The concept of Soil Health deals with making sure the land where our farms stand will remain the same for the next generation. This was the goal of my journey in bringing the awareness of soil health to the world, and I couldn’t have done it without the help of Jim Loar of Cool Planet.

This special episode will be the culmination of all the farms I visited and the amazing farmers I met along the way. I share where I draw my passion for agriculture and being immersed in this scientifically-driven industry. I discuss the different aspects of agriculture and the farmers who best represented them. I explain how much technology is driving the recent agricultural innovations. I also describe the people behind the farms I went to and how they’re contributing to soil health and sustainability.

“Agriculture exists to solve our most complex problems to meet our most basic needs."

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

• Round-up of the Stories from the Soil visits and episodes.
• Where my love for agriculture came from.
• The farmers I met along the way and why they're awesome.
• How data and technology have affected the way farmers manage and operate farms today.
• How innovation is driving the growth of the agriculture industry.
• The six aspects of agriculture and what they mean from a global perspective.

Key Takeaways:

• There is an element in agriculture of collaboration. Be willing to help out your neighbor.
• If you're not doing what's right for the soil, it's going to be very difficult to sustain it for the next generation.

Resources Mentioned:

• Cool Planet
• Biochar with Jim Loar of Cool Planet
• Stories from the Soil

2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30

Help us celebrate the top 30 future leaders of agriculture! Nominate your favorite up-and-coming, future executives, innovators, and influencers in the following agriculture categories:

• Agribusiness
• Production Agriculture
• Research & Technology
• Entrepreneurship
• Education & Advocacy

Nominations for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list are now open and are scheduled to close Thursday, January 31, 2019, at 11:59 PM. Self-nominations are accepted.

Winners will be announced March 2019.

To learn more about the eligibility requirements, announcement date and location, and to nominate for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list, visit: 30Under30.ag

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today. 

Share the Ag-Love! 

Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please 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 

Davon Cook is the Co-Founder of Ag Progress, a company that provides management consulting, family business advisory, and facilitation for ag ventures and other groups. Davon facilitates peer groups of ag operations and is a member of the Family Firm Institute, one of the most extensive networks of thought leaders in the family enterprise field. She received her master’s degree from Texas A&M in Ag Econ and her MBA from the University of Illinois.

Davon joins me to share the inspiration behind starting Ag Progress and how their firm works. She describes how their business consulting services help farm owners improve their businesses and the different challenges they face with each client. She also explains the three circles of family business. what succession planning means, and shares what she expects to happen in the future for the ag industry.

“When you change something in one aspect of the organization, there's movement in other places; it has an impact on the entire system itself." - Davon Cook

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

• Why Davon calls themselves family business advisors.
• The difference between corporate farms and family farms.
• How they started their business and the inspiration behind it.
• The core business challenges they tackle.
• The life cycle of any business and their different stages.
• The three circles of family business and the difference between farms in the '90s and farms today.
• The definition of succession planning and how they help owners manage it.
• The changes she expects to see in the future for the family farm industry.

Manager Minute

• Set goals and your to-do list in A, B, and C categories. Try to focus on what's on your A-list as much as possible.

Key Takeaways:

• There is value in having the tough conversations by a business owner with their team.
• Don't assume parting ways is a failure if you're doing the right thing for your family or the business' health.
• An organization is made up of several parts, each one complimenting and affecting the other.

Resources Mentioned:

• FFI

Connect with Davon Cook:

• Ag Progress
• LinkedIn

2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30

Help us celebrate the top 30 future leaders of agriculture! Nominate your favorite up-and-coming, future executives, innovators, and influencers in the following agriculture categories:

• Agribusiness
• Production Agriculture
• Research & Technology
• Entrepreneurship
• Education & Advocacy

Nominations for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list are now open and are scheduled to close Thursday, January 31, 2019, at 11:59 PM. Self-nominations are accepted.

Winners will be announced March 2019.

To learn more about the eligibility requirements, announcement date and location, and to nominate for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list, visit: 30Under30.ag

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today. 

Share the Ag-Love! 

Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! 

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: 

Future of Agriculture Website

AgGrad Website

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

Joe Breker is the owner of the Coteau des Prairies, a getaway lodge that offers stunning views surrounded by prairie farms and fields. He has been farming for over 40 years and practices what the industry calls “No-till” farming, a method that prioritizes soil health. With his skills and knowledge, Joe managed to successfully operate his farm during the dry ‘80s and wet ‘90s, as well as each decade’s poor farm economy.

Joe joins me today to describe how his conservative farming practices have improved their farm’s soil health. He shares how his father was a sustainable farmer and what he did to build on what his father started. He also describes what no-till farming is, how it helps to restore damaged soil and explains the science behind management practices and how it affects soil health for decades.

“Once you lose soil health, it's really difficult to get it back." - Joe Breker

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

• The farming legacy Joe is a part of and how his father ran the farm.
• What no-till farming is and what made him utilize this method.
• How he started his journey in soil health.
• Maintaining commitment to soil health despite poor farming business conditions.
• How he processes their compost and the processes involved.
• Building soil health and how they nurse damaged soil back to health.

Key Takeaways:

• Farmers know production losses happen because of management practices on their farm.
• You can't fully restore the health of soil, but you can devise ways to improve it.

Resources Mentioned:

• Stories from the soil
• Cool Planet

Connect with Joe Breker:

• Coteau des Prairies Lodge

2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30

Help us celebrate the top 30 future leaders of agriculture! Nominate your favorite up-and-coming, future executives, innovators, and influencers in the following agriculture categories:

• Agribusiness
• Production Agriculture
• Research & Technology
• Entrepreneurship
• Education & Advocacy

Nominations for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list are now open and are scheduled to close Thursday, January 31, 2019, at 11:59 PM. Self-nominations are accepted.

Winners will be announced March 2019.

To learn more about the eligibility requirements, announcement date and location, and to nominate for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list, visit: 30Under30.ag

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today. 

Share the Ag-Love! 

Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! 

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: 

Future of Agriculture Website

AgGrad Website

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

Brady Sidwell is the owner of Sidwell Strategies, a commodity brokerage that provides a variety of risk management solutions that caters towards those in the agricultural industry. They help farmers manage price risks by trading futures and options on the commodity market. Before focusing on this type of business, Brady enjoyed traveling to 95 countries and working in a lot of them. The experiences he had on his many trips allowed him to form a better understanding of how the economy on agriculture works from a global perspective and apply that to his business.

Brady joins me today to share his passion for helping farmers and how it led to the start of Sidwell Strategies. He shares his academic and career highlights, some of the countries he’s worked in and what he learned from them. He describes how China is trying to emulate how Americans look at farming as well as the difference between farmers from either country. He also discusses some of their projects for the coming months.

“If you think you want to do something, go get an internship related to it and see if that is what you want to do." - Brady Sidwell

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

• His academic and career achievements and how he ended up working in the agriculture industry.
• The Chinese mindset and the ways they're trying to catch up with the American model.
• The big difference between farmers in the US and farmers in China.
• What made him leave and eventually return to farming.
• How big his team is right now and some of their current projects.
• His experience while visiting North Korea.

Key Takeaways:

• Places that are least populated are where agriculture is the most productive.
• The entrepreneurial mindset is what sets business leaders apart from those who just want to run a business.

Connect with Brady Sidwell:

• Sidwell Strategies
• Facebook
• Email: brady@sidwellstrategies.com

2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30

Help us celebrate the top 30 future leaders of agriculture! Nominate your favorite up-and-coming, future executives, innovators, and influencers in the following agriculture categories:

• Agribusiness
• Production Agriculture
• Research & Technology
• Entrepreneurship
• Education & Advocacy

Nominations for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list are now open and are scheduled to close Thursday, January 31, 2019, at 11:59 PM. Self-nominations are accepted.

Winners will be announced March 2019.

To learn more about the eligibility requirements, announcement date, and location, and to nominate for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list, visit: 30Under30.ag

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today. 

Share the Ag-Love! 

Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please 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

Irving Fain is the CEO & Co-Founder of Bowery Farming, a company that seeks to innovate indoor and urban farming through sustainable methods without the need for pesticides. He is a seasoned entrepreneur who is passionate about expanding access to quality produce. Before he became the CEO of Bowery Farming, Irving began his career assisting early-stage companies and startups in raising capital as an investment banker.

Irving joins me today to discuss how he and his company plan to improve indoor farming. He explains the many benefits to indoor farming and what separates them from other companies. He discusses some of the projects they’re running and will run in the near future and shares why they decided to focus on indoor farming. He also explains the technologies they use to reinvent and innovate the local produce supply chain.

“The best way to generate positive impact is tying that to an economically viable business model." -Irving Fain

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

• What Bowery Farming is and why they focused on indoor farming.
• The technologies that allowed the innovations they developed.
• What Bowery Farming looks like today.
• Why they prioritize being in the commercial farming business.
• Managing pests and diseases without the use of pesticides.
• The most exciting aspect of their business.

Key Takeaways:

• In building businesses, focus matters a lot. Being focused is a critical component in being successful.
• With the current systems we have, not only can we know what's happening with the crop, but also what we expect to see from it.

Connect with Irving Fain:

• Bowery Farming
• LinkedIn

2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30

Help us celebrate the top 30 future leaders of agriculture! Nominate your favorite up-and-coming, future executives, innovators, and influencers in the following agriculture categories:

• Agribusiness
• Production Agriculture
• Research & Technology
• Entrepreneurship
• Education & Advocacy

Nominations for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list are now open and are scheduled to close Thursday, January 31, 2019, at 11:59 PM. Self-nominations are accepted.

Winners will be announced March 2019.

To learn more about the eligibility requirements, announcement date and location, and to nominate for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list, visit: 30Under30.ag

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today. 

Share the Ag-Love! 

Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your 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 

Israel Morales Sr. is JV Farms Organic’s lead grower, carrying with him over forty years of farming experience. JV Farms Organic is committed to growing organic crops in an innovative and eco-friendly manner. Israel has extensive experience in not just knowing what produce matches the type of soil you have, but also the various factors involved in soil health. From types of plants and soil varieties to the very insects thriving within the soil itself, Israel’s wisdom regarding organic farming only serves to impress his younger peers.

Israel joins me today to impart his wisdom regarding soil health. He shares the story of he and his family came to California and how he met his partner and started JV Farms Organic. He describes what the farm was like before they developed techniques to improve the soil and what it looks like today. Israel also explains how their farm solved the pest issue without the use of pesticides.

“Your footprints are the best fertilizer. Walk the field." - Israel Morales

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

• How Israel came to settle in California.
• The kind of produce he grows on his farm.
• How they made the soil capable of growing a variety of plants.
• The challenges he faced in improving soil health and removing weeds.
• The best lesson he's learned in his 40 years of being a farmer.
• When he plans on retiring and what he'll do afterward.

Key Takeaways:

• In maintaining soil health, it's all in the balance of minerals.

Resources Mentioned:

• Stories from the Soil EPISODE 7 - Next-Gen Farming
• Cool Planet

Connect with Israel Morales:

• JV Farms Organic

2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30

Help us celebrate the top 30 future leaders of agriculture! Nominate your favorite up-and-coming, future executives, innovators, and influencers in the following agriculture categories:

• Agribusiness
• Production Agriculture
• Research & Technology
• Entrepreneurship
• Education & Advocacy

Nominations for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list are now open and are scheduled to close Thursday, January 31, 2019, at 11:59 PM. Self-nominations are accepted.

Winners will be announced March 2019.

To learn more about the eligibility requirements, announcement date and location, and to nominate for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list, visit: 30Under30.ag

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today. 

Share the Ag-Love! 

Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest 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 

Connie Bowen is the Principal and Program Manager of The Yield Lab as well as the Principal of Cultivation Capital. The Yield Lab is an accelerator program for entrepreneurs in the agriculture industry. The program’s mission is to enable agribusinesses to revolutionize agrifood systems and promote sustainability through educational resources and support.

Connie joins me today to share The Yield Lab’s mission and how they help entrepreneurs build sustainable agribusinesses through their accelerator program. She discusses how technology is impacting the agriculture industry, how the company utilizes agtech to promote global expansion, and how the company is revolutionizing the accelerator model. She also shares what startup agribusinesses can expect by applying and participating in The Yield Lab’s programs as well as her perspective on the state of technology in the agriculture industry.

“Our global network is an asset for companies - so we can help them to expand at a rate that is appropriate for them.” - Connie Bowen

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

• What inspired her to build a career in the agriculture industry.
• How she began working with The Yield Lab.
• How the company is revolutionizing the way accelerators are meeting the needs of agtech and agribusinesses.
• How The Yield Lab defines agtech.
• What agribusinesses can expect when applying and working with the accelerator program.
• Why the company decided to expand into multiple countries.
• Which countries are their accelerator programs currently available?
• How The Yield Lab customizes their programs to meet the needs of their portfolio companies.
• The various programs available through the program.
• Her perspective on the state of agtech.

Key Takeaways:

• It is very difficult to expand into a new foreign country, but it is necessary for companies to scale.
• There is a need for more people to look at ag as a very serious opportunity for innovation.
• Ag technology, right now, is such a collaborative space.

Connect with Connie Bowen:

• The Yield Lab

2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30

Help us celebrate the top 30 future leaders of agriculture! Nominate your favorite up-and-coming, future executives, innovators, and influencers in the following agriculture categories:

• Agribusiness
• Production Agriculture
• Research & Technology
• Entrepreneurship
• Education & Advocacy

Nominations for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list are now open and are scheduled to close Thursday, January 31, 2019, at 11:59 PM. Self-nominations are accepted.

Winners will be announced March 2019.

To learn more about the eligibility requirements, announcement date and location, and to nominate for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list, visit: 30Under30.ag

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today. 

Share the Ag-Love! 

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 

Nave Strauss is an arborist and the Director of Street Tree Planting for NYC Parks. His primary function is to make sure New York City and its surrounding areas are equipped with the right combination of trees and plants that can help sustain both public and environmental health. He obtained a degree in Environmental Studies with an emphasis in Forestry from St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY in 2008 and has worked with NYC Parks since 2009. He and his team aim to become the best tree planting program in the world.

Nave joins me today to share his passion for trees and environmental sustainability. He explains what an arborist is, what they do, and how they participate in various programs involving nature and trees. He also discusses the considerations made when assessing locations and trees to be planted and explains how they aim to improve soil health by way of enhancing soil microbiome as well as how they make use of biochar.

“Trees are are investments that will outlive all of us." -Nave Strauss

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

• What an arborist is and the responsibilities that come with this title.
• Why it's not odd to be an arborist in New York City.
• The amount of resources New York City should put into its parks.
• How trees factor into the public and environmental health in cities.
• Assessing the number of trees as well as the kind of trees needed per area.
• What soil science says about soil health and how they address it.
• Short and long-term solutions to improving soil microbiome.
• Processes involved in basic tree health.
• What made Nave choose to work in New York City.

Key Takeaways:

• Governments shouldn’t hesitate to put more resources on tree planting because the benefits trees provide are in the interest of public health.
• An arborist’s main job is to speak for the trees.

Resources Mentioned:

• Stories from the Soil EPISODE 6 - Soil In The City
• Cool Planet
• Million Trees NYC

Connect with Nave Strauss:

• NYC Parks

2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30

Help us celebrate the top 30 future leaders of agriculture! Nominate your favorite up-and-coming, future executives, innovators, and influencers in the following agriculture categories:

• Agribusiness
• Production Agriculture
• Research & Technology
• Entrepreneurship
• Education & Advocacy

Nominations for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list are now open and are scheduled to close Thursday, January 31, 2019, at 11:59 PM. Self-nominations are accepted.

Winners will be announced March 2019.

To learn more about the eligibility requirements, announcement date and location, and to nominate for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list, visit: 30Under30.ag

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today. 

Share the Ag-Love! 

Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! 

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: 

Future of Agriculture Website

AgGrad Website

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

Alexander Reichert is the Co-Founder & CEO of AgVend, an eCommerce platform that partners with various ag retailers to adapt to the evolving needs of American farmers. Their platform allows farmers to connect with retailers and purchase their products and/or services anywhere and at any time. Alex practices the Build-Measure-Learn philosophy in his life and believes customer satisfaction isn’t an option, but a critical part of success in any industry.

Alexander joins me today to describe AgVend, what inspired him to start the company, how it works, and how it seeks to help farmers. He explains the need to have an online presence in the ag industry and why farmers today are more open to online retail stores. He discusses the various ways AgVend can help both farmers and ag retailers in as transparent a manner as possible. He also shares the values and culture he promotes in his company.

“The ones who start and get on track early are the ones who will be most successful." - Alexander Reichert

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

• What AgVend is and what it is designed to do.
• The story that inspired him to start AgVend.
• The reason behind the surge of online eCommerce platforms in the ag space.
• How they develop their business strategies and project ideas.
• How they guarantee a healthy and profitable platform.
• Fixing constantly fluctuating quotations on online items.
• Why customers would be inclined to use their platform.
• The company values he instills in AgVend.

Manager Minute

• Retrofitting a culture to a company is nearly impossible.

Key Takeaways:

• Growers appreciate if they can work with retailers within their community.
• Technological solutions that combine with the human element are the ones that stick.
• Farmers today are more comfortable in obtaining information and buying ag products online.

Connect with Alexander Reichert:

• AgVend
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• Email: contact@agvend.com
• Direct Email: alexander@agvend.com

2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30

Help us celebrate the top 30 future leaders of agriculture! Nominate your favorite up-and-coming, future executives, innovators, and influencers in the following agriculture categories:

• Agribusiness
• Production Agriculture
• Research & Technology
• Entrepreneurship
• Education & Advocacy

Nominations for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list are now open and are scheduled to close Thursday, January 31, 2019, at 11:59 PM. Self-nominations are accepted.

Winners will be announced March 2019.

To learn more about the eligibility requirements, announcement date and location, and to nominate for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list, visit: 30Under30.ag

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today. 

Share the Ag-Love! 

Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! 

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: 

Future of Agriculture Website

AgGrad Website

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

Todd Janzen is an attorney whose practice covers the agricultural industry with the intent to represent farmers and their respective businesses. He is the President of Janzen Agricultural Law LLC, a law firm that specializes in the legal needs of an innovative agricultural industry. He also serves as the Administrator for Ag Data Transparent, a non-profit organization that aims to bring transparency, trust, and simplicity to ag tech contracts.

Todd joins me today to help bring awareness to the idea of data transparency in the agricultural industry. He shares his career journey, what inspired him to become an ag industry lawyer, and explains how data transparency can enable farmers to improve their systems and how they manage their farms. He also explains how companies can get involved, the processes they need to partake, and how he thinks this project can impact the industry as a whole. 

“Farmers have a much easier time letting a complete stranger know what they're doing on their farm than they would be letting their own neighbor know." -Todd Janzen

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

• Where Todd got his love for agriculture.
• The risks that come with Ag Data and how to manage them.
• Technologies that could be collecting data without us knowing.
• The type of data farmers should be wary of sharing.
• The processes involved to help farmers become certified.
• Companies that will not find this type of service useful.
• The big questions we still need to answer about Ag Data.

Key Takeaways:

• With social media, people are much more tolerable of sharing private data.
• We have to treat Ag Data with respect and diligence.

Connect with Todd Janzen:

• Janzen Ag Law
• Ag Data Transparent

2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 

Help us celebrate the top 30 future leaders of agriculture! Nominate your favorite up-and-coming, future executives, innovators, and influencers in the following agriculture categories:

• Agribusiness
• Production Agriculture
• Research & Technology
• Entrepreneurship
• Education & Advocacy

Nominations for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list are now open and are scheduled to close Thursday, January 31, 2019, at 11:59 PM. Self-nominations are accepted.

 Winners will be announced March 2019.

To learn more about the eligibility requirements, announcement date, and location, and to nominate for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list, visit: 30Under30.ag

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today. 

Share the Ag-Love! 

Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! 

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: 

Future of Agriculture Website

AgGrad Website

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

Dr. Abbey Wick is an Extension Soil Health Specialist for North Dakota State University. In her position, she is responsible for producing soil health videos with topics ranging from soil erosion to cover crops. She is trained in soil organic matter dynamics, soil structural development, and microbial ecology. She believes all systems need a holistic approach encompassing every interaction within them. She implements this belief by working with landowners, industry, and government agencies throughout North Dakota.

Abbey joins me today to discuss the importance of soil health in the agricultural industry. She shares the story of how she got into the industry despite not having a rural background and why she decided to work on soil health. She describes what her normal, day-to-day routine is like especially when interacting with farmers. She also explains some of the projects she’s working on and how they can help the ag industry as well as the environment.

“Most farmers are not farming for themselves. They’re farming for the next generation." -Dr. Abbey Wick

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

• How she got into the agricultural industry despite not growing up on a farm.
• Her role as an extension specialist and what she does on a daily basis.
• What the farmers she works with think about soil health and their primary concerns.
• The goals farmers set their priorities to.
• The first step in maintaining soil health.
• Can they optimize one crop to become the best cover crop?
• Nitrogen and when farmers can utilize the type from the soil and not from fertilizers.
• The tests involved in evaluating soil health.
• What Abbey loves so much about soil.

Key Takeaways:

• Data always lead us to directions that provide good guidance to within systems we can understand
• No farmer wants to see soil just slough away.
• Apply soil health practices in small sections of land first before covering the whole farm.
• Planting nitrogen-fixing cover crops won't replace nitrogen fertilizers.

Resources Mentioned

• Stories From The Soil

Connect with Dr. Abbey Wick:

• North Dakota State University
• Twitter

2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30

Help us celebrate the top 30 future leaders of agriculture! Nominate your favorite up-and-coming, future executives, innovators, and influencers in the following agriculture categories:

• Agribusiness
• Production Agriculture
• Research & Technology
• Entrepreneurship
• Education & Advocacy

Nominations for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list are now open and are scheduled to close Thursday, January 31, 2019, at 11:59 PM. Self-nominations are accepted.

Winners will be announced March 2019.

To learn more about the eligibility requirements, announcement date and location, and to nominate for the 2019 AgGrad 30 Under 30 list, visit: 30Under30.ag

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today. 

Share the Ag-Love! 

Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! 

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Georg Banauch is a molecular biotechnologist with extensive knowledge of synthetic biology and biofuels research. He is also a Co-Founder and Development Director for HATCH, an accelerator program focused exclusively on the aquaculture industry seeking to develop and scale disruptive aquaculture startups.

Joel Harris is Ag Startup Engine’s Co-Director. Ag Startup Engine is a privately-owned accelerator program that funds AgTech entrepreneurs and supports them through mentorship and funding. Joel’s responsibility includes coordinating investor relations and mentoring new entrepreneurs.

Georg and Joel join me today to discuss how their accelerator programs work, the type of ideas they want to support, and what makes each company unique from other accelerators. Georg explains how they developed the idea to launch HATCH, why they focused on aquaculture startups, and how aquaculture can help the world grow. Joel shares what their company is all about and the checklist they use when selecting companies as well as how Ag Startup Engine can help business owners. Joel also offers great advice when dealing with investors from a new entrepreneur’s viewpoint.

"For new entrepreneurs, a small pat on the back can go a long way." - Joel Harris

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

• What is HATCH accelerator and how it got started.
• Their motivation in starting Hatch Accelerator.
• How their accelerator program works and their interactions with startups.
• An estimate on how many aquaculture startups are out there.
• What Hatch looks for in startups and ideas they want to see.
• What excites Georg on the future of aquaculture?
• Joel Harris’ perspective as an entrepreneur and someone working with entrepreneurs.
• Joel’s best advice on how to succeed in growing an AgTech startup.
• Is Ag Startup Engine open to startups worldwide?
• How Joel motivates budding entrepreneurs into achieving their goals.
• Ag Startup Engine's programs and how they help entrepreneurs.
• Joel's advice to new entrepreneurs when it comes to communicating with investors.

Key Takeaways:

• Aquaculture is efficient compared to others in the agricultural industry.
• Working with an accelerator is an opportunity, but where you’ll end up after that is up to you.

Connect with Georg Baunach:

• HATCH
• Email: georg@hatch.blue

Connect with Joel Harris

• Ag Startup Engine

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today. 

Share the Ag-Love! 

Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! 

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: 

Future of Agriculture Website

AgGrad Website

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The Iowa AgriTech Accelerator is a mentor-led program that allows startups to collaborate with agriculture industry leaders and present their solutions to refine product market fit, perform customer discovery within the industry, and build strategic partnerships.

Iowa AgriTech Accelerator Executive Director Megan Vollstedt joins the show to share more about their program. One of their success stories is Rabbit Tractors, that you may remember from Future of Agriculture 118. 

Learn more at https://agiowa.com

Check out the "Future of Agriculture" Blog: www.FutureOfAg.com

Like the "Future of Agriculture" Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/futureofag/

Andrew Diprose is the CEO at Rootwave, a UK tech startup that aims to provide a sustainable and efficient solution to weed problems by zapping them from the root up. The goal is to reduce weeds without using chemicals which could help solve soil contamination issues. His role is to lead the product and technology department, making sure the technology is safe and effective when it is commercially available in 2020. 

Andrew joins me today to discuss Rootwave, what inspired him to start this type of technology, and how it works. He explains the need for clean methods of killing weeds relative to soil health and describes some of the ways this technology is superior to the conventional means of removing weeds in farms. He also shares his prediction of what agriculture will look like in the future.

“Electricides will be a benefit to society. It will better the environment and the health of individuals.” - Andrew Diprose

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

• What are electricides and how does it work in agriculture?
• Why Andrew believes electricides are the best alternative to herbicides.
• What inspired him to come up with the idea of inventing electricides.
• What makes electricides different from using fire and other thermal methods?
• How electricides are energy efficient and where the energy comes from.
• Why electricides won’t adversely affect general soil health.
• The type of plants they aim to use the technology initially.
• The current stage the technology is currently in and when it is expected to become available commercially.
• How Andrew envisions agriculture looking differently in the future.

Key Takeaways:

• With soil contamination being rampant all over the world, the need for a localized yet efficient and sustainable herbicide is critical.
• Electricides protect crops from unwanted vegetation without collateral damage.

Resources Mentioned:

• FoA118 Autonomous Swarm-Enabled Tractors with Zack James of Rabbit Tractors

Connect with Andrew Diprose:

• Rootwave

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today. 

Share the Ag-Love! 

Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! 

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: 

Future of Agriculture Website

AgGrad Website

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Tony Chen is the Co-Founder of Manolin Inc., a new startup in the aquaculture space. Manolin is a software company that aims to accelerate resource sharing between salmon farms as well as prevent and manage sea lice outbreaks through digital health management. Before co-founding Manolin, Tony was developing software for the U.S. government and was only interested in aquaculture as a hobby. His fascination grew to new heights when he discovered how oyster farming works and the plight of its farmers.

Tony joins me today to share his thoughts on aquaculture and why he thinks it’s going to radically change the way we look at agriculture in the near future. He explains what aquaculture is all about, how he believes it can contribute to solving the world food production crisis, and how their company aims to help ocean farmers. He discusses some of the issues of aquaculture and how they tie with the ocean’s current problems. He also describes why they worked with HATCH among other startup accelerators in the industry.

“Aquaculture is another industrial revolution and the world is starting to recognize that.” - Tony Chen

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

• What is Aquaculture and how can it impact the future of agriculture?
• Why he focused on Aquaculture despite having a degree in Computer Science from MIT.
• What is Manolin and what do they aim to do?
• Their clients and what their operation might look like.
• Why they pursued a partnership with the startup accelerator HATCH.
• The challenges and benefits of being a U.S. company operating in a foreign country.
• His advice to startups planning to work with accelerators.
• Why people need to pay more attention to aquaculture.
• How their app works and what it can provide to its users.

Key Takeaways:

• We're at a stage where there is an opportunity for regeneration in the ocean.
• Knowing what's happening at a nearby farm is just as important as what's happening at your specific farm.
• The lack of aquaculture is one of the larger problems when you think about food production globally.

Resources Mentioned:

• HATCH

Connect with Tony Chen:

• Manolin
• Manolin Aqua
• Email: tony@manolinaqua.com

 We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today. 

Share the Ag-Love! 

Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! 

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: 

Future of Agriculture Website

AgGrad Website

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 Jim Loar is CEO and President of Cool Planet, an innovations company that seeks to improve upon the current agricultural technologies we have today to facilitate increased profits and crop production at a low cost in a sustainable manner. Jim has over 30 years of experience in the industry and worked with big corporations like Wilbur-Ellis Company and Griffin LLC. He has a Bachelor of Nautical Science from the United States Merchant Marine Academy and obtained his Master's degree in Business administration from Ohio University.

Jim joins me today to discuss his ideas around soil health and why he says it’s the future of agricultural innovations. He explains what soil health is and what exactly makes soil healthy. He introduces a new project called Stories From The Soil and describes its purpose and what he wants it to achieve. Jim also discusses how improving soil health benefits not only the environment but also the economy around the agricultural industry.

“Soil health really is the next evolution of agriculture.” - Jim Loar

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

• Why is soil health so important in agriculture?
• Why he began focusing on innovating soil for agricultural purposes.
• The properties of healthy soil and what makes soil not healthy.
• The tools available to the farmer to help make the soil healthy.
• How Cool Planet plans to initiate the innovations of soil health.
• The goal of launching "Stories From The Soil" and what you can expect from it.

Key Takeaways:

• Farmers have always been focused on health and it's a priority that's passed to the next generation.
• Improving soil health positively affects soil biology which translates to better crops and bigger profits.

Resources Mentioned:

• Biochar with Jim Loar of Cool Planet

Connect with Jim Loar:

• Cool Planet
• Stories From The Soil

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today. 

Share the Ag-Love! 

Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! 

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: 

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Zack James is the Founder of Rabbit Tractors, a team that designs and builds swarm-enabled, compact, and autonomous farm equipment. His company’s aim is to help farmers save time and money while increasing productivity. He has a degree in Finance from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business and attended University of Michigan Law School with a focus on corporate governance and securities.

Zack joins me today to share his company’s ideas and solutions when it comes to increasing farm efficiency. He introduces the concept of Rabbit Tractors, describes how they developed the idea and explains how it can improve farm productivity. He also describes how they incorporated autonomy in their technology and how farmers can simply run their machines with smartphones.

“What autonomy will do is let us break the paradox of one farmer driving one tractor at a time.” - Zack James

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

• What is Rabbit Tractors?
• How Zack got the inspiration to start the company.
• His unconventional background prior to starting his company.
• How having smaller farm equipment can help farmers with their work.
• How Rabbit Tractors products can help farmers save time and increase productivity
• To what point is their technology autonomous?
• Can Rabbit Tractors replace 100% of what farmers use?
• The current status of Rabbit Tractors.
• The qualities that made the company attractive to accelerators
• Their current business focus and their plans for the future.

Key Takeaways:

• Most ag tech companies have a great technology component but don't have a good delivery method for it.

Resources Mentioned:

• AgLaunch

Connect with Zack James:

• Rabbit Tractors
• Email: zack@rabbittractors.com

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today. 

Share the Ag-Love! 

Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! 

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: 

Future of Agriculture Website

AgGrad Website

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Pete Nelson is the President and Executive Director of AgLaunch, an agriculture accelerator that supports startups that innovate food and provide sustainable solutions. He has over twenty years of experience as a farmer, writer, consultant, speaker, and entrepreneur emphasizing farm-based innovation technologies and models. He has worked with a variety of public and private sector partners building a support ecosystem for new ag companies.

Pete joins me today to discuss what AgLaunch is about and how they work with new entrepreneurs in the industry. He shares his background and what inspired him to start AgLaunch and explains the problems farmers encounter when choosing which companies to invest in. He also describes the kind of startups they prefer to partner with - especially when it comes to AgTech.

“There is a lack of calibration between what is needed on the farm and the solutions coming forward.” - Pete Nelson

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

• An overview of what AgLaunch is all about
• Pete's role in the early-stage startups they help.
• How agriculture is different from other industries regarding
• Farmers’ perspectives on the current state of AgTech.
• What it takes to grow the ecosystem to where it needs to be.
• How AgLaunch selects and works with entrepreneurs.
• The kind of technology or ideas AgLaunch would love to work with.
• Why agriculture startups have difficulty "crossing the chasm."

Key Takeaways:

• Ag startups aren’t adopted by clients as fast as startups in the tech world.
• There are too many agriculture startups to choose from, and farmers have a hard time choosing which ones to invest in.

Resources Mentioned:

• GroGuru

Connect with Pete Nelson:

• AgLaunch
• Twitter
• Email: PNelson@Aglaunch.com

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today. 

Share the Ag-Love! 

Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! 

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: 

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AgGrad Website

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Martin Gross is the Founder and President of Gross-Wen Technologies, a next generation wastewater treatment company that makes use of microalgae to provide a sustainable and efficient alternative to conventional water treatment methods. As President, he has raised over $3 million in Angel and Series A investments, applied for numerous patents, and served as Principal Investigator in non-diluting SBIR grant funding. Martin has a Ph.D. in Agriculture & Biosystems Engineering, and a Ph.D. in Food Science and Technology from Iowa State University.

Martin joins me today to discuss the potential of microalgae in innovating the world’s wastewater treatment industry. He explains how their technology works, what sets it apart from traditional methods, and why he believes their process is sustainable and efficient. He also shares how they grow microalgae and why we shouldn’t worry about the possibility of algae-produced toxicity in water as well as describes how accelerators impacted the growth of his company.

“How do you have a successful business with algae? There are two ways today. That is to clean water or produce high-value algae products.” - Martin Gross

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

• How Gross-Wen Technologies grows and farms algae.
• The major advantage of algae to bacteria or chemical to clean nitrogen phosphorus from water.
• Where the nitrogen-phosphorus in water originates.
• Martin's background and how he started Gross-Wen Technologies.
• What piqued his interest in starting a business.
• How the technology works and how they validated the process.
• What makes their system much more efficient and cost-effective than conventional algae-growing technology?
• The challenges in growing one species of algae.
• How have accelerators impacted his business?

Key Takeaways:

• Algae is better than bacteria or chemicals when it comes to cleaning water.
• An efficient water treatment system is sustainable.

Resources Mentioned:

• Ag Startup Engine
• Iowa State University Startup Factory

Connect with Martin Gross:

• Gross-Wen Technologies

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today. 

Share the Ag-Love! 

Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! 

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: 

Future of Agriculture Website

AgGrad Website

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Fatma Kaplan and Cameron Schiller are the founders of Pheronym, an agricultural biotechnology company that develops safe and nontoxic solutions to protect a wide variety of plants. Their flagship product is based on pheromones which is extracted from microscopic roundworms called nematodes. Fatma is Pheronym’s CEO/CSO and is an accomplished scientist with a Ph.D. in Plant Molecular and Cellular Biology and postdoctoral training in Natural Product Chemistry. Cameron is the COO and has extensive experience in entrepreneurship with a bachelor’s degree in economics and a Master of Science degree in pharmacy healthcare management.

Fatma and Cameron join me today to discuss their pheromone-based pesticide and how it can improve the agricultural landscape in the future. They describe the primary problem regarding nematodes, what inspired them to investigate the use of pheromones as a pesticide, and what eventually lead them to make nematodes work for farmers instead of against them. They also explain the science behind their product and its mechanical and legal challenges as well as share their experience with accelerators.

“We need to have rotations and multiple solutions when it comes to pest control options.” - Fatma Kaplan

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

• What made them look at nematodes for agricultural purposes?
• What pheromones are and how they utilize it to control nematodes.
• The challenges of developing nematodes and the pheromones to control them.
• How to collect nematode secretions.
• How farmers can identify if they have a nematode problem.
• The most effective treatment against parasitic nematodes.
• The difference between nematodes with pheromones vs nematodes without pheromones.
• How damaging are nematodes to agriculture?
• Their experience with accelerators and how they helped the business grow.
• How do connections and networking work with accelerators?
• Should they be worried about nematodes developing pheromone resistance?

Fatma Kaplan and Cameron Schiller’s Key Takeaways:

• Nematodes can hinder farm production, but they can be utilized to benefit the agriculture industry.
• If you’ve done everything but can’t seem to grow your crops or produce right, you might have a nematode problem.

Connect with Fatma Kaplan and Cameron Schiller

• Pheronym
• Email: schiller@pheronym.com
• Phone: (352) 219-4464

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today. 

Share the Ag-Love! 

Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! 

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: 

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Welcome back to another episode of the Future of Agriculture’s Follow Up Friday series - the segment when we follow up with listener-submitted questions and comments related to their favorite previous episodes of the show.

This week, I highlight Village Capital, an accelerator that finds, trains, and invests in leaders and entrepreneurs solving real-world problems. Village Capital’s US Ventures Manager Alex Arrivillaga responds to some of my questions regarding the company’s missions and goals, including what Village Capital is and its background and history as well as what sets them apart from other accelerator programs. Alex also shares what she loves about working with food and ag companies.

Resources & Related Content:

• Future of Agriculture 114: Sustainable Plastics for Agricultural Use with Tony Bova and Jeff Beegle of Mobius
• Village Capital
• Alex Arrivillaga LinkedIn

Join the Conversation!

To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg and leave a recorded message! We want to hear from you and feature you on a future Follow Up Friday segment!

Jeff Beegle and Tony Bova are the Founders of Mobius, a biotechnology company that envisions to build a future where the world sees organic waste as a valuable resource instead of a burden on the planet. Tony is officially the Chief Executive Officer, and Jeff is the Chief Science Officer. Their current project is a form of biodegradable plastic made from a unique substance found in plants called Lignin. They seek to use their special plastic in various industries such as agriculture, horticulture, and food services.

Jeff and Tony join me today to discuss Mobius’ latest innovation. They share their thoughts on the current economic and environmental issues that surround traditional plastics. They describe their latest product, how it’s made, and why it’s environmentally friendly. They also discuss the different challenges of competing in a plastic market, the difficulty of getting investors, and how they accomplished solving those two problems.

“If someone really wants what you have and they're willing to give you a dollar for it, that's the thumbs up we need to know we're on the right track.” - Tony Bova

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

• How they became inspired to start Mobius and the problems they are trying to solve with their products.
• Why plastics are double-edged swords
• How their biodegradable plastic works.
• What makes their product different from traditional PET plastics?
• How their biodegradable mulch affects the soil.
• What they did to prevent their product from biodegrading too fast.
• How they scaled their business.
• The challenges they faced while searching for investors.
• Why they chose to team up with Village Capital as an accelerator.
• The most challenging part of establishing their brand.
• What's in store for Mobius in the near future?

Tony Bova and Jeff Beegle’s Key Takeaways:

• Biodegradable mulch films are actually improving soil health.
• There's no bacteria and fungi that can actually eat plastic in the soil.
• When we start using low-cost, but durable materials like plastic for single use, the problem is what we do with them afterwards.

Resources Mentioned:

• Village Capital Accelerator

Connect with Tony Bova and Jeff Beegle:

• Mobius
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Tony Bova LinkedIn
• Jeff Beegle LinkedIn

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today. 

Share the Ag-Love! 

Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! 

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: 

Future of Agriculture Website

AgGrad Website

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Welcome back to another episode of the Future of Agriculture’s Follow Up Friday series - the segment when we follow up with listener-submitted questions and comments related to their favorite previous episodes of the show.

TERRA’s Regional Manager Anil Suren answers some of my questions regarding the company’s ideas and services, including what it’s like being part of the TERRA organization, the company’s partners an this week, I highlight the TERRA Accelerator, a business that seeks to bring together the ag industry’s most disruptive startups and progressive corporations to boost innovation and set new standards for food and agriculture. d achievements, and the benefits startups can expect by becoming part of their accelerator program.

Resources & Related Content:

• TERRA Accelerator

Join the Conversation!

To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg and leave a recorded message! We want to hear from you and feature you on a future Follow Up Friday segment!

Abi Ramanan is the CEO of Impact Vision, a company that seeks to build a more secure and transparent food system with the use of hyperspectral technology. The company envisions to reduce the cost of food waste and food fraud through software that provides users with information on food quality, rapidly and non-invasively. Abi is also the founder of Papi’s Pickles and Co-founder of DayOld, food enterprises that tackles food waste and unemployment in migrant communities and promotes gender equality.

Abi joins me today to discuss her company’s fantastic innovation for the food and ag industry. She describes what hyperspectral imaging technology is and how space technology can fuse with the food supply chain to solve food waste and food fraud problems. She also describes how their software works in detecting food fraud, how it provides users with information, and shares some of their current and future projects.

“We need to decrease food production and produce more food for the growing population with less resources.” - Abi Ramanan

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

• What hyperspectral technology is and how it can benefit the agriculture industry.
• What inspired Abi to apply hyperspectral technology to food?
• How this technology can reduce food waste.
• The economical and global impact of testing 100% of food instead of a small representative.
• What food fraud is and how hyperspectral technology can help test for it.
• Their business strategy in choosing where to apply this technology.
• The company's plans for the future.
• Why they choose Terra over other accelerators.

Abi Ramanan’s Key Takeaways:

• We need to equip the supply chain with newer tools to test for food safety.
• We can combine space technology with the supply chain in order to bring about a technological revolution in the ag industry.

Resources Mentioned:

• TERRA

Connect with Abi Ramanan:

• Impact Vision
• Papi’s Pickles
• DayOld
• Email: abi@impactvi.com

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today. 

Share the Ag-Love! 

Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! 

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: 

Future of Agriculture Website

AgGrad Website

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Sarah Nolet is the Founder and CEO of AgThentic, a company that helps ag businesses and their entrepreneurs and innovators build the food systems of the future. She is a renowned food systems innovation expert and is the reason behind Australia’s early stage agtech ecosystem. Sarah holds a degree in System Design and Management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a B.S. in Computer Science and Human Factors Engineering.

Sarah joins me today to share her insight regarding the future of ag businesses and how she seeks to help expand them faster. She shares the story behind AgThentic, how it started, and how it helps farmers and agbusinesses bridge the gap between agtech and traditional agriculture techniques to create innovative solutions for various problems throughout the industry. She also defines the concept of business accelerators and incubators and how they help agtech startups gain the traction they need to succeed in the agtech industry.

“If connecting to a big company is of strategic importance to your startup, then an accelerator or incubator program can be a good way to do that.” - Sarah Nolet

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

• What inspired her to start AgThentic.
• Her experience regarding farmers who don't adapt to the latest technologies.
• Do a lot of farmers need help when it comes to using basic software?
• What agtech accelerators are and how they help agtech startups.
• The criteria your agtech startup must meet to join an accelerator program.
• The difference between agtech accelerator programs and agtech incubators.
• The transformation that happens when an agtech startup goes through an effective accelerator program.
• Budding countries in the agtech startup space.
• How AgThentic helps improve the agtech ecosystem between agriculture and agtech.

Sarah Nolet’s Key Takeaways:

• There is potential in combining technology and entrepreneurship that can solve a lot of problems.
• There's a gap between ag and agtech, and it needs to be filled to push innovation.

Connect with Sarah Nolet:

• AgThentic
• AgThentic Resources Tool
• Bushtech Podcast
• Twitter
• Email: sarah@agthentic.com

Check Out Our Sponsor for the “Sustainability at Scale” Series

Have you ever heard of Marrone’s BIO WITH BITE? Marrone Bio Innovation offers crop pest protection for the modern organic and conventional production systems. To make sure every grower using their products realize the best possible return on investment, Marrone invests time and resources to thoroughly test and demonstrate the efficacy of those new state of the art products. With serious trial data to back it up! You can see more and connect directly with Marrone by visiting them at www.marronebio.com

Marrone is very proud to support The Future Of Agriculture blog series on sustainability in agriculture with Tim Hammerich.

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today. 

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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! 

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