Future Of Agriculture

Grasslands and grazing cattle go hand in hand. Yet, grazing cattle can be a complex process with things like dynamic business practices, the ecology of the grasses, and the biology of the animal all needing to be considered. Grass-fed beef and other grass-fed agricultural products are also fueling the modern-day demand for pastures and grazing opportunities. I recently came across a business that is trying to solve issues associated with pasture management and cattle grazing. Christine Su is the co-founder and CEO of PastureMap, a platform that collects data on different areas that are being used for grazing. It helps build on that data to help with making informed decisions on the entire process. Byron Palmer is a livestock rancher who grazes cattle in Sonoma County. He is one of the people doing the work and putting future agricultural ideas into practice. He is the owner of Grounded Grasslands. Byron grazes cattle for farmers and manages pastures. Today, I talk with Christine about PastureMap, and with Byr

What do you think about an all-expenses-paid trip around the world for six months to learn about agriculture? Does it sound too good to be true? It is too good, but it is also true. This adventure is made possible through Nuffield scholarship. Today’s guest, Mat Hocken, is a husband, father, dairy farmer from New Zealand, and a Nuffield Scholar who has travelled globally to research on his chosen topic of specialization - agricultural innovation. Mat joins me today to share the details of this amazing scholarship program that’s been created for the advancement of agriculture in a global aspect. He gives an overview of the life of a Nuffield scholar and its new international scholarship program. He also shares how this can influence your view of the world and the agricultural industry.   “I think I’ve learned a lot from just observing what you do [in the US]. [Innovation] is also a cultural context.”  – Mat Hocken   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Specifics on the Nuffield scholarship, their s

Today’s guests allow us to look at agricultural technology and entrepreneurship from two different perspectives. Kevin Heikes is part of the IN10T, a digital agricultural company that created Farmer Trials. Farmer Trials is a platform that connects people who have new ideas and want to test them on real farms. These people get to work with real farmers who have the skill and resources to assess whether these ideas solve real problems that farmers face. Also with me is Kyle Morrow, a farmer in Indiana who is currently a customer of Farmer Trials. Kyle shares his experience working with the company and allows us to look at matters from a practical approach since one of the goals of the program is to see things from different lenses. Today, we see that all new and innovative agricultural technology is nothing until tested and proven effective on the farm. Kevin shares how art and science are combined as a growth strategy used by Farmer Trials; the communication process among the farmer, the ag entrepreneur, and

While having guests and learning from people with different perspectives are the typical setup of this show, stopping to reflect on the things that have been discussed and talked about is an excellent way of seeing the learning, growth, and future direction of the program. With this said, today, I’m going to deviate from my normal program flow to look back and see where the journey has taken us. Today, I’m going to talk about the five big takeaways I have learned from the first 60 episodes of the Future of Agriculture podcast. I also explain how these five big things determine the direction and content of the program. Agriculture should be looked at from as many different lenses as possible. That’s where we’re going to get the ideas. This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Agricultural technology and agricultural entrepreneurship What agricultural education is about and why it is important Defining cooperative extensions and how this reinforces agricultural education Solving serious problems like e

Peter Schott grew up in a family with technologically inclined parents who used computers on their farm even from way back in 1984. Because of this, Peter's curiosity on the possibilities that technology can bring in solving agricultural problems grew. As a result, Peter and another guy from his college dorm decided to work together on offering solutions through mobile apps by establishing their own company called Myriad Mobile. Today, Peter talks about the significant role that mobile apps play in the future of agriculture and the solution of current agricultural problems. He shares some excellent insights from two different perspectives - one from that of a farmer’s and the other of an entrepreneur. He also explains the significance of knowing your audience, your vision, and the problem you want to solve when thinking of a good app to pursue.   “I think the industry is best served if people spend more time listening to their customers and working alongside them rather than telling them what they need.”  – P

Today’s episode is a continuation of a two-part series on why you should teach agriculture. In the previous episode, Dr. Daniel Foster, an educator at Pennsylvania State University, shared his insights about agriculture and agricultural education on a national scale. Dr. Foster not only makes a difference in the lives of young people, but also trains teachers who want to make a difference in the agricultural education outside the country. Dr. Foster joins me today as he talks about agriculture and agricultural education on an international scale. He shares how he tried to help establish agricultural education in Guatemala and the inspiring story when Dr. Foster and his team of agricultural instructors had an intercultural agriculture trip to Korea.   “It’s okay to be scared but saddle up anyway because there’s a young person in this world, there’s a young person in America that needs you.”  – Dr. Daniel Foster     This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Possible reasons why there is a decrease in agr

Daniel Foster is a proponent of agricultural literacy and is currently an Agricultural Teacher Educator at The Pennsylvania State University. He credits his mother for his love for the industry which all started when his mom decided to move out of Texas to Arizona to further her career in agriculture. He was just 15 going 16 at the time and was a starter on his school’s football team, so he considers this part of his life as a fun transition.   In Arizona, he decided to pursue a degree in agriculture and continue his studies until he eventually got his doctorate at Ohio State. To this day, he recalls never really wanting to teach agriculture. That is until February of his senior year as a student teacher. It was then he realized he wanted to keep doing this, teaching young minds about the importance and future of agriculture, for the rest of his life.   On today’s episode, Daniel talks about how his mom inspired him to pursue agricultural studies, why he decided to become a student teacher, the importance of

Today’s guest grew up in Mariposa, California and has viewed the world from different lenses as a youth through the 4-H Youth Program. Marcus Hollan attributes his distinctiveness and success to his involvement in such programs when he was younger which allowed him to embrace the diversity of others and understand the importance of inclusion in a community. Marcus is one of the founders of the Cultivating Change Foundation, an organization that elevates and values the LGBTQ community within the agriculture industry. In today’s episode, Marcus talks about the roles that diversity, inclusion, equality, and equity play in the workplace - especially in agriculture. As the chief learning officer of Studio 5, Marcus also shares the organization’s goals, the business case for promoting agriculture, and how the corporate equality index has become a significant tool to know more about how open a company is to embracing racial, cultural, religious, and gender orientation differences.   “There is also power in recognizi

Coley Jones Drinkwater belongs to a third-generation family of farmers who tend to and sustain the Richlands Dairy Farm in Blackstone, Virginia. Richlands Farm has been a dairy farm since the 1950s. Coley’s story makes you see life in agriculture from different perspectives - a multigenerational angle, a sustainability angle, and an entrepreneurship angle. On today’s episode, Coley talks about the inspiring story of how her grandparents started and pursued the farm as they relied on agriculture in raising and sending their five children to college. She also explains how she and her family decided not to sell the farm during one of its trying times with the challenges, pressures, and sacrifices she and her family made to keep the farm and pursue their own creamery in spite of the denial of her initial proposal. “I hope in building the creamery that maybe that is something that I can do for someone else’s family as well where you can just come, get some ice cream. Sit on the porch. Just breathe and take a mome

Today’s guest is an independent movie producer from New York City. Sam Goldberg grew up in Manhattan without any background in agriculture. He was introduced to agriculture when a filmmaker approached him for a concept about grain entrapment, a real and grave danger that farmers and other members of the community are exposed to. Seeing the significance of the issue socially, Sam currently is raising funds for the operation and completion of the movie titled Silo The Film. On today’s episode, Sam talks about the progress he and his team have made in the production of Silo. He also shares why he thinks this movie is socially relevant and his stand on why he wanted to pursue this film in spite of the timespan they need to devote to complete it. He also mentions some of the things that Sam and his team are currently working on like fund-raising, casting, and searching for the right location to shoot the movie.   “This, to me, represents a potential bridge for conversation where a segment of the population can be

Joining us on today’s episode of Future of Agriculture Podcast are two educators who are making an impact in the agricultural industry by engaging the youth and influencing the future workforce of agriculture. Our first guest, Seth Heinert, is an Agricultural High School teacher in Ogallala, Nebraska who started a rural program two years ago. Beverly Flatt is a program manager who works with city schools called Academies of Nashville in Tennessee helps students discover the passion they would like to pursue after high school. Seth and Beverly share two different programs and approaches as they cater to students from diverse backgrounds and regions. Seth shares some fascinating stories about his classroom experiences in western Nebraska and the reasons why he’s so passionate about pursuing rural education and instilling in his students a love for agriculture. Beverly identifies the agriculture programs they offer in urban education. She also mentions that for the urban students, their exposure to the amount of

Millennials are making waves in many of today’s business and career industries – and the agriculture industry is no exception. This week, I’m speaking with Mikayla Sullivan, co-founder and “Ringleader of Regal Operations” at Kinosol. Her team of millennials – many of which are fresh out of college – are on a mission to solve one of the world’s biggest problems – world hunger – through agriculture technology. Kinosol uses dehydration techniques that can be used anywhere in the world – due to its solar-power technology – to make food products last longer, to effectively reduce food waste around the world. Currently, Mikayla and her team are focusing on helping people in developing countries reduce food waste and improve their food storage ability in an effort to help end world hunger on a global scale. Today, she shares the Kinosol mission and how the business idea got started, the interesting way the team generated the initial business capital to continue to grow and scale, and some of the food safety concerns

Today’s guest is from the Bronx in New York. His journey to agriculture started accidentally while he was dealing with student conflict in his class. From zero agricultural background, Stephen Ritz created a system – a whole school program that changed how the students, the parents, and the community view agriculture. This program, called Green Bronx Machine, is more than about educating his students about farming. Stephen sees it as a way to solve real problems in the community like lack of student engagement in school, poor education, and poor health including unequal opportunities for the disadvantaged. On today’s episode, Stephen talks about the effects and benefits of Green Bronx Machine to the students and the community as a whole. He shares how he integrates growing food with academics. Stephen also elaborates on one of the goals of the program’s model, which is not about a “me” mentality, but a “we” mentality. This outlook is about people everywhere working together in achieving the goal of making wis

Today’s guest is my close friend, James Garner. He is a partner in a company called Cogent Communications that does public affairs work in agriculture and agricultural businesses in Sacramento, California. For ten years, he has been a part of a band called Johnny Cash Tribute Band, where he is the group’s manager and front man. On top of these varied roles, James has also been doing drag racing with his dad. James’ father has been a part of a drag racing team as a racer for years. On today’s episode, James talks about the significant changes that occurred in his life when he started Cogent Communications with his colleague, together with the ideal clients they work with. He also points out the strong suits that have kept them on top of their game, which are understanding the issues on the farm and coherently communicating these matters to the board (local, supervisory, or regulatory). James also elaborates on what currently seems to be a mild concern, but can be a hot one in the future because of its impact a

Women have been part of agriculture since the beginning of time. Today’s guest is passionate about showing how the roles of women have progressed and increased in this field. Born and raised in Iowa, Marji Guyler-Alaniz studied Graphic Journalism and Photography in college. Recently, she had a lot of surprises and transitions in her life in a span of only four years – from insurance to photography to owning a company and being a TV hostess. Today, Marji is the president of Farmher, a company that came about as a result of her passion in shining the light on women in agriculture. On today’s episode, Marji recounts the Super Bowl advertisement that inspired her to start capturing images of women in agriculture. She shares the exciting story of how she built her brand from scratch and how Farmher has progressed from a hobby to a brand with a regular TV show. She also narrates the quick progression of her journey with Farmher, talks about her mission and vision, and points out her considerations when making decis

Today’s guest grew up in Grass Valley, California. Sara Hollenbeck lives with her husband on a ranch in Molt, Montana called the Hollenbeck Ranch. Together with her husband and in-laws, Sara manages a sheep operation in Molt on top of many other diverse things they do on the farm. On today’s episode, Sara talks about an unfamiliar topic to many – sheep operation. She discusses the necessary tasks and human resources it takes to keep the operation running smoothly. She also shares who Totes MaGoats is, how her lamb company was born, and how she was able to open the community to eating lamb.   “The people I’m focused on are the ones that are interested, or curious even, about where their food is coming from or how their food is being raised.” – Sara Hollenbeck   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Brief background about the sheepherders and reasons why their presence and the H-2A program play a vital role in the sheep operation Where the sheep ranch gets the majority of its revenue The importance o

Today’s guest is a scientist, researcher, and the founder of Dynamite Ag – a sales and consulting company founded in 2012. Growing up in a Christian household, Dr. Curtis Livesay was told not to do drugs, to research about it. This pursuit of knowledge led him to acquire a Ph.D. in interpersonal communication and research methods. It is also the heart of his company – to do great research and disseminate good and useful information. On today’s episode, Dr. Curtis shares his knowledge, experience, and viewpoints about a variety of topics such as critical agronomic problems, lies fed to farmers, and specific ways to deal with particular agronomic concerns.   “Don’t just try something different, but pay attention to where you put it.” – Dr. Curtis Livesay   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: How Dr. Curtis found his niche and how he finds the people he works with Difference between plant recoverable and plant available How farmers should balance the economics of farming with environmental stewardsh

On today’s episode of Future of Agriculture Podcast, my guest is an engineer by who was born in Nebraska and grew up as a city kid in Omaha. Russ Conser eventually fell in-love with energy which started his decades-long career in Shell Oil where he learned more about oil, gas, and carbon. You may be surprised to hear that the knowledge and experience Russ gained in this industry eventually led him to his present venture in the field of agriculture. Russ Conser is the CEO of Standard Soil, a company that uses adaptive multi-paddock grazing to grow grass-fed beef at scale. He spent the last 15 years in innovation and investing in pioneering startups that produce revolutionary and edgy outputs and results. A writer, speaker, investor, and game-changer, Russ talks about Standard Soil’s business model, its difference from other tech startups, the positive environmental impact it brings, and a lot more.   “I tend to think of agriculture really as the biological solar energy business in the world of farmers and ranc

AgTech has experienced quite a boom over the years. There is no question that innovation can boost tremendous improvements in the Agriculture industry. And like me, many Agriculture professionals and business owners are curious and eagerly awaiting the next big thing from AgTech. Louisa Burwood-Taylor is currently at the heart of the AgTech industry as the Chief Editor of AgFunderNews.com. She was originally a financial journalist and was privileged to shift to AgTech just when the industry started gaining significant progress. In today’s show, Louisa shares her experience in AgTech, along with invaluable entrepreneurial advice, insight and a glimpse of what is to come in the industry. “Agriculture is the least digitized industry in the world, which is pretty concerning because it is one of the most essential industries in our daily lives.” This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: The Agriculture industry is currently experiencing an Intersection between food, technology, and entrepreneurship. Women a

Food waste is a major issue in the United States, as well as the world. Research shows that about 97% of food wasted in the United States ends up in landfills and the less than 3% of waste that doesn’t see a landfill is being utilized in other commodities such as compost, black soldier fly larvae, and other methods. That means that approximately 30-40% of the calories available to the human population finds their way into the landfill. Although the global economy and environment are slowly becoming more aware of the massive issue regarding food waste, it’s still one of the biggest issues plaguing, not only the agriculture industry, but also the global economic, ethical, and environment. Public speaker and author of the book, America’s Waste Land, and founder of Wasted Food joins me today to shed some light on this significant issue, share his thoughts on what the ag industry – as well as consumers in general – can do to increase awareness and make a difference in the world by finding different ways to reduce