Future Farmer JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022
COMPLIMENTARY
Farming Influencers Find Out Who You Should Be Following!
Regenerative Agriculture: A Q&A With Don Morgan and Joshua Dukart Tracability From Seed To Feed Ag Tech Will Help Farmers Overcome the Challenges of 21st Century Agriculture
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COVER STORY
CONTENTS 10
TOP TIKTOK FARMING INFLUENCERS
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TRACEABILITY FROM SEED TO FEED
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REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE: A Q&A WITH DON MORGAN AND JOSHUA DUKART
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WHAT'S GOING ON AT BUSHEL?
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AGTECH ECOSYSTEM MAP
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AG INNOVATION CHALLENGE HIGHLIGHTS MIDWEST ENTREPRENEURS AND GRAND FARM PARTNERS
FEATURING
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EMERGING PRAIRIE
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AGTECH WILL HELP FARMERS OVERCOME THE CHALLENGES OF 21ST CENTURY AGRICULTURE
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HELP MAXIMIZE AGRONOMIC DATA VALUE WITH A SIX-STEP APPROACH
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STRONGSOIL LAB AND FIELD TRIALS SHOW PROMISING RESULTS
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January/February 2022 Volume 3 Issue 1
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Top TikTok
Farming Influencers Justin Rhodes @thejustinrhodesshow
Background: North Carolina's Justin Rhodes is on a mission to share how to homestead. While sharing his own story, Rhodes offers plenty of insight regarding how to become self-sufficient through lighthearted, inspiring short videos.
Shay Myers
that learn new farming information from him through his weekly videos.
Background: In Shay Myers' videos, he focuses on sharing insight into unique areas of the growing industry, ranging from properly picking asparagus to why food costs will be increasing in the next year. Over time, the third-generation farmer has amassed nearly 378,000 followers
Why They Stick Out: Few people are as determined to spread the word about the latest in the farming industry as Myers. As he updates his followers with commentary regarding changes all around the world, both in and out of the agriculture field, they learn new information about how farming impacts other markets.
By Grant Ayers
@shayfarmkid
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Why They Stick Out: Rhodes emphasizes a focus on homesteading education in his TikTok videos. Through his videos, any viewer is able to gain inspiration and learn how to be self-sufficient in growth.
Huey Boelen @hueybcool
Background: Specializing in primarily dairy and indoor farming, Huey Boelen is a jack of all trades among farming influencers. Boelen provides a firsthand look at daily tasks in the life of operating a dairy farm. Also, Boelsen shares his story with indoor farming, where he can produce more lettuce
in a shorter cycle, while also using less water. Through these farming techniques and videos, Boelen is inspiring viewers to consider more forward-thinking farming alternatives one follower at a time. Why They Stick Out: Boelen's TikTok page is extremely easy to follow, keeping the viewer engaged and interested in learning more about different forms of farming. With distinct tabs leading to dairy
Michelle Squirrely @michelles_farmstead
Background: Based out of Georgia, Squirrely showcases that while her work may be challenging at times, she can't be stopped from having fun while doing it. Complete with a unique and fresh perspective,
she doesn't hold back on the pros and cons of her farm and its labor process. Why They Stick Out: As she has a relatively new account, Michelle Squirrely is fresh to documenting her farming experience and looks to develop a unique take on documenting her farming experience.
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Top TikTok Farming Influencers
Hannah Jackson @theredshepherdess
Background: As a skilled public speaker and award-winning writer, Hannah Jackson had no fear when hopping aboard social media to document her journey through the shepherding industry. Through her TikTok videos and Instagram feed, she showcases her
Farmer Andy @big_farmer_andy
Background: Hailing from the UK, Farmer Andy offers humor, educational clips and much more. As a dairy farmer, Andy aims to not only spread positivity about the farming industry but also spotlight the misconceptions of false animal abuse in the industry.
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Why They Stick Out: Farmer Andy has gained hundreds of thousands of followers on TikTok with his lighthearted comedy skits and quick-witted sense of humor. While his personality and funny videos may be what people came to his page for, he's using the platform to address many serious topics including mental health, abuse and much more.
lambing experiences while also highlighting proper farm safety. Why They Stick Out: Many farmers devote themselves solely to their work in agriculture and ensuring success in a great season. Jackson, on the other hand, looks to boost awareness through her writing. In her book, 'Call Me Red', readers can learn about her past and full journey, leading up to what they see across social media.
Top TikTok Farming Influencers
Tyler Froberg @farmer.froberg
Background: Tyler Froberg offers the perfect blend of education and humor that both farming professionals and novices would be entertained by,
as they learn and laugh through his account. Why They Stick Out: "Farmer Frodberg" is a natural when it comes to social media. Born to be in the spotlight, Froberg offers a healthy mix of lighthearted laughs and inspiration to dive into the world of agriculture.
Charlotte Ashley @charlotteashleyfarm
Background: Charlotte Ashley is a farmer first, natural comedian second. As she continues her new life on the farm, she brings
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silliness and seriousness to the table through wholesome firsthand farming experiences. Why They Stick Out: On top of her significant work in farming education, Ashley also creates art through wool processing, making for an interesting side project that's rarely seen on TikTok.
peter
machines, seeding and much more across the pond.
Background: Taking a look at farming influencers across the globe, one Australian farmer has caught the attention of many. With over 763,000 followers, Peter keeps his followers entertained with daily updates regarding the crops,
Why They Stick Out: Many of us are used to seeing American agriculture and farming, but how many have seen farming in Australia? Through his videos, viewers can see a unique growing process that wouldn't be possible to see without social media.
@malleeboy3490
Hannah Neeleman
can be. While she's much more known for her Instagram account, Neeleman has begun expanding her social media reach to make an even larger influence.
Background: As a mother of six who runs a pig farm (Ballerina Farm) alongside her husband and children, Hannah Neeleman is striving to be the best that she
Why They Stick Out: Neeleman puts her chaotic life on full display as her family finds success on the farm. Neeleman was also crowned as 2021's Mrs. Utah! farming impacts other markets.
@ballerinafarm
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Download AgDirect Mobile from your app store. Your mobile carrier’s message and data rates may apply. AgDirect is an equipment financing program offered by Farm Credit Services of America and other participating Farm Credit System Institutions with lease financing provided by Farm Credit Leasing Services Corporation.
Top TikTok Farming Influencers
Hayden Fox
on the farm, he's making the most of it, as well as recording it all for our pure entertainment.
Background: Based out of Canada, Hayden Fox is having the time of his life on the farm. As he faces his daily challenges
Why They Stick Out: Farmer Fox may very well be one of the funniest and most energetic video creators in the farming TikTok field.
@haydenjfox
Brian Brigantti
to Tennessee farmland with his partner. There, Brigantti documents his daily routine, the health of his crops and more.
Background: At the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, Brian Brigantti made the leap to purchase and move
Why They Stick Out: The video creator not only educational growing tips but also intriguing recipes such as grilled sunflowers.
@redleafranch
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Top TikTok Farming Influencers
B.A. Sheppard
as he runs a horse farm, as well as deeper conversation topics that motivate them to achieve greater goals in their life alongside him.
Background: B.A. Sheppard, a proud horse farm owner and operator, has been dominating TikTok as a farm-themed motivational speaker and influencer. Viewers are learning about his story and operations
Why They Stick Out: Sheppard offers life lessons of all forms, both on and off the farm. No matter the number of videos that a follower watches, they're bound to receive valuable advice from the influencer.
@basheppard
Angelique Taylor and David "Kip" Ritchey @smarterbynature
Background: The duo behind "Smarter By Nature" is a force looking to better the world. Angelique Taylor and David "Kip"
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Ritchey first attended a climate change march in 2015, where they made the decision to restore food systems in Florida using only hand tools. Why They Stick Out: Taylor and Ritchey developed a focus on regenerative agriculture, where they aim to do their part in reversing climate change through forward-thinking farming techniques.
Top TikTok Farming Influencers
Morgan Gold
light on the commercial side of farming, discussing the financial opportunities at hand for those willing to take the leap.
Background: Located in Vermont, Morgan Gold has gained quite the following for his duck and goose farm. With over 1.7 million followers, Gold is most famous for attaching mobile cameras to his farm animals for a "day in the life" experience. He also sheds
Why They Stick Out: Gold shows the lighthearted, fun side of having a farm filled with animals. As viewers watch him document his care for them, it's clear that his TikTok videos are more heartwarming than any others you'll find.
@goldshawfarm
Grains and Manes Farm @grainsmanesfarm
Background: Grains & Manes Farm's TikTok page showcases the daily life of a small-town farm in Wisconsin. As they advertise specializing in corn,
soybeans, hay and horses, the farm shows the fun side of keeping a business in the ag field pushing forward. Why They Stick Out: Rather than follow one person's journey, this page follows a whole Wisconsin farm with many divisions and specialties.
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Top TikTok Farming Influencers
Lightskin Farmer @lightskinfarmer
Background: TikTok trendsetter Lightskin Farmer has shed light on the farming industry in a unique way, to say the least. The video creator has gained over 150,000
6th Gen Farmer @6th_gen_farmer
Background: 6th Gen Farmer shows that it takes a village to get things done on a largescale farm. As he captures the daily family farming tasks and activities at hand on video, he also takes time to answer questions that viewers have regarding any step in the
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process. If the TikTok's aren't enough, 6th Gen Farmer also has a YouTube channel that offers long-form videos and educational deep dives into all things farming. Why They Stick Out: Every farmer has a unique story to tell that's like no other. This specific farmer chooses to document his story, alongside his family, in a way that captured the attention of thousands.
followers for his comical videos, both on and off the farm. As he shows the fun side of the farming lifestyle, he convinces more young social media users to pursue an agricultural lifestyle. Why They Stick Out: While many agriculture pages take more of a "day in the life" approach, Lightskin Farmer puts the laughs first.
Alyson Ankrom
garden. On her account, various gardening techniques, types of flowers to plant, and resources continue to inspire gardeners across the globe.
Background: As a mother of four in the heart of Missouri, it's safe to say that Alyson Ankrom appreciates her time outdoors. So much so, that she created a TikTok account filled with tips for creating and sustaining a beautiful flower
Why They Stick Out: Ankrom proves that it doesn't take farming experience or equipment to care for a garden worth being proud of. With her tips and tricks, each follower is bound to learn something new in the world of flower farms and gardening.
@alljoyaly
Melody @farmermelody
Background: With a focus on regenerative agriculture, Farmer Melody highlights what a younger generation can do to help our planet as we gain from it. Her adventure includes many different animals and livestock, along with other farming and gardening tips. Based out of Washington, one of Melody's
messages is that the lifestyle may not be the easiest to live, but it does feel good to give back while doing what she loves. Why They Stick Out: Melody showcases that she's just an everyday farmer who shares her life with the world. Gaining a new perspective, along with a few lessons during her "day in the life" videos, prove to be just as entertaining as they are educational.
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By Marisa Jackels
Peter Schott and Jenny Melom giving a high five after the successful event. 24
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In the culmination of Genesis’ Feed Technologies’ Seed to Feed project, we explore the innovative ways our partners are bringing traceability to the ag industry. Growing up on a family farm in Kulm, North Dakota, Peter Schott remembers dropping soybeans off at the elevator— but ask him what happened to them after that and, at the time, he couldn’t tell you. “I never gave much thought to, where do they go? How were they being used? What was the value downstream for these commodities?” he said. “I was just on to the next load, or the next crop, or the next flat tire.” Now, as co-founder of agtech startup Genesis Feed Technologies, Schott is answering these questions about the supply chain—most recently through GFT’s Seed to Feed campaign hosted at the Grand Farm in Fargo, ND. The Seed to Feed campaign was designed to show people what Schott could not see growing up on the farm— a look at the total life of a soybean, from seed, to harvest, to the elevator, to animal feed, to the buyer.
GFT touring the NCI facility
The vision was to demonstrate three things: 1. What is the supply chain? 2. What are some of the current issues with the supply chain? 3. Who are the innovators and the leaders that are working to solve problems within the supply chain? To do this, Schott and the Seed to Feed partners grew 5 acres of soybeans, published educational content about the supply chain, spoke at and hosted events such as the Blockchain + Ag event (which brought in over 250 people from around the world), and wrapped up with an event, Traceability in Ag, which brought in attendees from 37 different countries and highlighted the technology partners in the ag industry. The work of the Seed to Feed partners varies in how they are each addressing
traceability and the supply chain in agriculture. Some of the core areas of innovation are centered around data tracking and management, data interoperability, and identity preservation. The shared goal is to bring value back to the farmers and growers, and create a system that supports that as well.
Learn more in our previous Seed to Feed articles published in Future Farmer! FUTUREFARMERMAG.COM
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The SCiO cup is a handheld Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIR) product by Consumer Physics, which they describe as “the world’s fastest lab-grade dry matter analyzer.” The SCiO cup is much smaller than the typical NIR machines you’d find in an agricultural lab—it’s about the size of a really big coffee cup. It’s also significantly faster; whereas a lab may take a few days to gather results, the SCiO cup uses NIR technology to do an infrared scan, instantly compares the analysis with lab results, and delivers information within minutes. In a live demonstration at the event, Schott scanned soybeans with the SCiO cup and within seconds, it pulled up a nutrient profile for the beans: 31% protein, 11.7% moisture, 22.5% oil. “Theoretically, when a farmer is dumping things out into a bin, they could know this information,” Schott said. “And if it’s a higher value commodity, maybe they’d choose to bin store it somewhere else and sell it as a specialty, and charge a premium for it.”
Watch the SCiO cup demonstration: https://vimeo.com/635485373#t=813s
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According to McKinsey Global Institution’s Digitization Index, ag is the least digitized major industry. Fargo-based software provider, Bushel, saw an opportunity to change that. They are create a digital infrastructure that complements the existing physical supply chain, and helps move the ag industry into the digital era. “Where farmers could track everything down to the centimeter at their field, they were then handed a paper scale ticket at the elevator. It takes longer to move the data than to move the grain,” Colette Bersie, Bushel Product Manager, said. Bersie said. “This is why initiatives like the Seed to Feed campaign are so important for us to participate in—we’re finally attaching digitization and digital data to the physical supply chain where it hasn’t been before.” By integrating with grain elevator accounting and information systems,
Bushel allows farmers to keep track of the many moving parts in their operations in one digital platform. Farmers can see when a grain truck has made a delivery, the quality of the grain that was delivered, and have a record of when and where the delivery was made. This type of traceability is crucial for three main things Bersie outlined: supply chain management, safety and quality assurance and marketing food attributes. This in turn drives lower cost distribution systems, reduced recall expenses and high-margin product sales. “Not all commodities are created equal,” Bersie said, acknowledging their shared vision with Genesis Feed Technologies. “We believe that a higher margin opportunity is there for both farmers and the grain elevators when traceability is attached to those commodities.”
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An important part of these agtech initiatives is farmer buyin and trust—something that is top-of-mind for Connie Bowen, AgLaunch Director of Innovation and Investment (her favorite word is “farmer-centric.”) Part of AgLaunch’s work involves proof of concept field trials for cutting edge agtech—all with the purpose of verifying if this agtech tool is actually helpful to farmers. “We get out in the field and say, ok, here’s a productive farm. Does this ‘agtech gadget thing’ work? Do farmers like it? Can they work with it? We stress test,” Bowen said. “And we do it in a way so farmers are investors of their time, resources, assets, and capital. We choose the startups with the farmers.” This is a crucial part of seeing progress for the ag industry supply chain, Bowen said, especially considering that current data shows a low adoption rate for agtech. According to the 2021 Farmer Perspectives on Data Trust in Food, a Farm Journal Initiative & the Sustainability Consortium, 62 percent of farmers do not rely on Financial Management Information Systems (FMIS), defined by the report as “any commercially available farm management software suite designed to help
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farmers collect, store and use their production data.” Twenty-eight percent store and manage their data primarily on paper records. “Basically, farmers don’t trust agtech,” Bowen said. “This is natural push-pull… but it’s a challenge when you’re working in agtech and trying to get more adoption.” High on the list of concerns is the question: who owns my data? In the report, 73% of respondents said they don’t trust private companies with their data, and 58% don’t trust the government with it. AgLaunch’s solution was to build a farmer-owned, farmer-controlled data commons (or an ontological data lake, for the nerds, Bowen said.) “Each farmers has control over their ‘bucket’ of data. The farmer group that governs it has control over certain components within each farmer’s data bucket, which are agreed upon as part of the commons,” Bowen said. “These farmer cooperations are the key to actually enabling some of these multi-chain traceability initiatives.”
Another important piece for moving the ag industry forward is education. Northern Crops Institue has made this their mission for 40 years, most recently hosting a Grain Procurement course for 80 participants from 20 countries. Other courses focus on ethanol production, soy foods, barley usage, pasta processing, and more.
Ken Jackson, CEO of Verigrain, grew up on a large seed farm where, for sampling, they used a broken hockey stick with a can on the end. Everything was documented on a paper notepad, usually kept in someone’s pocket. Today, while some things have changed— hockey-stick-buckets have been replaced with plastic sampling scoops—much is still the same. Verigrain has a vision to change that.
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“What we’re doing is taking what is now a very analog, manual process, that uses a scoop on a stick and a little booklet in your top pocket, and we’re taking it to a new level with a digital app based recordkeeping system,” Jackson said. The problem Verigrain is solving, he explained, is that grain quality and quantity determination is inaccurate and inefficient. This leads to growers getting sub-optimal grain value and lower revenue, and buyers and processors deal with inefficiencies and additional costs.
“It’s about connecting with the international marketplace. How do you understand the supply chain, and how do you connect with those sellers?” Mark Jirik, NCI Director, said. “We bring in ag leaders who come to Fargo to learn about the food we grow in this region. For us it’s about continuing to tell that story.”
Verigrain provides everything needed to create a digital traceable record of your grain; a Smart Scoop, bar-coded storage containers, tamper-evident bags, and analysis management. Their Smart Scoop is not unlike the bucket Jackson grew up using, they just “added some smarts to it,” he said. Growers use the Smart Scoop and Verigrain’s bar-coded storage bags, synced with the Verigrain platform, to share a traceable, digital record of their grain with multiple buyers anywhere in the world.
Looking forward to the future, Schott hopes to continue to host events and campaigns like the Seed to Feed campaign that bring together agtech innovators and explore how the ag industry can work together. After all, the best way to move the ag industry forward is together—technologists, growers, buyers, engineers, data analysts, producers—working together with a shared goal.
and want to learn more about it,” Schott said at the Traceability in Ag event. “Maybe you have an idea of how to help them, or can see how their technology can work with you. Reach out to them and make that connection.” You can learn more about our partners at seedtofeed.info/ Watch the entirety of the Traceability in Ag event here:
vimeo.com/635485373
“My goal today is that you find one of these partners interesting
Verigrain claims that by showing your traceable record, you can increase prices by 20 percent. “Being able to provide samples and independent lab analysis gives buyers more confidence in purchasing your grain at higher prices,” Jackson said. “When you consider that different grades and specific characteristics can change final prices by up to 20 percent or more, knowing exactly what’s in bins is crucial for maximum profit.”
REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE: Ask any seasoned farmer or rancher how much the industry has changed in the last 30 years, and they’ll tell you. Prices are more unpredictable. Land, equipment and treatments are more expensive. Thinning profit margins force them to reach for higher yields just to break even. And that “yield reach” requires newer and more expensive technology. This vicious cycle has led to more debt leverage and higher risk for family operations. On top of that, labor is harder to hire, and the weather seems more volatile than ever. It’s a perfect storm where equity is being burned at a high rate across the entire landscape, and succession rates continue their downward spiral.
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There is a movement to overturn this trend by boosting soil health, and thus yields, through natural means rather than chemical treatments. Whether you call it holistic or regenerative agriculture, the practice shows promise for increasing production while lowering input costs.
Producers who are curious about making the switch naturally have a lot of questions, not only about where to start, but also about how to finance such a change. Don Morgan of Starion Bank and Joshua Dukart of Seek First Ranch have the tools and experience to help. Morgan is a Wyoming native who came to Starion Bank in 2012 as Vice President of Credit Administration. He was promoted to President in 2020, and now in 2022 serves as Starion ’s Chief Executive Officer. Morgan is also a leading voice in regenerative agriculture financing. Dukart has practiced holistic management since 2008 and on his own family operation since 2016. He holds a degree in Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering from NDSU, is a Certified Educator in Holistic Management, and has spoken about the subject around the US and abroad.
What financial products and services can help them ease that transition? Producers need a financial partner that understands and supports the transition and is willing to learn the new operation alongside the producer. Finding the right partner is the most important factor. The financial partner can then support the transitioning operation with financial products that match up to the new practices. Some examples we have introduced here at Starion are: lines of credit timed to the payments from stacked enterprises and not just set to mature in a year; unconventional financing for transition needs like watering systems, fencing systems, rotational grazing systems; products that support long-term soil health like cover cropping systems and are treated like long-term capital investments rather than short-term operating; and, underwriting standards that are supportive of transition practices. The right financial partner will have expertise and products that meet the needs of all these types of producers – and that’s where Starion Bank really excels.
DON MORGAN
What does Starion do to help, beyond just the financial products? What do we offer over and above other banks? We are the first bank in our region to develop two critical components to help the agricultural industry. First, an open mind and a willingness to learn and adapt alongside the industry. Second, a readiness to step out of our comfort zone, take on more risk, and be a leader in this industry revolution.
We openly advocate for regenerative transitions, have developed new financial products to support regenerative producers at each stage of transition, are teaching our bankers right alongside our producer customers, and are making significant investments in the regenerative agriculture space. We are actively developing new partnerships with agencies and coalitions in this space and are now producing annual Starion Legacy producer schools that cover the four main elements of regenerative agriculture – biological, financial, lifestyle and succession. Why is Starion producing its own seminars to cover more than just financing? How do soil, lifestyle and succession fit into the overall picture? At Starion, our mission is to be financial experts that help solve the financial needs of our customers. In the agricultural industry, we see a new set of needs that is going unfulfilled by the banking industry – the support of traditional operations to transition themselves into sustainable, profitable, regenerative enterprises. Our expertise and experience have proven that operators who fully commit to a different mindset – one focused on strategic goals for the operation – and actively employ operational changes to achieve those goals, have a much higher chance of successfully operating not only now but for future generations.
What are some mindset challenges when transitioning to regenerative agriculture? First, the mindset needs to move away from simply reacting to financial challenges, and toward goals that focus on quality of life, profitability and operational sustainability. Second, the mindset shift includes realizing certain truths such as: • What was done historically isn't always the best way going forward. • Soil is the most important asset you will ever have. • Match the crops and/or livestock to the soil, not the other way around. • Just because the neighbors are doing it doesn’t mean it's right for you. • Profit is more important than size, and profit is driven by the soil. • Working toward a goal is always better than simply reacting to a string of challenges. FUTUREFARMERMAG.COM
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PHOTOS BY KIMBERLI FREDERICKS PHOTOGRAPHY
JOSHUA DUKART
become a major focus. Much of agriculture and the rest of society is disconnected. Regenerative agriculture aims to reconnect people with their food, communities with their resources, and farmers and ranchers with their soil.
How does regenerative ag help producers overcome challenges?
What are the biggest fears traditional producers have about regenerative?
Adopting a regenerative agriculture mindset does not mean challenges cease to exist. However, this regenerative approach provides tools, techniques, and strategies to handle these challenges to a greater degree. It offers more opportunities and flexibility so you can solve the root causes of problems, not just temporarily address symptoms.
Fear of change. With change comes potential failure, criticism, exposure, and simply finding the mental and emotional energy to do something different when time, money, and resources can be limited.
How does regenerative agriculture help our food supply and local economies? Agriculture will always be critical for providing food. But it can also be the foundation to build strong rural communities and profitable economies, contribute to better health and wellness for families, and create local and regional food and other animal product supply chains. With regenerative agriculture, not only do these things become possible, but they
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Resistance to the regenerative approach is often times not knowing what it really involves. Agriculture is threatened and pressured in so many different ways that it is logical for producers to be wary. However, regenerative agriculture is a strategic approach to mitigate and nullify many of these threats. What’s the one most important thing a current traditional farmer/rancher should know about changing to regenerative. Focusing on just crop/livestock production, or just revenue creation, or just conservation,
or just lifestyle will not create a regenerative and sustainable future for farm and family. Only once we synergistically start pulling all of those things together in a package deal can we provide the future we are looking for. Can regenerative improve success rates for family operations? Farms and ranches that have a vision for the future, work towards being regeneratively managed, are profit focused, and emphasize quality of life tend to have greater succession rates than those that follow a different path. Where we find current generation farm/ ranch managers excited about the improvement of their land, operating in a profitable business, and having time for family and outside the farm/ranch activities, we also tend to find a next generation eager to participate and desire to be a part of the farm/ranch in the future.
LEARN MORE To learn more about how your operation can benefit from implementing holistic and regenerative practices, contact Starion Bank and speak with our expert agribusiness bankers. Beginning in Summer 2022, Starion will also produce seminars covering the important elements of regenerative agriculture, beginning with soil health. Look for announcements and sign-up information at starionbank.com.
What's Going on at Bushel A Growing National Powerhouse, Planted in FargoMoorhead
By Josiah Kopp
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Full-Steam Ahead in 2021 Expanding Digital Infrastructure 2021 brought major growth for the independently-owned Fargo agtech company. Not only did Bushel celebrate its 10 year anniversary in 2021, but it also kickstarted the year with a $47 million investment round in April, with the ultimate goal of expanding its digital infrastructure and providing more permissionbased data sharing. Bushel made two big acquisitions in 2021, joining forces with GrainBridge and FarmLogs, both powerful tools in helping expand on Bushel's digital infrastructure. Following the investment, Bushel brought talented new faces on board to further
accelerate their growth. Michael Sharov, for example, was brought onboard as Bushel's Chief Growth Officer, whose main role is leading product and strategy efforts to further enhance Bushel's vision of a digital infrastructure powerhouse to the grain supply chain.
Michael Sharov is Bushel's new Chief Growth Officer, equipped to build upon Bushel's vision in creating a digital infrastructure powerhouse.
We Speak Agri-Busines s Another notable addition to Bushel's lineup of talented individuals is Chief Revenue Officer Nathan Jennings, who leads efforts in building channel partnerships, growing accounts and sales team development for Bushel. Jennings' role is seeking out talent development and hiring the most talented salespeople in the industry as well as creating strategies for sales processes.
Nathan Jennings is Bushel's first Chief Revenue Officer
Another crucial piece to the growing puzzle has been the addition of Vice President of Engineering David Aichele. Aichele's role is in leading and developing Bushel's development teams and continuing to build upon Bushel's ever-expanding digital infrastructure. Aichele believes that the opportunities Bushel is creating, not just in the midwest but nationwide, is a digital frontier. It's the agtech individuals right here in North Dakota and the surrounding regions of the midwest who best understand not only the need for digital infrastructure but also how to turn it into powerful and useful tools that last. Additionally, Bushel also brought on board Vice President of Human Resources Mandie Begin, Vice President of Marketing Angie Ryan as well as promoted Benny Andres to Vice President of Customer Success.
wr.cpa | Fargo, North Dakota
The Bushel family celebrates 10 years of agtech success in Arthur, ND
The Power of Joining Forces Bushel Acquires GrainBridge Strengthening relationships between farmers and local grain elevators— that has been the goal for Bushel in the last several years as they have joined forces with a number of other brands, most recently, GrainBridge. Many benefits have blossomed as a result of the acquisition, including further connecting the grain industry by creating a network for over 40% of the grain origins in both the U.S. and Canada. Other important tools and benefits the acquisition has brought to farmers is the increased capabilities in data science and growing the network, which ultimately will benefit everyone in the grain supply chain. FarmLogs FarmLogs by Bushel is a farm management software for growers. FarmLogs will allow for key equipment integrations to reduce manual entry into farm operations—thus creating more automation and efficiencies for farming operations. More recently, FarmLogs and John Deere joined forces by allowing FarmLog subscribers and John Deere Operations Center subscribers to connect their accounts seamlessly.
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This connectivity will create many efficiencies, including the seamless transfer of fieldwork captured by equipment monitors. This will help growers eliminate inefficiencies like time spent on entering data, as well as help them keep more accurate records across platforms. Other efficiencies and automation this partnership will provide are helping calculate the cost of production as well as providing growers with the tools calculate profit & loss down to the very acre. Project Carbonview Another powerful example of Bushel joining forces has been with Bayer and Amazon Web Services in creating Project Carbonview, which Bushel calls "an industry-first digital carbon footprint measurement solution for agriculture." The main goal of Project Carbonview is to allow ethanol producers to report, analyze and assess their end-to-end supply chain carbon footprint. This project will also help farmers by allowing them to further take advantage of the value of low-carbon fuel markets.
David Aichele
joins Bushel as the Vice President of Engineering.
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agtech in-field technologies Soil AGBIOME Biome Makers Falcon One Soil SMART Fertilizer SoilOptix Solum (Climate Corp) stenon Teralytic Trace genomics veristech
farm efficendy optimization Agri Tracking system Agrian Agrimaster AgVerdict (Wilber Ellis) Artemis Ag Exact Farming MyAgCentral Solinftec INSECTS & POLLINATION Bee flow BeeHero Beesharing BeeWise Olombria osBeeHives Pollenity Power Pollen Vatorex
CLIMATE Agranimo Cabure ClearAG (DTN) Descartes Labs Global Parametrics Understory Weather Trends 360 Weatherflow WSIcorporation
INPUTS EFFICIENCY Adapt-N (Yara) Agnition AutoAutoAgronom CropManage (UCANR) Eco2Mix FieldIn ITK / Vintel Nanotica PowWow Seed Wiz SWEEP Energy Wexus
LABOR MANAGEMENT Agdraft Ganaz My eTime Card Pago APPLICATIONS Aglink Agrimap Agroptima AgSync AgVisor Pro AgVoice Crop Mobster FarmHack FarmVoice GIRA Input KipTraq Plantix IMAGERY ANALYTICS Cropio Digital Harvest Frontec S.A. Gamaya Sentera urthecast
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FIELD MONITORING IoT SOLUTIONS Acuity Ag Autogrow Banner Engineering Croptimal Device Pilot Falker GrowGuru Intelliconn One Soil Onset viridix Waterbit Wellntel Wild Eye Yuktix
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SMALL FARMER SOLUTIONS Agrishare Agro Innova Bluetown Cultivando Futuro Drying Beads eFishery eKutir EM3 Agri Farmist Gham Power Grain Kfarmers M-Power Nile Point Nutrition Technologies Selina Wamucii SimpleAGRI Spero Analytics Sun Farmer Tier 1 Digital IMAGING SERVICE PROVIDERS AgPixel Envsys Ninox Robotics Planet Labs Satellite Imaging Corp Terravion Urthercast VegaMX I oT + ANALYTICS SOLUTIONS Acronex Agrology Arable FarmX Fruition Sciences Saturas ScaniTech See Tree Solucioneswiga Strider Swiim Trellis Tule Wiseconn SCOUTING Aker Farm Dog Farm Shots FarmQA HeavyConnect OneSoil Pest Logics
SOFTWARE SENSORS Acclima Aquacheck Aquaspy AquaSpy Cambell Scientific Cropaia CropX Davis Instruments Delta-T Dynamax Eno Scientific EnviroPro FARM 21 HSTI HydraWize Irrometer Meter Pago Sensoterra Sentek Spectrum supra sensor Weatherhawk IMAGERY PLATFORMS Aerobotics AgerPoint Ceres Geaap Geovisual Analytics Horus Aeronaves Intelin Air Nectras Resson Aerospace Scan Terra SpaceAg Taranis Urthercast (Geosys) VineView WineFlight (UAV-IQ) IRRIGATION DRI-products Agro Web Lab AgSense (Valmont) Cordoba Technologies Crop metrics Dragon Line FieldNet (Lindsay) Hortau Jain Logic kilimo Manna (Rivulis) MimosaTEK Net Irrigate NetBeat (Netafim) SenSprout Tal-Ya TWIG (Nelson)
CROP MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE 365Farmnet Aegro Agrinavia Agrivi Auravant Decisive Farming Farm Logic FarmBrite farmers Edge FarmLogs Farmserver (Beck's) FarmWorks (Trimble) InCeres ISAGRI LandData Eurosoft M2agro Optiagro Proagrica Scicrop Sismagro Trecker Unica WinField (Land O'Lakes) FARM ACCOUNTING SOFTWARE Country Side Data EFC Systems Red Wing Software Siga Farm Software Siseth FARM MGMT. PLATFORMS Ag Squared AgCode AgDNA Agrible Agritask Agworld Conservis Crop in tech Croptrak eFarmer Granular Growers Prospera Smag The Climate Corporation
BIG DATA PROVIDERS AcreValue (Granular) AG Data Agralogics Agralytics AgriData Inc. Agro-Data agrono metrics AgTools Atlas Insights (Indigo) Awhere CDMS CiBO Technologies Farm market ID Farmers Business Network (FBN) Farmlink Marketing Food Genius Green Book Gro Intelligence Kynetec Kynetec Label Insights, Inc. Label Insights, Inc. Land IQ MDA Information Systems mercaris Praedictus Climate Solutions Premise Data DEVELOPMENT TOOLS Bees2Biz Aimirim Azure (Microsoft) BisonTrails Device Pilot Food Trust (IBM) Gambit RDS/AML (Amazon)
ecosystem map EQUIPMENT VARIABLE RATE TECHNOLOGIES 360 Yield Center Ag Leader Ag-Nav AgOtter Agri-Inject Agrothermal Systems Echelon Ag GenZ Technology John Deere MagGrow Nectras Norac ( TopCon) On Target Spray Precision Planting Raven Spraytest Controls TeeJet Technologies Trimble EQUIPMENT OPTIMIZATION AgTerra Nupoint TracMap UAV Aeroagri Aerobotics AgEagle Altave Applied Aeronautics AreoVironment Bird View Crop Copter Delair DroneDeploy GreenSight Ag Horus Aeronaves Nectras Precision Hawk Sensefly Terra Drone Vinveli Wingtra XAG
AUTONOMOUS Agerris Burro Clearpath Robotics ecorobotix Farmwise Guss Kingman Ag Naïo Technologies Rowbot SwarmFarm Robotics ASI Robotics Tartan Sense ROBOTICS Abundant Robotics Agrobot Farmatics FFRobotics Harvest Automation Harvest Croo Pharm Robotics Saga Robotics Soft Robotics Tortuga Verdant Robotics AUTOMATION Agro Intelli Blue River Technology Field Bot Plant Tape Robotics Plus Sapphire Automation Stout AgTech Turatti
SUPPLY CHAIN TRACEABILITY/ SAFETY Ancera clearlabs Corvium FarmBX Food Genius Food Origins FrequentZ Harvestmark (Trimble) iFood Decisions Inspecto Intello Labs iTrade Network Nanolambda Novolyze OriginTrail Proteo Sense proteoSense Redline Ripe.io Safetraces SnapDNA Where Food Comes From Yarok MARKETS/ INFORMATION AcreValue (Granular) Agri-Data AgriData Inc. Farm Market iD Farmlink Marketing Gro Intelligence Kynetec Label Insights, Inc. Premise Data FINANCE/ INSURANCE Acre Trader AGROMETRIKA AGVESTO Agvesto Audsat Bart Digital farm drive farm pay Geplant Technologia Florestal Growers edge NAGRO Produce pay stable traive TRU ACRE
POSTHARVEST 915 Labs Ag Next AgShift Apeel science AseptoRay Bin Sentry Blendhub Cambridge Crops Cold Pick Hazel Technologies llc Impact Vision Insfira Farms Insight Labs Insylo Intelli Farms Intello Labs Procurant SCIO Telesense SUPPLY CHAIN 1 Shift AgriChain Co Inspect Decision Next Ecogistix Esca Vox Food Logiq Inteligistics Lettuce Box Inc Lotpath Nano Thing OTRAFY Rfxcel Rizepoint Schedulers Sensitech Inc. Sensor Transport SourceMap TMD Tracr Gains Traqtion Way Cool FOOD RECOVERY Copia Food Maven Full harvest Lactips Re-Nuble Spoiler alert
EQUIPMENT CROP MARKET PLATFORMS Agree Market Agri Digital Anote Bushel Chef Hero Commodity Exchange Network Crofarm Ecogistix Farm Box Farm D Farm Lead Indigo Meicai MUUB NGT Global Ninjacart Plovgh ProdutorAgro Silo Theseam
SUSTAINABILITY Agren Tools Agri Protein Athena Intelligence CSS Eco-tek Entobia FigBytes Greenback Icix Ketos LWR Neogram Sure Harvest Tru Terra Vestaron WeSustain WISErg TRADING/SALES PLATFORMS Agrofy Agvend Alluagro Croper E-Farm farmtrade HarvestPort Hello Tractor IRON Solutions (Trimble) Tillable Tractor Junction TractorZoom
LIVESTOCK FARM MANAGEMENT Abuerdan AfiMilk Ag Boost Agersens Agri Webb Agrigate Agriness AgriTech Analysis Albor Camporal CattleWorks CloudFarm Critterworks DHI Provo ( AMELICOR) DRMS Easy Keeper Farm Control Farm Maven Farmcloud FarmIQ Systems Farmnote Gallagher Herdwatch Inhat Technologies Intergado Kraal Farm MetaFarms My Dairy Dashboard Pig Champ Pro Latino Porphyrio Stellapps Swift Vee Tambero VAS AQUACULTURE Algaeba Alune Apium Swarm Robotics Aqua Connect AquaByte Catch A Trade eFishery GenetiRate InnovaSea Jala Manolin Open Blue Savitri Aquamonk Umitron VerifiK8 Wittaya Aqua
ANIMAL MONITORING Allflex Calfbook CERES TAG Cowlar Digi-Star Faromatics Fevertags Herd Dogg Icerobotics Iotag Iron Goat Nofense Pasture Map Quantified Smart Paddock Smart Bell Vence ANIMAL HEALTH TECHNOLOGIES Advanced Animal Diagnostics Automed Biotangents Bovcontrol Breedr Cainthus Calf Smart Connecterra Digi Rodeo EggXYT Engender Tech Farrpro Feedlogic Coorporation Fodjan Smart Feeding Healthy Cow Mastiline MooCall Mootral Once Ovabrite Recombinetics Somadetech SWINETECH Vitalherd
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investors venture capital 4Di Capital Acre Venture Partners AG FUNDER Agritech Capital Agro ecologycapital AME Cloud Ventures Andreessen Horowitz Arpegio VC Atomico Bai Balderton Capital BASF VC Better Food Ventures Bits x Bites Breed Reply Brook Venture Cavallo Ventures (Wilber Ellis) Cites Cultivian Sandbox Data Collective
DNX (Draper Nexus Ventures) Fall Line Capital Finister Ventures First Round Capital GaoRong Capital GV ID Capital Innova Memphis Kalei Ventures Khosla ventures Kleiner Perkins Leaps (Bayer) Matrix Partners Maumee Ventures Middleland Capital Nch Capital Inc. NewCrop Capital NXTP VC Omnivore
Pontifax Qualcomm Ventures Rabo Corporate Investments Radicle Rhapsody Venture Partners S2G Ventures Serra Ventures Sinovation Ventures Spruce Capital SVG Ventures Syngenta Ventures Tao Capital Tenacious Ventures The Yield Lab TPG ART Yamaha Motor
PRIVATE EQUITY
ANGELS
IMPACT INVESTORS
Allen & Company Amerigocap Arrowroot Capital Charles Bridgeford Clearview Investment Partners Cordillera Partners Cycle Capital Heifer International Heirloom Investing (Canada) Hinduja Family (India) Nch Capital Inc. Rio investment partner The Hillman Company (USA) Village Capital
Band of angels Central Valley Angels Eniac Ventures Keiretsucapital LaunchCapital OurCrowd Riverbend Angels Savannah Fund Seed Invest Smart Value Investment South Valley Angels
Fund the Food (Kirchner) Gates Ag One
INCUBATORS Chobani Incubator AgFrontier Los Angeles Cleantech incubator Trendlines
The companies listed above are just a partial snapshot of those within our orbit. You can also access the interactive version on our website:
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accelerators PROGRAMS | INDUSTRY ACCESS AgStart Club AgTech Goal Blue Grow Asia Orchestra Innovation Tesco Labs WGA Center for Innovation Tech
ACCELERATORS 500 Startups ACM Ventures Ag Launch Alexandria Launch Labs Bee Next bitsxbytes Boost VC Elemental Excelerator Farmers2Founders Food Shot Global GLOCAL Hatch NXTP Labs
Plug and Play Rocket Seeder Seeds of Change (MARS) Sprout Accelerator Sprout X Techstars Farm to Fork Terra by Rabobank The Yield Lab Thrive Village Capital WFP Accelerator Y Combinator ZhenFund
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As 2022 comes into its own, there are a lot of exciting things in the works at Grand Farm. In each issue of Future Farmer, Emerging Prairie offers up insight into what's new and notable at the cross-section of start-ups and agriculture. This month, we get a recap of the Ag Innovation Challenge, take a look at how AgTech will help farmer's overcome 21st Century challenges, learn hot to maximize agronomic data value with a sixstep approach and take a look at some promising results from Strongsoil's lab and field trials. 48
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CONTENTS 66 50
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Ag Innovation Challenge Highlights Midwest Entrepreneurs and Grand Farm Partners
52 AgTech Will Help Farmers Overcome the Challenges of 21st Century Agriculture
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Help Maximize Agronomic Data Value With a SixStep Approach
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Strongsoil Lab and Field Trials Show Promising Results
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Ag Innovation Challenge Highlights Midwest Entrepreneurs and Grand Farm Partners Grand Farm recently attended the 2022 Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge at the AFBF Convention in Atlanta, Georgia. The Ag Innovation Challenge is a national business competition that showcases U.S. startups developing innovative solutions that address challenges facing America’s farmers, ranchers, and rural communities. The challenge was launched in 2015, the first national business competition of its kind focusing exclusively on rural entrepreneurs and is sponsored by industry leaders including Grand Farm partner Microsoft.
has developed a biological, proprietary process for upcycling poultry manure into a concentrated microbial bio-stimulant used to improve soil health by increasing soil microbes. The top four teams advanced to a final round competing for a $50,000 prize. Impressively, three of the four finalist teams hailed from the midwest.
Ten teams from across the country were selected to pitch at the Innovation Challenge which looks to identify top entrepreneurs who are addressing both traditional challenges farmers face on their operation, such as access to labor, optimizing yield and reducing operating costs, to entrepreneurs who are addressing new challenges facing farmers and rural communities.
“Everyone in agriculture knows someone who has been impacted by a grain bin death,” said Dana Peterson, Chief Strategy Officer of Grand Farm, who attended the Innovation Challenge. “It’s exciting to see entrepreneurs using innovation not only to solve grower pain points, but also to save lives.”
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The winning team, Grain Weevil, is a grain bin safety and management robot. The company was developed by a father and son team after a challenge from a farmer, "Build me a robot so I don't ever have to go into the grain bin again."
The teams included Grand Farm partner CHONEX, a soil health company that
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Ag Tech Will Help Farmers Overcome the Challenges of 21st Century Agriculture 52
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The future of food, beverage and agriculture production has never been more exciting and unknown. Farmers are facing labor shortages, climate change and environmental protection regulations that require action, all while trying to feed the growing global populace. As they work to overcome these challenges, one key strategy they deploy is the introduction of advanced Ag Tech into their farming practices. At CES 2022, John Deere revealed a fully autonomous tractor that’s ready for large-scale production. The machine, which will be available to farmers later this year, combines Deere’s 8R tractor, TruSet-enabled chisel plow, GPS guidance system,
and new advanced technologies. Initially Deere will support only no-person-onboard plowing, but the company is working toward offering more complex toil of seeding or harvesting applications. “Controlling autonomous tractors or collecting data from remote sensors requires the ability to communicate with every inch of the farm. The ability to identify, address and demonstrate the infrastructure required to meet these needs will guide the future of food,” noted Nathan Mentzer, agriculture specialist at Black & Veatch.
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According to John Deere, operating the tractor is as easy as setting in the field and starting it via mobile device – but connectivity will be key to ensuring this autonomous tractor can perform large-scale production. Unfortunately, the majority of American farming takes place in rural areas that may not have access to the resilient, reliable networks vital to our digital world: global engineering firm Black & Veatch recently published a rural broadband eBook citing the Federal Communications Commission’s estimate that 22.3 percent of rural Americans do not have access to fixed high-speed broadband and are impacted by the digital divide. To help close this gap, the U.S. is prioritizing rural broadband, enabled by fiber, to connect
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rural citizens and foster much-needed innovation across services, businesses, and industries such as farming. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) aims to provide broadband access to the entire country, setting forth $65 billion to help expand broadband connectivity. “Adoption of tech-savvy farming is on the rise, but the rural digital divide is slowing agriculture modernization,” said Paul Pishal, business development director with Black & Veatch. “As home-grown leaders, rural electric cooperatives (co-ops) may be the linchpin of closing the digital divide and building the networks to realize Agriculture 2.0 and our global food supply goals.”
The future of farming is taking shape on a 40-acre plot near Fargo, North Dakota. The Grand Farm Initiative, spearheaded by Emerging Prairie, is a non-profit, collaborative test site that is giving farming a techno-shot in the arm. With over 320 projects implemented in 2021 from 55 contributors, Grand Farm is a venue for experimentation and education centered on high-tech farming, such as autonomous farm vehicles and crop science. "Throughout humanity's history, agriculture has been a leader in innovation. As environmental concerns and the global population increase, the need for advanced technology in agriculture is crucial,” said Brian Carroll, Director of Grand Farm. “This autonomous tractor is a key indicator of the work we see day in and out at
Grand Farm as the industry constantly strives to address the pain points growers – and ultimately – the world face." John Deere’s autonomous tractor isn’t going to solve the world’s hunger problems or address all the challenges Farmers face today. Rather, it demonstrates the role Ag Tech can play in creating positive change, as forward thinking organizations like Emerging Prairie and Black & Veatch commit to providing innovative solutions to the world’s most important needs.
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Help Maximize Agronomic Data Value with a Six-Step Approach
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Early in the year, most growers spend time in the shop getting equipment in prime condition for the upcoming season. As they check lubricants, inspect common wear parts and give machines proper care, it is equally important to do an annual data health check. An annual data health check is an opportunity to review data, set goals and ensure everyone on the team is ready for the growing season. The challenge is…well, there are plenty of challenges when it comes to working with data. With more than a dozen growing seasons under my belt, I have seen firsthand that data can be a burden or a boon, depending on how well growers prepare for and actually use that data.
Challenges with Data Depending on the farm and its size, the person in charge of data management might be a designated data expert or an operator who’s relatively data-savvy. On other farms, especially smaller owner/operator ones, I see that responsibility often falls to an individual who may be more pensive towards data and technology.
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The level of knowledge among operators and other staff is also extremely varied from one farm to another. Some operators are overwhelmed by the display enough that they are constantly in field one, operations one, planting variety one, while others are more savvy. Data challenges can be remedied by taking a step-by-step approach, covering the following six areas that are key to building a good data management effort. I encourage all growers to work with a trusted advisor when conducting this overall data health check. It can help save downtime and frustrations throughout the year, while ensuring primary focus remains on core tasks like planting, spraying, and harvesting. 1. Install Updates Name a piece of technology that does not seem like it needs an update every 20 minutes. Okay, that is a slight exaggeration but the truth is updates are a part of modern life. They have to be done and there is no escaping them. I admit, I pushed the “delay update” button on my laptop at least 50 times in the past several weeks. But we all do that. No big deal, right? Nothing is worse than a piece of technology deciding, at that pivotal moment it is needed, that it cannot go any longer without the update
By Erin Hightower
About The Author Erin Hightower has worked in farm planning and agronomy for 15 years. As an Agronomist at RDO Equipment Co., Erin works with team members and growers, and focuses on education, training and conducting field trials. She is a Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) and Certified USDA NRCS Nutrient Management Planner, Certified Conservation Planner and Comprehensive Nutrient Management Planner.
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that was put off time and time again. With those systems at the heart of data collection, it is crucial to take care of all system updates during an annual data health check. It is also a good time to complete renewals, such as extending subscriptions and renewing software agreements. Compare it to preventative maintenance. By planning for important maintenance tasks, you are in control of that downtime and can do it when it is most convenient. The same reasoning applies to technology updates. Plan that downtime to take care of important updates and renewals, and there will be less chance of interruption during an inconvenient time, say, at 5 a.m. when harvest is in full swing. 2. Set Goals for Data Goal setting is perhaps the most daunting task when it comes to data but it is important to have clear expectations and purpose for the data. There are two common challenges I see related to data goal setting. First, many growers may be unsure of what they want and need data to do. To help navigate this challenging technology step, I have a surprisingly non-technical strategy. It involves a simple piece of paper, then drawing a quadrant and designating each space for the key activities in the crop cycle: planting, spraying, and harvest. While those three will likely remain consistent across most farms, the fourth space varies based on each farm’s unique operation. It could be tillage, pruning, or other important task depending on the crop and location. Next, answer the question: “In a perfect world, what would I want to measure in each of these areas?” Digging deeper, this question is about uncovering what data would mean the most to the operation’s decision management; what metrics would help make decisions faster, more accurately, and with fewer frustrations.
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Even for growers who are more data-savvy and have been successful in setting and achieving goals in the past, this exercise is a great way to focus data-gathering energy. Conversely, for growers who are newer to data or timid about using it, keep in mind that goals do not have to be life-changing; even small improvements in operation can be big wins. One grower I worked with last year wanted to reduce idle time on his potato harvest trucks. He started by tracking how long his trucks sat idle at the field, waiting to be loaded during harvest, then how long they sat idle at the warehouse, waiting to empty. Having that baseline data, knowing how long they were currently idling, was the first step in his efforts to reduce the overall idle time. The second common challenge growers face when setting data goals: they may be unaware of what their current equipment is capable of doing. At this point, consider consulting a precision agriculture dealer partner. I recently worked with a grower who had, what I call, ‘data envy’ in that he saw a fellow farmer doing great things with his brand-new sprayer and all its data collecting capabilities. This grower was convinced that because he did not have a brand-new sprayer, he could not use data to improve his pesticide management in a meaningful way. Working in conjunction with one of our equipment experts, we showed him this was not the case. In defining his problems and discussing his goals, we found there was an aftermarket solution that could be added to his existing sprayer to do what he wanted it to do. Once it is understood that data can do exactly what is envisioned or even that existing machines are able to collect and provide useful data, then S.M.A.R.T goals can be set for each quadrant – specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, timely.
3. Review Past Data After data goals are decided, the next step is to set up the machine’s system to collect and document data properly. Start by looking at the previous year’s data. For those who tend to be negligent on reviewing data, it may be wise to go back a few years or even more. For regular data users and goal setters, this is a chance to find data discrepancies, such as two combines in the field with discrepancies between their mass flow sensors, or other issues, and solve them. If the system was not set up properly, that is an unfortunate error but simple fix. However, if a system error is not the issue, there are other areas to explore. It may be an issue with bad or inconsistent data entry (I will get to the solution for that shortly). Another factor that can make data appear inaccurate is a tough agronomic event. Drought, windstorms, temperature discrepancies are all significant events that disrupt normal operation and may cause data documentation to look incorrect. Noting this and being aware of agronomic events can help ease aggravation by data issues. This sleuthing step is an important one even for those who do not set any data goals or plan to use data at all. Just because there is not a plan to use the data now does not mean it might not come in handy in the future. I recently visited a grower who had never used or even looked at the data being collected on his equipment. As he was preparing a report for his Farm Service Agency, related to his Conservation Reserve Program plan, he realized his machine seeding data could be helpful to create maps to prove his practices. Upon review, he realized the system was never set up and the machine had not collected anything on his seeding practices for three years. If he had pulled that data, even without using it, he would have known the discrepancies in year one instead of when he needed it.
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The consolation is I was able to help him get set up to properly document going forward. Would it have been better for him to have the data right then in that time of need? Of course. But correcting this error was still a win. As the saying goes, “The best time to plant a tree was 30 years ago but the next best time is today.” 4. Set Clear Expectations with All Team Members Farming is a team effort and getting everyone on the same page is critical to data success. A common practice for growers is to share goals and set expectations with staff in areas of equipment operation best practices, safety, and preventative maintenance schedules. It is equally important to do so for data management. Often, growers or data managers are hesitant to set data gathering expectations or, in some cases, even use data at all because they do not want to overtax team members or expose them to unfamiliar concepts. Both concerns are understandable. Operators are busy and not everyone is tech-savvy or skilled at data management. However, a well-crafted plan can be appropriate for all team members. To help get buy in from team members, I have found that demonstrating how managers can make good decisions based on good quality data gives them a better sense of the “why” behind the initiative. Once the “why” has been communicated, team members also need to understand their role and responsibility in data collection. Performance should be evaluated based, in part, on how well team members fulfill this role. To make sure all understand their operational role, a handson approach is a great way to teach team members how to operate systems. Some equipment manufacturers offer online simulators but if that is not an option, one can be created simply by setting up a machine and bringing in team members to practice. The simple act of pushing buttons and getting more comfortable with the systems will help team members build good habits and incorporate them into their daily activities. 5. Set and Enforce Data Standards With data, the old saying is, “garbage in, garbage out.” This just means that the data quality is key to good analysis. Therefore, I recommend developing consistent standards for data. Remember in step #3, I suggested reviewing data to see if it was entered incorrectly? One of the biggest hiccups I see is when team members do not collect or enter data in the way that was anticipated or assumed. The latest software updates and technology allow the information from the farm manager to auto-populate the display. This
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is a great advancement for the data consistency issue and an opportunity to work with a dealership partner to build a program of automation. An instance of data inconsistency I recently saw with a grower was because of a lack of an established naming convention. This grower’s system was set up for manual data entry, which many prefer for various reasons, yet leaves the user more vulnerable to error. There was no expectation set as to how fields were to be named so employees were renaming them as they entered data each day, in a way that made sense to them individually. Imagine how many different variations they came up with and how messy that made it on the backend. It was something simple that could have been prevented by establishing clear expectations up front. Then, early in the season, regularly audit the data to make sure that the standards are being followed. Just a simple audit of the data entry can pay out big later when it comes time to analyze the data. 6. Set Up Data Flow The final box to check on a good data health check is the one that brings it all together. All the data in the world means nothing if there is no plan to review, analyze, and use it to make good decisions. Think of reviewing financial data. Would you collect bank statements but never review them? Of course not; financial information is necessary to monitor budgets, and make immediate decisions and long-term plans. But unlike using farm data, the financial process is engrained, it is almost second-nature. Many are not yet adept to the data flow process, therefore it needs to be clearly spelled out. As with planning downtime for updates, start the data flow plan with figuring out the most convenient time to review and analyze data. Depending on the goal, this could be a daily, weekly, or less-frequent activity. Next, schedule it regularly into the growing season in the same way that financial, maintenance, or training activities are scheduled. This step, as well as the entire reasoning to do a data health check really boils down to the idea of ensuring data is infused into agricultural life as any other necessary piece of the business. Data is not a small task. It can be a cultural change for many operations. Getting into the mindset of prioritizing and seeing it as an important part of the business is as valuable as any of these steps. Learn more about precision agriculture equipment, resources and support at www.RDOequipment.com.
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STRONGSOIL Lab and Field Trials Show Promising Results Who We Are
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Chonex is a soil health company dedicated to helping farmers get the most from their farms now and into the future. With rising fertilizer costs, it gets harder every year. STRONGSOIL is a biological solution that makes soil more productive so you can achieve higher yields and reduce your fertilizer costs. Higher Yield with Reduced Inputs At Chonex, we were busy in 2021 testing our product, STRONGSOIL, in the lab and in the field. The results are coming in and we think growers are going to like what they see: increased yields while reducing the amount of fertilizer used. In the Lab Sofia Andreola, Ph.D. is our Chief Technology Officer who is leading Research and Development and conducting the lab trials and field
Sofia Andreola, Ph.D. in the greenhouse with sorghum lab trial 62
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trials. Last year she came from working in her home country, Argentina, and began splitting her time between IFDC and the Hudson Alpha campus in Huntsville, Alabama. In the lab, her team has tested two crops—sorghum and tomatoes—at five input rates (no inputs; 100% synthetic fertilizer; 100% STRONGSOIL; 50% synthetic fertilizer; and 50% synthetic fertilizer in combination with STRONGSOIL) under two growing conditions—standard irrigation and reduced irrigation (drought conditions) -- to see which perform best. What we are seeing is that adding STRONGSOIL improves five key areas: 1. Root Establishment – STRONGSOIL improves nutrient uptake by populating plant roots which promotes higher numbers of root tips and overall root mass, in turn enhancing nutrient acquisition.
Chas Potter stands next to corn grown in degraded soil that was treated with STRONGSOIL on his farm in Lexington, Virgina.
2. Nutrient Uptake – STRONGSOIL has a microorganism consortium that can enhance macro and micronutrient uptake and their transport. 3. Plant Performance – Optimal nutrient uptake results in better plant performance, which means an increase on photosynthetic parameters and biomass accumulation. 4. Crop Yield -- All the changes induced by STRONGSOIL increase yield quantity and product quality (increased protein content for sorghum and increased sugar for tomatoes). 5. Stress Tolerance – Plants grown in soils treated with STRONGSOIL tolerated drought conditions better, with minimized yield reductions, especially as compared to the groups not treated with STRONGSOIL. In the Field In 2021 we partnered with a seventhgeneration farmer in Lexington, Virginia, Chas Potter. Chas worried that his family’s farm history might end with him as his expenses grew and his productivity declined. His business was on the verge
of being unsustainable. Chas tested STRONGSOIL in areas of his farm where soil was degraded and had been unproductive for years. With just one application, Chas had a productive corn crop in his degraded soil. Taking early samples of corn seedlings, he observed that the roots of plants in soil treated with synthetic fertilizer were growing horizontally in the soil, but the roots of plants grown with STRONGSOIL were growing straight down into the soil. Elsewhere on his farm, he tested STRONGSOIL on a forage crop, leaving a fencerow strip without STRONGSOIL, and had a 30% yield increase where he used STRONGSOIL. As summer passed, conditions became dry, and the areas planted with STRONGSOIL were noticeably greener and denser at harvest demonstrating STRONGSOIL’s positive effect on drought stress tolerance. For 2022, Chas is going all in on STRONGSOIL throughout his farm. At Grand Farm in North Dakota
in North Dakota is working to create the farm of the future by 2025 as the global example in solving challenges to farming worldwide, while unleashing vast new potential for technology for the greater good. Biologicals vs. Chemicals for Sustainability The modernization of agriculture and huge increases in productivity would not have been possible without the invention of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers as well as chemical pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides. But all those gains have come with significant costs to soil health, plant health, biodiversity, and the environment. There is now a paradigm shift underway as growers, food manufacturers, consumers, and environmentalists look to sustainable agriculture for solutions. This interest is fueling the growing market for biologicals like STRONGSOIL—products that contain living organisms--that can offset synthetic chemical use.
Chonex is excited to have STRONGSOIL chosen as a product to be tested at Grand Farm in 2022. The Grand Farm Test Site
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