Does the average citizen actually need to care about how their food is produced? This is the central question Australian author and journalist, Gabrielle Chan, set out to answer. Her latest book, “Why you should give a f*ck about farming” details her firm conclusion that, yes, if you eat food, you should in fact care about agriculture. While the old days of agriculture as the top contributor to GDP are over for most Western countries, Gabrielle argues the future of food and farming is becoming increasingly important for a raft of other reasons such as climate change and food security.In this episode, she talks about:Her own introduction to farming, including what shocked her when she first moved from the city to marry a farmer.The emergence of ‘food tribes’, where people view what they eat as part of their identity.How politics is failing agriculture by not having a “backyard plan,” a strategy to value natural capital and make considered decisions about land use.The role of agtech in bringing outsiders into agriculture, reinvigorating rural communities, and re-establishing connections between consumers and farmers.For more information and resources, visit our website

Agtech - So What?

Why You Should Give a F*ck About Farming - Gabrielle Chan

The divide between farmers and startups can seem like a chasm. Tech culture and agriculture have evolved from completely different backgrounds, and even seem to have their own languages. So how can agtech bring together two very different groups?In this episode, you’ll hear practical tips from farmers and agtech experts on how to build mutually beneficial relationships. For startups, this includes approaching farmers as partners, rather than ‘customers,’ and understanding ‘grower economics’. And for farmers, it’s about finding opportunities to access and help shape new products as the startup iterates. This might look like an equity partnership, an advisory relationship, or even becoming a co-founder.On the panel:Walt Duflock - Vice President of Innovation, Western GrowersEmma Weston - CEO & Co-Founder, AgriDigital Pete Nelson - President & Executive Director, AgLaunchThis episode is an edited version of an AusAgritech Meetup, sponsored by Foodbytes! by Rabobank. For more information and resources, visit our website.

Farmers and Startups: Lessons and Tips for Collaborating

Dr. Ken Henry became well-known in Australia for his bold economic reforms as the Treasury Secretary throughout the 2000s. His approach to conservation and agriculture is equally as bold, advocating for the natural environment to be valued, and even predicting “an explosion” in financial instruments to measure soil carbon, vegetation, biodiversity and other aspects of nature.As an economist, former Chair of the National Australia Bank, and current board director of Accounting for Nature, he brings a unique perspective to agtech and agriculture.In this bonus episode, Ken talks with Agthentic co-founder, Matthew Pryor, about:How his father’s career as a timber worker sparked an interest in measuring natural capitalWhy economic incentives are needed to further encourage landowners to protect the environmental condition of farms (and what these incentives should look like).How Australia (or any Western nation) can market itself as having quality, “climate adaptive” produce to capitalize on the growing middle classes in China and India.Why we can expect farm bank managers to be increasingly interested in how a farm’s environmental condition is managed.For more information, you can visit our website.

Bonus: The Economics of Valuing Natural Capital - Ken Henry, former Treasury Secretary of Australia

For our 100th episode (hooray!), we’ve brought back some of our most popular guests to check in on what’s changed in their businesses and in agtech since we spoke, and the new technologies and opportunities we can all be looking out for.These guests were popular for a reason:Mark Wootton - dubbed the ‘carbon neutral farmer,’ Mark is a pioneer in measuring natural capital… yet, he’s also highly skeptical of the regenerative agriculture movement.Stu Austin - manager of Wilmot Cattle Co, which recently secured a landmark deal to sell $500,000 worth of soil carbon credits to Microsoft.Sarah Mock - sometimes controversial, but always well-researched in her views, Sarah is an agricultural journalist and author, who just released a book examining what makes a ‘good farm’Derek Norman - VP of venture investment at Leaps by Bayer, Derek shares the latest on emerging technologies in agtech, including in fertilizer and soil carbon.This podcast also features insights on the future of agtech from YOU, our listeners! Thank you to all who sent in voice messages. For more information, visit our website.

100th Episode Special: our most popular guests on soil carbon, regen ag, and the future of agtech

Loran Steinlage has been labeled a ‘regenerative’ farmer and branded a conservationist, yet as a farmer in Iowa, in many ways he’s far from the stereotypical image of either. He lives in the heart of the Iowa corn belt, but says he now doesn’t care whether he grows corn or not.In this episode, Loran shares how his drive for innovation has come from a series of difficult and life-changing events in his personal life. This, coupled with his love of tinkering with machines has helped him unlock new ways of farming, such as cover cropping, interseeding and relay cropping, that have not only won him awards and improved profitability, but also caught the attention of machinery manufacturers and helped him spend more time with his family.While other farmers in the area are focused on growing row crops at scale, Loran is focused on increased crop diversity, reducing the costs of production, and ultimately getting off the commodities treadmill.In this podcast, Loran talks about:How he’s able to grow a crop 365 days a year, even under snow.How modifying equipment has allowed him to reduce inputs and run a low cost production system.Why he hopes sharing his innovations will help other farmers consider alternative farming practices and different markets.For more information, visit our website.Also, we want to hear from YOU! We're planning our 100th episode and are looking for stories about how you have used any of the agtech or food innovation ideas discussed on this podcast in your business or workplace. Did it work? Or did it fail?You can record a short voice message by following the link on our website here, and you might just end up on the show!

Getting Off the Commodities Treadmill - Loran Steinlage

Benson Hill is designing crops and ingredients for some of the world’s most popular plant-based food brands. But the company has no intention of becoming a brand itself. Instead, it’s focused on revolutionizing the entire food system, from how plants are grown, to what they taste like, to the range of crop varieties on offer.Founder and CEO, Matt Crisp, started Benson Hill nearly a decade ago as a plant biology company, using analytics and machine learning to increase yields. Now it has grown to become a technology platform as well as a vertically integrated food and ingredients business, designing high protein soybeans and yellow peas to fuel the growing plant-based protein industry.In this episode, Matt shares:His journey from venture capital in the life sciences industry, to becoming an agtech startup founder.How the business model of Benson Hill has evolved and why it’s betting on the growth of the plant-based protein industry.How to involve farmers in testing crops and products on a commercial scale so growers benefit, as much as the company.Benson Hill’s recent SPAC deal and upcoming public listing on the New York Stock Exchange.For more information and resources, visit our website.Also, we want to hear from YOU! We’re planning our 100th episode and are looking for your stories about how you have used any of the agtech or food innovation ideas discussed on this podcast in your business or workplace. Did it work? Or did it fail?You can record a short voice message by following the link on our website here, and you might just end up on the show!

Designing Crops to Change the Plant-Based Food System - Matt Crisp, Benson Hill

The Silicon Valley model for innovation has worked famously for many software based companies, such as Facebook and PayPal. However, when it comes to agtech, the Silicon Valley template for startup success hasn’t translated very well. This template, of either “user is the customer” or “user is the product” is rather limited in agriculture, where the farming population is small (restricting scale) and the stakes are high.This episode features Rob Trice, the founding partner of Better Food Ventures and The Mixing Bowl, along with Sarah Nolet and Matthew Pryor, who both lead the Agthentic Group and Tenacious Ventures. All three guests have a solid tech and business history in Silicon Valley and discuss why the business models typically used by venture-backed software companies, can’t just be copy-pasted to agriculture.They also dig into:The early days of Silicon Valley, the dot-com boom and bust and where Agtech 1.0 went wrong.How understanding the whole supply chain and embedded incentives , will be critical to success.How financing models from venture capital to SPACs can better fit with the agtech revolution (or evolution), as well as the positive signs for the future growth of the industry.For more information visit our website. You might also like our recent article: “How Silicon Valley Set Agtech Back a Decade”

Bonus Episode: Did Silicon Valley Kill Agtech?

Red meat is increasingly seen as the “bad guy” when it comes to climate change. Undoubtedly, animal agriculture has an impact on the environment, with 10 percent of Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions coming from livestock. But Australia's leading red meat marketing and R&D organization, Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) says the negative environmental impacts from red meat are often overblown.While lamb and beef are still very popular in Australia, and cattle farmers are currently enjoying record prices, red meat consumption is becoming more contentious, and conversations about sustainable food and agriculture are increasingly susceptible to emotional debates and even misinformation.In this episode, MLA’s Managing Director, Jason Strong speaks about:The MLA’s commitment to become carbon neutral by 2030, and how the red meat industry plans to use technology and improvements in animal husbandry to achieve itThe battle between the Australian meat industry and the plant-based protein industry over the use of the word “meat” on labelsJason’s experience with groups that he claims are unfairly “denigrating” red meat as they push their own products and agendasWhy the MLA isn’t supportive of regulations to meet environmental targetsFor more information and links to resources mentioned in the podcast, visit our website

Carbon neutrality and tackling misinformation in red meat - Jason Strong, Meat and Livestock Australia

For some, the concept of hands-free farming is terrifying; for others, the prospect is game-changing and exciting. But, is fully autonomous farming really possible?In this episode we chat with Kit Franklin, senior lecturer in agricultural engineering at Harper Adams University in the UK, who in 2016 set out to prove an entire crop cycle could be done autonomously. The project was called Hands Free Hectare, which later expanded into Hands Free Farm after garnering worldwide attention and for producing what is believed to be the first crop to be planted, cultivated, and harvested - completely autonomously.While Kit started this farming experiment simply to prove robotic farming was possible, how transferable is his autonomous trial crop to the real world? And is it how we want to be farming our food in the future?In this episode, Kit discusses:The role autonomy can play in making small-scale farming viable and lowering chemical use.How media exposure of even a small scale project can change perceptions of agriculture and attract unlikely entrants to the industry.The key enablers required for autonomy to take off, and the business models that may bring it to scale.For more resources from this episode, visit our website.

Is the Future of Farming Hands-Free?

Just because something can be done, doesn’t mean it should be. In agtech, this is a reminder that no matter how cutting edge the science or technology, when it comes to commercialization, functionality and novelty are simply not enough. This is especially true in the complex area of chemistry and the emerging industry of biologicals.This episode features two scientists who, instead of viewing the publication of their research as an end point, have made it the beginning of a venture-backed startup journey. Dr. Jacqueline Heard, CEO of Enko Chem, a US agtech startup that has raised over $50M to develop novel crop protection solutions, and Dr. Nancy Schellhorn, CEO of RapidAIM, a Tenacious Ventures portfolio company that spun out of Australia’s CSIRO, join us to discuss:The journey from researcher to founder within the deeply technical landscape of ag inputsThe challenges of transitioning from scientist to venture-backed startup founderTwo business models that, as mentioned in Part 1 of this series, are helping overcome some of the challenges in bringing new inputs to marketFor more resources, please visit our website.

Biologicals and chemistry: finding ways to commercialize the science

Can capitalism be a force for good? David Lee left the traditional corporate world to work for some of the most bullish startup companies in agrifood tech, including Impossible Foods and AppHarvest, where he was appointed the company’s President earlier this year. David did this out of a belief that the levers of capitalism and consumerism are the fastest ways to transform the food system. He says the key to address the world’s urgent food sustainability problems is by creating consumer movements.In this bonus episode, David speaks to Sarah as part of fireside chat at the recent Future Food Asia 2021 conference. They discuss:The role of impact investing in agrifood tech, including using venture capital and SPACs (special purpose acquisition companies), and why David believes ‘funding failures’ is okay.Why changing consumer behaviors around food is so difficult.The growing opportunities for agrifood tech, particularly in Asia.Thanks to ID Capital, the organizer of Future Food Asia, for hosting the discussion and providing us the audio. For further resources, visit our website.

BONUS EP: Capitalism for Good, feat. David Lee from AppHarvest and Impossible Foods

Farmers are under pressure to shift toward lower chemical intensity production. Biologicals are touted as one possible solution, promising natural, chemical-free alternatives to inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides. But biologicals also have a reputation for being ‘snake oil,’ with companies making claims that seem too good to be true, or that don’t stack up outside the lab.So what’s the science behind biologicals, and how do we know they work? And when they do work, how do we get them in the hands of more farmers?This episode features Jarrett Chambers, founder and President of ATP Nutrition, a Canadian plant nutrition company, and Shane Thomas, agronomist and author of Upstream Ag Insights, to discuss:What biologicals are, and how to think about the different categoriesWhat’s driving interest in biologicals from farmers, agribusinesses, and investors.What characteristics, business models, and incentives can help ensure biologicals fit into established farming systems.How digital tools can be used to bring credibility to the biologicals marketFor more resources from the episode, visit our website.

Biologicals: snake oil or science, and how do we know?

Agriculture in India has been thrust onto the international stage as the world watched and celebrities tweeted about the tens of thousands of farmers camped out in Delhi to protest against governmental reforms which loosen rules around the sale, pricing, and storage of produce. Farmers say these changes prioritize corporate interests and threaten livelihoods, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi argues they will lead to greater efficiency and ultimately income for smallholder farmers.In this episode, Sarah is joined by colleague Komal Patel to unpack why farmers are protesting, what’s working (and what’s not) in India’s agricultural system, and what it means for agtech and innovation. It features:Mekhala Krishnamurthy - Senior Fellow at the Center for Policy Research and Associate Professor of Sociology and Anthropology at Ashoka University.Venky Ramachandran - agritech consultant and author of Agribusiness MattersThe discussion covers:How can India open up agricultural markets without hurting the livelihoods of its farmers?How can public policy incentivize agtech and private investors, while also ensuring a fair system that doesn’t just benefit the powerful?The slippery slope of policy reformsHow India’s agricultural system can move forward sustainably and successfullyFor more information and resources, visit our website. We would also love your feedback! Fill out our super quick survey on what you’d like to hear more about on the podcast (and thank you!).

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

We’d all like to be able to predict what the next big technological disruption or trend will be. But while we can't exactly do that, we can look at signals happening today, and use them to drive our thinking about the future. In this bonus episode, Sarah Nolet presents five future forces shaping innovation in food and agriculture, and shares insights about what these forces mean for producers, investors, and entrepreneurs today.You may know Sarah as the host of this podcast, but in this bonus episode you’ll hear a slightly edited version of a keynote talk she gave based on research Agthentic Advisory conducted for AgriFutures Australia.In this talk, Sarah examines the interconnecting technologies, trends and market signals which are poised to change how society produces, eats and even conceptualizes food.The five forces she discusses are:Viral disinformation in the food systemInterconnected digital infrastructureRewiring the gridDomesticating the cellNew geographies of climate changeThis keynote address was given as part of the Digital Innovation and Smart Agriculture festival, in Hamilton, Victoria (Australia). Audio courtesy of the Southern Grampians Shire.We want your feedback! Fill out our short survey, so we can make sure we're delivering you the content you want to hear. Thank you!

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

Agrifood value chains are known for their efficiencies: they’ve been optimized to grow, process, and deliver massive amounts of safe food all over the world. But efficiency is no longer enough. Consumers and investors want supply chains that are climate resilient (or positive), sustainable & ethical, and free from waste.How can we deliver against these pressures? What changes in technology and practices will be needed? How do we build trust so consumers and industry alike have confidence in the sustainable promises farmers, companies & brands make?In this panel we examine how farmers can capitalize on the increasing value of growing sustainable food, the opportunities for new players and new technologies to remove food waste and packaging from the supply chain, and signals indicating that the mood around sustainability might be about to shift.Our guests include:Olympia Yarger, CEO and Founder, GoterraJessica Vieira, Senior Director of Sustainability, Apeel SciencesLachlan Monsbourgh, Head of Sustainable Business Development, RabobankThis episode is an edited version of a recent AusAgritech Meetup, sponsored by Foodbytes! by Rabobank and brought you by the Agthentic Group, Sprout X and Platfarm. For more information visit our website.We want your feedback!! We’d love to hear what you want to hear more of on this podcast, so we’d appreciate it if you could fill out this short (we promise!) survey.

Sustainable Supply Chains: eliminating waste and unlocking business opportunities

We tell the stories of innovators at the intersection of agriculture and technology to answer the question: what really is agtech and why should you care?

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Agtech - So What?

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