Future Of Agriculture

  Justin Dahlgren and Eric Thalken are farm managers in Nebraska. They have adapted to using Granular, one of the world’s leading farm management software tools. Granular provides farmers with all the necessary tools that analyze operational, agronomic, and financial information for their farms. Justin’s farm primarily grows corn and soybeans tied to their 8,000-head feedlot. On the other hand, Eric’s 2,300-acre farm has transitioned to organic farming recently and aims to be 100% organic this year.   Justin and Eric join me today to share their passion for agriculture and how they utilized current technologies to optimize farm management. They discuss what their farms are all about, the crops they produce, and their specific roles. They describe some of the farming practices that improved the introduction of innovative software. They also explain how farm owners should interpret data in a way that benefits their farming operations and share what they believe the future of agriculture will be like in 25 ye

Tim Moffett is known as the Ag Comedian, as he blends comedy and farming into a finely tuned and unique craft. He likes to combine everyday life on the farm and stand-up comedy to show everyone there is always something to smile and laugh about - even in agriculture. Tim frequently performs at agriculture conventions, fairs, business meetings, corporate events, and even at family reunions.   Tim joins me today to discuss comedy in agriculture, a side to the industry most think doesn’t exist. He shares his family background and how he discovered his passion for comedy. He discusses some of his favorite comedic materials and how he engages with his core audience. He also shares his opinions on the idea of organic farming and vaccinations.     “Not just in agriculture, but life can get you down. Sometimes you just need a good laugh.” - Tim Moffett       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   Tim's farm background and how he combines comedy and farming. How he manages their farming busines

  The concept of Soil Health deals with making sure the land where our farms stand will remain the same for the next generation. This was the goal of my journey in bringing the awareness of soil health to the world, and I couldn’t have done it without the help of Jim Loar of http://www.coolplanet.com/ (Cool Planet).   This special episode will be the culmination of all the farms I visited and the amazing farmers I met along the way. I share where I draw my passion for agriculture and being immersed in this scientifically-driven industry. I discuss the different aspects of agriculture and the farmers who best represented them. I explain how much technology is driving the recent agricultural innovations. I also describe the people behind the farms I went to and how they’re contributing to soil health and sustainability.     “Agriculture exists to solve our most complex problems to meet our most basic needs."       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   Round-up of the Stories from the So

  Davon Cook is the Co-Founder of Ag Progress, a company that provides management consulting, family business advisory, and facilitation for ag ventures and other groups. Davon facilitates peer groups of ag operations and is a member of the Family Firm Institute, one of the most extensive networks of thought leaders in the family enterprise field. She received her master’s degree from Texas A&M in Ag Econ and her MBA from the University of Illinois.   Davon joins me to share the inspiration behind starting Ag Progress and how their firm works. She describes how their business consulting services help farm owners improve their businesses and the different challenges they face with each client. She also explains the three circles of family business. what succession planning means, and shares what she expects to happen in the future for the ag industry.     “When you change something in one aspect of the organization, there's movement in other places; it has an impact on the entire system itself." - Davon

Joe Breker is the owner of the Coteau des Prairies, a getaway lodge that offers stunning views surrounded by prairie farms and fields. He has been farming for over 40 years and practices what the industry calls “No-till” farming, a method that prioritizes soil health. With his skills and knowledge, Joe managed to successfully operate his farm during the dry ‘80s and wet ‘90s, as well as each decade’s poor farm economy. Joe joins me today to describe how his conservative farming practices have improved their farm’s soil health. He shares how his father was a sustainable farmer and what he did to build on what his father started. He also describes what no-till farming is, how it helps to restore damaged soil and explains the science behind management practices and how it affects soil health for decades.   “Once you lose soil health, it's really difficult to get it back." - Joe Breker   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: The farming legacy Joe is a part of and how his father ran the farm. Wh

Brady Sidwell is the owner of Sidwell Strategies, a commodity brokerage that provides a variety of risk management solutions that caters towards those in the agricultural industry. They help farmers manage price risks by trading futures and options on the commodity market. Before focusing on this type of business, Brady enjoyed traveling to 95 countries and working in a lot of them. The experiences he had on his many trips allowed him to form a better understanding of how the economy on agriculture works from a global perspective and apply that to his business.   Brady joins me today to share his passion for helping farmers and how it led to the start of Sidwell Strategies. He shares his academic and career highlights, some of the countries he’s worked in and what he learned from them. He describes how China is trying to emulate how Americans look at farming as well as the difference between farmers from either country. He also discusses some of their projects for the coming months.     “If you think you

  Irving Fain is the CEO & Co-Founder of Bowery Farming, a company that seeks to innovate indoor and urban farming through sustainable methods without the need for pesticides. He is a seasoned entrepreneur who is passionate about expanding access to quality produce. Before he became the CEO of Bowery Farming, Irving began his career assisting early-stage companies and startups in raising capital as an investment banker.   Irving joins me today to discuss how he and his company plan to improve indoor farming. He explains the many benefits to indoor farming and what separates them from other companies. He discusses some of the projects they’re running and will run in the near future and shares why they decided to focus on indoor farming. He also explains the technologies they use to reinvent and innovate the local produce supply chain.     “The best way to generate positive impact is tying that to an economically viable business model." -Irving Fain       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast

  Israel Morales Sr. is http://jvfarmsorganic.com (JV Farms Organic)’s lead grower, carrying with him over forty years of farming experience. JV Farms Organic is committed to growing organic crops in an innovative and eco-friendly manner. Israel has extensive experience in not just knowing what produce matches the type of soil you have, but also the various factors involved in soil health. From types of plants and soil varieties to the very insects thriving within the soil itself, Israel’s wisdom regarding organic farming only serves to impress his younger peers.   Israel joins me today to impart his wisdom regarding soil health. He shares the story of he and his family came to California and how he met his partner and started JV Farms Organic. He describes what the farm was like before they developed techniques to improve the soil and what it looks like today. Israel also explains how their farm solved the pest issue without the use of pesticides.     “Your footprints are the best fertilizer. Walk the

  Connie Bowen is the Principal and Program Manager of The Yield Lab as well as the Principal of Cultivation Capital. The Yield Lab is an accelerator program for entrepreneurs in the agriculture industry. The program’s mission is to enable agribusinesses to revolutionize agrifood systems and promote sustainability through educational resources and support.   Connie joins me today to share The Yield Lab’s mission and how they help entrepreneurs build sustainable agribusinesses through their accelerator program. She discusses how technology is impacting the agriculture industry, how the company utilizes agtech to promote global expansion, and how the company is revolutionizing the accelerator model. She also shares what startup agribusinesses can expect by applying and participating in The Yield Lab’s programs as well as her perspective on the state of technology in the agriculture industry.     “Our global network is an asset for companies - so we can help them to expand at a rate that is appropriate for

  Nave Strauss is an arborist and the Director of Street Tree Planting for https://www.nycgovparks.org/ (NYC Parks). His primary function is to make sure New York City and its surrounding areas are equipped with the right combination of trees and plants that can help sustain both public and environmental health. He obtained a degree in Environmental Studies with an emphasis in Forestry from St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY in 2008 and has worked with NYC Parks since 2009. He and his team aim to become the best tree planting program in the world.   Nave joins me today to share his passion for trees and environmental sustainability. He explains what an arborist is, what they do, and how they participate in various programs involving nature and trees. He also discusses the considerations made when assessing locations and trees to be planted and explains how they aim to improve soil health by way of enhancing soil microbiome as well as how they make use of biochar.     “Trees are are investments that w

  Alexander Reichert is the Co-Founder & CEO of AgVend, an eCommerce platform that partners with various ag retailers to adapt to the evolving needs of American farmers. Their platform allows farmers to connect with retailers and purchase their products and/or services anywhere and at any time. Alex practices the Build-Measure-Learn philosophy in his life and believes customer satisfaction isn’t an option, but a critical part of success in any industry.   Alexander joins me today to describe AgVend, what inspired him to start the company, how it works, and how it seeks to help farmers. He explains the need to have an online presence in the ag industry and why farmers today are more open to online retail stores. He discusses the various ways AgVend can help both farmers and ag retailers in as transparent a manner as possible. He also shares the values and culture he promotes in his company.     “The ones who start and get on track early are the ones who will be most successful." - Alexander Reichert  

Todd Janzen is an attorney whose practice covers the agricultural industry with the intent to represent farmers and their respective businesses. He is the President of Janzen Agricultural Law LLC, a law firm that specializes in the legal needs of an innovative agricultural industry. He also serves as the Administrator for Ag Data Transparent, a non-profit organization that aims to bring transparency, trust, and simplicity to ag tech contracts. Todd joins me today to help bring awareness to the idea of data transparency in the agricultural industry. He shares his career journey, what inspired him to become an ag industry lawyer, and explains how data transparency can enable farmers to improve their systems and how they manage their farms. He also explains how companies can get involved, the processes they need to partake, and how he thinks this project can impact the industry as a whole.  “Farmers have a much easier time letting a complete stranger know what they're doing on their farm than they would be let

  Dr. Abbey Wick is an Extension Soil Health Specialist for https://www.ndsu.edu (North Dakota State University). In her position, she is responsible for producing soil health videos with topics ranging from soil erosion to cover crops. She is trained in soil organic matter dynamics, soil structural development, and microbial ecology. She believes all systems need a holistic approach encompassing every interaction within them. She implements this belief by working with landowners, industry, and government agencies throughout North Dakota.   Abbey joins me today to discuss the importance of soil health in the agricultural industry. She shares the story of how she got into the industry despite not having a rural background and why she decided to work on soil health. She describes what her normal, day-to-day routine is like especially when interacting with farmers. She also explains some of the projects she’s working on and how they can help the ag industry as well as the environment.     “Most farmers are

  Georg Banauch is a molecular biotechnologist with extensive knowledge of synthetic biology and biofuels research. He is also a Co-Founder and Development Director for HATCH, an accelerator program focused exclusively on the aquaculture industry seeking to develop and scale disruptive aquaculture startups.   Joel Harris is https://www.agstartupengine.com/ (Ag Startup Engine)’s Co-Director. Ag Startup Engine is a privately-owned accelerator program that funds AgTech entrepreneurs and supports them through mentorship and funding. Joel’s responsibility includes coordinating investor relations and mentoring new entrepreneurs.   Georg and Joel join me today to discuss how their accelerator programs work, the type of ideas they want to support, and what makes each company unique from other accelerators. Georg explains how they developed the idea to launch HATCH, why they focused on aquaculture startups, and how aquaculture can help the world grow. Joel shares what their company is all about and the checklist

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

Andrew Diprose is the CEO at Rootwave, a UK tech startup that aims to provide a sustainable and efficient solution to weed problems by zapping them from the root up. The goal is to reduce weeds without using chemicals which could help solve soil contamination issues. His role is to lead the product and technology department, making sure the technology is safe and effective when it is commercially available in 2020.    Andrew joins me today to discuss Rootwave, what inspired him to start this type of technology, and how it works. He explains the need for clean methods of killing weeds relative to soil health and describes some of the ways this technology is superior to the conventional means of removing weeds in farms. He also shares his prediction of what agriculture will look like in the future.     “Electricides will be a benefit to society. It will better the environment and the health of individuals.” - Andrew Diprose       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   What are electricide

Tony Chen is the Co-Founder of Manolin Inc., a new startup in the aquaculture space. Manolin is a software company that aims to accelerate resource sharing between salmon farms as well as prevent and manage sea lice outbreaks through digital health management. Before co-founding Manolin, Tony was developing software for the U.S. government and was only interested in aquaculture as a hobby. His fascination grew to new heights when he discovered how oyster farming works and the plight of its farmers.   Tony joins me today to share his thoughts on aquaculture and why he thinks it’s going to radically change the way we look at agriculture in the near future. He explains what aquaculture is all about, how he believes it can contribute to solving the world food production crisis, and how their company aims to help ocean farmers. He discusses some of the issues of aquaculture and how they tie with the ocean’s current problems. He also describes why they worked with HATCH among other startup accelerators in the ind

 Jim Loar is CEO and President of Cool Planet, an innovations company that seeks to improve upon the current agricultural technologies we have today to facilitate increased profits and crop production at a low cost in a sustainable manner. Jim has over 30 years of experience in the industry and worked with big corporations like Wilbur-Ellis Company and Griffin LLC. He has a Bachelor of Nautical Science from the United States Merchant Marine Academy and obtained his Master's degree in Business administration from Ohio University.   Jim joins me today to discuss his ideas around soil health and why he says it’s the future of agricultural innovations. He explains what soil health is and what exactly makes soil healthy. He introduces a new project called Stories From The Soil and describes its purpose and what he wants it to achieve. Jim also discusses how improving soil health benefits not only the environment but also the economy around the agricultural industry.     “Soil health really is the next evoluti

  Zack James is the Founder of Rabbit Tractors, a team that designs and builds swarm-enabled, compact, and autonomous farm equipment. His company’s aim is to help farmers save time and money while increasing productivity. He has a degree in Finance from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business and attended University of Michigan Law School with a focus on corporate governance and securities.   Zack joins me today to share his company’s ideas and solutions when it comes to increasing farm efficiency. He introduces the concept of Rabbit Tractors, describes how they developed the idea and explains how it can improve farm productivity. He also describes how they incorporated autonomy in their technology and how farmers can simply run their machines with smartphones.     “What autonomy will do is let us break the paradox of one farmer driving one tractor at a time.” - Zack James       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   What is Rabbit Tractors? How Zack got the inspiration to star

  Pete Nelson is the President and Executive Director of AgLaunch, an agriculture accelerator that supports startups that innovate food and provide sustainable solutions. He has over twenty years of experience as a farmer, writer, consultant, speaker, and entrepreneur emphasizing farm-based innovation technologies and models. He has worked with a variety of public and private sector partners building a support ecosystem for new ag companies.   Pete joins me today to discuss what AgLaunch is about and how they work with new entrepreneurs in the industry. He shares his background and what inspired him to start AgLaunch and explains the problems farmers encounter when choosing which companies to invest in. He also describes the kind of startups they prefer to partner with - especially when it comes to AgTech.     “There is a lack of calibration between what is needed on the farm and the solutions coming forward.” - Pete Nelson       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:   An overview of wh