Agtech - So What? - SoundSage

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Waste in the food system is an incredibly big challenge. Whether the aim is to reduce food loss, to curb packaging that ends up in landfills, or even to ensure food that’s grown makes it out of the field, there is waste at every link in the chain that continues to contribute to food and ag’s outsized climate impact. The good news is, there are plenty of startups, and many investors, that are tackling these thorny problems. But the problem is, it’s really complex.
Our internal grappling with why waste is such a hard nut to crack has taken us on a journey to better understand the barriers in the food system waste space. Today, we’re talking with Aly Bryan and Anne-Marie Kaluz from Closed Loop Partners about what they think is holding us back in addressing our waste problems, and then we turn to Olympia Yarger from Goterra (a Tenacious Ventures portfolio company) for more from an entrepreneur’s perspective.

For more information and resources, visit our website.

The information in this post is not investment advice or a recommendation to invest. It is general information only and does not take into account your investment objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making an investment decision you should read the information memorandum and seek financial advice from a professional financial adviser. Whilst we believe Information is correct, no warranty of accuracy, reliability or completeness is given, except for liability under statue which cannot be excluded.

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There’s a common misconception in the alternative protein space that continues to hold back innovation: the idea that conventional and alternative products are direct competitors. In general, the idea that consumers are dropping conventional milk for soy milk, or eschewing chicken in favor of plant-based nuggets just isn’t reflected in the data. More often then not, consumers buy both conventional proteins and alternative proteins, often at the same time. Acknowledging this, we have a lot of conviction that the future of alt-proteins writ large offers a lot of opportunities for conventional protein producers as well.
Michael Hampson, CEO of Norco Cooperative Ltd., agrees. Since taking over leadership at one of Australia’s largest, farmer-owned dairy coops, he’s helped lead a change journey that has led recently to a new partnership with Eden Brew, which created a precision-fermented milk alternative that can be produced in conventional dairy facilities.

For more information and resources, visit our website.

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Deep tech– or the world of technology companies beyond those that make software– is often seen as a bridge too far for the world of venture capital investing. A key challenge; the tried and true strategies around growing high-value companies quickly that were the hallmark of the 2000s and 2010s don’t often translate when a company is moving atoms and molecules instead of bits and bytes.
But from our perspective, deep tech is likely the most important component of our future food system. We have conviction that deep tech advances, from robotics to distributed input production, will actually be the most important advances driving the industry forward during the next 100 years.

For more information and resources, visit our website.

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When it comes to phosphorus-- the second most prominent fertilizer component– a big problem today is that it is simultaneously too rare on earth overall and too abundant in the landscapes where it's used. The vast majority of the world’s phosphorus reserves are found in just two countries, Morocco and China. And phosphorus runoff, largely originating from agricultural uses, leads to toxic algal blooms (and associated greenhouse gas emissions) all over the world.

Hunter Swisher, founder and CEO of Phospholutions, hopes that his technology offers a piece of the solution to this problem: enhancing phosphorus use efficiency. The team at Phospholutions has been working on their fertilizer additive product since they spun out of Penn State in 2016, and have been filing patents and winning pitch competitions ever since.

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The question of how to make commodity crops more valuable is a perennial one in agriculture, and over the years there have been a lot of good-- and bad-- answers. Recently, one strategy has emerged that we find particularly intriguing, though it's safe to say it comes with plenty of challenges.
Today, we’re exploring molecular farming– which, in this case, involves the production of dairy proteins in a genetically modified plant. Growing protein this way offers a lot of potential benefits, from avoiding the environmental impact of animal production to enabling plant-based dairy products that are quite true to the original.

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When people in ag think about fertilizer, nitrogen -- or N -- is usually the first thing that comes to mind, whether thinking about yields, costs, or environmental impacts. But phosphorus is another concerning element of the crop nutrient mix, due to the declining mineable supplies, and the fact that those supplies are almost exclusively located in Morocco and China.
But natural deposits aren’t the only source of phosphorus on Earth: livestock manure also contains meaningful quantities of the valuable mineral. The challenge is in transforming a complex, liquid, and highly concentrated waste product into the fertility input with which most farmers are familiar.

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Global geopolitical disruptions first put fertilizer center stage as farmers around the world struggled with price and supply swings. But that was just the beginning of the conversation– as fertilizer tech begins to step into the spotlight, offering alternatives not only to traditional products, but to our whole way of thinking about the crop nutrients sector.
Today, Tim Hammerich of the Future of Agriculture Podcast joins Sarah to dig into the “so what?” of the nitrogen tech we’ve discussed here on the podcast and the fertilizer innovations Tim has recently covered. Along the way, we discuss key quotes from our recent fertilizer episodes and offer theories on what the future will look like.

For more information and resources, visit our website.

Disclaimer: Tenacious Ventures is an investor in Jupiter Ionics
The information in this post is not investment advice or a recommendation to invest. It is general information only and does not take into account your investment objectives, financial situation or needs. Before making an investment decision you should read the information memorandum and seek financial advice from a professional financial adviser. Whilst we believe Information is correct, no warranty of accuracy, reliability or completeness is given, except for liability under statue which cannot be excluded.

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Breaking news in the agtech world abounds here at the beginning of 2023, and as we've tracked the latest announcements, we've been thinking a lot about a few tech updates, especially from major brands, and what they might mean for the agtech landscape in the near future.
Today, teammates Komal Patel and Matthew Pryor join Sarah to discuss a few pieces of news from the past few weeks that stood out. We dig into the details, read between the lines, and argue why we think they're worth paying attention to.

For more information and resources, visit our website.

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Agtech has long had an interest in shortening the supply chain between farms and consumers. And yet after years of effort, relatively little progress has been made beyond a proliferation of farmers markets and some new “local” tags at supermarkets. There are a lot of challenges in this space that go beyond a simple technical fix, and overcoming them often requires rethinking the entire business model.
Enter Michael Bosworth, farmer and founder of Next Generation Foods, a California-based food brand and distribution company that's reinventing how food moves from the fields to chefs and home kitchens alike, with a special interest in sustainability, science, and transparency. Michael’s not only growing rice in a highly water-vulnerable region, he’s also growing a valuable food business to market his products and those from nearby farms to ensure that his model is both environmentally and economically sustainable.

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2022 was a wild year– both in the world of agtech broadly, and for us here at Tenacious Ventures. We’ve covered a lot of ground, spanning everything from scaling soil tech, to the future of ag marketing, to alternative protein, novel investing tactics, and most recently, the next generation of farm inputs.
Today, we’re taking some time to reflect on the most important lessons we’ve learned on the podcast this year– and for us, it all came back to the question of how tech can help mitigate risk in agriculture. You’ll hear snippets from five episodes that we found particularly thought-provoking in relation to the risk question.

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There is a lot of momentum in agtech right now around investing at the intersection of ag and climate– and inevitably, many conversations start with a focus on how to measure impact. The problem we’ve been thinking about lately-- this conversation often gets stuck on the measurement challenge. In our perspective, the real opportunities go beyond just measuring the impact of decisions like practice changes. The future is in taking actions that meaningfully mitigate climate risks to agriculture.

To dig into this challenge, we’re joined this week by Cullen Gunn, CEO and Executive Director of Kilter Rural, which has been operating in the natural capital space since 2004, specifically investing in rural landscapes, water, and ecosystem protection.

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We’ve talked and thought a lot about autonomy this year, and despite what we think are some promising developments, overall, we continue to be struck by just how hard it is to bring solutions to market. From the technology to the use case, from the regulations to data, there are barriers and problems to solve in every direction.

So today we’re covering a ton of ground to understand why bringing autonomous solutions to agriculture is so hard. First, we talk to Connie Bowen of Farmhand Ventures, who is not particularly bullish on the near term viability of full autonomy, and has instead chosen to focus on what she calls “collaborative robotics”. Then we check in with Ray Russell, Principal Hardware Engineer at Locomation on specifically why technical problems stand in the way of progress in the autonomous space. Finally, we check in briefly with Kevin Andrews, Strat Marketing Manager for Autonomy at Trimble Agriculture to understand how more established equipment players are thinking about tackling autonomy’s biggest challenges.

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We’ve been thinking a lot recently about how much the world of agtech has changed over the last two decades, and how companies, and more importantly, their customers, are adapting to an increasingly digitally native world. For years, the focus was on educating farmer-customers and post-sales training. But today, sophisticated growers tell their tech partners, and their peer networks, what they want, need, like, and dislike about their tools, often in real time.
Today we dig into this transition, which we think of as the shift in agtech from ‘buyer beware’ to ‘seller beware’. First, we talk to Leet Wilksch of Agbyte, who sits on both sides of the buyer/seller table as farmers have evolved from tech skeptics to discerning buyers. Then, we gain some industry perspective from Jason McNeice and Darren Walford of Trimble Agriculture.

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Today we're tackling part two of our future of Nitrogen fertilizer discussion, focusing on the realm of business models and strategies. We chat with two companies exploring how we might reimagine the way farmers around the world buy and sell this critical input, including through distributed, rather than centralized, supply chains.

We’ll continue our conversation with Bill Brady, CEO and Director at Kula Bio and Charlie Day, CEO at Jupiter Ionics* We also add in some on the ground perspective around how farmers are handling the pressures of the fertilizer market right now by chatting with Jason McNeese, software specialist for the Asia Pacific region at Trimble Agriculture, and Darren Walford, APAC Sales Manager for Trimble Global Positioning.
In this episode, our guests speak about:

A future of small scale production of N, and how farmers have reacted to potential changes away from today’s centralized model
What benefits, especially in terms of Scope-3 emissions, might be realized by thinking differently about how and where fertilizer is made
How new N companies are tackling the challenge of creating trustworthy brands and products in the face of the many false starts in the fertilizer space.

For more useful resources please visit our website.

*Disclaimer: Jupiter Ionics is a portfolio company of Tenacious Ventures

This episode is brought to you in partnership with Trimble Agriculture, who are building technology to make farming better through precision.

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This is the first episode in our series on the future of fertilizer, starting with Nitrogen - the N in NPK.

Russia’s war in Ukraine has collided with natural gas supply chain disruptions and sent the price of fertilizer skyrocketing. But, this isn’t the least of the crop nutrient industry’s problems. It’s a space renowned for being complex and confusing. It also relies on an emissions-intensive value chain that has been around now for more than a century.

Today’s episode looks at two different visions for the future of nitrogen fertilizer. Our guests are Charlie Day, CEO of Jupiter Ionics, and Bill Brady, CEO of Kula Bio. Both lead teams that are attempting to bring cutting edge nitrogen production methods to market.

Charlie and Bill join to speak about:

Reducing the chemical intensity of production - How new approaches to producing nitrogen work and why they are key to a cleaner industry.
Reinventing nitrogen fertilizer - Why reinventing fertilizer production makes sense
Scaling the science - Why scaling production from grams to tonnes is so tough, let alone trying to get it into the hands of customers.
Designing for adoption - What Charlie and Bill have learned from other novel ag inputs that failed to fit into the production systems of farmers.

We’ll follow up with a Part 2 on the future of N - stay tuned! For more useful resources, visit our website.

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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.

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.

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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.

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

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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.

For more information and resources, visit our website.

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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.

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.

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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?

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.

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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:* What 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.

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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: Bernie 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.

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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:* How 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.

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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:* How 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.

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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:* 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.

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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:* What 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.

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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:* How 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

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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:* Balancing 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

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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:* Investing 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.

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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 fd 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: Which 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.

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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:* Lessons 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.

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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:* What 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

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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:* Her 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

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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:* Dr 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.

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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:* How 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.

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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.

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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:* Why 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.

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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:* Why 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

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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:* What 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

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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:* Striking 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.

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Originally released: 20 February, 2020We’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:* How 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!

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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:* Challenging 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

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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: Anastasia 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.

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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:* Questioning 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.

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“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:* How 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.

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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:* The 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.

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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:* Renee 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.

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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 fck 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: Her 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

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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:* Walt 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.

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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:* 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.

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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: Mark 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.

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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:* How 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!

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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:* His 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!

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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:* The 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”

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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:* The 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

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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:* The 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.

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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:* The 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.

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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:* 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.

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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:* What 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.

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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:* Mekhala 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!).

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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:* Viral 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!

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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:* Olympia 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.

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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:* 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.

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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:* 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.

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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:* The 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.

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Experts and tech companies alike are claiming that soil carbon payments hold huge potential as a new revenue stream for farmers and a weapon against climate change. Yet, others say it’s all hype. One thing is clear though: it’s a confusing and rapidly evolving space, with new technologies and incentive schemes emerging weekly.In this week’s episode, we feature a panel of experts from across tech, policy, and corporate agribusiness. We tackle issues and barriers in soil carbon, and the potential benefits and consequences of moving from practice-based to outcomes-based approaches to measurement and verification. We also discuss why a focus on accuracy in soil carbon measurement is actually holding the industry back, as well as the role of big food companies in soil health.On the panel:* Richard Heath - Executive Director, Australian Farm Institute * Rob Waterworth - CEO, FLINTpro * Paul Scoullar - Strategic Sourcing Manager, Mars Petcare

This episode, brought to you by the AgThentic Group, was recorded at a live AusAgritech Meetup sponsored by FoodBytes! by Rabobank. For resources from this episode, visit our website.

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We have the technology to measure and improve water efficiency on farms, yet adoption remains low- why is this?This episode explores our hypothesis in our recent report: that the problem is not with the technology, but rather with a limited understanding of the nuances of farmer psychology.We explore how tech developers, both startups and incumbent firms, can design business models that encourage irrigation tech adoption. We also discuss how farmers can make sure they’re getting the information they need to implement irrigation technology that will have a positive impact on the bottom line.This episode features:* Inge Bisconer - Managing Member, Surf ‘N Earth Enterprises and Director, Irrigation Association * Shane Thomas - agronomist and creator of Upstream Ag Insights * Euan Friday - Director and Chief Investment Officer, Kilter Rural * Matthew Pryor - co-founder, Tenacious Ventures and partner, Agthentic Group

For more information, check out our free report: The Agtech Adoption Dilemma: Irrigation, made in collaboration with Upstream Ag Insights. You can also visit our website for more resources from the episode.

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Livestock, and especially cows, get a bad rap when it comes to climate change. But is this fair? There’s no doubt that cows emit methane; however, scientific advancements are increasing our understanding of how methane contributes to global warming, and emerging companies are developing solutions to reduce enteric emissions through advancements such as feed additives and methods to accelerate genetic progress.The path to sustainable livestock is fraught with controversy, but this week’s guests, Professor Frank Mitloehner, air quality specialist at UC Davis, and Kerryann Kocher, CEO of Vytelle, are up for the challenge. In this episode, we discuss livestock’s role in climate change, and both challenges and opportunities for a future of sustainable protein.For more information, visit our website.

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The Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture has a lofty mission: to change the food system. It’s an idyllic 400 acre farming property just north of New York City. It features an on-site, partner restaurant called Blue Hill, which has been made famous by chef Dan Barber and his book The Third Plate. Stone Barns also runs education programs and regenerative agriculture trials in crops and livestock, and welcomes the public to watch how it’s all done.Jason Grauer is their Crops Director. He left his career in asset management to follow his passion for what he calls “soil-based” agriculture. His research focuses on seed genetics and organic seed trials to improve soil health, biodiversity, and taste. But how can a small, non-profit farm influence practices in large, commercial farms, let alone the entire food system?In this episode, Jason talks about:* How he managed the transition from asset management to regenerative farming * The importance of seed genetics and the creation of a digital seed database * The experiments Stone Barns is running to make a difference to the broader food system

For more from Jason and our insights from this episode, check out our website.

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In a world where food and farming are highly polarized issues, Rob Paarlberg’s approach is to follow the evidence. This has earned him great respect, but also means his well-researched views tend to land him in no-man’s land between traditional industry views and the new food movement.For instance, Rob supports modern commercial farming and the use of fertilizers; however, he’s not a blanket supporter of ‘Big Ag’. He is highly critical of the state of animal welfare in modern American livestock production, but he’s not against eating meat. As an author and Associate in the Sustainability Science program at the Harvard Kennedy School, Rob is renowned for debunking the popular myths about food and farming.In his latest book, “Resetting the Table: Straight Talk About the Food We Grow and Eat, Rob argues that food policy, rather than farm policy, should be the focus for reform when it comes to the American food system.In this episode, Rob discusses his latest book and:* Why returning to the ‘old ways’ of farming is not sustainable * How US farm subsidies make food more, not less, expensive * The cause of the obesity epidemic in America (and the food policies that could actually make a difference). * Why the agriculture industry needs to improve its treatment of animals (and the relatively low costs involved).

For insights and resources, visit our website.

Resetting the Table: Straight Talk About the Food We Grow and Eat

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There’s always going to be some skepticism about the motives of ‘Big Food’ companies. But, for reasons such as risk management, consumer pressures, and more, the Coca-Cola Company is becoming more focused on the sustainability of its supply chain.While Coca-Cola doesn’t deal directly with farmers, its interest in how products are sourced and grown is increasing. In this episode Ulrike Sapiro, Senior Director of Global Water Stewardship and Sustainable Agriculture at the Coca-Cola Company, discusses:* The role Coca-Cola can play in taking- and instilling- ownership of sustainability outcomes in its supply chain. * The role of pre-competitive collaborations in catalyzing and piloting sustainability projects in countries such as Brazil, Australia and India. * How Coca-Cola is investing in innovation and new technology to find sustainability solutions. *

For more insights and links from this episode, visit our website. You can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

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If you’re looking at a career in agtech, chances are you’re going to spend time working with startups. But what’s it like to work IN an agtech startup? A fast-paced environment, no red tape, significant responsibility, and a big vision may come to mind. But there can be downsides, too, such as long hours and setbacks due to the inevitable trial and error that comes with bringing new innovations to the world.The agtech industry is increasingly drawing top talent from all different industries and backgrounds. This episode explores why there are opportunities for everyone- from engineers to electricians to artists- to use their skills within high-growth agtech startups that focus on building the food supply chains of the future.So, whether you’re just starting on your career path or mid-way through, tune in to learn if working in an agtech startup is right for you. Featuring:* Soroush Pour - Head of Engineering at Vow and 15th employee at Plaid (Visa recently tried to acquire Plaid for $5b+) * Alissa Welker - Farmer Acquisition and Engagement at Steward and 60th employee at Farmers Business Network * Kerryn Thomas - Head of Operations at Goterra and former electrical technician in the mining and concrete industries.

For more links and resources from this episode, visit our website.

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How do you get a career in agriculture or agtech, when you’re not from a farming background? In this episode, we meet four women who’ve become agtech leaders, despite not having grown up on a farm. At the intersection of two largely white and male dominated industries (agriculture and tech), they have succeeded despite, as they say, ‘not looking the part’. You’ll hear how they first got their foot in the door (from scoring discounted tickets to conferences, to setting up their own networking events, to making elevator pitches to gain on-farm experience), and what challenges they’ve had to overcome to thrive. This episode is for employers looking for talent, as well as anyone looking to get into agtech and agriculture who isn’t sure where to start!On the podcast:* Rayali Banerjee - Communications Manager, Syngenta Australia and New Zealand * Cass Mao - Program Manager, Farmers2Founders and Venture Partner, Tenacious Ventures * Samantha Wan - Wool Business Specialist, Elders * Amy Wu - Writer and Creator, From Farms to Incubators

This is episode has been brought to you by the AgThentic Group in collaboration with Future Farmers Network.For links from the episode and to find agtech job listings, visit our website.

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The race is on globally to scale carbon markets, where farmers can sell the carbon they sequester in their soil to buyers who want to offset emissions. But right now, the space is often confusing for buyers, sellers, and the intermediaries working between them. And further, both public and private market schemes have been criticized for inefficiencies and high costs to participate.But the game is changing as new technologies and business models seek to lower barriers to entry and improve transparency, and the demand side continues to explore, driven by consumer and regulatory pressures. But with all this activity, what will it take to scale up and deliver worthwhile returns for farmers?In this panel discussion, you’ll hear a variety of perspectives - from those developing new technologies and carbon market methodologies, to organizations helping farmers operate within existing emissions trading schemes.Today's guests:* Aldyen Donnelly - Co-Founder and Director of Carbon Economics, Nori. * Sam Duncan - Founder, FarmLab * Matt Schmitt, Senior Director of Commercial Carbon, Cargill * Dave Moore - Chief Operating Officer, Green Collar

This episode is an edited version of a live AusAgritech event, organized by the AgThentic Group, Sprout X and Platfarm.Check out our insights and more on our website.

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Sarah Sivyer had multiple roles in the corporate world before she decided to start farming eggs. She grew up on a farm, but was completely new to chickens, and this was the challenge she wanted: to grow her own business from scratch and apply her corporate knowledge.By tapping into consumer demand for convenience, freshness, and sustainability credentials, Sarah now runs 2500 chickens for her subscription-based egg business, Just Been Laid. Sarah also completed a Nuffield Scholarship on continuous improvement and branding, bringing lessons on global best practices back to the farm.In this episode Sarah Sivyer discusses:* Building a successful farming business by developing ‘customer intimacy.’ * Using business concepts like Six Sigma to eliminate waste, remove variation, and be more efficient in farming. * Offsetting the high cost of labor through branding, quality, and business model innovation.

For more information and links from this episode, check out our website.

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Cavan Station might have well-known owners today (the Murdoch family), but the large property in southern New South Wales has long held a place in Australian history, as pioneers of the fine wool industry.And Cavan Station is still innovating today. In fact, the 25,000 acre (10,000 ha) farm has undergone a significant transformation over the past 10 years, including adopting the latest technologies, from genetics and genomics, to data analysis and software.At the helm of this change is the General Manager of Cavan Station, Matt Crozier.In this episode he discusses:* The challenges and benefits of encouraging a farming team to use more technology and different farming methods. * Shifting to “regenerative” agriculture (a term Matt doesn’t love), and focusing more on animal welfare, including stopping mulesing. * The economic and ecological performance of the farm, since incorporating new tech and alternative farming methods.

For more resources and our insights on the chat with Matt, check out our website here.

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Mary Shelman is an internationally recognized agribusiness consultant and speaker, and the former Director of Harvard Business School’s Agribusiness program. Mary grew up in Kentucky, watching her father sell farm equipment; now, based in Boston, she helps corporations and governments tackle agriculture’s biggest problems. In Ireland, for example, she helped boost exports and build a national brand through Origin Green, a national sustainability scheme.In this podcast, Mary talks about:* How companies are responding to the sustainability demands of customers - from defending traditional methods, to defying or even disrupting agriculture supply chains and markets. * Why her agricultural upbringing helps shape her work as much as her formal qualifications and experiences in agribusiness case studies. * How technology can help farmers and businesses better understand and use their resources as the food system changes.

For our insights, Mary's research, and a picture of the framework she mentions in this episode, visit our website.

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Sarah Mock isn’t afraid of having tough conversations and shining light on thorny issues in the agriculture industry. A journalist with experience in international development and agtech, Sarah recently began a Twitter firestorm with an article asserting that all farming is inherently exploitative.While sometimes accused of being anti-farming, Sarah says this couldn’t be further from the truth. She describes herself as being “not a cheerleader; not the enemy”. Sarah grew up on a farm in Wyoming and has worked in agriculture her entire career - from high profile agtech startups such as Farmers Business Network, to reporting on ag politics under the Trump administration.In this episode, Sarah Mock discusses:* The reluctance of some farmers to change their farming practices, despite strong data evidence indicating the benefits. * Why the agriculture industry needs to start telling the truth about what farming looks like, and start addressing what customers want. * How agriculture policy and incentives can actually lead to poor business decisions & outcomes. * What it feels like to stick up for controversial beliefs, and the pushback she receives from being provocative and “making windows in the walls around farming”.

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Regen Ag Series #5: Our Verdict, with Sarah Nolet and Matthew Pryor from AgThentic and Tenacious VenturesIn this final wrap up episode of our regenerative agriculture series, the team from AgThentic is giving you OUR verdict. Sarah is joined by Matthew Pryor, Partner at AgThentic and co-founder of Tenacious Ventures, to discuss:* what it will take to move beyond the polarizing debate over whether regen ag is good or bad; * how agtech can unlock cost effective ways to measure, monitor, and verify what’s actually working; * impacts of consumer’s push for carbon neutral produce and reducing the use of chemicals; and * emerging business models and incentives that can help shift the risk/reward equation of transitioning to new practices.

Sarah and Matthew are joined by Kirsten Diprose, Marketing Manager at AgThentic, farmer and guest host for this episode.Check out our blog for more wrap up insights, and if you’ve missed the regen ag series, you can catch up here.

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The gloves are off as our expert panelists debate whether regenerative agriculture can improve farming businesses… or if it’s all hype.Host Sarah Nolet is joined by:* Richard Leask, a wine grower and 2019 Nuffield Scholar who traveled the world studying regen ag, and now uses the best of what he discovered back home in his vineyard in South Australia. * Toby Grogan, a natural capital specialist from Impact Ag, who advises farmers and investors on how regen ag can increase soil health and farm profitability. * Will Bignell, a regen ag skeptic and Tasmanian mixed farmer, who is committed to a simpler, commodities based farming business.

This was recorded at the live AusAgritech Meetup in September 2020, organized by AgThentic, Sprout X and Platfarm.For insights on the episode and links to useful resources, check out our website.

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Is it possible for large food corporations like McDonald’s to “scale for good?” Nicole Johnson-Hoffman is in charge of supplying beef to McDonalds through the OSI Group, and doing so sustainably.She believes it’s only the big companies that have the power to change entire supply chains and therefore that the future of sustainable food is up to them.Nicole grew up on a small dairy farm in Minnesota and is now a world leader in sustainable beef production.But the industry today is a long way from where it was in the not too distant past. It has moved from highly defensive and secretive, like when Oprah and the American Cattleman’s Association squared off in the late 1990s, to embracing the need for more transparency and input from stakeholders.In this episode, Nicole talks about:* The feud between the US beef industry and Oprah. * How major companies like McDonald’s are taking responsibility for the sustainability of their supply chains, and what this means for farmers. * The rise of frameworks for food sustainability, like the Global Roundtable for Sustainable Beef

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When a company commits to regenerative agriculture practices - it can be accused of ‘greenwashing’ - making people believe it’s doing more to help the environment than it really is.General Mills, the U.S. company behind iconic brands such as Yoplait, Betty Crocker and Cheerios, made a commitment to bring regenerative agriculture practices to one million acres of farmland by 2030.Jay Watson is responsible for this task - connecting farmers in various commodity supply chains with support, tools, and pilot programs to enable regen ag practices.In this podcast, Jay discusses:* The criticisms around regenerative agriculture and why General Mills has decided to invest in it. * How General Mills is educating farmers to view their land as an ecosystem. * Overcoming the misconceptions held by some ‘foodies’ about where their food actually comes from. * The current and future prospects of agtech in regenerative agriculture.

For our insights on the episode and links to useful resources, check out our blog here.

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Sam Trethewey believes ‘regenerative agriculture’ is not a dirty word - but simply the future of farming. Astonishingly, he produces wagyu beef in Tasmania without actually owning any cows. He does this by combining insights about business models from startups such as Uber and Airbnb with the farming practices of regenerative agriculture.Sam grew up on the family farm in Tasmania before working in corporate agribusiness and marketing. In 2016, he co-founded SproutX, the first agtech accelerator in Australia.But in the last few years, he has returned to his first passion - the land itself. Sam runs the Tas Ag Co with his wife, Steph. After seeing increasing demand from consumers who are more conscious about what they eat, they’ve taken on the challenge of producing ‘carbon positive beef’.In this episode, Sam shares his insights on:* Tas Ag Co’s innovative business model that avoids traditional finance and allows them to produce beef without owning cows. * How the marketing and branding of their product as ‘carbon positive’ is a major driver for the business. * The debate over what regenerative agriculture actually means and where it is headed in the future.

Want to know more? Check out our blog for insights and additional resources.

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Mark Wootton is well-known in the Australian agriculture industry as a pioneer in carbon-neutral farming. In 2011, Jigsaw Farms, his family property in south-west Victoria, achieved carbon neutrality - undergoing a process he openly admits was at the time, both “arduous and not necessarily commercially rewarding”.Yet, Mark and his wife Eve Kantor operate a very successful mixed grazing farm where they run 20,000 sheep for fine wool and prime lamb as well as 500 cows. The farm also incorporates a 600 hectare hardwood timber plantation and indigenous plantings for biodiversity.Mark was instrumental in the creation of the Climate Institute - a not-for-profit focused on climate science and policy in Australia. He remains a champion of finding new ways to lower methane emissions on farms - through both feed efficiencies and new technologies.His latest venture is a “Super Ewe” - where he’s using genetics to create a dual purpose sheep through focusing on muscle and fat in the selection process.In this episode Mark Wootton shares his insights on:* Using Sheep Freeze Brand (liquid nitrogen) as an alternative to mulesing. * Turning sustainable agriculture practices into a driver for productivity and profits. * The importance of flexibility in farming operations. * Finding the right times to make big decisions for your business.

Want to know more? Check out our blog and additional resources from the episode on our website.

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Karmen Mehmen is a corn and soybean farmer in Iowa alongside her husband Stan and their son Kyle and daughter-in-law Kerri. Their farm, MBS Family Farms, has grown from 160 acres and 40 cows back in the ‘60s to an operation that today supports 20 families.In this episode, Karmen talks about:* How technology has enabled them to manage through substantial growth * Learnings from transitioning the farm to the next generation * How structured coaching and support has helped them become better farmers & business owners

For more insights from the episode and links to resources Karmen mentions, check out our write up here.

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Renée Anderson is a farmer in Emerald, Queensland, Nuffield Scholar, agronomist, and overall champion for the cotton industry. In this episode, she shares her insights from Australia and around the world on social license, science communications, and the role that tech can play in helping farmers both improve production and change the narrative about agriculture.Visit our website for our top five insights, Renee’s favorite science communicators, and the resources on racism in agriculture mentioned at the end of this episode.

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David Carter is the CEO of Austral Fisheries, one of Australia’s largest integrated commercial fishing companies. Austral Fisheries is notable for being the only commercial fishing company in the world to be certified Carbon Neutral, offsetting their emissions to zero since 2016.In this episode we talk about:* David's path from deckhand to CEO * Austral's journey from commodity to branded, premium product * The bold goals that Austral have set on issues like bycatch and carbon emissions * How technology is helping Austral respond to consumer demands and address social license issues * The 'unlikely alliances' powering Austral Fisheries’ market leading position

For the resources mentioned and more on David, visit our website: www.agtechsowhat.com/agtechsowhatepisodes/david-carter-carbon-neutral-fishing

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This episode, live from the 2020 evokeAG conference in Melbourne, features three innovative Aussie producers: Brad “Jonesy” Jones; Sue “Chilla” Middleton; and Mark “Mort” Mortimer. We also cover: * the different techs being used in their businesses today * their tech wishlists for the future * what’s driving adoption of agtech and what’s preventing it * where to look for the best agtech solutions * how they’re getting involved as more than customers of agtech

For links to additional resources (and all the agtech mentioned), check out our website: www.agtechsowhat.com/agtechsowhatepisodes/tips-from-leading-producers This is yet another live episode- do you like it? Hate it? Let us know on twitter @agtechsowhat or reach out on our website.

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Today’s episode is all about corporate investments and acquisitions in agtech. Two guests, Derek Norman (VP at Leaps by Bayer) and Jim Chambers (President and General Manager of the Worldwide Agriculture Business at Trimble) cover different ways startups can engage with corporates, from early stage direct strategic investments, to channel partnerships, to acquisitions.We also discuss:* what Bayer and Trimble are looking for and tips for startup to get investment- and acquisition-ready * how the M&A environment is changing with consolidation and coronavirus * why we haven’t we seen more successful agtech exits * what spaces are hot (and not), including how Bayer and Trimble are looking at autonomy, e-commerce, biologicals, indoor agriculture, and more

This episode was recorded LIVE at an event we co-hosted with Tim Hammerich, host of the Future of Agriculture podcast. If you're not yet a FoA listener, check out episode 201 featuring AgThentic Partner Matthew Pryor.* Tim's interview with Derek: 2:00 to 26:18 * Sarah's interview with Jim: 26:18 to 49:48 * QnA with both Jim and Derek: 49:48 to end

What do you think of this format? Do you want more live events, or partnerships with more podcasts? Please reach out!More resources and links available on the AgTech...So What? website.

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Coming to you live from Australia's first national, virtual AgTech Meetup, this episode explores what alternative proteins are, how big they'll become, and whether this is a pending disruption or untapped opportunity for agriculture.Panelists included:* Catherine Tubb- chemistry PhD and Research Fellow at RethinkX * Paul Wood- internationally recognized veterinary immunologist, inventor, and Chairman at AusBiotech * George Peppou- chef and CEO/Co-founder at cellular ag company VOW Foods

In this episode, we cover:* The different types of alternative proteins, from plant-based to cultured meat; * What’s driving their cost, and when it will come down; * When they'll hit the market, and how much market share they’ll get; and * What all this means for farmers, investors, and consumers.

This meetup was co-hosted by us (AgThentic) alongside SproutX and Platfarm.Check out our website for the live video, slides, and more resources.

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This week Sarah is joined by a guest host, Cass Mao, Principal Advisor at AgThentic, to chat with Pete Nelson of AgLaunch about how growers and agtech companies can work together in a model that they call "farmer-centric innovation"Pete Nelson, originally a farmer and an English major at University, has been actively involved in building the support ecosystem for new agricultural enterprises for over 15 years. He has worked with a variety of public and private sector partners and helped to launch multiple startup companies. More recently he's been working on sector-specific initiatives to fund, incubate, and accelerate agricultural companies with high growth potential. AgLaunch, which includes accelerator programs, a fund, and more, is focused on commercializing early stage agricultural innovation by working with farmers.Cass and Sarah wanted to speak with Pete after writing a report last year on innovation ecosystems, and how best practices in the US can be applied to Australia. Rather than just look at hotspots like Silicon Valley, the report explored ag-focused places, like St. Louis and Tennessee, where AgLaunch is located. The report, called Building a globally Recognised AgTech ecosystem in Australia, is available here: https://agthentic.com/reportsIn this episode, Pete explains what “farmer-centric innovation” means, how AgLaunch is driving it, and how having growers at the table fundamentally changes outcomes for startups and regional communities. For additional resources and info, check out our blog: www.agtechsowhat.com/agtechsowhatepisodes/2020/4/8/ep-64-pete-nelson-on-partnering-with-growers-to-build-better-agtech

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Evan Fraser is a food systems innovation expert, the Director of the Arrell Food Institute at the University of Guelph in Canada, and the Founder of Feeding9Billion.Though he didn't grow up on a farm, he brings a multi-disciplinary and systems approach to his work, with degrees and work experience in various fields from anthropology to atmospheric chemistry to agriculture. His passion for agriculture comes from his love of good food and summers spent spent working on his grandfather’s farm (more on that in the episode). In this episode, Evan and I cover two main topics:1. Three big barriers to agtech adoption, and what’s being done to overcome them; and 2. The impact of COVID-19 on agricultural supply chains.

Thanks to Connie Bowen for suggesting Evan. We're always open to suggestions and feedback from our listeners!Additional Links and Resources* Arrell Food Institute (check out the videos and card game!) * Feeding9Billion * Evan on Twitter * Evan on LinkedIn * More thoughts from Evan on COVID-19 * Empires of Food: Feast, Famine, and the Rise and Fall of Civilizations (Evan’s book) * Global Open Data for Agriculture and Nutrition (GODAN)

Empires of Food: Feast, Famine, and the Rise and Fall of Civilizations

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We hear all the time that we need to "feed the world" and that "agtech can help" But what role will indoor farming play? How do these systems work, what can they grow, and how do they make money?Today’s guest, Allison Kopf, is an agtech entrepreneur and indoor ag expert. Her company, Artemis, builds software for indoor farms and specialty crops. In this episode, rebroadcast (with updates and edits) from a couple years ago, Allison shares an indoor ag 101. We also cover the challenges for women in agtech, and how we can increase gender diversity in big and small ways. Happy (belated) International Women's Day to all our female listeners. Resources and Links* Artemis (formerly Agrilyst) * Allison’s Forbes 30 under 30 interview * 2017 State of Indoor Ag Report * List of women in agtech that Allison started (and some press on it here) * Allison and Artemis on twitter

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evokeAG, Asia Pacific's largest agrifood tech event, brought together 1300 innovators earlier in February this year in Melbourne, Australia. The jam-packed event featured international experts, innovative farmers, dozens of startups, and much more, showcasing what the region has to offer in agrifood tech innovation.This bonus episode gives a taste of evokeAG and a live recording of the first panel on the main stage: The Asia-Pacific region and how we are rising. Panelists included: Andrew Coppin - Farmbot * David Downs - NZTE * John Hartnett - SVG Ventures/THRIVE * Liza Noonan - CSIRO * Sarah Nolet - Tenacious Ventures and host of AgTech...So What?*

For additional shoutouts and relevant links, check out the AgTech...So What website here.

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Agriculture is often vilified for its environmental impact. But what if agriculture could be carbon neutral? Is that even possible? And what would it cost?Alisdair Tulloch, a fourth generation grape grower, believes it’s not only possible but also profitable.In this episode, Alisdair shares his family's journey to carbon neutral. Why did they decide to take action? How are they measuring? What improvements have they made, and how did they prioritize?We also cover:* The practices and management decisions Alisdair has made, and what’s working (or not); * Why there’s a first-mover advantage of going carbon neutral; * The ROI of carbon neutrality; and * The potential of policies and carbon markets to unlock value for farmers.

To follow Alisdair’s journey* Instagram @keithtullochwine and @alisdairtulloch * Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/KeithTullochWine/

Looking for Keith Tulloch wines?* https://keithtullochwine.com.au/ * info@keithtullochwine * The Fine Wine Specialist, their national distributor: https://www.tfws.com.au

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Mark "Ferg" Ferguson is a sheep geneticist who's paying attention to how both consumer demands and emerging technologies are impacting growers. Drawing on his experience with dozens of clients around Australia and New Zealand, Ferg shares:

• insights for agtech companies, like the importance of personas and how to build relationships in a digital world; • what the future of extension and consulting in livestock looks like; • the role of cutting edge technologies in the sheep industry; and • a vision for the future where consumers expectations are met and growers are profitable.

For more from Ferg and resources mentioned, see:

• https://www.nextgenagri.com/ • https://twitter.com/neXtgenAgri and https://twitter.com/Fergenetics • https://www.nextgenagri.com/articles/farmer-people-that-farm-article-1 • Artificial Intelligence work: https://www.nextgenagri.com/articles/seen-one-seen-them-all • NZ Merino: https://www.nzmerino.co.nz/

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Mic Fels is someone I've wanted to speak with ever since I read an article he wrote about how his agtech is really making him money.

Mic not only crops about 11,000 hectares in Esperance, Western Australia, but has also built and commercialized a range of software products and machinery through his company, iPaddock.

Mic and I chat about where the real value is in agtech, and what building products has taught him about startups and about farming.

We also talk about:

• hard earned lessons and tips for working with tech; • whether ideas or execution matter more; and • which is harder...farming or building agtech.

For more from Mic and to check out the iPaddock products, see:

• https://twitter.com/ipaddockapps • https://www.ipaddock.com.au/ • https://www.ipaddock.com.au/how-i-make-money-out-of-ipaddock/

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Agtech is about more than the technologies. It's about new business models in agriculture, and of course the innovators driving changes along the value chain. Today's guest, Fiona Aveyard, a 5th generation mixed farmer, is definitely an innovator and an entrepreneur.

We talk about how she's working on a new supply chain and new value add products that can bring more profits to the farm and create jobs in her local community. And she's doing all of this while facing dust storms and the worst drought in history.

This episode is again part of our series in partnership with Farmers2Founders, an innovation program designed specially for primary producers. Fiona is one of the businesses in the program. Applications are open now for the Ideas Program. So, if you're a producer with an invention to commercialize or an idea for a new product, check it out!

For more from Fiona, check out: https://www.outbacklamb.com.au/ https://twitter.com/outbacklamb

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Fee Turner (Bitwise Agronomy) and Lee Coleman (FarmSimple) are both farmers as well as founders of agtech startups. They, along with six other farmer-led businesses, have been selected into the Farmers2Founders Bootcamp program, an intensive 3 month accelerator that is helping them take their business to the next level.

In this episode, Fee and Lee tell us about their farms, startups, and the challenges they're facing being farmers and founders.

Relevant links:

• https://www.bitwiseag.com/ • https://twitter.com/bitwiseag • https://croppaco.com/ • https://twitter.com/CroppaCo

This episode is produced in partnership with Farmers2Founders. To learn more, check out https://www.farmers2founders.com/ or follow @farmers2founder on Twitter.

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Stuart Austin is a regenerative farmer and self-proclaimed early adopter of technology.

In this episode we cover everything from how Stuart got involved in regenerative ag, to the tools he's using (and helping build) to make 6 and 7 figure decisions at Wilmot Cattle Company.

Stuart also shares his views on alternative proteins, transparency in agriculture, and the books and movies that he's found inspirational.

Relevant links:

• Wilmot Cattle Company- https://www.wilmotcattleco.com.au/ • Write up of the 2019 Field Day- https://www.maiagrazing.com/250-plus-graziers-attend-field-day-on-drought-resilience/ • RCS Grazing for Profit course- https://www.rcsaustralia.com.au/products/family-business/grazing-for-profit-2/ • Allan Savory's TED talk- https://www.ted.com/talks/allan_savory_how_to_fight_desertification_and_reverse_climate_change • You inc. by John McGrath- https://www.amazon.com.au/You-Inc-Attract-Amazing-Business/dp/0732276365 • Remember the Titans (trailer)- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ir1OH33uiwA • Maia Grazing- https://www.maiagrazing.com/ • FarmBot- https://www.farmbot.com.au/

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Ashlea Miles and David Ricardo are Australian farmers and founders of agtech startups Training Paddock and Farm Service Manager. They, along with six other farmer-led businesses, have been selected into the Farmers2Founders Bootcamp program, an intensive 3 month accelerator that helping them take their business to the next level.

In this episode, Ash and David share the story behind Training Paddock and Farm Service Manager, and reflect on the differences and similarities between running a farm and building a startup.

Relevant links:

• https://www.trainingpaddock.com.au/ • https://farmservicemanager.com/ • https://twitter.com/FarmServiceApp (@FarmServiceApp)

This episode is produced in partnership with Farmers2Founders. To learn more, check out https://www.farmers2founders.com/

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Aidan Connolly is the CEO of Cainthus, and agtech startup using cameras and machine learning to help farmers make better decisions. Before that, Aidan helped Alltech grow from $24 million to $2.3 billion. During that time he was, among many things, Director of the Pearse Lyons Accelerator where he saw hundreds of agtech startups in all different sectors.

Aidan shares his insights on:

• What it's like to go from a global agribusiness to a startup • How cameras are transforming agriculture • How to get engineers off the keyboard and onto the farms they're trying to help • Why it's so important for farmers to help entrepreneurs, even when it's frustrating

For more from Aidan, check out:

• Aidan on LinkedIn • Aidan on Twitter • Aidan on Forbes • Cainthus

Other resources:

• HBR on the average age of successful founders

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Coming to you live from the AgTech Meetup in Sydney, this panel explores what it takes for startups and researchers to collaborate successfully in agrifood.

Panelists for the evening were: Dr Peter Thorburn, Chief Research Scientist at CSIRO; Tegan Nock, Co-Founder at SoilCQuest; and Nick Hazell, Founder and CEO at V2 Food.

V2 Food: https://www.v2food.com/ SoilCQuest: https://www.soilcquest.org.au/ CSIRO: https://www.csiro.au/

The AgTech Meetup is proudly sponsored by SproutX, Australia's first agtech accelerator.

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Murray Scholz farms with his wife Emma in Southern NSW and the Eastern Riverina on the foothills of the snowy mountains. They grow wheat, canola, lupins, and barley, and run beef cattle and prime lambs.

Murray's family is celebrating their 100th anniversary this year, after his great-grandfather came to the area in 1919. They've always been an innovative family, adopting new practices and striving to run a profitable and sustainable business. In this episode, Murray shares several stories of how his thinking has changed through overseas travel and exposure to new perspectives, and the business decisions he's made as a result.

Tune in to learn about:

• What it's like to be in the middle of the GMO controversy, where no one seems to listen to what you're really saying • Why Murray decided to run sheep, after publicly criticizing them for years • How a hiking trip in Switzerland challenged his views on ag policies • The decisions you can make when you've been collecting data for over 30 years • Tips for agtech startups to better engage with farmers

To hear more from Murray or follow what Scholz farming is up to, check out:

• Practical tips from Murray on integrated weed management and water use efficiency: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9b4QRvoma1o • Murray on why they integrated sheep and how they're benefiting from a mixed farming operation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6KjUfhCDzkU and https://www.theland.com.au/story/6272468/lifting-profit-to-cut-risk/ • Find Murray on twitter and Facebook @ScholzFarming

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Today's guest, Victor Friedberg is the co-founder of S2G ventures, a Chicago-based firm that has backed companies across the ag and food industries such as Beyond Meat, Maple Hill Creamery, Benson Hill Biosystems, and Mercaris. Victor is also the founder of Foodshot Global, a non-profit consortium of companies focused on creating a food system that's more healthy, sustainable, and equitable.

In this episode, Victor and I chat about: · How Victor went from tech entrepreneur to food and ag investor · How a systems approach to investing can decrease risk · Opportunities for farmers to benefit from consumer trends · Victor's reflections on the agrifood tech opportunities down under

Additional resources:

• S2G Ventures • FoodShot Global • Maple Hill Creamery • Beyond Meat • Umami • Organic Fraud Imports in the news

Check out our "getting agtech ready" eBook here: https://www.agtechsowhat.com/getting-agtech-ready-ebook

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Tim Hammerich, who grew up on a hobby farm in Northern California selling pigs, goats and ducks, is the Founder of AgGrad and the host of the Future of Agriculture podcast. In this episode, Tim and I chat about careers in agriculture, including what companies are looking for, tips for getting a job, and what's different about jobs in agtech.

For more on Tim, check out AgGrad (https://aggrad.com/) or find him on Twitter @TimHammerich and #FutureOfAgriculture Podcast

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This week, Dr. Rachel Hay, social scientist at James Cook University and boutique pig farmer, shares insights from her PhD on the role of women in agtech adoption. Published in 2014, Rachel's findings still hold true and could be helpful for agtech companies looking to understand the industry and develop marketing strategies that can cut through the noise.

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Today's episode is the 4th in the theme Responding to Climate Risk, brought to you in partnership with the Australian Farm Institute. Check out episodes 42, 44 and 46 to hear more on this theme.

Today's guest is Peter Thompson, a farmer based in rural Queensland, Australia that has been farming regeneratively before the word existed. He and his wife Nicki run grassfed beef cattle, do broad-acre cropping, and have about 6000 acres of wilderness conservation country.

His farming philosophy has developed over a lifetime on the land, and in this episode he shares his insights about:

• Finding compromises that are truly win-win; • Avoiding the temptation of silver bullet solutions; • The long list of technologies they've adopted; and • The importance of balance.

Find out more about Peter and his project's here:

• EchoCattle: https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Agricultural-Cooperative/Echo-Cattle-228388813850666/ • PeterPointT, his invention that's now sold globally: https://www.facebook.com/433620400044090/videos/1219724138184212/ • Soil2Soul: www.soil2soul.com.au • Walk over weighing project: https://futurebeef.com.au/projects/walk-over-weighing/

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Today's episode is a live recording from the Sydney AgTech meetup. Our guest is Dan Harburg, senior director at Indigo Ag. IndigoAg is one of agtech's biggest startups. They've raised over $650M, have over 1k staff, and are working to expand in the US and internationally. Dan was visiting Australia to learn more about carbon farming, and the work happening here that might be helpful to Indigo and farmers around the world.

Indigo Ag - https://www.indigoag.com/

Episode produced by Grow Love Project.

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In this episode we hear from Ben Krasnostein, co-founder and managing director of Kilara Capital, a company that helps facilitate investment opportunities that provide both commercial returns and environmental impacts.

Ben believes that we as consumers, primary producers, and global economies need to shift away from a mindset of extraction to one of regeneration. And he believes that business and technology are tools to enable this transition.

When it comes to agriculture, Ben sees great opportunities for farmers to benefit during this transition.

This episode is the 3rd the theme, responding to climate risk, brought to you in partnership with Australian Farm Institute, an independent organization conducting research into the strategic issues facing Australian farmers and the agriculture sector. Find them on social media @AustFarmInstitu

Agtech - So What?: Recent Episodes

Sarah Nolet