Future of Agriculture

Latest Episodes:

Future of Agriculture 107: Organic Agriculture at Scale with John McKeon of Tanimura and Antle Jun 27, 2018

Show notes

John McKeon is the Senior Manager of Organic Compliance, Commission, and Consolidation at Tanimura and Antle. Founded in 1982, Tanimura and Antle is a farm company that grows and sells both conventional and organic produce. John has almost two decades of experience working in the agricultural industry with skills in operations, management, quality assurance, and compliance.

Today, John joins me to share how he and his company are working to fulfill the world’s surging preference for organic produce. He shares the difference between managing a conventional farm and an organic farm, as well as what it’s like to have both. He also describes the business benefits of growing organic produce as well as the challenges many farmers face when transitioning to organic farming.

“There's a lot more going into organic farming than just the health claim.” - John McKeon

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

What is Tanimura and Antle and how it started?
How many acres are organic and how many are conventional?
What is the Organic Standard and what makes a food "organic."
The hurdle growers face when transitioning to organic production.
Financial benefits of growing organic crops.
The logistical advantages of having both organic and conventional crops.
Are organic crops difficult to scale?
Various regulations regarding organic farming.

John McKeon’s Words of Wisdom:

Changes to the organic regulations typically mean a change to the law as it's written in general.
Organics take a little bit of a different mindset and toolset when it comes to scaling.
You want to pay attention to the details when you're growing both organic and conventional crops.

Connect with John McKeon:

Tanimura and Antle
Email: johnmckeon@TAproduce.com

Check Out Our Sponsor for the “Sustainability at Scale” Series

Have you ever heard of Marrone’s BIO WITH BITE? Marrone Bio Innovation offers crop pest protection for the modern organic and conventional production systems. To make sure every grower using their products realize the best possible return on investment, Marrone invests time and resources to thoroughly test and demonstrate the efficacy of those new state of the art products. With serious trial data to back it up! You can see more and connect directly with Marrone by visiting them at www.marronebio.com

Marrone is very proud to support The Future Of Agriculture blog series on sustainability in agriculture with Tim Hammerich.

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The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.

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Future of Agriculture 106: Food Myths with Food Historian Rachel Laudan Jun 20, 2018

Show notes

Rachel Laudan is a food historian and award-winning author of Cuisine and Empire: Cooking in World History, a book about the rise and fall of various culinary traditions and philosophies. She has over twenty years of dedicated research to the evolution of our food systems. She’s also an engaging speaker who helps industry professionals, students and professors, and public groups see food from a long-term and global perspective.

Today, Rachel joins me to share a brief overview of what food history is all about. She shares her thoughts on various food movements and diets, how traditional foods came to be considered traditional, and why people today have better food than most kings and queens in the past. She also explains the importance of separating processed food from what is “bad food” and what she believes we should consider to be “good food.”

“One should tell food history as a series of expansions, migrations, cuisines, or systems of eating.” - Rachel Laudan

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

What encouraged her interest in agriculture and food history?
Foods we think are traditional, but really not.
Is there truth to having better sustainability in the pre-processed food era?
Her thoughts on how to feed the exploding human population.
Why she thinks corn is an amazing crop.
Her perspective on the "Natural Food" trend.
What counts as a "good" food?
What is "Culinary Modernism"?

Rachel Laudan’s Words of Wisdom:

We should realize how great modern food is. Average-earning populations can eat better than most kings or royalty in the past.
Almost everything we eat has been transformed from its natural state.
If we eat nothing but raw food, the human race will find survival difficult.

Connect with Rachel Laudan:

Check Out Our Sponsor for the “Sustainability at Scale” Series

Marrone is very proud to support The Future Of Agriculture blog series on sustainability in agriculture with Tim Hammerich.

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!

The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.

Share the Ag-Love!

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:

Future of Agriculture Website

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Future of Agriculture 105: How Farming Maggots Can Convert Waste to Feed with Olympia Yarger of GOTERRA Jun 13, 2018

Show notes

Olympia Yarger is the Founder and CEO of GOTERRA, an Australian-based waste management company that redefines the idea of food waste through decentralized waste management. Their company’s primary goal is to manage food and animal waste using insects of which the byproduct could be used as a feed additive. This approach is an alternative and sustainable way of feeding livestock that also reduces global waste.

Today, Olympia shares how maggots can help solve global food waste. She describes what it was like to start a maggot farm, how to manage one, and what makes it unique compared to typical farms. She also explains how maggots convert food waste to animal feed and how this could be the future of sustainable agriculture.

“It's one thing to get the flies to do the act and get viable eggs, but it's another to manage consistency of production at any scale.” - Olympia Yarger

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

The problems they initially encountered with their maggots when they were starting out.
What it's like to run a maggot farm vs a typical farm.
What a Black Soldier Fly farm looks like.
How much food waste could one shipping container go through?
How they structure their business model.
How long it takes to raise maggots.
What they do with waste that wasn't consumed.
Food items they can't use in the farm.

Olympia Yarger’s Words of Wisdom:

You can streamline insect farming in a way that makes it affordable and also gives you access to a wave of ideas.
There is a need to breed a lot of maggot eggs and refine the system in a way that is commercially viable.

Connect with Olympia Yarger:

Check Out Our Sponsor for the “Sustainability at Scale” Series

Marrone is very proud to support The Future Of Agriculture blog series on sustainability in agriculture with Tim Hammerich.

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!

The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.

Share the Ag-Love!

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:

Future of Agriculture Website

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Future of Agriculture 104: Fighting Pests Strategically and Sustainably with Dr. Pamela Marrone of Marrone Bio Innovations Jun 06, 2018

Show notes

Dr. Pamela Marrone is the founder and CEO of Marrone Bio Innovations, a company dedicated to finding practical, sustainable pest management solutions that are safe for people as well as the environment. She is also the founding Chair and former board member of the Biopesticides Industry Alliance, a cluster of over a hundred biopesticide and related companies. She currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research as well as a member of the Board of Trustees for Cornell University.

Today, Dr. Pamela shares the mission behind Marrone Bio Innovations and how their products help farmers through environmentally-safe pest management solutions. She describes what drew her to founding the company and explains why biopesticides are critical for tomorrow’s world. She also enlighten us on the technical aspect of their products and provides examples of how their products can help farmers.

“There's a lot more science and technology behind today's biological products, so they are better than they have been in the past.” - Pamela Marrone

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

What the "biologicals" category is all about
Why are chemical solutions still preferred over biologicals?
Why "snake oil" products are all but gone.
Limitations on biological pesticides.
How they produce biological products.
What it takes to get approval of their product.
How they design their products according to storage, use, and user.
How the agriculture and pest control industry has changed over recent decades.
What are molluscicides and how do they work?
The future products of Marrone Bio.

Pamela Marrone’s Words of Wisdom:

Organic farming is difficult because of weed control, so expect biological weed control products to be a household name in the future.
Many farmers are also fishermen, hence the need for solutions to water infestations.
There are different residue rules between export and not export.

Connect with Dr. Pamela Marrone:

Check Out Our Sponsor for the “Sustainability at Scale” Series

Marrone is very proud to support The Future Of Agriculture blog series on sustainability in agriculture with Tim Hammerich.

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!

The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.

Share the Ag-Love!

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:

Future of Agriculture Website

AgGrad Website

AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram

Future of Agriculture 103: Agriculture and Conservation with Michael Doane of The Nature Conservancy May 30, 2018

Show notes

Michael Doane is the Managing Director of the Agriculture and Food Systems at The Nature Conservancy, a nonprofit organization and the world’s leader in providing nature conservation efforts. Their mission is to conserve Mother Nature for future generations by buying lands to prevent plant and animal extinction and restoring otherwise ruined parts of nature back to its former glory. Michael’s responsible for ensuring industries that rely heavily on nature are managed and controlled. He primarily concentrates on projects involving soil health, sustainable forestry and ranching, and nutrient loss reductions.

Today, Michael Doane shares his company’s advocacies and their many projects. He discusses the company’s history and what made them become the leading conservation organization. He also explains some of their company’s many successful projects as well as their prospects, and how they prioritize which ones to fund first.

“As food demand grows, there will be some expansion. But, we also think it can be done in a way that does the least amount of harm to nature.” - Michael Doane

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

What the Nature Conservancy is all about.
What led the Nature Conservancy to agriculture?
The projects the company is working on.
How they work with their investors and partners.
Why they prefer to partner with the private industry.
How they decide which strategic priorities to pursue.
What it means to manage optimal soil health.
How they build trust with their investors.
What is the Techstars Sustainability Accelerator all about?

Michael Doane’s Words of Wisdom:

There are special places and special species and plants that need protection.
Management practice change can really address a lot of the current environmental problems.
There's some very cost-effective emission reduction opportunities sitting right here in agriculture.
Investing in nature is a good investment.

Resources Mentioned:

Nature’s Own Hedge Fund, article by Bloomberg

Connect with Michael Doane:

Check Out Our Sponsor for the “Sustainability at Scale” Series

Marrone is very proud to support The Future Of Agriculture blog series on sustainability in agriculture with Tim Hammerich.

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!

The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.

Share the Ag-Love!

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:

Future of Agriculture Website

AgGrad Website

AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram

Future of Agriculture 102: Biochar with Jim Loar of Cool Planet May 23, 2018

Show notes

Jim Loar is the President & CEO of Cool Planet, a company founded to provide innovative agricultural technologies that increase crop production at a low cost while reducing greenhouse gas throughout the atmosphere. The company’s current research focus is on their Cool Terra Engineered Biocarbon technology, a type of soil enhancer that improves soil health, reduces water consumption, and supports optimal fertilizer performance. Prior to joining Cool Planet in 2015, Jim was the VP of Operations at Wilbur-Ellis Company, the fourth largest agricultural retailer in the USA.

Today, Jim shares their company’s latest findings on Cool Terra and how it can help optimize crop output. He describes the science behind Cool Terra, the many benefits it imparts to both soil and farmer, and how it can help fight global warming. He also explains some of its most outstanding research findings, particularly when it comes to soil microbe health.

“We're providing the habitat for the soil biology to colonize and grow and prosper.” - Jim Loar

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

What is engineered biocarbon technology all about?
What is BioChar and how can it be used in agriculture?
The primary benefit of a treated BioChar material.
The main findings of their lab tests on Cool Terra.
How their product can help ease environmental use of pesticides.
Why Cool Terra can help farmers have higher income.
Cool Terra and its effects on the air we breathe.
Is it economically feasible to move carbon around?
Does the product need more nitrogen?
Are other similar products standardized?

Jim Loar’s Words of Wisdom:

When it comes to soil microbes, what we all hope for is we can put the good guys in a better position to outcompete the bad guys.
Different farmers have different beliefs and different ways of thinking about their soil.

Connect with Jim Loar:

Check Out Our Sponsor for the “Sustainability at Scale” Series

Marrone is very proud to support The Future Of Agriculture blog series on sustainability in agriculture with Tim Hammerich.

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!

The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.

Share the Ag-Love!

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:

Future of Agriculture Website

AgGrad Website

AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram

Future of Agriculture 101: Balancing Consumer Perspectives on Sustainability with Producer Realities with Ryan Sirolli of Danone North America May 16, 2018

Show notes

Ryan Sirolli is the Senior Director at Danone North America, a food company that focuses on dairy products such as milk, yogurt, and plant-based foods. Ryan is responsible for leading a team that serves to develop and execute agricultural sourcing and improve supply chain sustainability. He and his team emphasizes on soil health as well as creating alternative economic models that advocate both customer satisfaction and environmental sustainability.

Today, Ryan shares how Danone North America is part of a global sustainability project. He discusses many of the company’s current environmental advocacies and how the company has aligned its goals to meet the needs of both health and environmentally conscious consumers. He also provides insight with regards to the GMO and Non-GMO debate and shares his thoughts on the future of organic and sustainable agriculture.

“It’s our responsibility to make sure that whatever we source, whatever system the farmer chooses to use or whatever the consumer wants - it’s our responsibility to make sure we do it in the most sustainable way.” - Ryan Sirolli

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

Ryan's educational background and experience.
What is the Dannon Pledge?
The products Danone is focusing on.
How they establish a level of trust with their customers and investors.
The GMO vs. Non-GMO argument.
Danone's commitment to their customers and the environment.
How they invest in soil health.
How they define regenerative agriculture.
The possibilities for their supply chain in the future.

Ryan Sirolli’s Words of Wisdom:

The consumers are more proactive about their health. They want to know where their food is coming from, how it is being made, and they want to buy from brands they can trust.
Environmental sustainability is now a major factor of what drives consumers to buy healthy products.

Connect with Ryan Sirolli:

Danone North America

Check Out Our Sponsor for the “Sustainability at Scale” Series

Marrone is very proud to support The Future Of Agriculture blog series on sustainability in agriculture with Tim Hammerich.

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!

The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.

Share the Ag-Love!

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:

Future of Agriculture Website

AgGrad Website

AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram

Future of Agriculture 100: Harnessing Nature To Feed The World More Sustainably with David Perry of Indigo Ag May 09, 2018

Show notes

David Perry is the President, CEO, and Director of Indigo Ag, a company that seeks to harness the power of plant microbes to improve yield and lessen (and potentially eliminate) the use of harmful pesticides and insecticides. David is a well-known entrepreneur, having founded and built three outstanding companies within the last two decades. He has lead the last two companies through successful IPOs while providing significant returns for their investors. Prior to becoming a businessman, David attended the US Air Force Academy and was a National Merit Scholar.

In this episode, David explains how plant-microbe research can benefit the farmer as well as the environment. He describes the thought processes involved in founding Indigo Ag, the benefits of their research as well as its plausible risks towards the environment. He also shares their current research progress and their future projects.

“To improve economic prosperity for farmers, we should move farming from being a completely commoditized business to one where they are increasingly producing things that are value-added.” – David Perry

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

Why he believes microbes can help improve agriculture.
Their solutions to identifying microbes that increase yields.
Technologies that enabled them to expand and innovate their research.
Can they patent the microbes they find?
The risks of this type of research towards the environment.
The problems they started working on.
Can microbes eventually replace chemicals in agriculture?
What identity preservation means from a farmer's view point.

David Perry’s Words of Wisdom:

Developing microbes are much faster than developing chemicals.
There's a future in which we use less than half of the chemical fertilizers we use today, and we may eliminate 90% of the chemical pesticides and insecticides.
If the farmer is delivering their crop to a local elevator and it's getting piled in with their neighbors, there's no way for them to get paid for better quality or greater sustainability.

Resources Mentioned:

Marrone Bio Innovations

Connect with David Perry:

Indigo Ag

Check Out Our Sponsor for the “Sustainability at Scale” Series

Marrone is very proud to support The Future Of Agriculture blog series on sustainability in agriculture with Tim Hammerich.

Join Our 100th Episode Celebration!

We are celebrating the Future of Agriculture Podcast’s 100th episode - and we want to celebrate with you! Visit SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg to record your voice and tell us which Future of Agriculture Podcast episode was your number 1 favorite - and why! Who knows? We may even play your voice in a future episode! Head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg today to record your voice and share your favorite episode with us.

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!

The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.

Share the Ag-Love!

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:

Future of Agriculture Website

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Future of Agriculture 099: Nutrient Management, Intercropping, and The Sharing Economy with Jason Mauck May 02, 2018

Show notes

Jason Mauck is a farmer in Gaston, Indiana and the CEO of Constant Canopy, an operation dedicated to closing the gap between livestock and grain production. He is passionate about demystifying misconceptions and bringing public awareness to how the farming and agriculture industry truly works from a large-scale farming perspective.

Jason joins me today to share how his large-scale nutrient management system works, discuss the imbalance between supply and demand, and why he believes a sharing economy is a perfect solution to addressing these issues. He shares the intercropping strategy he uses to create higher crop yields, effective strategies for using manure as a soil nutrient management technique, and how he describes “true soil wealth” for large-scale farmers. He also explains the concept of wheat spreading and how it impacts production costs and the benefits of planting soybeans early in the growing season.

“I don’t think there’s one subject that is more compatible with the sharing economy than manure distribution.” - Jason Mauck

This Week on the Future of Agriculture Podcast:

Effective strategies for using manure as a nutrient management technique on large-scale farming operations.
Why newer methods of using manure to manage soil nutrients are more effective and economical than older methods.
How the sharing economy can address supply and demand issues related to manure distribution.
The cropping system he uses to keep production costs low while using manure-based nutrient management techniques.
The benefits of locally placing manure versus widespread placement.
The benefits of developing an intercropping system.
Why he advocates for early soybean planting - even when predicting another freeze.
Understanding the concept of wheat spreading and how it impacts production costs.
How he harvests wheat without harming soybean crops with his intercropping system.
Benefits of early bean seed planting.
How allowing bean plans to grow side-by-side - instead of upright - impacts the overall growth and production.
Why he believes more farmers do not experiment with intercropping strategies.
How farmers evaluate annual soil health.
How he describes “true soil wealth.”

Connect with Jason Mauck:

Jason Mauck on Twitter

Check Out Our Sponsor for the “Sustainability at Scale” Series

Marrone is very proud to support The Future Of Agriculture blog series on sustainability in agriculture with Tim Hammerich.

Join Our 100th Episode Celebration!

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!

The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.

Share the Ag-Love!

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:

Future of Agriculture Website

AgGrad Website

AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook

Future of Agriculture 098: Evidence-Based Agriculture and Defining Sustainability with Marc Brazeau of Food and Farm Discussion Lab Apr 25, 2018

Show notes

Marc Brazeau is the Chief Organizer and Editor at Food and Farm Discussion Lab, a food system think tank and online magazine for people within the agriculture industry to share evidence-based solutions, ideas, and concepts related to sustainable agriculture, hunger and food security, and public health and nutrition concerns. With previous experience as a chef and restaurant owner as well as organizing unions within the agriculture space, he brings a unique perspective to the food-to-table movement. He is passionate about helping others form their opinions regarding agricultural issues based on evidence, science, and facts.

Marc joins me today to share how he became interested in evidence-based agriculture concerns, what inspired him to create the Food and Farm Discussion Lab, and how his views of food sustainability have evolved. He explains the variables that affect the global sustainability of food, why he believes scalability is a critical factor to consider when addressing food sustainability matters, and the issues that he believes have become over-hyped within the industry.

“If you’re not dealing with corn, soy, wheat, forage crops, or meat, then you’re not really having a serious conversation about sustainability.” - Marc Brazeau

This Week on the Future of Agriculture Podcast:

What inspired him to start the Food and Farm Discussion Lab.
The pivotal moment that lead him to begin searching for evidence-based information regarding sustainability issues in agriculture.
How agriculture professionals currently view the term “sustainability” and how we should transition to more productive views.
The variables that create the most impact on the global food sustainability crisis.
Why corn, soy, wheat, meat, and forage crops are critical to the overall scalability factor of food sustainability.
Over-hyped technologies and initiatives within the agriculture industry related to food sustainability.
How his views and opinions regarding food sustainability have evolved since starting the Food and Farm Discussion Lab.

Resources Mentioned:

Bio Fortified
Tomorrow’s Table: Organic Farming, Genetics, and the Future of Food book by Raoul Adamchak and Pamela Ronald
Accountable Ag blog post by John Phipps

Connect with Marc Brazeau:

Join Our 100th Episode Celebration!

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!

The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.

Share the Ag-Love!

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:

Future of Agriculture Website

AgGrad Website

AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram

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