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What's caused the farmer protests in India and what does it mean for innovation in Ag? Jun 16, 2021

Show notes

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!).

Bonus Episode: The five forces shaping the future of food and ag, with Sarah Nolet Jun 09, 2021

Show notes

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!

Sustainable Supply Chains: eliminating waste and unlocking business opportunities Jun 02, 2021

Show notes

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.

Lean Farming - Jana Hocken brings Toyota's famous operating model to agriculture May 19, 2021

Show notes

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.

New Zealand's Dairy Pollution Problem - how an urgent issue is driving innovation May 05, 2021

Show notes

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.

Bringing the public with you... lessons in social license and plant genetics, with Vonnie Estes Apr 21, 2021

Show notes

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.

What's the incentive? Drivers and barriers to turning soil carbon into a commodity Apr 07, 2021

Show notes

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.

The agtech adoption dilemma: Irrigation Mar 24, 2021

Show notes

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.

The promises and pitfalls of making livestock sustainable Mar 10, 2021

Show notes

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.

Can a small non-profit farm near NYC change the food system? Feb 24, 2021

Show notes

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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