Dr. Jeremy Williams is the Vice President of Biotechnology and Agricultural Productivity Innovations at Monsanto, one of the largest modern agricultural companies in the world that develops products and tools to help farmers grow more crops and make use of resources more efficiently. His responsibilities include leading the chemistry and trait research teams that assist farmers to succeed through innovative means such as artificial intelligence. His ultimate goal is to create a discovery pipeline that streamlines projects that affect agricultural development into commercialization.

Jeremy joins me today to discuss the future of agriculture and how artificial intelligence and machine learning can impact the agriculture industry. He describes the concept of artificial intelligence, its current applications, and why he believes these technologies can create new job opportunities throughout the agriculture industry. He also explains the difference between machine learning and deep learning, how artificial intelligence can improve productivity and sustainability within the industry and shares his perspective on the future of the agriculture industry.

 “Over time, there’s going to be increasing desires from society to have agriculture be even more sustainable. The development of automation, the use of data science, is going to help us meet those demands from society.” – Dr. Jeremy Williams

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

• How he ended up working with Monsanto and his responsibilities.
• What is artificial intelligence and how is it used in the ag industry?
• The difference between Machine Learning and Deep Learning.
• Applications of artificial intelligence on the farm.
• How machine learning can impact the ability to discover new crop protection chemistries.
• How artificial intelligence can help discover new insect control traits for expression in plants.
• How humans and artificial intelligence can work together.
• The impact that artificial intelligence and machine learning can have on future job opportunities in the agriculture industry.
• How the Bayer-Monsanto acquisition can impact agriculture innovation.
• Advice for new ag-tech entrepreneurs.
• His predictions for the future of the ag industry.

Dr. Jeremy Williams’ Tips for New Ag-Tech Entrepreneurs:

1. The quality of your team is very important.
2. Remember: You don’t know everything as an organization. Be externally focused. Partner aggressively. Use the leverage of a much bigger ecosystem than you can build yourself with your organization.
3. The ability to fail, learn, and recover is critical.
4. Be patient, but also be persistent and tenacious.

Connect with Dr. Jeremy Williams:

• Monsanto
• LinkedIn
• Twitter

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

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

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

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

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

Share the Ag-Love! 

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

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: 

Future of Agriculture Website

AgGrad Website

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

Aldyen Donnelly is the Director of Carbon Economic at Nori, a startup company dedicated to creating trust and transparency while lowering transaction costs throughout the carbon trading industry. Her mission is to reward carbon sequestering farmers with blockchain-backed carbon credit certificates. Nori is a blockchain-enabled platform allowing users to trace where carbon dioxide is sequestered and is currently the world’s only carbon dioxide sequestration marketplace.

Aldyen joins me to share the mission behind Nori and how it can help both the environment and farmers. She shares how she became inspired to help the world reduce its carbon emissions, where carbon emissions are primarily derived, and the company’s business strategy to help reverse this problem. She also explains the role of blockchain with regards to transparency in their platform and how farmers can benefit from regenerative and carbon sequestering practices.

“When we create a market that is transparent, a whole bunch of ideas about how to do this will come up that have never entered our mind yet.” - Aldyen Donnelly

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

• Where greenhouse gases are primarily stored.
• How soon can we reduce the greenhouse gases to 350 ppm?
• The theory behind Cap and Trade and why it’s not an optimal strategy to address the greenhouse gas emission issues.
• The true value of one carbon certificate.
• Why California is a special case when it comes to emissions certificates.
• How Nori works and how it utilizes blockchain.
• Who are the buyers of the carbon certificates?
• How regenerative practices allows farmers to generate marketable carbon credits, even during natural disasters.
• Causes of the downward pressure on the price of carbon certificates.
• How funding U.S. farmers to sequester carbon can offset transport and gas plant emissions.

Aldyen Donnelly’s Key Takeaways:

• When most people are buying a certificate in the state of California market for $15, they think it’s costing $15 to reduce one ton of CO2, but if a certificate is really only worth 25% of a ton, they’re actually paying $60 a ton.
• Every cap and trade pollution market has crashed and burned within seven years.
• If we fund U.S. farmers to sequester carbon at top price, they can offset all of the U.S. transportation emissions and all of the gas plant emissions.

Connect with Aldyen Donnelly:

• Nori
• Twitter

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

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

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

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

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

Del Ficke and Graham Christensen own farms that advocate a practice called Regenerative Agriculture. This practice sequesters a massive portion of CO2 in the soil and even in forests. Del is the owner of Ficke Cattle Company, a family run farm and livestock operation with a history dating back to 1860. Graham is the Founder of GC Resolve, an environmental consulting company based in Nebraska that specializes in grassroots community development, education, and mobilization.

Del and Graham join me today to discuss the practice of Regenerative Agriculture and what they have done to implement it in their farms. They share how they learned about regenerative practices and their success stories and explain why this type of practice is based on what’s already been done before, but long forgotten due to mass production. They also share examples of how regenerative ag can benefit farmers financially.

“We don't need to get bigger; we just need to get smarter on this and work with nature.” - Del Ficke

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

• How they began working in the ag industry.
• Their farms before and after they embarked on their journey to regenerative ag.
• How they're able to earn more despite having smaller farms.
• The first step in moving towards regenerative ag.
• Common concerns towards regenerative agriculture.
• How they trained their banker to be comfortable with the regenerative agriculture approach.
• How regenerative practices revitalize rural communities.

Resources Mentioned:

• Episode 098: Evidence-Based Agriculture and Defining Sustainability with Marc Brazeau of Food and Farm Discussion Lab

Del Ficke and Graham Christensen’s Key Takeaways:

• It's helpful when you have other farms doing regenerative ag successfully. It makes you realize this type of farming does work.
• You can try to run a farm at 90% efficiency, but there's always something you can't eliminate.

Connect with Del Ficke:

• Ficke Cattle

Connect with Graham Christensen:

• GC Resolve

• Regenerate Nebraska Facebook

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

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

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

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

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

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 Gilbert is the Founder and CEO of Semios, a Canadian company that helps farmers manage their pest problems using onsite sensing, big data, and predictive analytics solutions. He has over twenty years of experience in the field of biotech research and development. Before founding Semios, Michael held positions with federal research institutions, large multinationals, medium-sized public companies, and startups.

Today, Michael joins me to share the goal of Semios and how they plan to contribute to sustainability. He explains the driving idea behind Semios, the technologies they apply in their business, and the many problems they help farmers solve. He also explains why pesticides can eventually stop working and the different applications farmers can use based on the data gathered from sensors.

“You need to have more data to understand why things are occurring and how to best manage it.” - Michael Gilbert

 
This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: 

• How Semios helps farmers find solutions to pest problems.
• How producers previously managed pest issues before using sensors.
• How Semios analyzes pests.
• How to incorporate machine learning in the agriculture industry.
• The four V’s of Big Data.
• The benefits of IoT and Machine Learning technology.
• His background and how he stumbled upon the pest problems farmers face.
• How farmers can apply the data gathered by sensors.
• How their technology can aid sustainability throughout the agriculture industry.
• Problems they hope to solve in the future.

Michael Gilbert’s Words of Wisdom:

• Having a bad year has nothing to do with luck. Our job is to understand what made the risk occur.

Connect with Michael Gilbert:

• Semios

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

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

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

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

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

Share the Ag-Love! 

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

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: 

Future of Agriculture Website

AgGrad Website

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

John McKeon is the Senior Manager of Organic Compliance, Commission, and Consolidation at Tanimura and Antle. Founded in 1982, Tanimura and Antle is a farm company that grows and sells both conventional and organic produce. John has almost two decades of experience working in the agricultural industry with skills in operations, management, quality assurance, and compliance.

Today, John joins me to share how he and his company are working to fulfill the world’s surging preference for organic produce. He shares the difference between managing a conventional farm and an organic farm, as well as what it’s like to have both. He also describes the business benefits of growing organic produce as well as the challenges many farmers face when transitioning to organic farming.

“There's a lot more going into organic farming than just the health claim.” - John McKeon

 
This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: 

• What is Tanimura and Antle and how it started?
• How many acres are organic and how many are conventional?
• What is the Organic Standard and what makes a food "organic."
• The hurdle growers face when transitioning to organic production.
• Financial benefits of growing organic crops.
• The logistical advantages of having both organic and conventional crops.
• Are organic crops difficult to scale?
• Various regulations regarding organic farming.

John McKeon’s Words of Wisdom:

• Changes to the organic regulations typically mean a change to the law as it's written in general.
• Organics take a little bit of a different mindset and toolset when it comes to scaling.
• You want to pay attention to the details when you're growing both organic and conventional crops.

Connect with John McKeon:

• Tanimura and Antle
• Email: johnmckeon@TAproduce.com

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

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

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

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

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

Share the Ag-Love! 

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

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: 

Future of Agriculture Website

AgGrad Website

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

Rachel Laudan is a food historian and award-winning author of Cuisine and Empire: Cooking in World History, a book about the rise and fall of various culinary traditions and philosophies. She has over twenty years of dedicated research to the evolution of our food systems. She’s also an engaging speaker who helps industry professionals, students and professors, and public groups see food from a long-term and global perspective.

Today, Rachel joins me to share a brief overview of what food history is all about. She shares her thoughts on various food movements and diets, how traditional foods came to be considered traditional, and why people today have better food than most kings and queens in the past. She also explains the importance of separating processed food from what is “bad food” and what she believes we should consider to be “good food.”

“One should tell food history as a series of expansions, migrations, cuisines, or systems of eating.” - Rachel Laudan

 
This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: 

• What encouraged her interest in agriculture and food history?
• Foods we think are traditional, but really not.
• Is there truth to having better sustainability in the pre-processed food era?
• Her thoughts on how to feed the exploding human population.
• Why she thinks corn is an amazing crop.
• Her perspective on the "Natural Food" trend.
• What counts as a "good" food?
• What is "Culinary Modernism"?

Rachel Laudan’s Words of Wisdom:

• We should realize how great modern food is. Average-earning populations can eat better than most kings or royalty in the past.
• Almost everything we eat has been transformed from its natural state.
• If we eat nothing but raw food, the human race will find survival difficult.

Connect with Rachel Laudan:

• Rachel Laudan official website
• Twitter
• Cuisine and Empire
• The Food Paradise

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

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

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

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

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

Share the Ag-Love! 

Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry 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 

Olympia Yarger is the Founder and CEO of GOTERRA, an Australian-based waste management company that redefines the idea of food waste through decentralized waste management. Their company’s primary goal is to manage food and animal waste using insects of which the byproduct could be used as a feed additive. This approach is an alternative and sustainable way of feeding livestock that also reduces global waste.

Today, Olympia shares how maggots can help solve global food waste. She describes what it was like to start a maggot farm, how to manage one, and what makes it unique compared to typical farms. She also explains how maggots convert food waste to animal feed and how this could be the future of sustainable agriculture.

“It's one thing to get the flies to do the act and get viable eggs, but it's another to manage consistency of production at any scale.” - Olympia Yarger

 
This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: 

• The problems they initially encountered with their maggots when they were starting out.
• What it's like to run a maggot farm vs a typical farm.
• What a Black Soldier Fly farm looks like.
• How much food waste could one shipping container go through?
• How they structure their business model.
• How long it takes to raise maggots.
• What they do with waste that wasn't consumed.
• Food items they can't use in the farm.

Olympia Yarger’s Words of Wisdom:

• You can streamline insect farming in a way that makes it affordable and also gives you access to a wave of ideas.
• There is a need to breed a lot of maggot eggs and refine the system in a way that is commercially viable.

Connect with Olympia Yarger:

• GOTERRA
• LinkedIn

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

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

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

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

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

Share the Ag-Love! 

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

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: 

Future of Agriculture Website

AgGrad Website

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

Dr. Pamela Marrone is the founder and CEO of Marrone Bio Innovations, a company dedicated to finding practical, sustainable pest management solutions that are safe for people as well as the environment. She is also the founding Chair and former board member of the Biopesticides Industry Alliance, a cluster of over a hundred biopesticide and related companies. She currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research as well as a member of the Board of Trustees for Cornell University.

Today, Dr. Pamela shares the mission behind Marrone Bio Innovations and how their products help farmers through environmentally-safe pest management solutions. She describes what drew her to founding the company and explains why biopesticides are critical for tomorrow’s world. She also enlighten us on the technical aspect of their products and provides examples of how their products can help farmers.

“There's a lot more science and technology behind today's biological products, so they are better than they have been in the past.” - Pamela Marrone

 
This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: 

• What the "biologicals" category is all about
• Why are chemical solutions still preferred over biologicals?
• Why "snake oil" products are all but gone.
• Limitations on biological pesticides.
• How they produce biological products.
• What it takes to get approval of their product.
• How they design their products according to storage, use, and user.
• How the agriculture and pest control industry has changed over recent decades.
• What are molluscicides and how do they work?
• The future products of Marrone Bio.

Pamela Marrone’s Words of Wisdom:

• Organic farming is difficult because of weed control, so expect biological weed control products to be a household name in the future.
• Many farmers are also fishermen, hence the need for solutions to water infestations.
• There are different residue rules between export and not export.

Connect with Dr. Pamela Marrone:

• Marrone Bio Innovations
• LinkedIn

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

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

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

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

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

Share the Ag-Love! 

Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the 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 Doane is the Managing Director of the Agriculture and Food Systems at The Nature Conservancy, a nonprofit organization and the world’s leader in providing nature conservation efforts. Their mission is to conserve Mother Nature for future generations by buying lands to prevent plant and animal extinction and restoring otherwise ruined parts of nature back to its former glory. Michael’s responsible for ensuring industries that rely heavily on nature are managed and controlled. He primarily concentrates on projects involving soil health, sustainable forestry and ranching, and nutrient loss reductions.

Today, Michael Doane shares his company’s advocacies and their many projects. He discusses the company’s history and what made them become the leading conservation organization. He also explains some of their company’s many successful projects as well as their prospects, and how they prioritize which ones to fund first.

“As food demand grows, there will be some expansion. But, we also think it can be done in a way that does the least amount of harm to nature.” - Michael Doane

 
This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: 

• What the Nature Conservancy is all about.
• What led the Nature Conservancy to agriculture?
• The projects the company is working on.
• How they work with their investors and partners.
• Why they prefer to partner with the private industry.
• How they decide which strategic priorities to pursue.
• What it means to manage optimal soil health.
• How they build trust with their investors.
• What is the Techstars Sustainability Accelerator all about?

Michael Doane’s Words of Wisdom:

• There are special places and special species and plants that need protection.
• Management practice change can really address a lot of the current environmental problems.
• There's some very cost-effective emission reduction opportunities sitting right here in agriculture.
• Investing in nature is a good investment.

Resources Mentioned:

• Nature’s Own Hedge Fund, article by Bloomberg

Connect with Michael Doane:

• The Nature Conservancy
• Twitter

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

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

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

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

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

Share the Ag-Love! 

Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture 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 

Jim Loar is the President & CEO of Cool Planet, a company founded to provide innovative agricultural technologies that increase crop production at a low cost while reducing greenhouse gas throughout the atmosphere. The company’s current research focus is on their Cool Terra Engineered Biocarbon technology, a type of soil enhancer that improves soil health, reduces water consumption, and supports optimal fertilizer performance. Prior to joining Cool Planet in 2015, Jim was the VP of Operations at Wilbur-Ellis Company, the fourth largest agricultural retailer in the USA.

Today, Jim shares their company’s latest findings on Cool Terra and how it can help optimize crop output. He describes the science behind Cool Terra, the many benefits it imparts to both soil and farmer, and how it can help fight global warming. He also explains some of its most outstanding research findings, particularly when it comes to soil microbe health.

“We're providing the habitat for the soil biology to colonize and grow and prosper.” - Jim Loar

 
This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: 

• What is engineered biocarbon technology all about?
• What is BioChar and how can it be used in agriculture?
• The primary benefit of a treated BioChar material.
• The main findings of their lab tests on Cool Terra.
• How their product can help ease environmental use of pesticides.
• Why Cool Terra can help farmers have higher income.
• Cool Terra and its effects on the air we breathe.
• Is it economically feasible to move carbon around?
• Does the product need more nitrogen?
• Are other similar products standardized?

Jim Loar’s Words of Wisdom:

• When it comes to soil microbes, what we all hope for is we can put the good guys in a better position to outcompete the bad guys.
• Different farmers have different beliefs and different ways of thinking about their soil.

Connect with Jim Loar:

• Cool Planet
• Cool Terra

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

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

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

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

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

Share the Ag-Love! 

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

Ryan Sirolli is the Senior Director at Danone North America, a food company that focuses on dairy products such as milk, yogurt, and plant-based foods. Ryan is responsible for leading a team that serves to develop and execute agricultural sourcing and improve supply chain sustainability. He and his team emphasizes on soil health as well as creating alternative economic models that advocate both customer satisfaction and environmental sustainability.

Today, Ryan shares how Danone North America is part of a global sustainability project. He discusses many of the company’s current environmental advocacies and how the company has aligned its goals to meet the needs of both health and environmentally conscious consumers. He also provides insight with regards to the GMO and Non-GMO debate and shares his thoughts on the future of organic and sustainable agriculture.

“It’s our responsibility to make sure that whatever we source, whatever system the farmer chooses to use or whatever the consumer wants - it’s our responsibility to make sure we do it in the most sustainable way.” - Ryan Sirolli

 
This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: 

• Ryan's educational background and experience.
• What is the Dannon Pledge?
• The products Danone is focusing on.
• How they establish a level of trust with their customers and investors.
• The GMO vs. Non-GMO argument.
• Danone's commitment to their customers and the environment.
• How they invest in soil health.
• How they define regenerative agriculture.
• The possibilities for their supply chain in the future.

Ryan Sirolli’s Words of Wisdom:

• The consumers are more proactive about their health. They want to know where their food is coming from, how it is being made, and they want to buy from brands they can trust.
• Environmental sustainability is now a major factor of what drives consumers to buy healthy products.

Connect with Ryan Sirolli:

• Danone North America

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

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

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

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

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

Share the Ag-Love! 

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

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: 

Future of Agriculture Website

AgGrad Website

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

David Perry is the President, CEO, and Director of Indigo Ag, a company that seeks to harness the power of plant microbes to improve yield and lessen (and potentially eliminate) the use of harmful pesticides and insecticides. David is a well-known entrepreneur, having founded and built three outstanding companies within the last two decades. He has lead the last two companies through successful IPOs while providing significant returns for their investors. Prior to becoming a businessman, David attended the US Air Force Academy and was a National Merit Scholar.

In this episode, David explains how plant-microbe research can benefit the farmer as well as the environment. He describes the thought processes involved in founding Indigo Ag, the benefits of their research as well as its plausible risks towards the environment. He also shares their current research progress and their future projects.

 
“To improve economic prosperity for farmers, we should move farming from being a completely commoditized business to one where they are increasingly producing things that are value-added.” – David Perry

 
This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: 

• Why he believes microbes can help improve agriculture.
• Their solutions to identifying microbes that increase yields.
• Technologies that enabled them to expand and innovate their research.
• Can they patent the microbes they find?
• The risks of this type of research towards the environment.
• The problems they started working on.
• Can microbes eventually replace chemicals in agriculture?
• What identity preservation means from a farmer's view point.

David Perry’s Words of Wisdom:

• Developing microbes are much faster than developing chemicals.
• There's a future in which we use less than half of the chemical fertilizers we use today, and we may eliminate 90% of the chemical pesticides and insecticides.
• If the farmer is delivering their crop to a local elevator and it's getting piled in with their neighbors, there's no way for them to get paid for better quality or greater sustainability.

Resources Mentioned:

• Marrone Bio Innovations

Connect with David Perry:

• Indigo Ag

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

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

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

Join Our 100th Episode Celebration!

We are celebrating the Future of Agriculture Podcast’s 100th episode - and we want to celebrate with you! Visit SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg to record your voice and tell us which Future of Agriculture Podcast episode was your number 1 favorite - and why! Who knows? We may even play your voice in a future episode! Head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg today to record your voice and share your favorite episode with us.

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

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

Share the Ag-Love! 

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

Jason Mauck is a farmer in Gaston, Indiana and the CEO of Constant Canopy, an operation dedicated to closing the gap between livestock and grain production. He is passionate about demystifying misconceptions and bringing public awareness to how the farming and agriculture industry truly works from a large-scale farming perspective.

Jason joins me today to share how his large-scale nutrient management system works, discuss the imbalance between supply and demand, and why he believes a sharing economy is a perfect solution to addressing these issues. He shares the intercropping strategy he uses to create higher crop yields, effective strategies for using manure as a soil nutrient management technique, and how he describes “true soil wealth” for large-scale farmers. He also explains the concept of wheat spreading and how it impacts production costs and the benefits of planting soybeans early in the growing season.

“I don’t think there’s one subject that is more compatible with the sharing economy than manure distribution.” - Jason Mauck

This Week on the Future of Agriculture Podcast:

• Effective strategies for using manure as a nutrient management technique on large-scale farming operations.
• Why newer methods of using manure to manage soil nutrients are more effective and economical than older methods.
• How the sharing economy can address supply and demand issues related to manure distribution.
• The cropping system he uses to keep production costs low while using manure-based nutrient management techniques.
• The benefits of locally placing manure versus widespread placement.
• The benefits of developing an intercropping system.
• Why he advocates for early soybean planting - even when predicting another freeze.
• Understanding the concept of wheat spreading and how it impacts production costs.
• How he harvests wheat without harming soybean crops with his intercropping system.
• Benefits of early bean seed planting.
• How allowing bean plans to grow side-by-side - instead of upright - impacts the overall growth and production.
• Why he believes more farmers do not experiment with intercropping strategies.
• How farmers evaluate annual soil health.
• How he describes “true soil wealth.”

Connect with Jason Mauck:

• Jason Mauck on Twitter

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

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

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

Join Our 100th Episode Celebration!

We are celebrating the Future of Agriculture Podcast’s 100th episode - and we want to celebrate with you! Visit SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg to record your voice and tell us which Future of Agriculture Podcast episode was your number 1 favorite - and why! Who knows? We may even play your voice in a future episode! Head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg today to record your voice and share your favorite episode with us.

We Are 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 

Marc Brazeau is the Chief Organizer and Editor at Food and Farm Discussion Lab, a food system think tank and online magazine for people within the agriculture industry to share evidence-based solutions, ideas, and concepts related to sustainable agriculture, hunger and food security, and public health and nutrition concerns. With previous experience as a chef and restaurant owner as well as organizing unions within the agriculture space, he brings a unique perspective to the food-to-table movement. He is passionate about helping others form their opinions regarding agricultural issues based on evidence, science, and facts.

Marc joins me today to share how he became interested in evidence-based agriculture concerns, what inspired him to create the Food and Farm Discussion Lab, and how his views of food sustainability have evolved. He explains the variables that affect the global sustainability of food, why he believes scalability is a critical factor to consider when addressing food sustainability matters, and the issues that he believes have become over-hyped within the industry.

“If you’re not dealing with corn, soy, wheat, forage crops, or meat, then you’re not really having a serious conversation about sustainability.” - Marc Brazeau

This Week on the Future of Agriculture Podcast:

• What inspired him to start the Food and Farm Discussion Lab.
• The pivotal moment that lead him to begin searching for evidence-based information regarding sustainability issues in agriculture.
• How agriculture professionals currently view the term “sustainability” and how we should transition to more productive views.
• The variables that create the most impact on the global food sustainability crisis.
• Why corn, soy, wheat, meat, and forage crops are critical to the overall scalability factor of food sustainability.
• Over-hyped technologies and initiatives within the agriculture industry related to food sustainability.
• How his views and opinions regarding food sustainability have evolved since starting the Food and Farm Discussion Lab.

Resources Mentioned:

• Bio Fortified
• Tomorrow’s Table: Organic Farming, Genetics, and the Future of Food book by Raoul Adamchak and Pamela Ronald
• Accountable Ag blog post by John Phipps

Connect with Marc Brazeau:

• Food and Farm Discussion Lab
• Food and Farm Discussion Lab Forum

Join Our 100th Episode Celebration!

We are celebrating the Future of Agriculture Podcast’s 100th episode - and we want to celebrate with you! Visit SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg to record your voice and tell us which Future of Agriculture Podcast episode was your number 1 favorite - and why! Who knows? We may even play your voice in a future episode! Head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg today to record your voice and share your favorite episode with us.

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

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

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 

Richard Lackey is the Chairman and CEO of the World Food Bank, an organization founded in 2015 to provide sustainable solutions to the food security and hunger issues around the world. He is a highly-regarded expert in the trading and securities industry and is passionate about finding solutions that will help end world hunger.

Richard joins me today to share the driving force behind World Food Bank, their mission, and how their unique program is designed to significantly impact the food security and hunger issues we currently face worldwide. He explains how his systematized approach helps impact the world from an economic standpoint and why systematic approaches are more sustainable solutions to combating world hunger and poverty. He explains how they use model farms to help farmers in third-world countries gain access to the tools, techniques, and strategies that can improve their crop grades, quality, and profits. He also shares his prediction for investors considering food as a future asset commodity and the potential impact that a single 5,000-acre farm can have on the lives of those living in countries such as Uganda.

“The ability to now store commodities for years and years - and maintain grade - is a game-changer.” - Richard Lackey

This Week on the Future of Agriculture Podcast:

• The food security issues that the World Food Bank focuses on solving.
• What is post-harvest loss and how it impacts the export market worldwide?
• How they use model farms as an educational tool within third-world countries.
• Why organizations are beginning to shift their focus from project-based programs to systematic solutions.
• How the company works with investors and creates profits.
• The technology they use to store commodities and remove the calendar risk associated with long storage periods.
• How his organization helps third-world countries mitigate and control price volatility.
• How the systematic approach is impacting the lives of farmers as well as the poverty crisis within third-world countries.
• His prediction on investors considering food commodities as an asset class in the future.
• The potential impact that one sustainable farm can have in a third-world country.
• How they determine how well crop genetics will work within each region.

Connect with Richard Lackey:

• World Food Bank
• The Case for Food as an Asset Class - Whitepaper

Join Our 100th Episode Celebration!

We are celebrating the Future of Agriculture Podcast’s 100th episode - and we want to celebrate with you! Visit SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg to record your voice and tell us which Future of Agriculture Podcast episode was your number 1 favorite - and why! Who knows? We may even play your voice in a future episode! Head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg today to record your voice and share your favorite episode with us.

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

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

Share the Ag-Love! 

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

Tom Bottoms earned his bachelor’s degree in Plant Sciences from the California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo and in 2013, he received his Ph.D. in Horticulture and Agronomy from the University of California. He currently works as an employee of a large farming operation based in Northern California with the intention of eventually accumulating his own farm land and building his own operation.

Tom joins me today to share what inspired him to work in the agriculture industry and what motivated him to continue his education in agriculture. He shares why he decided to pivot his career from agriculture academia to work in the private sector, his experience while working with the African Leadership Partners in Swaziland, Africa and the challenges he has faced and overcome while helping a small farm operation significantly grow during his missionary operation in Africa. He also explains the importance of networking and building relationships within the farming industry to help you achieve your goals as a professional, the importance of self-awareness and professional development, and tips on how to get started in farming.

“You’ve got to continue to develop yourself - to put yourself in a situation where you’re learning about the industry.” - Tom Bottoms

This Week on the Future of Agriculture Podcast:

• Tom’s experience as a missionary in Africa.
• How he helped the African farm operation become successful.
• How he balances his personal life while advancing his career.
• The importance of networking with others in the industry and how it has impacted his career.
• The farming operation he is currently working with.
• Why he believes setting firm, inflexible deadlines on certain goals is dangerous.
• The importance of focusing on improving processes more than the financial opportunities available when you are just starting out in farming.
• The importance of building trust within your farm operation.
• How to get started in farming.
• Assets that young professionals can offer to established farming operations.

Resources Mentioned:

• Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…And Others Don’t book by Jim Collins
• Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies (Harper Business Essentials) book by Jim Collins
• Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business book by Gino Wickman

Tom Bottom’s Tips for Getting Started in Farming:

1. Try to keep your day job as long as you can while you are trying to get started.
2. Ask yourself what you are doing now to make it possible.
3. Read and understand how basic farming operations work.
4. Question everything.

Connect with Tom Bottoms:

• Email: Tommy@TVFarming.com

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

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

Share the Ag-Love! 

Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the 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 

Rob Saik is the founder of the Agri-Trend® group of companies whose primary goal is to help farmers grow food through agriculture consulting services in areas such as agronomic production, carbon-offset trading, grain marketing strategies, and data management systems for producers around the world. He is the creator of The Agri-Prize contest series, a TEDx and keynote speaker, and the author of the book The Agriculture Manifesto - 10 Key Drivers That Will Shape Agriculture in the Next Decade which has earned an Amazon 2014 Best of Books award. Additionally, he is the Executive Producer of the movie KNOW GMO as well as the webisode series LEARN GMO.

Rob joins me today to discuss the mission behind The Agri-Trend and the connection between the organic movement and the non-GMO movement. He explains how he believes GMOs can impact the future of agriculture, sustainability, and the food supply around the world as well as the impact they can have on the health of consumers. He also shares why he believes many consumers refuse to use GMO-friendly products and the importance of due diligence when educating yourself about organic and genetically engineered crops.

“Most of what you are reading about GMOs on social media are an absolute distortion of the truth.” - Rob Saik

This Week on the Future of Agriculture Podcast:

• How Agri-Trend helps farmers allocate scarce resources.
• The impact that banning GMO products have had on certain countries and cultures.
• The connection between the organic movement and the non-GMO movement.
• What farmers should consider to grow more crops organically.
• Why farmers shouldn’t be at odds when deciding to grow organically or become GMO-friendly.
• Why he believes many people think GMOs are bad or unhealthy.
• How “organic” and “non-GMO” food labels are misleading consumers.
• How GMOs can contribute to the agriculture industry’s long-term sustainability.
• The impact that embracing genetically modified food can have on the world’s starvation crisis and consumer health.

Connect With Rob Saik:

• KNOW Ideas Media
• KNOW Ideas Media on Facebook
• KNOW Ideas Media on YouTube
• Will Agriculture be ALLOWED to Feed 9 Billion People - Rob Saik’s TEDx Talk

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

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

Share the Ag-Love! 

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

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: 

Future of Agriculture Website

AgGrad Website

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

Simone Kain is the co-creator of George the Farmer, a social enterprise that focuses on educating kids about proper farming practices as well as how food and fiber are produced using apps, music, videos, picture books, and free curriculum-aligned educator’s guides. She drew inspiration from a 2012 survey in Australia that shows 10-12-year-old students don’t know where their food comes from. Simone describes George the Farmer as “everyone’s mate” and tackles the daily activities of Australian farming with passion.

In this episode, Simone explains how George the Farmer educates children. She shares the story behind George the Farmer, how they structured their app, and why knowing where your food comes from is essential. She also discusses the need for people to learn that a career in agriculture is not always about farming and how George the Farmer aims to do just that.

 
“We try to get kids to start thinking about the amazing opportunities available in agriculture.” – Simone Kain

 
This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: 

• The origins of George the Farmer.
• What their app aims to do.
• Who their market is and their target age group.
• Their response from those who don't have a farm background.
• How kids have benefited from their app.
• Their future projects for George the Farmer
• Their process in trying to get George the Farmer in television.
• The challenges they've faced
• What surprised her the most in this project?

Connect with Simone Kain:

• George The Farmer
• Facebook
• Twitter

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

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

Share the Ag-Love! 

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

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: 

Future of Agriculture Website

AgGrad Website

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

Chris Rawley conceived the idea of crowdfunding platforms for agriculture while visiting a farm investment in Central America. He would soon start Harvest Returns, a crowdfunding company that serves investors looking to diversify their portfolio and invest their money on actual farms. Before founding Harvest Returns, Chris obtained corporate management roles in various companies and once served as a defense consultant at Special Operations Command Headquarters thanks to his military experience. He has been investing in real estate and agriculture for almost twenty years.

In this episode, Chris discusses how his company helps both farmers and investors. He shares how he got the idea of starting Harvest Returns, the company’s main goals, and what makes them different from other agricultural crowdsourcing platforms. He also shares some of their recent projects as well as some of their strategies in handling difficult markets.

 
“Agriculture is for people with long-term investment horizons.” – Chris Rawley

 
This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: 

• What is equity crowdfunding?
• Who are their primary clients?
• What does Harvest Returns invest in?
• What assurance do investors have that their farm will be well managed?
• What would compel farmers to give up some of their ownership to get money?
• How do they handle a two-sided marketplace?
• How does their company make money?
• What made them start the company?
• How many deals have they closed so far?

Resources Mentioned:

• AgFunder

Connect with Chris Rawley:

• Harvest Returns
• Facebook
• Twitter

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

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

Share the Ag-Love! 

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

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: 

Future of Agriculture Website

AgGrad Website

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

Dr. Jason de Koff is an Associate Professor and Extension Specialist at Tennessee State University. He holds a Ph.D in agronomy from Purdue University and has received numerous awards including the NACAA Achievement Award and the TAAA&S Communications Award (Learning Module Southeast Region) in 2016.

Dr. de Koff joins me on today’s episode to discuss how cooperative extension programs are helping to spread unbiased information throughout the agriculture industry to help improve the future of agriculture. He also explains how cooperative extensions are encouraging the future of careers in agriculture, how they are helping new farmers get started in the agriculture industry, and how drones can be used in agricultural production.

“Cooperative extension agents are really the unsung heroes of the extension program.” - Dr. Jason de Koff

This Week on the Future of Agriculture Podcast:

• The history of cooperative extension programs and how the organization was funded.
• The importance of the cooperative extension providing an unbiased voice in the agriculture community.
• Who the cooperative extension programs help on a day-to-day basis.
• Project examples of how the cooperative extension programs work.
• What are “needs assessments” and how they help cooperative extensions decide which projects to focus on next.
• How cooperative extensions work with private industries.
• How they are helping new farmers learn valuable skills in the agriculture industry.
• How they are educating farmers and children to use drones in agriculture.
• Evaluating project effectiveness for the USDA and stakeholders.
• How to learn more about cooperative extension programs in your local area.

Resources Mentioned:

• 40 Chances: Finding Hope in a Hungry World book by Howard G. Buffett
• New Farmer Academy

Connect with Dr. Jason de Koff:

• Tennessee State University Cooperative Extension
• Twitter

Jerod McDaniel is a farmer and cattleman from Texhoma, Oklahoma. He is progressive when it comes to farm-related data, and new technology and practices. He is quite open and excited about the idea behind blockchain and how it would impact farmers like him. Jerod took over his grandfather’s farm in 1995 when he was just 18 years old which has enabled him to acquire the necessary skills for traditional farming as well as learn and integrate new ways to make the different processes involved much more efficient. He is considered one of the agriculture industry’s top Twitter influencers.

In this episode, Jerod discusses what farmers like him expect from blockchain technology. He shares some of the issues farmers and ranchers currently face and their current solutions, and how blockchain technology can elevate the systems they already have in place. He also describes the importance of having the right data when it comes to breeding with the right genetics and how it can make an otherwise slow year profitable.

 
“The best thing about blockchain technology is it would unify the platform people use.”– Jerod McDaniel

 
This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: 

• How much do farmers value data?
• Why, even with data, it would be difficult to remove the farmer from farming.
• What data is he collecting now that he didn't previously?
• Data points regarding cows he is more interested in.
• How will blockchain help ranchers?
• When it comes to data, what makes the beef industry different from the poultry and swine industries?
• His opinion on the cryptocurrency trend?

Connect with Jerod McDaniel:

• Twitter

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

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

Share the Ag-Love! 

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

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: 

Future of Agriculture Website

AgGrad Website

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

Emma Weston is the CEO and one of the founders of AgriDigital, a commodity management company that combines advanced technical and industry expertise with aesthetic design and intelligent systems to develop seamless solutions to complex logistical, risk, customer management, and commodity issues in the agricultural sector. Emma leads the company’s business strategies, investor engagement, and their own Blockchain and talent management. She also has responsibilities in sales and operations.

In this episode, Emma shares how their company works with Blockchain and how it enables them to support farmers. She describes the impact Blockchain has on the future of transactions and why it will eventually become a standard in the industry.

 
“A platform approach means there is a single source of data and a single source of truth.”– Emma Weston

 
This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: 

• How Blockchain helped solve problems for their company.
• How does Blockchain solve the payment security problem?
• What's the difference between Blockchain transactions and today's internet transactions?
• How their company utilizes Blockchain tech when it comes to finance.
• Incentivizing the buyer to pay earlier than they should.
• How can Blockchain provide transparency without exposing sensitive information?

Connect with Emma Weston:

• AgriDigital
• Email: emma.weston@agridigital.io

Win a free book on Blockchain!

Want to know more about Blockchain? We are giving one lucky listener a copy of the book Blockchain: The Beginner’s Guide to Understanding the Technology Behind Bitcoin & Cryptocurrency. Learn the basics of Blockchain, Bitcoin, and other cryptocurrencies and how they work.

To enter for your chance to win, click this link and follow the instructions. The lucky winner will be randomly selected on February 15 2018, so don’t miss out!

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

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

Share the Ag-Love! 

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

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: 

Future of Agriculture Website

AgGrad Website

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

Raja Ramachandran is the CEO of Ripe.io, a company that considers itself as the Blockchain of food. Ripe.io offers solutions to food problems that involve data transparency while also providing answers to many consumer questions. Raja has a background in finance and FOREX trading and is fond of using financial technology, cloud-based systems, machine learning, and Blockchain to help solve problems around food on a global scale.

In this episode, Raja shares the idea behind Ripe.io, their mission, and how they can make use of Blockchain to solve problems specific to food and agriculture. He explains why Blockchain is not the answer, but part of a solution and how consumer feedback helps make the system work better. He also describes the current application of Blockchain now as well as how he sees it being implemented in the short term.

 
“Once you recognize the things you know and don't know, you're gonna be looking for different tools to make certain things happen.”– Raja Ramachandran

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: 

• Why they created Ripe.io
• Why did they focus on food in applying Blockchain?
• Where does the data end up and where is the value in it?
• How consumers can contribute to the Blockchain.
• How does a company insert themselves in the middle of a system where the purpose is to get rid of the middle?
• Who are their ideal customers?
• What was the Sweet Green Pilot all about?
• What can Blockchain do for food waste?
• Is an ICO something Ripe.io is interested in?

Connect with Raja Ramachandran:

• Ripe.io

Win a free book on Blockchain!

Want to know more about Blockchain? We are giving one lucky listener a copy of the book Blockchain: The Beginner’s Guide to Understanding the Technology Behind Bitcoin & Cryptocurrency. Learn the basics of Blockchain, Bitcoin, and other cryptocurrencies and how they work.

To enter for your chance to win, click this link and follow the instructions. The lucky winner will be randomly selected on February 15 2018, so don’t miss out!

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

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

Share the Ag-Love! 

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

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: 

Future of Agriculture Website

AgGrad Website

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

Alex Danco is an Associate and member of the Discover Team at Social Capital, a partnership consisting of philanthropists, capitalists, and technologists who together share the same goal of funding startups and ideas that can create value and change on a global scale. Alex is fond of thinking and writing about the future, and has authored a number of blogs that discuss the future of human society and technology all over the web. This penchant for futurism has made him grow fond of little yet novel ideas that just need a bit of capital to get started.

In this episode, Alex explains how Blockchain works. He discusses what made Blockchain a necessity, how it was initially conceptualized, and why Bitcoin paved the way for its mainstream introduction. He also describes just how cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum have value, and why they are not that different from gold.

“When people talk about Blockchain, it’s just the record of the process that happens.” - Alex Danco

 
This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: 

• The beginnings of Blockchain
• The problems that Blockchain could solve
• Why Bitcoin and Ethereum have value.
• How to determine the value of cryptocurrencies.
• The difference and similarities between gold and Bitcoin.
• What does it mean to build an agricultural product on the Blockchain?

Connect with Alex Danco:

• Social Capital

Win a free book on Blockchain!

Want to know more about Blockchain? We are giving one lucky listener a copy of the book Blockchain: The Beginner’s Guide to Understanding the Technology Behind Bitcoin & Cryptocurrency. Learn the basics of Blockchain, Bitcoin, and other cryptocurrencies and how they work.

To enter for your chance to win, click this link and follow the instructions. The lucky winner will be randomly selected on February 15, 2018, so don’t miss out!

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

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

Share the Ag-Love! 

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

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: 

Future of Agriculture Website

AgGrad Website

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

FoA085 FOA How Blockchain Technology Can Help Farmers in Developing Countries

David Davies is the Founder of AgUnity and AgriLedger. AgUnity enables the world’s smallest and poorest farmers to have access to a means to lift themselves out of poverty through smartphone and blockchain solutions. AgriLedger is the smartphone app AgUnity developed that records and transacts incorruptible data through blockchain technology. The app allows virtually every user to know their transactions and data are kept safe and tamper-proof.

In this episode, David Davies shares his ideas and vision for the future of blockchain and the agricultural industry. He explains the different problems blockchain can solve, how their app integrates blockchain technology as well as how it can boost farmer’s income significantly.

 
“What we use the blockchain here for is having a permanent record of trust.”– David Davies

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: 

• What inspired him to start AgUnity and AgriLedger?
• How their app helps farmers increase their income and efficiency.
• What blockchain would enables us to do that the internet wouldn't.
• Why they give farmers free phones.
• How does a typical transaction work with their app?
• Why they don't use any form of cryptocurrency in their transactions.
• Other industries that can benefit from their app.
• Things blockchain just isn’t capable of despite the hype.

Connect with David Davies:

• AgUnity
• AgriLedger
• Facebook
• Twitter

Win a free book on Blockchain!

Want to know more about Blockchain? We are giving one lucky listener a copy of the book Blockchain: The Beginner’s Guide to one lucky listener. All you have to do is click this link, follow the instructions, and you might just win this awesome book! The lucky winner will be randomly selected on February 15 2018, so don’t miss out!

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family! 

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

Share the Ag-Love! 

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

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting: 

Future of Agriculture Website

AgGrad Website

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