How does a 30,000 acre farm operate with just 9 employees?
Lon Frahm shares with Tim how he has grown his row crop operation to over 30,000 acres, and how he uses economies of scale such as self-insuring and storing his own grain, to develop advantages over other farmers.
Lon has a very impressive story. He took over his family's farm upon his father's death when he was just 28 years old. He has lead the operation to tremendous growth over the past 30 years and has experiences very little employee turnover.
Lon knows the value in keeping good people on the team, learning quicker than your competition, and networking with peers in the industry.
Whether you are a farmer, in agribusiness, or not in any related field, there are still some business gems in this episode.
Learn more about Frahm Farmland at http://www.frahmfarmland.com
Wall Street Journal Article Featuring Lon Frahm
Visit http://www.AgGrad.com to connect to careers and employers in agriculture.
Reach out to Tim on Twitter @timhammerich.
Jack Gilmore is the owner and head chef of the famous Jack Allen’s Kitchen in Austin, Texas. More than good food and service, Jack Allen’s Kitchen is known for being a pioneer in what we call the “Farm to Table.” According to Jack, at least 80% of every food on his menu is locally sourced. He first got into cooking when he was 15 and taught himself how to cook when he was working part time in a restaurant. By the time he was 18, he realized school wasn’t his thing so he decided to get married and start a family.
Jack knew how to cook, so he figured he could make a living out of it. He worked for other people and was able to work with incredible chefs, until he grew tired of working for someone else and decided to start his own restaurant. From cooking for a decent wage to actually owning his own restaurant chain, he has come a long way.
On today’s episode, Jack talks about how he started his restaurant business, what made him choose to buy from local farmers as much as possible, and the logistics involved in running a locally-sourced restaurant. He also his thoughts on the future generation of farmers.
“I don't tell anybody we're a 100% local, I tell them we're as local as we can be.” – Jack Gilmore
This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:
Check Out Jack Gilmore Across the Net:
We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!
The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.
Share the Ag-Love!
Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!
Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:
AgGrad on Twitter
AgGrad on Facebook
AgGrad on LinkedIn
AgGrad on Instagram
Aidan Connolly has been with Alltech for 27 years and is currently its Chief Innovation Officer (CIO). Alltech is a company that helps farmers feed the world, raise healthy animals, and protect the environment. He works with the company’s research department focused on developing nutrition-based technologies that will capitalize on insights gained through Alltech’s investment in nutrigenomics. Aidan’s main tasks as CIO is to spearhead Alltech’s projects in multiple facets of the agricultural industry, make sure they’re always on the cutting edge when it comes to current technology, as well as incorporating new technologies into how food is produced in the future.
On today’s episode, Aidan shares how he became Alltech’s CIO and how the company decides which innovation to invest in. He also explains the disruptive technologies that will greatly affect the agricultural industry in the near future.
“Brain power and imagination are going to be very important in terms of the roles we play.” – Aidan Connolly
This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:
Alltech's views on disruptive technology.
How they strategically decide when to invest in an innovation.
What is the Pearse Lyons Accelerator?
The 8 potentially disruptive technologies.
Is artificial Intelligence something humans should worry about?
How he prepares his children for the future.
Since 2009, TOP US food and beverage companies have lost an equivalent of $18 billion of market shares. How does this affect agriculture?
Can the "local food" movement scale?
How should we balance thinking about innovations and our busy lives?
Mentioned in this episode:
ONE18 Conference
Humans Need Not Apply Video
Check Out Aidan Connolly Across the Net:
Alltech
LinkedIn
Twitter
We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!
The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.
Share the Ag-Love!
Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!
Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:
AgGrad Website
AgGrad on Twitter
AgGrad on Facebook
AgGrad on LinkedIn
AgGrad on Instagram
Utilizing Food Waste for Urban Agriculture with Tinia Pina of Re-Nuble
The United States has a shortage of people who want to work in agriculture. We’ve gone from most of the population to only one percent of people working in this industry. There are fewer people with farms and a lack of individuals who want to make long lasting and meaningful careers in agriculture.
There is something we can do about attracting interest in farming, though, such as enticing professionals from other industries to pivot into urban agriculture, like our guest Tinia Pina did. Tinia worked in the financial sector until she learned about the problems that existed related to entrepreneurial opportunities in agriculture. Today she is the founder and CEO of Re-Nuble, a New York City company that converts food waste into organic fertilizer.
On today’s show, Tinia shares the story of how she established Re-Nuble, and shares her insights about food waste and what it’s like to be a minority entrepreneur in the agriculture industry.
“The lack of proper nutrition and fresh available food options impacts our future generations.” Tinia Pina
This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:
Mentioned in the Show:
Contact Tinia Pina:
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:
On today’s episode of the Future of Agriculture Podcast, my guest, Jared Flinn, is the founder and operating partner of Bulk Loads. His site provides an online platform that connects shippers with the transportation companies.
Jared graduated with a minor in agricultural economy, but wasn’t sure what he wanted to do with his credentials. He started working as a truck driver and grew to love all the aspects of the industry and eventually moved into shipping logistics in the agriculture sector. His passion for the trade inspired his vision of connecting companies and shippers, and so Bulk Loads was born.
Jared started his venture without knowing whether it would be successful, but he persevered and created a sustainable and profitable business which addressed and solved clients’ pain points. On today’s show, you’ll hear his thoughts, wisdom, and advice about taking ideas and building a business in agricultural and transportation space.
“You have to have the commodities to trade, but behind that you have to have the efficient supply chain to get it through.” – Jared Flinn
This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:
Mentioned in the Show:
Connect With Jared Flinn:
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:
This is a good time for reflection on this past year and anticipation of what is to come in 2017, and I’m energized about the potential we have in some of the strategic objectives that we’ll be rolling out here in the coming year. I’m also excited to interview our guest today who came from humble farming beginnings and is now a leader in agri-business and a force in politics.
On today’s episode of the Future of Agriculture Podcast, we have who could very well be our next United States Secretary of Agriculture, Kip Tom. Whether Kip is nominated or not, he will play an integral role in the leadership of our industry from his home in Indiana, from Washington D.C., or across the water in South America where he has a farming operation. He is passionate about encouraging and motivating our youth to step into the agri-business sector to continue family farming operations.
Kip shares his wisdom, insights, and advice, about this business and you’ll hear how a young man who grew up on his family’s homestead became a passionate advocate of continuing the American dream of keeping family-run farming businesses alive.
“If there’s one thing you do, work towards succession planning to prepare the next generation to grow your business and sustain it. “ Kip Tom
This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:
Check Out Kip Tom Across the Net:
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:
On today’s episode of the Future of Agriculture Podcast, I am extremely excited to chat with a guest with whom I have the utmost respect for and who I am in awe of. Dr. Temple Grandin is an author and a professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University who is passionate about agriculture and the people involved in it. Temple has revolutionized the industry with practices she devised and is a highly-regarded internationally known speaker on the subjects of autism and cattle handling.
Temple’s incredible story of overcoming personal and professional challenges to revolutionize the agriculture industry, a sector which is set in its ways, will blow your mind. She is an inspiration to everyone in general and to people who want to break into an industry where they don’t necessarily fit the mold.
Temple brings value, wisdom, and inspiration to today’s show and I’m honored and humbled to interview her. She is passionate about keeping the agriculture industry alive and shares her invaluable advice for those seeking a life in the agricultural sector.
“Students get interested in things they get exposed to.” – Dr. Temple Grandin
This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:
Temple discloses her experiences in the agriculture industry in the 20th century.
She expounds on the ethics of eating animals.
Temple speaks about encouraging all types of careers in the agriculture industry and keep it in the forefront.
She talks about how to best serve people in the industry who are visual learners or thinkers.
She gives you information and advice on autism.
She tells us what she likes most about teaching students.
Temple recounts about her life since the movie about her aired.
She talks about improvements in the agriculture and food processing industry.
Temple tells us about what’s changed in animal handling.
Mentioned in the Show:
Check Out Temple Grandin Across the Net:
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:
Kevin Heikes is the Founder of In10t.io, an advisory firm dedicated to helping clients solve problems in Agriculture related to technology strategy, product commercialization and digital system design.
Kevin has worked with several start-ups, including FarmLink, where he served as Vice President of Product and Farms Technology where, post acquisition, by DuPont Pioneer he led the integration and product migration to DTN.
This episode is filled with new ideas, tactics, and anecdotes that will both entertain and inspire anyone interested in the future of agriculture.
Kevin mentions a couple of tools including Full Contact and Product Hunt.
Check out Kevin’s personal website: http://www.kevinheikes.com/ or his company: http://www.in10t.io/.
Thanks for listening!
We really appreciate you taking the time to listen to the Future of Agriculture Podcast. The response has been outstanding. Please feel free to leave a note in the comment section below.
The best way to spread the word about our Podcast is to share your favorite episode using the social media share buttons in the podcast player you are using.
You can also leave a review on iTunes. This helps us spread the word about the people, perspectives, and innovations that provide our future food, clothing, fuel, shelter, and natural resources. We also encourage you to tell any of your friends that are interested in farming, livestock, agribusiness, or AgTech to check out our show!
AgriCorps sends American college graduates and professionals into developing nations to teach agriculture and to build local agricultural communities. The volunteers, known as AgriCorps Fellows, work for one year in countries such as Ghana and Liberia.
Trent shares his perspective on the future of agriculture in Africa, challenges and rewards of agricultural development, and the differences between U.S. and African food production. I agree with his perspective that Africa will grow into a major player in global agribusiness. So do many major corporations, who are rapidly expanding into the region.
Enjoy Trent’s firsthand experiences and I look forward to hearing your feedback about your perspective on international development and the future of agriculture in Africa.
Learn more about AgriCorps: https://agricorps.org/join/im-interested-in-more/
Like AgriCorps on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/agricorps/
I encourage you to consider becoming an AgriCorps Fellow or contributing to their crowdfunding campaign!
Thanks for listening!
We really appreciate you taking the time to listen to the Future of Agriculture Podcast. The response has been outstanding. Please feel free to leave a note in the comment section below.
The best way to spread the word about our Podcast is to share your favorite episode using the social media share buttons in the podcast player you are using.
You can also leave a review on iTunes. This helps us spread the word about the people, perspectives, and innovations that provide our future food, clothing, fuel, shelter, and natural resources. We also encourage you to tell any of your friends that are interested in farming, livestock, agribusiness, or AgTech to check out our show!
Dr. Nate Storey holds a PhD in Agronomy and Crop Science from the University of Wyoming. He started his company, Bright Agrotech while completing his graduate studies.
Six years later, Bright Agrotech are leaders in the high density indoor and greenhouse farming industry. They partner with farmers of all sizes to build a fresher, more distributed food system.
Many of you, especially the more entrepreneurial-minded, will really enjoy this episode. Vertical farming holds promises of entry-level farming with low startup costs, good margins, and excellent production per square foot. We often talk about the future of agriculture battling the challenge of producing more food with less land, water, fertilizer, chemicals, and environmental impact. Many of those elements are addressed with vertical farming and mentioned in this episode.
If you’ve often dreamed of being in production agriculture but don’t have land in your family, give this one a listen!
Check out Bright Agrotech’s Website and YouTube Channel.
Thanks for listening!
We really appreciate you taking the time to listen to the Future of Agriculture Podcast. The response has been outstanding. Please feel free to leave a note in the comment section below.
The best way to spread the word about our Podcast is to share your favorite episode using the social media share buttons in the podcast player you are using.
You can also leave a review on iTunes. This helps us spread the word about the people, perspectives, and innovations that provide our future food, clothing, fuel, shelter, and natural resources. We also encourage you to tell any of your friends that are interested in farming, livestock, agribusiness, or AgTech to check out our show!
According to AgFunder, over $4 billion poured into AgTech investments in 2015. Many times when people think of the recent AgTech craze, their mind immediately goes to drones.
I have been curious about drones for quite some time, both from a "coolness factor" perspective and from the perspective of "what's really that great about them in agriculture?".
I had been looking to bring on a drone expert to the podcast for quite some time, but didn't want someone who would be too technical or would look at it from an impractical angle. One day on Linkedin I came across the article "Applications of UAVs in Agriculture" by Michael Dunn, CCA. I knew I had found my next podcast guest.
Michael is able to talk about drones from the perspective of the farmer and from someone who is trying to help the farmer utilize technology to improve their operation. He is both technically knowledgeable as well as practically sensible about the uses of drones in agriculture, their limitations, and their potential.
I hope you enjoy this interview with Michael Dunn of Anez Consulting.
Connect with Michael on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-dunn-cca-75a64028
Check out Anez Consulting: http://anezconsulting.com/
Thanks for listening!
We really appreciate you taking the time to listen to the Future of Agriculture Podcast. The response has been outstanding. Please feel free to leave a note in the comment section below.
The best way to spread the word about our Podcast is to share your favorite episode using the social media share buttons in the podcast player you are using.
You can also leave a review on iTunes. This helps us spread the word about the people, perspectives, and innovations that provide our future food, clothing, fuel, shelter, and natural resources. We also encourage you to tell any of your friends that are interested in farming, livestock, agribusiness, or AgTech to check out our show!