Future Of Agriculture

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, an

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

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 goa

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

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

Chris Rawley conceived the idea of crowdfunding platforms for agriculture while visiting a farm investment in Central America. He would soon start https://www.harvestreturns.com/ (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 i

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 exte

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.

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 proble

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

Alex Danco is an Associate and member of the Discover Team at http://www.socialcapital.com/ (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 D

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

Dr. Nishant Dass is an associate professor and Ph.D. Coordinator in finance at Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business. His areas of expertise include major areas of financing and business management including CEO-Compensation, Corporate Governance, Mutual Funds, Trade Credit, and International Finance. He has plenty of published papers under his name with regards to financing and has extensive experience providing sage financial advice to startups and other small companies. He has recently picked up an interest in Blockchain technology, citing it as the next big thing since the internet.   In this episode, Dr. Nishant Dass discusses the potential and limitations of Blockchain technology. He explains why Bitcoin is not Blockchain, the kinds of problems Blockchain can solve in the near future, and why Blockchain doesn’t guarantee truth. He also shares what he believes will happen within the next two to three years with regards to its inevitable global implementation.     “If the internet is about exchang

Tomaz Levak and Ziga Drev are the founders of OriginTrail, a service that developed the first purpose-built protocol blockchain-based supply chains. Their protocol aims to bring trust into the supply chain without the need for a middleman brokering trust. The OriginTrail platform was created to bring blockchain tech to supply chains in an interoperable, scalable, and decentralized manner.   In this episode, Tomaz and Ziga discuss their product and how it can solve many of the problems encountered with the current supply chain structure. They explain how their product works, the companies they are testing it on, and how it can impact the agricultural sector in the near future. They also share some of the ways you can become involved in their product, such as by being an investor.     “Blockchain is a technology that allows you to get rid of this middleman that is brokering trust.”– Ziga Drev     This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    How do you get Blockchain technology to scale? What are

In part 1 of our Blockchain series, I discussed the concept of Blockchain and how it can impact the agricultural industry. I highlighted reputable resources, possible points where Blockchain can positively change, and how it can build trust in all market participants from beginning to end. I also compared Blockchain to BitCoin, emphasizing on their similarities, and why it is the next big thing in the agricultural industry. I also discussed the advantages farmers will reap from it and how a Blockchain system can affect our current supply chain.   In this episode, I’ll explain other potential applications of Blockchain as well as some of its current limitations and scenarios where applying a Blockchain system helps improve the system for everyone involved in terms accountability and data accuracy. I’ll also explain how Blockchain can help farmers focus on farming instead of other time-consuming transactions.     “Enough people need to adopt Blockchain, to where it could be an effective use to the supply ch

Innovations in the agricultural industry come in many forms. From technological advances to improving farming practices, the world is slowly but surely guaranteeing safe and sustainable food sources for generations to come. But, what if we take that a step further? What if we have a system in place that enables traceability, security, improves food safety and gets everyone involved in making sure food quality is top notch? That is what the concept of Blockchain seeks to implement.   In this episode, Tim discusses the concept of Blockchain and why it’s one of the most ambitious, yet sensible approaches when it comes to advancing the agricultural industry. He lays down the facts, his sources, and why it’s not so different to how Bitcoin operates. He also explains how a typical Blockchain approach would work with our current supply chain.     “Blockchain is a series of technologies that can build trust in our supply chain.”– Tim Hammerich     This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    What is

Nick Horob is the founder of Harvest Profit, a company that provides a set of management tools focused on the business side of the farm. Their aim is to allow farmers make decisions based on objective analysis and data, preventing emotionally-driven choices which in turn gives them better, long-term returns. While Nick grew up in a family of farmers, his extensive experience in risk management, real estate investment, and business best practices motivated him to start Harvest Profit so he could help farmers not just increase their yield, but to let them know where to invest and where to cut their investments.   In this episode, Nick explains what Harvest Profit is all about. He discusses the many problems encountered by farmers when it comes to investments and how their services provide the answers to those issues. He also shares why his company stands out among the competition, their goals for 2018, and his thoughts on the future of AgTech.     “Producing a crop is a combination of hundreds if not thousa

Tyler Mayoras is a Principal at Advantage Capital Partners, a company that invests in small businesses that are ready for growth. As a principal, his duties revolves around screening and identifying potential opportunities for investments, facilitate due diligence, and close transactions. His primary focus is on investments made by their agriculture wing, aptly called Advantage Capital Agribusiness Partners. Some of the most prominent businesses he watched over were Hip Chick Farms, Shenandoah Growers, and NurturMe.   In this episode, Tyler shares the kind of businesses their company looks for when it comes to investing. He explains their requirements, what convinces them to invest in that particular business, as well as why almost half of the businesses they look at are rural or close to rural. He also shares how the government is involved in their investments and his experience working with NurturMe, a gluten-free baby food company.     “A lot of the whole food revolution is being driven by people under

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. 

Steven Brockshus is the CEO and Founder of TERVA, an online real estate marketplace dedicated to empowering farmland professionals with knowledge, insights, and data. They aim to build a marketplace not only to educate, but to also connect with people looking to buy and sell farmland. He aims to bring the agricultural real estate industry online to shift the industry and how people interact and think about farmland.   In this episode, Steven shares his story on how he started TERVA as well as the moments and people in his life that inspired him to do so. He talks about what it can do now and what it sets to do for farmers in the future, and why TERVA is a great resource for those planning to retire on the countryside.     “Disruption in the ag context is different than a disruption in a Silicon Valley or social media based business.”– Steven Brockshus     This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    What is TERVA, their vision, and mission? How the startup company he interned with inspired him to creat