Tim says to narrow your target market.  When you think you have focused enough, focus more.  Find your niche within your niche. PERSONAL HABIT THAT ADS TO TIM HAMMERICH'S SUCCESS: EVENING ROUTINE: Tim has an evening routine that he follows religiously.  He is very honest in assessing his ability to follow a morning routine and knows that he can talk himself out of something first thing in the morning too easily.  So, he does the same routine every night, and this helps to make the next day very productive for him. BOOK RECOMMENDATION: Tim finds inspiration and motivation from this book.  I do too!  I read or listen to this book at least once per year. TIM HAMMERICH'S CONTACT INFORMATION AND SUGGESTED LINKS:

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:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram 

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 Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram  

Sinikka Waugh and Andrew Lauver discuss the 4 Things Learned by Taking a Leap Mid-Career to Go Back to School. Andrew Lauver serves as Manager, Industry Relations at Syngenta. Andrew has experience in seed and precision agricultural services in Iowa, Wisconsin and Western Canada. He has interned with Senator Grassley, the Iowa House of Representatives as well as the American Seed Trade Association and has volunteered with the World Food Prize, Chicago Council, Iowa Corn Growers, Soy Growers, Cattlemen's, Farm Bureau, Rotary International, and Grow Iowa Ag. Andrew is from a fifth generation family farm and received his BS from Iowa State University in Agricultural Studies, holds a Master of Agribusiness from Kansas State University, and a Master of Jurisprudence from the Drake University Law School. Andrew has been active in AGR, FFA and 4-H. He has international farm and animal agricultural study experience in Europe, Asia, and South America and has been named a Future Giant of the Seed Industry by Seed World Magazine, was also named to the AgGrad 30 under 30, and Seed World magazine 20 under 30 lists. Andrew contributes directly to Syngenta's grower and stakeholder engagement.

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 instead plants in the system grow their roots out through the material and dry it out naturally…..the final material is suitable for marketing directly as fertilizer” 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 

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 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          

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 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          

Today’s episode is with AgGrad 30 Under 30 Winner Alika Chuck. Alika is the Co-Founder and CFO of Pharm Robotics, which is an agtech startup based in San Jacinto, CA. Alika and his Co-Founder are developing a robotic injection system for dairy and beef producers. So like a robot that gives shots to animals. This alleviates labor pressures and labor costs and ensures that medical practices can be performed with 100% compliance without the potential for human error. One of the most impressive things about Alika is he did not grow up on a dairy, and didn’t have any experience with robotics before starting this endeavor.  Pharm Robotics is beginning construction on the prototype and demo’ing it on his Co-Founders dairy in California. They hope to be commercially available in the summer of 2021. Go check them out at pharmrobotics.net.  I hope Alika’s story inspires you to tackle whatever it is that’s stopping you from getting your business or career to the next level. Who knows you may be able to teach yourself on YouTube things like coding, writing patents or grants, or whatever your next challenge may be.  If this episode was a good use of 10 minutes of your time today, leave us a rating and review on itunes or wherever it is you get your podcasts. We are hitting our stride now, and will be back with another episode next week.   Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  AgGrad Website (http://aggrad.com/) AgGrad on Twitter  (https://twitter.com/aggradjobs) AgGrad on Facebook  (https://www.facebook.com/aggradmedia) AgGrad on LinkedIn  (https://www.linkedin.com/company/aggrad) AgGrad on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/aggrad/)  

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 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            

“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 users.” Shepherd Farming aims at making farm labor and farm management more efficient by Through research trials and the Ag Launch Accelerator Program their team has fine tuned what farmer’s need to best optimize their labor forces They are now integrating weather data into their task lists to better schedule what needs to be done and when 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        

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 AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram          

Finding a career can seem daunting at times. We get it. Resumes, cover letters, applications, interviews, finding your interests- the list goes on. Our guest this week is a professional at navigating these processes, and we’re excited to share her tips for professional success with you! Join us as we talk skillsets, resumes, and climbing the ladder. Jessica Kueffer is the Recruitment and Employee Development Manager at MFA Incorporated, headquartered in Columbia, Missouri. She grew up in central Missouri on her family’s farm, where she developed a passion for agriculture. She graduated from the University of Missouri with a degree in Agribusiness Management, where she participated in a variety of internship programs. She was named an AgGrad 30 Under 30 in 2019, which celebrates her contributions to agriculture. Jessica is a wealth of knowledge, and we’re excited to bring that knowledge to you! Interested in a career with MFA Incorporated? Check out this link to find a complete list of job postings.

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 AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram

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 explore. 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    

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 AgGrad on Instagram      

**NEW SHOW NAME AND FORMAT** Give it a listen and let us know what you think of the changes. Today you’ll hear from Clayton Wolfe. Clayton was born to a farm family in Saskatchewan, Canada, but was mostly raised in Arizona. He returned the family farm in Saskatchewan every summer. Since taking over management of the farm, he has launched Northerly, his own brand of oats grown right there on his farm. Ready to buy some oats? For a lot of us filling our pantry is a priority right now. What better way to do that with some delicious, shelf-stable rolled oats directly from this young farmer?  Pick up a bag for yourself at Northerly.ag. They have packages ranging from 2lbs to 2k lbs and can ship anywhere in the U.S. That’s northerly.ag. Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: AgGrad Website (http://aggrad.com/) AgGrad on Twitter (https://twitter.com/aggradjobs) AgGrad on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/aggradmedia) AgGrad on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/aggrad) AgGrad on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/aggrad/)

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 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 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 AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram    

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 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 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 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        

Tim Hammerich is the founder of AgGrad, an agribusiness recruiting company, and the host of the Future of Agriculture podcast. He joins Zach Johnson and Mitchell Hora to talk about the latest innovations in farming, the changing skill sets agriculture demands, and the essential role of data management in sustainable ag. They also discuss the reasons why it’s so hard to recruit young people into ag and why more farmers should think of themselves as CEOs.

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 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      

    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       

AgGrad announced the second annual 30 under 30 in agriculture which recognizes people making a big impact on agriculture early in their career.

    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 Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram       

    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 AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram    

    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 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 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  

Tim Hammerich is a former ag commodity trader turned entrepreneur. He is now the host of one of Agriculture's most popular podcasts, The Future of Agriculture, as well as the founder of AgGrad, an agriculture centric recruiting company. We chat with Tim about the trends, innovations, and challenges facing the agriculture sector.  "You can't have sustainability without profitability" This week in Agriculture Adapts: - The process for change in a field with razer thin margins - Tim's take on agriculture and climate change - How to attract top talent to solve some of the biggest problems of our time (food safety, security, nutrition, etc.)? - Should farmers get paid for their "ecological services"? - Build solutions with farmers, not for them

    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 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  

Tim Hammerich of AgGrad joins the Ag Comm Network podcast and he takes us through how he started his own live video stream called AgGrad Live. Kelsey and Tim discuss what software to use for live streams, how to find guests, how to get over the anxiety of producing a live show, and so much more. If you want to learn how to create your own live video stream on social media, here's a great starting point. Tim also shares some exciting news from a new project that AgGrad is set to launch.