Alle afleveringen
222 afleveringen, van nieuw naar oud
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Climate risk meets the farm balance sheet, with Clay Govier
12 oktober 2022 · 31 min
For a year that has already seen so much downside for US farmers in the form of extreme weather - from droughts to soaring temperatures - there’s another risk looming: rising interest rates. Lees meer
Adapting to an increasingly unpredictable and extreme climate is not cheap or easy. For farmers planning for the resilience and longevity of their business, the intersection of climate and fiscal risk has us wondering: how are farmers financing future growth, and where does resilience to climate change factor in?
This week’s bonus episode gets into the details of how one farmer is planning for growth in the midst of enormous uncertainty. Clay Govier is a multi-generational farmer in Nebraska growing a diversified mix of grains, and he joins to speak about:
Extreme weather in 2022 - What Clay’s exposure to heat and drought has meant for his business this year
Financing resilience - What financing options Clay and his family have used for generations, and what is driving change in the future
Generational transition - Why the $500B of US farmland changing hands in the next 10 years is driving new strategic thinking from farmers
Alternative financing models - What the risks, opportunities, and skepticism looks like toward new modes of finance
For more useful resources, visit our website.
Topics: climate-risk, farm-economics, finance-investing, insurance-risk
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Legacy finance eyes agtech: what bankers think of startups, with Romie Basra
5 oktober 2022 · 29 min
While early-stage agtech tends to play in the venture world, it pays to check in with how folks sitting in banking think about their role as partners to startups. Traditional lenders can draw on the best part of a century of connection to agriculture, and potentially offer significant options for financing the growth of later-stage companies. Lees meer
This week we heard from Romie Basra, Senior VP, National Sustainable Tech Practice Leader, and Karol Aure-Flynn, Food and Agribusiness Industries Advisor at Wells Fargo. As investors and lenders in traditional agriculture, as well as to other tech movements that have boomed (and busted) in recent memory, Romie and Karol joined to speak about:
Cleantech vs. agtech. How investors in the previous waves of cleantech think about the challenges facing the new generation of startups in ag
Financing options for startups. What role a legacy provider of finance like Wells Fargo wants to play for growing agtech companies
Scaling in indoor ag. How a bank thinks about the barriers to scale for companies in a space like indoor agriculture
Value props to institutional lenders. Why the “unsexy” elements of startup scale matter most to institutional lenders
For more useful resources, visit our website.
Companies: Wells Fargo • Topics: finance-investing, venture-startups, agtech-ecosystem, business-model
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Systems thinking and the legacy of Big Food, with Dr Nigel Hughes, Kellogg
21 september 2022 · 32 min
The decisions by major food companies impact consumers, farmers, and the environment at every stage of the agrifood value chain. But the status quo strategies of ‘Big Food’ don’t always acknowledge the complex, interconnected systems at play around the world.
Our guest this week is Dr. Nigel Hughes, Senior Vice President of Global R&D at Kellogg. After spending a career in what he would unwillingly call Big Food, Nigel now advocates for the urgent recoupling of the many smaller systems, from farming to processing to distribution, that have become detached as they’ve been optimized over decades. Lees meerFor more information and resources, visit our website.
Companies: Kellogg • Topics: food-systems, corporates, supply-chain, innovation
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Parametric insurance from the farm: a farmer's view, with Tom Ferguson
7 september 2022 · 33 min
We recently launched a three-episode deep dive into the future of risk and insurance in agriculture. Over the course of the series, we heard from one listener who offered to share his experience using novel insurance products to manage the risks of both too little and too much rainfall in his own farming operation. This from-the-field perspective was packed with insights, and was such a powerful contribution to our learning that we asked his permission to use the audio for this episode. Lees meer
Tom Ferguson is a farmer in Northern New South Wales, Australia, and this week you’ll hear a conversation between him and Tenacious Ventures Co-Founder Matthew Pryor. They speak about:
Tom’s specific exposure to climate-risk, and why this has led to him exploring new options for insurance
His process for collecting data, identifying high-impact risks to hedge against, and using this data to strike tailored, parametric policies with insurers
What the impact of using more data on the farm can be for new insurance products, and what’s holding back the integration
His adoption of new agtech on the farm, and what factors enabled or inhibited uptake within the business.
For more information and resources, visit our website.
Topics: insurance-risk, climate-risk, farm-economics, ag-tech-adoption
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What commodity agriculture can learn from organic farming, with Amy Bruch
24 augustus 2022 · 34 min
While the term “organic” tends to be associated with small-scale production and a preference for manual tools over the latest technology, organic farming advocates claim their methods can reduce the need for expensive inputs like fertilizers and herbicides, improve soil health, and allow farmers to differentiate their product in otherwise global commodity markets. So, what can commodity agriculture learn from organic farming? Lees meer
Our guest this week is Amy Bruch, a sixth-generation farmer of row crops, small grains, pulses, and oilseeds, and 2021 Organic Trade Association Organic Farmer of the Year. After starting her career as a systems engineer in food manufacturing, Amy travelled to work on large-scale soil improvement projects in Brazil. This experience “farming in another postcode” then led to her approach managing the family farm back in Eastern Nebraska, and turning nearly 2,500 acres into organic production.
In this episode, Amy talks about:
How her experience improving degraded, acidic soils in regional Brazil makes her a better farmer at Cyclone Farms today
The benefits of combining organic production techniques AND new innovations in technology
How a focus on soil health is a gateway for more farmers to not only sequester more carbon, but also realize meaningful benefits for their crops & bottom line
Why current organic farming standards are a potential onramp for farmers to adopt more “climate smart” agricultural practices
For more information and resources, visit our website.
Companies: Cyclone Farms • Topics: ag-tech-adoption, soil-health, farm-economics, crops-horticulture
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Defining the future of ag advocacy, with Emma Germano
10 augustus 2022 · 28 min
Agriculture is exposed to a complex tangle of laws, trade agreements, and competing visions of the future. For farmers, adjustments by legislators at any level of government can have an impact. So while policy is often an afterthought for operators in tech, the pressure for farmers to be engaged and represented in the formulation of new policy is real.
It’s for this reason that ag has always invested deeply in advocacy groups. Our guest this week is Emma Germano, President of The Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) and Managing Director of her family’s fruit and vegetable business, I Love Farms.
Almost two years into her tenure as President of an advocacy group that positions itself as “the voice of Victorian farmers and rural communities,” Emma joins us to speak about: Lees meerWhat interests and skills led her to advocacy and working with the VFF
The role of ag advocacy groups and the ROI they deliver for growers
Why advocacy groups are under pressure to engage a new generation of members in regional communities
What Emma sees as the central issues for Australian agricultural advocacy
For more information and resources, visit our website.
Companies: Victorian Farmers Federation • Topics: government-policy, people-culture, agtech-ecosystem, farm-economics
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Bonus episode: Your responses to 'The three fears of farm data'
3 augustus 2022 · 35 min
Back in May, we published an experimental bonus episode called “The Three Fears of Farm Data”. The conversation centered around the legitimacy of fears held by farmers about sharing their farm data, and kicked off with a particularly hot take:
“We in agtech have completely f*****d farmers by making them afraid of sharing their data.”
The episode got a huge reaction from around the industry - both positive and critical. It’s clear that the conversation around farm data is one that everyone in agtech, from farmers and startups to analysts and operators in agribusinesses, seem interested in continuing.
Our latest bonus episode features Tenacious Ventures Partners and Co-Founders Sarah Nolet and Matthew Pryor analyzing the wide range of reactions that have been sent through over recent weeks. They’ll be discussing responses from: Lees meerBernie Byrnes, farmer and 2020 Nuffield Scholar
Eric Taipale, CTO at ag insights platform Sentera
Dan Shultz, agtech marketer
Nigel Kleinschmidt, agtech industry professional and friend of the show
Pip Grant, an operator and listener working in agtech and research
Rhishi Pethe, author of Software is Feeding the World
It was the engagement of our audience that made this episode possible, and we are deeply grateful to these contributors and to everyone else that submitted a response we did not get to include. If you loved this week’s episode or hated it, get in touch. We might ask you to be on next!
For more information and resources, visit our website.Companies: Sentera • Topics: ag-data, ag-tech-adoption, people-culture, livestock-dairy
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Three categories of autonomy in agriculture, with Andrew Bate
27 juli 2022 · 36 min
Autonomous farming equipment and robotics in ag is more crowded than ever. Every new acquisition from an incumbent or deployment of venture capital into the space creates more buzz to sort through in the inboxes of analysts, entrepreneurs, and farmers.
With the industry growing so quickly, it’s helpful to have a bird’s-eye view of what’s happening, and what it means for the future of agriculture.
So, in this week’s episode we give listeners a framework to understand the rapidly moving world of autonomy in ag. Our guest is Andrew Bate, Co-Founder and CEO of SwarmFarm Robotics, who joins us to share his observations on the three major categories of autonomy that are emerging in ag.
Drawing on his experiences as a farmer and founder, and insights from SwarmBot customers around Australia, Andrew speaks about: Lees meerHow his experience growing the family farm led to the creation of SwarmFarm Robotics
What three categories are emerging in the marketplace of autonomy in agriculture
Examples of the new farming practices that autonomy unlocks
How SwarmFarm Robotics’ plan to scale differs from the dealership model
For more information and resources, visit our website.
Companies: SwarmFarm Robotics • Topics: autonomy-robotics, farm-machinery, ag-tech-adoption, business-model
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Who actually pays for carbon programs in agriculture? with Emma Fuller
13 juli 2022 · 38 min
When it comes to designing carbon programs in agriculture, there is a very real tension between the science and the commercial realities of drawing down carbon at scale. Particularly, the question of how to incentivize on-farm practice changes is one that many companies in ag carbon have failed to answer.
Working at the intersection of these tensions is our guest this week, Emma Fuller, Carbon and Ecosystem Services Portfolio Leader at Corteva Agriscience. An accomplished data scientist and ecologist, Emma began her career in agrifood systems publishing research on West Coast fisheries in the US, before jumping into the world of startups at Granular. After their $300M acquisition by what is now Corteva Agriscience, today Emma designs programs that credit farmers for reducing greenhouse gas emissions or sequestering carbon in their soils.
In this episode, Emma talks about: Lees meerHow it felt to move from academia into industry, and how Emma realized that the barriers to scaling carbon programs had little to do with science
Why Corteva decided to partner with carbon marketplaces, and how this strategy is unlocking more scale and delivering value to both parties
Conflicts of interest in carbon markets, and whether one company can both measure an intangible commodity and sell it
For more information and resources, visit our website.
Companies: Corteva Agriscience • Topics: carbon-markets, soil-health, business-model, corporates
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Ag insurance… so what? Our verdict on the risk frontier
29 juni 2022 · 37 min
This week we're bringing you the final episode in our three-part series on the future of ag insurance.Our journey started with learning the ins and outs of how the sector currently operates (check out the ag insurance 101 episode here) and then talking to key players about new products and technologies entering the industry (check out Damon Johnson on parametric insurance here).Today, Sarah is joined by Matthew Pryor to talk through their learnings in a live attempt to develop an investment thesis for ag insurance. They cover: Lees meer
Technologies and business models shifting the CAC/LTV equation in ag insurance
How insurance is likely to change as agriculture faces more and more extreme weather events
What entrepreneurs disrupting ag insurance need to be excellent at
Possible areas for venture investment in ag insurance, from new products to enabling infrastructure and digitally-native business models
We hope you enjoy this peek behind the curtain of how we think and work, but if you didn't, or you think we missed or got something wrong, we'd love to hear from you! Shout out at @agtechsowhat or via our website.
Topics: insurance-risk, climate-risk, agtech-ecosystem, finance-investing
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The future of insurance in agriculture, with Damon Johnson
15 juni 2022 · 34 min
For a traditionally low innovation industry, things are starting to heat up in agricultural insurance.
While it remains something of a black box for many people in agriculture, the forces of climate change and technological innovation are creating the right mix of incentives that could change how the whole industry approaches risk.
This second episode of our exploration of ag insurance (check out the first, a 101 on ag insurance, here!) considers a digitally-native product in the hands of farmers today. Reimagining insurance like this will be the difference between farmers spending hours, days, and weeks dealing with brokers and getting payouts, compared to almost instant quotes, claims, and reimbursements.
In this episode, our guest Damon Johnson, Director of Strategic Projects at Global Ag Risk Solutions, speaks about: Lees meerWhat incentives are changing to increase the use of more data in agricultural insurance
How parametric insurance works as an alternative to traditional agricultural products
What’s involved in developing a parametric product to create new value for customers as well as vendors
Where digitally-native insurance products might emerge as a value-add for sustainable farming systems and inputs
For more information and resources, visit our website.
Companies: Global Ag Risk Solutions • Topics: insurance-risk, climate-risk, agtech-ecosystem, finance-investing
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Bonus episode: Ag Insurance 101, with Matt Coutts and Matthew Pryor
14 juni 2022 · 28 min
Climate change will mean more frequent, extreme weather and more risk exposure for farmers around the world. This increased risk should be a driver for the business of agricultural insurers. But, it’s not easy to predict how climate change and digital-disruption might transform one of the world’s oldest industries.
Actually, we’ve come to realize it isn’t easy to understand how agricultural insurance works at all.
So, in the spirit of learning out loud, we’re releasing TWO episodes this week. This first one dives into the mysterious world of ag insurance with a 101-style conversation with Matt Coutts, Chief Investment Officer of Coutts Capita, and Tenacious Ventures General Partner Matthew Pryor.
We talk about: Lees meerHow farmers think about risk and forms of insurance
What ag insurance products actually do, how they work, who is involved, and what the dynamics are between different players from brokers to master agents
Why ag insurance, as it is structured today, is a zero-sum game played out between insurers and farmers
What the different forces are that will shape the industry into the future
For more information and resources, visit our website.
Topics: insurance-risk, climate-risk, ag-tech-adoption, agtech-ecosystem
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From the vault: carbon-neutral farming at Jigsaw Farms, with Mark Wootton
1 juni 2022 · 39 min
Recently the whole team here at Tenacious Ventures had the chance to get out of town and on to the farm. And not just any farm – we visited Jigsaw Farms, home to sheep farmer and long-time friend of the show Mark Wooton and his wife Eve. While out at Jigsaw, Mark and Eve gave us an update on their vision for “sustainable intensification” and their ethos for farm management.
In that spirit we wanted to revisit our original conversation with Mark that was published nearly two years ago. After the recent visit to Jigsaw, it’s clear there are insights from this first discussion that are still valuable and relevant today, as Mark talks about: Lees meerBalancing the social imperative to farm ethically with production methods that can keep businesses profitable,
Keeping an eye on emerging trends like ecosystem services markets, and being open to the possibility of accessing premiums where they might emerge
The growing regenerative agriculture movement, and the need for farmers to think critically about guidelines and principles that are often put forward as dogma
The primacy of data in every decision that gets made on the farm
For more information and resources, visit our website.
Companies: Jigsaw Farms • Topics: regen-ag, carbon-markets, livestock-dairy, natural-capital
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How a sixth-generation farmer makes decisions in uncertainty, with Hallie Shoffner
18 mei 2022 · 36 min
It isn’t surprising that most farmers have to be expert planners and investors. But getting an inside view into how a farmer plans for the future of their business is a rare opportunity.
In this episode, you’ll hear firsthand how Hallie Shoffner, a sixth-generation row crop farmer in the Mississippi Delta, makes decisions for her farm and company, SFR Seed. While Hallie is an enthusiastic adopter of new farming innovations, this conversation shows that every decision must be well supported by reliable data and the right incentives.
Listen in to hear Hallie speak about: Lees meerInvesting in conservation practices as a tactic to mitigate financial and environmental risk
What farmers like Hallie want to see from potential partners and vendors in agtech
How COVID-19 impacted a large project to electrify operations on the farm
Why many farmers are skeptical of participating in carbon programs and markets
For more information and resources, visit our website.
Companies: SFR Seed • Topics: farm-economics, ag-tech-adoption, people-culture, succession
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Bonus episode: The three fears of farm data
11 mei 2022 · 30 min
Our latest bonus podcast episode is an experiment.
Rather than organize the contributions that usually make up an episode, we decided to hit record on one of the conversations that are always happening internally at Tenacious Ventures.
It’s a snapshot into how we think, form and test our assumptions, and decide on what might be next.
It also captured the team taking on a pretty hot topic on the mind of everyone in agtech battling with adoption and scaling digitally-native solutions:
Have we in agtech completely f*****d farmers by making them afraid of sharing their data?
Listen in to Matthew Pryor and Sarah Nolet from Tenacious Ventures, and Shane Thomas, agronomist and author at Upstream Ag Insights, work through an emerging theory that uncertainty and fear about farm data is a largely unfounded barrier to adoption.
Throughout this recorded conversation, the team explores questions like: Lees meerWhich barriers to adoption are actually grounded in reality when it comes to farmers and farm data?
How did the agtech industry create such fear around farm data, and who has the greatest leverage to change the conversation?
Why could improvements in data migration unlock greater adoption of digitally-native solutions by farmers?
For more information and resources, visit our website.
Topics: ag-data, ag-tech-adoption, people-culture, business-model
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Services and software for on-farm autonomy, with Iftach Birger
4 mei 2022 · 35 min
There are many different views about the future of autonomous farming. One is that, out of the emerging autonomous equipment providers and established blue chip suppliers, there will be clear winners and losers in the battle for on-farm dominance. Another is that farming in the future will involve all kinds of autonomous solutions. This second possibility presents tons of opportunities to add value for farmers.
Our guest on this week’s episode is Iftach Birger, Co-Founder and COO at FieldIn, a farm data and autonomous equipment startup founded in Israel. Rather than wade into the fray playing out between new autonomous equipment players and established corporations, FieldIn is attempting to create a platform that allows a mixed fleet of equipment to interact seamlessly.
Iftach joins us to speak about: Lees meerLessons for the agtech world from being born and raised on a high-value crop farm in Israel
What’s more important for a scaling agtech startup - building what customers say they want, what they actually need, and what is even possible within the present day constraints
The intricacies of the farm labor debate as it relates to on-farm autonomy
How to provide the service alongside the software in an industry that values (but might not pay for) boots-on-the-ground partners in the future
For more information and resources, visit our website.
Companies: FieldIn • Topics: autonomy-robotics, ag-data, business-model, ag-tech-adoption
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Economic development and the social fabric of agriculture, with Elizabeth Brennan
20 april 2022 · 31 min
Every decision made by founders, farmers, and leaders in agriculture shapes the future of our food system. Whether it’s the cost per hectare of a biological or the value of a ton of carbon sequestered, the different goals and outcomes that end up in business plans inevitably define how time, energy, and capital are spent.
But there are many outcomes of a healthy food system that don’t fit in a business plan. How do leaders today account for the broad connections between people, ideas, and identities? It’s this fabric that reflects who we are, what we value as a society, and how we interact as humans along the agricultural value chain.
Elizabeth Brennan is Non-Executive Director of publicly-listed regenerative food company Wide Open Agriculture. She is a leader across many other organizations dedicated to innovation, equality, and diversity in our agrifood system, and has a long connection to the Western Australian wheat belt, as well as communities overseas.
In this episode Liz shares her insights on: Lees meerWhat Australian farmers can learn from other cultures, communities, and different forms of agriculture less geared toward the economics of export
How her definition of “impact” helps her navigate multiple roles of influence across publicly-listed companies, not-for-profits, and family farming business
How her experience working in subsistence agricultural communities in Papua New Guinea applies to her work in Australian agriculture today
What the role social fabric in rural and regional communities means, and how to make sure it isn’t lost in the future
For more information and resources, visit our website.
Companies: Wide Open Agriculture • Topics: agtech-ecosystem, people-culture, farm-economics, food-systems
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Unscrambling go-to-market (and brand) in alternative protein, with Tanja Bogumil
6 april 2022 · 33 min
Let’s talk about eggs.
Hardly anything can match the egg for complete versatility. Eggs are a crucial ingredient that unlocksthe tastes, textures, and experiences we take for granted in everything from the simplest home omelette to food manufactured on an industrial scale.
So, how would you approach replacing the egg with a plant-based alternative?
This week on EggTech…So What?, we spoke with alternative-protein entrepreneur Tanja Bogumil. Tanja is the Co-Founder and CEO of Berlin-based Perfeggt, a company working to bring plant-based egg alternatives to market, starting with a liquid substitute used for scrambled eggs and baking.
In this episode, Tanja shares her insights on: Lees meerHer story moving from digital entrepreneurship into food, and finding the best team to “crack the egg”
How Perfeggt mapped the “jobs-to-be-done” of the egg in the food production value chain, and how this informed their initial product focus
Why initial alternative-protein products are “a means to an end” to start shifting consumer behavior and creatingpathways to scale
What future strategies for category dominance in alternative-proteins could look like
For more information and resources, visit our website.
Companies: Perfeggt • Topics: alt-protein, food-consumer, marketing-brands, venture-startups
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Bonus episode: The state of fundraising in agtech
30 maart 2022 · 50 min
Life is moving pretty fast for founders and investors working in agtech.
Recent years have seen record flows of capital into agrifood, driven in part by agriculture potential to provide climate solutions. And the massive disruptions of COVID-19 meant developed markets received a historic taste of what changes will be needed in a world impacted by climate change and further uncertainty.
So, how have the last few years impacted agtech founders looking to raise capital, and investors on the lookout for opportunities with impact?
For this bonus episode, Tenacious Ventures’ Partners Sarah Nolet and Matthew Pryor asked a group of founders and investors to share what they’ve learned and observed about the state of agtech investing in 2022. As a dedicated agrifood venture fund “born in the teeth of COVID-19”, Sarah and Matthew also offer their take on what has changed and what has stayed the same as we look to the future.
In this episode, you’ll hear from: Lees meerDr Jasmin Hume - CEO & Co-Founder of Shiru
Olympia Yarger - Founder & CEO of Goterra
Alex Logan - Co-Founder of Cecil
Max Elder - Co-Founder & CEO of Nowadays
Michael Dean - Founding Partner at AgFunder
Mark Kahn - Managing Partner at Omnivore
For more information and resources, visit our website.
Topics: finance-investing, venture-startups, agtech-ecosystem
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Biologicals are exciting — but the real action is beyond the farmgate, with Ben Barlow
23 maart 2022 · 32 min
Biologicals in agriculture have a wildly exciting future. It’s a segment responding to innovation in science, changes in markets, and the urgent pressures of adapting to climate change. New startups coming into the space are generating plenty of buzz, but there are also established players with products in the hands of farmers today.
Ben Barlow is a veteran executive and the Managing Director of New Edge Microbials, a company that has been supplying farmers with legume inoculants and other biologicals for over 20 years. Growing a business in the biologicals space has been just one more step on Ben’s path from his early days as a bank teller with a front-row seat to new opportunities both on and off-farm, and through to expanding his investment thesis to include companies along the value chain globally.
While Ben has plenty to share about the realities of corporate agribusiness for founders and executives, his story as a family farmer investing beyond the farmgate has lessons for producers as well.
In this episode, Ben shares: Lees meerHow farmers can diversify their portfolio to manage for the seasonality and cyclicality of farm production
Trends in the biologicals market, and what it takes to succeed in a sector with high barriers to entry and costs for R&D
What it takes for globalized agribusiness to succeed in local markets where people and communities are
What will be needed for Australia to avoid having a massive disadvantage in biologicals in the coming years
For more information and resources, visit our website.
Companies: New Edge Microbials • Topics: biologicals, finance-investing, business-model, ag-inputs
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Meeting in the middle on sustainable supply chains, with Jessie Deelo
9 maart 2022 · 34 min
Sustainability in food and agriculture has come a long way. Far from being “the dirty word” it used to be in boardrooms and at farm-gates, it’s now business as usual to expect CSR policies, ESG strategies, and decarbonization targets from all major agri-food companies.
But, according to Jessie Deelo, Chief Hub Officer at Vayda, sustainability is moving beyond typical “top-down” commitments. In her work improving the environmental and social impact of supply chains, Jessie sees a huge opportunity for farmers that already embrace sustainable production methods to connect with brands that need products and, incredibly, good stories to tell. As she tells it, the solutions appearing where grassroots meet top-down imperatives will be the most fair for all parties.
For more information and resources, visit our website. Lees meerCompanies: Vayda • Topics: supply-chain, ag-data, corporates
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The authenticity premium in agtech marketing, with Camille Grade and Travis Martin
23 februari 2022 · 35 min
AgTech companies make promises to investors to grow fast and be quick to iterate or change direction. But they also make promises to customers who think more in seasons instead of product development cycles, and who value long-term relationships with a mutual investment.
These are difficult pressures for agtech marketers to manage. In this episode, we hear from Camille Grade, Chief Marketing Officer at Bushel, and Travis Martin, an agtech marketing consultant and founder of industry newsletter Magnetic Ag, on how they balance the demands of fast-growth tech with the long memory and unique market structure of agriculture.
Hear both guests share their insights on: Lees meerWhy authenticity and integrity are more important than ever when communicating your agtech brand
How to reconcile new media and marketing strategies with an industry that still relies heavily on in-person connection
What opportunities exist with your early adopters and biggest fans
How to manage your brand promise over crucial periods of growth, experimentation, and change
For more information and links to the resources mentioned in this podcast, visit our website.
Companies: Bushel, Magnetic Ag • Topics: marketing-brands, ag-tech-adoption, business-model, ag-retail
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Win-win business models for farmers and startups, with Marissa Cuevas Flores
9 februari 2022 · 32 min
Balancing the desire to do good with the need to build a business that can scale is a challenge for every entrepreneur. Particularly in agriculture, finding strategies that solve for both the users of the product as well as beneficiaries of the solution is key. For Marissa Cuevas Flores, Founder and CEO of MicroTERRA, it took several iterations before her team settled on a workable value proposition that could contribute to massive global challenges like preserving fresh water and feeding the world.
In this episode, you’ll hear more about: Lees meerWhy farmers, for the most part, cannot afford to carry the financial burden of sustainability
What it took to shut down one circular economy startup and transition into a new field & business model
Tips for new-to-agtech entrepreneurs when it comes to pitching new solutions to farmers
How MicroTERRA turns duckweed into a high-value product that pays farmers and powers the plant-based food industry
Learn more at https://www.agtechsowhat.com/episodes
Companies: MicroTERRA • Topics: ag-tech-adoption, business-model, venture-startups, agtech-ecosystem
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Genetics, biosecurity and the cutest sheep in the world, with Dr Belinda Cardinal
26 januari 2022 · 39 min
Managing the genetic quality of a herd can be a wicked challenge for Australian farmers. We’re a country with a small number of animals relative to the rest of the world, and formidable, complex biosecurity protocols.
Fortunately, Belinda Cardinal, Founder of breeding and genetics company Caprotek and career dairy goat farmer, enjoys spending time on wickedly difficult problems. After years spent strengthening the genetic diversity of her herd of dairy goats, Belinda attracted all kinds of coverage after importing the genetic material to breed the nation’s first Valais Blacknose Sheep in 2021.
In this episode Belinda shares her insights on: Lees meerWhat it’s like to transition from researcher and scientist to a full-time farmer
How diversifying genetics and improving herds of livestock in a small country can be uniquely challenging for farmers
What it’s like to tackle an industry challenge no one has attempted in over 100 years,p
The similarities between farmers and startup founders when it comes to scaling novel technologies and doing hard, controversial things
Learn more at https://www.agtechsowhat.com/episodes
Companies: Caprotek • Topics: genetics-breeding, biosecurity, livestock-dairy, ag-data
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Soil tech is easy in the lab, hard as a business, with Adam Litle
12 januari 2022 · 34 min
The science and technology of soil is rapidly evolving, but translating it into a scalable business that can offer viable products to farmers has long been a tricky proposition. But it’s one that Adam Litle, the CEO of Sound Agriculture, has devoted much of his career to answering.
Adam was part of the executive team at Granular, the farm management software company acquired by Dupont (now Corteva) for $300M. Now, at Sound Ag, he’s leading a company that’s raised more than $95M to develop a product which activates microbes in soil to increase the uptake of nitrogen and phosphorus, thereby enabling farmers to use less fertilizer.
In this episode Adam shares his insights on: Lees meerStriking a balance between scientific rigor, technological innovation, and investor returns
Why the SaaS business model is challenging in agriculture
How to build trust in a startup team of scientists and industry people, while bringing in commercial experience.
Why soil innovations are receiving an increase in attention as farmers continue to grapple with the rising costs of fertilizer.
For more information, visit our website.
Companies: Sound Agriculture, Granular, Corteva • Topics: soil-health, business-model, venture-startups, ag-data
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From the vault: the tech-enabled future of sheep genetics, with Mark Ferguson
22 december 2021 · 35 min
Originally released: 20 February, 2020
We’ll be back with new episodes in January 2022, but for the holidays we thought we’d bring back a favorite episode from the vault!
Mark Ferguson or “Ferg,” is a sheep geneticist who’s paying attention to how both consumer demands and emerging technologies are impacting growers. He’s the co-founder and Director of neXtgen Agri, an online livestock consultancy, and Genesmith, a startup applying facial recognition and machine learning to the global livestock industry.
Drawing on his experience with dozens of clients around Australia and New Zealand, Ferg shares his insights on: Lees meerHow to build relationships in a digital world.
What the future of extension and consulting in livestock holds.
The role of cutting edge technologies in the sheep industry (facial recognition for sheep!)
His vision for a future where consumer expectations are met and growers are profitable.
For more episodes, visit our website. Catch you in 2022!
Companies: neXtgen Agri, Genesmith • Topics: genetics-breeding, livestock-dairy, ag-data, ag-tech-adoption
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What's the role of government in agtech ecosystems? with Salvatore Lavallo
15 december 2021 · 44 min
It’s fair to say most entrepreneurs (and farmers!) aren’t big fans of government rules and regulations for fear of being slowed down by red tape and bureaucracy. However, the political environment in which a startup develops can have a big impact on its ability to find investment and support, especially in agtech, where ecosystems are still very new for most countries.
The United Arab Emirates is investing heavily in agtech, seeking to make Abu Dhabi the global center for innovation in agriculture. Their focus is on vertical farming, aquaculture, and hydroponics. And they’re working to be strategic in attracting investment and solving for food security, while also developing a knowledge economy.
Salvatore Lavallo is the Head of Foreign Direct Investment at the Abu Dhabi Investment Office. He’s had a unique, and perhaps unlikely journey, to this position. Growing up in Indiana, his interest in economic development led him to become, at the age of 27, one of the youngest people to travel to every country in the world. Along the way, he became a farm owner in Tanzania, and later, a consultant with McKinsey in Africa and the Middle East.In this episode, Salvatore discusses: Lees meerChallenging conventional economic indicators to understand what actually benefits local communities
Abu Dhabi’s bold plan to create Food Tech Valley, a hub for agtech innovation in desert environments.
The tension between too much government regulation and too little
For more information and resources from this episode, visit our website
Companies: Abu Dhabi Investment Office • Topics: government-policy, agtech-ecosystem, finance-investing, innovation
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Bonus: Later-stage agtech startup wrap, feat. Anastasia Volkova
8 december 2021 · 41 min
Where are all the women founders in agtech, especially at later-stage startups? What does an acquisition really feel like, and when does it make sense? In this Bonus episode, we answer both these questions, as well as build on the key insights from our latest series: “Later-Stage Agtech Startup Lessons”.
This episode features: Lees meerAnastasia Volkova - co-founder and CEO of Regrow*, an independent measurement reporting and verification platform. Regrow, (formerly Flurosat), recently acquired US agtech company, Dagan, and raised $17 million in Series A funding.
Matthew Pryor - co-founder of Tenacious Ventures, and partner at the Agthentic Group. He previously co-founded Observant, a precision ag water management company, which was acquired by Jain Irrigation.
Our guests also examine some of the key lessons from the entrepreneurs featured in this series: Michael Gilbert of Semios, Paul Lightfoot of BrightFarms and Charles Baron of Farmers Business Network.
For more information visit our website.
*Disclaimer: Tenacious Ventures is an investor in Regrow.Companies: Regrow • Topics: venture-startups, women-agtech, business-model, ag-data
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Later-stage lessons #3: building a $3.9B farmers' network, with Charles Baron
1 december 2021 · 48 min
Farmers Business Network is one of the most well-funded startups in agtech. Just recently, they announced a $300M Series G round, bringing their total funds raised to $870M and their valuation to nearly $4 billion.
So, where did it all begin?
In this episode, FBN co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer, Charles Baron, explains how his Silicon Valley upbringing unexpectedly collided with rural Nebraska, resulting in an idea for a new kind of agribusiness- one that would connect farmers and increase their bargaining power for chemicals and seeds.
In the eight years since the startup began, FBN has frequently encountered opposition from incumbents due to its push for competition and transparency for input pricing. In this episode, the last in our three-part series, Charles talks about several key factors in the company’s success, including: Lees meerQuestioning Silicon Valley’s ‘founder obsession’ to instead create a ‘farmer-centric’ ideology
The importance of telling your company’s story through your own channels (rather than relying on others).
How FBN makes decisions about which strategies to pursue, including their Gradable platform and recently announced partnership with ADM
This is the third episode in our “Later-Stage Agtech Startup Lessons” series. Listen to episode 1) Michael Gilbert of Semios and episode 2) Paul Lightfoot of BrightFarms. For more resources visit our website.
Companies: Farmers Business Network • Topics: venture-startups, ag-retail, ag-data, business-model
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Later-stage lessons #2: when you ask for their money, people tell the truth, with Paul Lightfoot
17 november 2021 · 40 min
“When you say, ‘can I have your money?’ Then, people speak the truth.”
Paul Lightfoot is a serial entrepreneur who has learned several lessons the hard way, from raising money to communicating purpose to hiring (and firing). After spending much of his career as a software CEO, Paul wanted to follow his “calling” to enter the world of sustainability and foodtech.
But this meant moving from a familiar career trajectory to an industry that, 10 years ago when Paul was entering it, barely even existed. In 2011, Paul founded BrightFarms, which uses hydroponic greenhouses to produce locally sourced packaged salads in the US. Along the way, he has made several critical decisions for his startup’s success. This includes an incredibly rare and difficult decision for any founder to make- Paul voluntarily stepped back from the role of CEO and hired someone he believed could do a better job.
Now, BrightFarms has 300 employees, five greenhouses, and in 2021, it was acquired by Cox Enterprises. In this episode, Paul talks about: Lees meerHow to distinguish between what your ego is telling you and what’s best for your company.
How he raised capital in the early days, as well as more recent strategic partnerships to support the growth of BrightFarms.
Why establishing core values and purpose is not simply human resources ‘fluff’, but rather integral to success throughout every phase of a startup.
For more information on this episode, visit our website. This is the second episode in our “Later-Stage Agtech Startup Lessons” series. Listen to the first episode with Michael Gilbert of Semios.
Companies: BrightFarms • Topics: venture-startups, business-model, agtech-ecosystem
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Later-stage lessons #1: from idea to 100+ employees, with Michael Gilbert
3 november 2021 · 36 min
In this 3-part series, we’ll share the lessons from agtech startup founders who have grown their agtech companies from idea to at least 100 employees. We’ll be examining what’s worked (and hasn’t), differences between agtech and other industries, and what the founders have learned along the way about the industry and themselves.
This episode, the first in the series, features Michael Gilbert, CEO and founder of Semios, a crop management platform initially focused on tree fruit, nuts and vines, based in Canada. Michael has a PhD in chemistry and started his career in pharmaceuticals and biotech, before realizing his knowledge could be applied to agricultural inputs. This initial idea has led him on a journey from biologicals, to creating a company with more than 300 employees and over $225 million in external capital raised to date.
Michael discusses: Lees meerThe importance of iterating your idea, technology, and business based on customer input
Hiring tips and challenges as you expand from needing generalists to specialists
How to create a culture that rewards failure (and why this is hard in an agricultural context)
For more information and links to the resources mentioned in this podcast, visit our website.
Companies: Semios • Topics: venture-startups, ag-data, ag-tech-adoption, business-model
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Bonus episode: Investing in tech to enable regen ag
28 oktober 2021 · 31 min
Venture investment into technology companies that have the potential to scale regenerative agriculture is accelerating. However, it is a relatively new domain for venture capital, and it comes with its own unique set of challenges.
So what role can VCs play in the regen ag landscape? And what technologies and trends are VCs looking at to guide their investments?
This bonus episode features a discussion from a live panel conversation at the Regenerative Food Systems Investment Forum (RFSIF), in California, with: Lees meerRenee Vassilos - Director of Agriculture Innovation at The Nature Conservancy.
Mark Lewis - Managing Partner at Trailhead Capital, and owner at Lewis Family Farm.
Sarah Nolet - co-founder of Tenacious Ventures and the Agthentic Group.
Paul Lightfoot (moderator), President of BrightFarms and author, Negative Foods Newsletter
Thank you to RFSI for the recording- this episode is a lightly edited version of the live event. For more information and resources from this episode visit our website. You might also like to catch up on our regen ag series.
Companies: The Nature Conservancy, Trailhead Capital, BrightFarms • Topics: regen-ag, finance-investing, agtech-ecosystem, soil-health
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Why you should give a f*ck about farming, with Gabrielle Chan
20 oktober 2021 · 39 min
Does the average citizen actually need to care about how their food is produced? This is the central question Australian author and journalist, Gabrielle Chan, set out to answer. Her latest book, “Why you should give a f*ck about farming” details her firm conclusion that, yes, if you eat food, you should in fact care about agriculture.
While the old days of agriculture as the top contributor to GDP are over for most Western countries, Gabrielle argues the future of food and farming is becoming increasingly important for a raft of other reasons such as climate change and food security.
In this episode, she talks about: Lees meerHer own introduction to farming, including what shocked her when she first moved from the city to marry a farmer.
The emergence of ‘food tribes’, where people view what they eat as part of their identity.
How politics is failing agriculture by not having a “backyard plan,” a strategy to value natural capital and make considered decisions about land use.
The role of agtech in bringing outsiders into agriculture, reinvigorating rural communities, and re-establishing connections between consumers and farmers.
For more information and resources, visit our website
Topics: food-consumer, people-culture, food-systems, government-policy
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Farmers and startups: lessons and tips for collaborating across the divide
6 oktober 2021 · 41 min
The divide between farmers and startups can seem like a chasm. Tech culture and agriculture have evolved from completely different backgrounds, and even seem to have their own languages. So how can agtech bring together two very different groups?
In this episode, you’ll hear practical tips from farmers and agtech experts on how to build mutually beneficial relationships. For startups, this includes approaching farmers as partners, rather than ‘customers,’ and understanding ‘grower economics’. And for farmers, it’s about finding opportunities to access and help shape new products as the startup iterates. This might look like an equity partnership, an advisory relationship, or even becoming a co-founder.
On the panel: Lees meerWalt Duflock - Vice President of Innovation, Western Growers
Emma Weston - CEO & Co-Founder, AgriDigital
Pete Nelson - President & Executive Director, AgLaunch
This episode is an edited version of an AusAgritech Meetup, sponsored by Foodbytes! by Rabobank. For more information and resources, visit our website.
Topics: ag-tech-adoption, venture-startups, agtech-ecosystem, people-culture
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Bonus episode: The economics of valuing natural capital, with Ken Henry
29 september 2021 · 40 min
Dr. Ken Henry became well-known in Australia for his bold economic reforms as the Treasury Secretary throughout the 2000s. His approach to conservation and agriculture is equally as bold, advocating for the natural environment to be valued, and even predicting “an explosion” in financial instruments to measure soil carbon, vegetation, biodiversity and other aspects of nature.As an economist, former Chair of the National Australia Bank, and current board director of Accounting for Nature, he brings a unique perspective to agtech and agriculture.In this bonus episode, Ken talks with Agthentic co-founder, Matthew Pryor, about: Lees meer
How his father’s career as a timber worker sparked an interest in measuring natural capital
Why economic incentives are needed to further encourage landowners to protect the environmental condition of farms (and what these incentives should look like).
How Australia (or any Western nation) can market itself as having quality, “climate adaptive” produce to capitalize on the growing middle classes in China and India.
Why we can expect farm bank managers to be increasingly interested in how a farm’s environmental condition is managed.
For more information, you can visit our website.
Topics: natural-capital, carbon-markets, government-policy, finance-investing
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Special episode: Our most popular guests on soil carbon, regen ag and the future
22 september 2021 · 1 uur
For our 100th episode (hooray!), we’ve brought back some of our most popular guests to check in on what’s changed in their businesses and in agtech since we spoke, and the new technologies and opportunities we can all be looking out for.
These guests were popular for a reason: Lees meerMark Wootton - dubbed the ‘carbon neutral farmer,’ Mark is a pioneer in measuring natural capital… yet, he’s also highly skeptical of the regenerative agriculture movement.
Stu Austin - manager of Wilmot Cattle Co, which recently secured a landmark deal to sell $500,000 worth of soil carbon credits to Microsoft.
Sarah Mock - sometimes controversial, but always well-researched in her views, Sarah is an agricultural journalist and author, who just released a book examining what makes a ‘good farm’
Derek Norman - VP of venture investment at Leaps by Bayer, Derek shares the latest on emerging technologies in agtech, including in fertilizer and soil carbon.
This podcast also features insights on the future of agtech from YOU, our listeners! Thank you to all who sent in voice messages. For more information, visit our website.
Companies: Jigsaw Farms • Topics: soil-health, regen-ag, carbon-markets, agtech-ecosystem
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Getting off the commodities treadmill, with Loran Steinlage
8 september 2021 · 38 min
Loran Steinlage has been labeled a ‘regenerative’ farmer and branded a conservationist, yet as a farmer in Iowa, in many ways he’s far from the stereotypical image of either. He lives in the heart of the Iowa corn belt, but says he now doesn’t care whether he grows corn or not.
In this episode, Loran shares how his drive for innovation has come from a series of difficult and life-changing events in his personal life. This, coupled with his love of tinkering with machines has helped him unlock new ways of farming, such as cover cropping, interseeding and relay cropping, that have not only won him awards and improved profitability, but also caught the attention of machinery manufacturers and helped him spend more time with his family.
While other farmers in the area are focused on growing row crops at scale, Loran is focused on increased crop diversity, reducing the costs of production, and ultimately getting off the commodities treadmill.In this podcast, Loran talks about: Lees meerHow he’s able to grow a crop 365 days a year, even under snow.
How modifying equipment has allowed him to reduce inputs and run a low cost production system.
Why he hopes sharing his innovations will help other farmers consider alternative farming practices and different markets.
For more information, visit our website.
Also, we want to hear from YOU! We're planning our 100th episode and are looking for stories about how you have used any of the agtech or food innovation ideas discussed on this podcast in your business or workplace. Did it work? Or did it fail?You can record a short voice message by following the link on our website here, and you might just end up on the show!Topics: regen-ag, soil-health, farm-economics, crops-horticulture
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Designing crops to change the plant-based food system, with Matt Crisp
25 augustus 2021 · 41 min
Benson Hill is designing crops and ingredients for some of the world’s most popular plant-based food brands. But the company has no intention of becoming a brand itself. Instead, it’s focused on revolutionizing the entire food system, from how plants are grown, to what they taste like, to the range of crop varieties on offer.
Founder and CEO, Matt Crisp, started Benson Hill nearly a decade ago as a plant biology company, using analytics and machine learning to increase yields. Now it has grown to become a technology platform as well as a vertically integrated food and ingredients business, designing high protein soybeans and yellow peas to fuel the growing plant-based protein industry.
In this episode, Matt shares: Lees meerHis journey from venture capital in the life sciences industry, to becoming an agtech startup founder.
How the business model of Benson Hill has evolved and why it’s betting on the growth of the plant-based protein industry.
How to involve farmers in testing crops and products on a commercial scale so growers benefit, as much as the company.
Benson Hill’s recent SPAC deal and upcoming public listing on the New York Stock Exchange.
For more information and resources, visit our website.
Also, we want to hear from YOU! We’re planning our 100th episode and are looking for your stories about how you have used any of the agtech or food innovation ideas discussed on this podcast in your business or workplace. Did it work? Or did it fail?
You can record a short voice message by following the link on our website here, and you might just end up on the show!Companies: Benson Hill • Topics: alt-protein, genetics-breeding, food-systems, venture-startups
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Bonus episode: Did Silicon Valley kill agtech?
18 augustus 2021 · 45 min
The Silicon Valley model for innovation has worked famously for many software based companies, such as Facebook and PayPal. However, when it comes to agtech, the Silicon Valley template for startup success hasn’t translated very well. This template, of either “user is the customer” or “user is the product” is rather limited in agriculture, where the farming population is small (restricting scale) and the stakes are high.
This episode features Rob Trice, the founding partner of Better Food Ventures and The Mixing Bowl, along with Sarah Nolet and Matthew Pryor, who both lead the Agthentic Group and Tenacious Ventures. All three guests have a solid tech and business history in Silicon Valley and discuss why the business models typically used by venture-backed software companies, can’t just be copy-pasted to agriculture.
They also dig into: Lees meerThe early days of Silicon Valley, the dot-com boom and bust and where Agtech 1.0 went wrong.
How understanding the whole supply chain and embedded incentives , will be critical to success.
How financing models from venture capital to SPACs can better fit with the agtech revolution (or evolution), as well as the positive signs for the future growth of the industry.
For more information visit our website. You might also like our recent article: “How Silicon Valley Set Agtech Back a Decade”
Topics: agtech-ecosystem, venture-startups, business-model, innovation
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Red meat and climate: the case for nuance, with Jason Strong, MLA
11 augustus 2021 · 43 min
Red meat is increasingly seen as the “bad guy” when it comes to climate change. Undoubtedly, animal agriculture has an impact on the environment, with 10 percent of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions coming from livestock. But Australia's leading red meat marketing and R&D organization, Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) says the negative environmental impacts from red meat are often overblown.
While lamb and beef are still very popular in Australia, and cattle farmers are currently enjoying record prices, red meat consumption is becoming more contentious, and conversations about sustainable food and agriculture are increasingly susceptible to emotional debates and even misinformation.
In this episode, MLA’s Managing Director, Jason Strong speaks about: Lees meerThe MLA’s commitment to become carbon neutral by 2030, and how the red meat industry plans to use technology and improvements in animal husbandry to achieve it
The battle between the Australian meat industry and the plant-based protein industry over the use of the word “meat” on labels
Jason’s experience with groups that he claims are unfairly “denigrating” red meat as they push their own products and agendas
Why the MLA isn’t supportive of regulations to meet environmental targets
For more information and links to resources mentioned in the podcast, visit our website
Companies: Meat & Livestock Australia • Topics: livestock-dairy, meat-protein, climate-risk, research
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Is the future of farming hands-free? with Kit Franklin
28 juli 2021 · 39 min
For some, the concept of hands-free farming is terrifying; for others, the prospect is game-changing and exciting. But, is fully autonomous farming really possible?
In this episode we chat with Kit Franklin, senior lecturer in agricultural engineering at Harper Adams University in the UK, who in 2016 set out to prove an entire crop cycle could be done autonomously. The project was called Hands Free Hectare, which later expanded into Hands Free Farm after garnering worldwide attention and for producing what is believed to be the first crop to be planted, cultivated, and harvested - completely autonomously.While Kit started this farming experiment simply to prove robotic farming was possible, how transferable is his autonomous trial crop to the real world? And is it how we want to be farming our food in the future?
In this episode, Kit discusses: Lees meerThe role autonomy can play in making small-scale farming viable and lowering chemical use.
How media exposure of even a small scale project can change perceptions of agriculture and attract unlikely entrants to the industry.
The key enablers required for autonomy to take off, and the business models that may bring it to scale.
For more resources from this episode, visit our website.
Companies: Harper Adams University • Topics: autonomy-robotics, farm-machinery, ag-tech-adoption, ag-data
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Commercialising biologicals: from research to startup, with Jacqueline Heard and Nancy Schellhorn
14 juli 2021 · 41 min
Just because something can be done, doesn’t mean it should be. In agtech, this is a reminder that no matter how cutting edge the science or technology, when it comes to commercialization, functionality and novelty are simply not enough. This is especially true in the complex area of chemistry and the emerging industry of biologicals.
This episode features two scientists who, instead of viewing the publication of their research as an end point, have made it the beginning of a venture-backed startup journey. Dr. Jacqueline Heard, CEO of Enko Chem, a US agtech startup that has raised over $50M to develop novel crop protection solutions, and Dr. Nancy Schellhorn, CEO of RapidAIM, a Tenacious Ventures portfolio company that spun out of Australia’s CSIRO, join us to discuss: Lees meerThe journey from researcher to founder within the deeply technical landscape of ag inputs
The challenges of transitioning from scientist to venture-backed startup founder
Two business models that, as mentioned in Part 1 of this series, are helping overcome some of the challenges in bringing new inputs to market
For more resources, please visit our website.
Topics: biologicals, ag-inputs, business-model, venture-startups
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Bonus episode: Capitalism for good, feat. David Lee from AppHarvest and Impossible Foods
7 juli 2021 · 28 min
Can capitalism be a force for good? David Lee left the traditional corporate world to work for some of the most bullish startup companies in agrifood tech, including Impossible Foods and AppHarvest, where he was appointed the company’s President earlier this year. David did this out of a belief that the levers of capitalism and consumerism are the fastest ways to transform the food system. He says the key to address the world’s urgent food sustainability problems is by creating consumer movements.In this bonus episode, David speaks to Sarah as part of fireside chat at the recent Future Food Asia 2021 conference. They discuss: Lees meer
The role of impact investing in agrifood tech, including using venture capital and SPACs (special purpose acquisition companies), and why David believes ‘funding failures’ is okay.
Why changing consumer behaviors around food is so difficult.
The growing opportunities for agrifood tech, particularly in Asia.
Thanks to ID Capital, the organizer of Future Food Asia, for hosting the discussion and providing us the audio. For further resources, visit our website.
Companies: Impossible Foods, AppHarvest • Topics: venture-startups, food-systems, agtech-ecosystem, alt-protein
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Biologicals: snake oil or science? with Jarrett Chambers and Shane Thomas
30 juni 2021 · 43 min
Farmers are under pressure to shift toward lower chemical intensity production. Biologicals are touted as one possible solution, promising natural, chemical-free alternatives to inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides. But biologicals also have a reputation for being ‘snake oil,’ with companies making claims that seem too good to be true, or that don’t stack up outside the lab.
So what’s the science behind biologicals, and how do we know they work? And when they do work, how do we get them in the hands of more farmers?
This episode features Jarrett Chambers, founder and President of ATP Nutrition, a Canadian plant nutrition company, and Shane Thomas, agronomist and author of Upstream Ag Insights, to discuss: Lees meerWhat biologicals are, and how to think about the different categories
What’s driving interest in biologicals from farmers, agribusinesses, and investors.
What characteristics, business models, and incentives can help ensure biologicals fit into established farming systems.
How digital tools can be used to bring credibility to the biologicals market
For more resources from the episode, visit our website.
Topics: biologicals, ag-inputs, research, ag-tech-adoption
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India's farmer protests: what they mean for innovation in agriculture
16 juni 2021 · 33 min
Agriculture in India has been thrust onto the international stage as the world watched and celebrities tweeted about the tens of thousands of farmers camped out in Delhi to protest against governmental reforms which loosen rules around the sale, pricing, and storage of produce. Farmers say these changes prioritize corporate interests and threaten livelihoods, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi argues they will lead to greater efficiency and ultimately income for smallholder farmers.
In this episode, Sarah is joined by colleague Komal Patel to unpack why farmers are protesting, what’s working (and what’s not) in India’s agricultural system, and what it means for agtech and innovation. It features: Lees meerMekhala Krishnamurthy - Senior Fellow at the Center for Policy Research and Associate Professor of Sociology and Anthropology at Ashoka University.
Venky Ramachandran - agritech consultant and author of Agribusiness Matters
The discussion covers:
How can India open up agricultural markets without hurting the livelihoods of its farmers?
How can public policy incentivize agtech and private investors, while also ensuring a fair system that doesn’t just benefit the powerful?
The slippery slope of policy reforms
How India’s agricultural system can move forward sustainably and successfully
For more information and resources, visit our website. We would also love your feedback! Fill out our super quick survey on what you’d like to hear more about on the podcast (and thank you!).
Topics: government-policy, agtech-ecosystem, food-systems, people-culture
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Bonus Episode: The five forces shaping the future of food and ag, with Sarah Nolet
9 juni 2021 · 35 min
We’d all like to be able to predict what the next big technological disruption or trend will be. But while we can't exactly do that, we can look at signals happening today, and use them to drive our thinking about the future. In this bonus episode, Sarah Nolet presents five future forces shaping innovation in food and agriculture, and shares insights about what these forces mean for producers, investors, and entrepreneurs today.
You may know Sarah as the host of this podcast, but in this bonus episode you’ll hear a slightly edited version of a keynote talk she gave based on research Agthentic Advisory conducted for AgriFutures Australia.
In this talk, Sarah examines the interconnecting technologies, trends and market signals which are poised to change how society produces, eats and even conceptualizes food.The five forces she discusses are: Lees meerViral disinformation in the food system
Interconnected digital infrastructure
Rewiring the grid
Domesticating the cell
New geographies of climate change
This keynote address was given as part of the Digital Innovation and Smart Agriculture festival, in Hamilton, Victoria (Australia). Audio courtesy of the Southern Grampians Shire.
We want your feedback! Fill out our short survey, so we can make sure we're delivering you the content you want to hear. Thank you!Topics: agtech-ecosystem, food-systems, finance-investing, innovation
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Sustainable supply chains: eliminating waste and unlocking business opportunities
2 juni 2021 · 39 min
Agrifood value chains are known for their efficiencies: they’ve been optimized to grow, process, and deliver massive amounts of safe food all over the world. But efficiency is no longer enough. Consumers and investors want supply chains that are climate resilient (or positive), sustainable & ethical, and free from waste.
How can we deliver against these pressures? What changes in technology and practices will be needed? How do we build trust so consumers and industry alike have confidence in the sustainable promises farmers, companies & brands make?
In this panel we examine how farmers can capitalize on the increasing value of growing sustainable food, the opportunities for new players and new technologies to remove food waste and packaging from the supply chain, and signals indicating that the mood around sustainability might be about to shift.
Our guests include: Lees meerOlympia Yarger, CEO and Founder, Goterra
Jessica Vieira, Senior Director of Sustainability, Apeel Sciences
Lachlan Monsbourgh, Head of Sustainable Business Development, Rabobank
This episode is an edited version of a recent AusAgritech Meetup, sponsored by Foodbytes! by Rabobank and brought you by the Agthentic Group, Sprout X and Platfarm. For more information visit our website.
We want your feedback!! We’d love to hear what you want to hear more of on this podcast, so we’d appreciate it if you could fill out this short (we promise!) survey.Topics: supply-chain, food-systems, corporates
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Toyota's lean system comes to the farm, with Jana Hocken
19 mei 2021 · 39 min
Jana Hocken is a dairy farmer and “lean farming” consultant. After an international career in engineering and lean manufacturing at Toyota, Jana moved to a farm in New Zealand with her husband. At the time, she knew very little about agriculture. But, after witnessing inefficiencies on her own farm, such as people regularly making multiple trips to the same paddock, she quickly realized the principles of lean could be applied. Jana has now released her own book and training materials, to help other farmers work smarter.In this episode Jana speaks about: Lees meer
How lean has revolutionized farming at her 1000 cow dairy by increasing team involvement, improving systems, and getting rid of inefficient practices.
How adopting lean has allowed their farm to experiment with and adopt more technology
Lessons in how to bring your team along with you through changes
This episode is hosted by Sarah Nolet and Kirsten Diprose (an Australian farmer interested in using the lean principles and a member of the Agthentic Group team). For more resources from this episode visit our website.
Companies: Toyota • Topics: ag-tech-adoption, livestock-dairy, business-model, people-culture
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New Zealand's dairy pollution problem, and the innovation it's driving, with Mat Hocken and Bridgit Hawkins
5 mei 2021 · 37 min
Nitrate leaching in New Zealand, largely driven by the rapid expansion of dairy, has left waterways so polluted that some are unsafe to swim in. But the government is on a mission to fix this and restore the country’s ‘clean and green’ reputation. To tackle this issue, as well as other environmental concerns, the government is mandating that all farmers (not just dairy) report on water contaminants and other sustainability measures, including greenhouse gas emissions.In this episode hear from: Lees meer
Mat Hocken - owner/operator at Grassmere Dairy and a 2018 Nuffield Scholar focused on innovation in farming
Bridgit Hawkins - Chief Sustainability Officer at CropX, NZ
They discuss what these new regulations mean for innovation and whether it could act as a driver for agtech adoption. They also look at the possible effects the regulations will have on established supply chains and whether this sort of government-enforced approach to sustainability is in fact the future for farmers all over the world.
For more resources from this episode, visit our website.Topics: livestock-dairy, irrigation-water, government-policy, climate-risk
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Bringing the public along on plant genetics, with Vonnie Estes
21 april 2021 · 34 min
Vonnie Estes has been at the forefront of genetics in agriculture for 30 years. She’s witnessed the public backlash over GMO crops in the 1990s, as well as the hype over biofuels in the U.S in the 2000s. Vonnie has also seen great advancements in plant breeding and genetics, working for Monsanto, Dupont, and Syngenta, as well as with multiple ag and biotech startups.
In her current role as Vice-President of Technology at the Produce Marketing Association, Vonnie helps companies navigate the confusing agtech landscape, investigating the sorts of food innovations consumers want (such as better taste), as well as innovations the world will increasingly need, such as drought and flood resistant crops. In this episode she talks about: Lees meerThe communications challenges in navigating science vs. emotion when introducing new technologies in food
What business models will win as new innovations in gene editing and soil carbon come to market
How emerging ag and biotech companies will transform supply chains
For more resources from this episode, visit our website.
Companies: Produce Marketing Association, Monsanto, Dupont, Syngenta • Topics: genetics-breeding, people-culture, government-policy, food-consumer