Leif Chastaine is the Co-founder and COO of WaterBit . WaterBit is a precision ag irrigation company that wants to solve farming problems through its Automated Irrigation Solution technology. Before Leif cofounded WaterBit, he founded and helped grow other companies in the IoT and photography industry. He obtained his BBA in Production and Operations Management from Boise State University. Leif joins me today to explain how WaterBit can help farmers gather water data through their sensor technol...
Jul 24, 2019•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast Dr. Colin Bell is the Co-founder and Chief Growth Officer at Growcentia, a company that specializes in microbial plant bio-stimulants and the developers of Mammoth Microbes . Mammoth Microbes is a product designed to help cultivators find solutions for problems ranging from soil health to crop profitability. He left his position as Research Scientist I at Colorado State University to run a startup that is set to revolutionize the way the ag world looks at microbes. Colin obtained his Ph.D. in Mi...
Jul 17, 2019•36 min•Transcript available on Metacast Adam Borchard is a Regulatory Advocate for the Association of California Water Agencies or ACWA. ACWA is an organization that seeks to inform Californians regarding their water supply and its policies. He has been actively representing California’s best interests in water policies for over five years and experienced drafting memoranda on various water-related acts in their state. Adam obtained his Juris Doctor in Environmental, Water, Public Agency Law from the University of the Pacific - McGeor...
Jul 10, 2019•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast Dr. Michael Miille is the CEO of Joyn Bio . Joyn Bio is a startup joint venture of Bayer and Ginkgo Bioworks. The goal of Joyn Bio is to answer the challenges of agricultural sustainability with synthetic biology. Michael has extensive experience when it comes to leading companies, having served at top level positions ranging from COO and CFO to Director and General Manager since 1995. He obtained his Ph.D. in Agricultural and Environmental Chemistry from UC Davis and a BS in Biological Sciences...
Jul 03, 2019•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast Dr. David Zetland is a university lecturer, blogger, and economy researcher. He currently teaches at Leiden University College - The Hague as a lecturer in political-economy. He is the creator of the Aguanomics blog, a site that focuses on topics on the different ways people manage, use, and abuse water. David obtained his Ph.D. in Agricultural and Resource Economics from UC Davis and has earned extensive experience regarding water economy and water policy. David joins me today to discuss the wa...
Jun 26, 2019•42 min•Transcript available on Metacast Stu Bradbury is a Strategy Adviser at Sprout Agritech Accelerator , New Zealand’s top-rated ag startup accelerator. They back startups that offer bold and innovative solutions to some of agriculture’s biggest problems. Stu’s role is to identify their country’s most promising startup companies as well as mentor and help them grow to success. He has extensive experience in product commercialization and services in the agricultural sector. Stu joins me today to discuss the ag startup economy in New...
Jun 19, 2019•42 min•Transcript available on Metacast Renee Vassilos is an Agricultural Economist and Regenerative Catalyst. She is the Founder of Banyan Innovation Group, an agribusiness consulting company that support startups in the agriculture sector through market sizing, business model and development, and strategy. Renee has over 15 years of experience working with multinational and government companies such as John Deere and the USDA. Renee joins me to discuss the current startup climate in the agricultural industry. She shares her story an...
Jun 12, 2019•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast Dan Cosgrove is the Chief Strategy Officer at Growers Edge . Growers Edge is a FinTech company that provides financial programs and solutions for the service of the agricultural sector. He is also a Venture Partner at Radicle Growth , an acceleration fund financed by top agtech investors. Dan has extensive experience in business development in the ag industry and is skilled in negotiation, entrepreneurship, international business licensing as well as Mergers, Acquisitions, and Venture Capital. D...
Jun 05, 2019•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast Richard Hoff is the Director of Viticulture of Mercer Ranches. Mercer Ranches is a grape farm that produces high-quality wine through strict quality control and precise technology. Richard is considered an expert in wine tasting, wine manufacturing, and general viticulture. He obtained his Master’s Degree in Viticulture from Washington State University and his Bachelor’s Degree in Horticulture from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. Richard joins me today to discuss in great detail how the...
May 29, 2019•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast Dr. Fiona Edwards Murphy is the CEO and Co-Founder of ApisProtect . ApisProtect is a company that innovates the agricultural industry with its advanced Internet of Things (IoT) technology. Specifically, they help beekeepers both small and large gather the necessary data from their bee colonies through sensors. They aim to help preserve bees and perhaps even reverse the rising colony losses around the world. Fiona joins me today to share her passion for saving bees and how she came up with the id...
May 22, 2019•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast Glen and Jason Newcomer are the fifth- and sixth-generation owners and operators of Newcomer Farms . Glen has extensive experience in farm management, agronomy support, and agricultural risk management. Jason returned to the farm after college to help the family operate and innovate the farm to match current trends. Glen and Jason join me to share what it’s like to manage a farm that’s survived many troubling times. They discuss the difference between how the farm was managed decades ago and how...
May 15, 2019•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast Janice Person is the Online Engagement Director at Bayer Crop Science . In this role, she is responsible for social media and internet outreach towards influencers, bloggers, and the general public throughout the agriculture space. She has connected with thousands of food, lifestyle, and agricultural bloggers and those numbers are still growing. She also blogs on her personal website, JP Loves Cotton . Janice joins me today to share her responsibilities as Online Engagement Director and some of ...
May 08, 2019•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast Aidan Connolly is the Chief Executive Officer at Cainthus , a software company dedicated to helping farmers collect the necessary and critical information they need to manage their farms better. Cainthus’ current project involves the use of sensors that interpret visual information from various farm animals. He is also the author of 2-1-4-3 , a book on growing your business. Before becoming Cainthus’ CIO, Aidan previously held the same position at Alltech, an agtech company which he served for o...
May 01, 2019•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast Dr. Sara Place is the Senior Director of Sustainable Beef Production Research at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association , an organization that seeks to innovate and educate its members regarding their industry. She specializes in livestock sustainability systems and livestock production research. Sara obtained her Ph.D. in Animal Biology from UC Davis and worked as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Animal Science at Oklahoma State University. Sara joins me today to discuss the idea ...
Apr 24, 2019•42 min•Transcript available on Metacast Aaron Ratner is the Managing Director at Ultra Capital , a company that finances small and mid-size startups in the sustainable technology industry. He has over 20 years of experience in advisory, international investment, and project development with a focus on agriculture and technology. Aaron obtained his MsM from Stanford University and his BA from the University of Pennsylvania. Aaron joins me today to discuss what Ultra Capital is about and what they aim to accomplish with their current bu...
Apr 17, 2019•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast Euler Bropleh is the Founder & Managing Director of Vested World , an investment platform that seeks to bridge the gap between private investors and startups in emerging markets. Euler focuses on emerging markets because he knows what it’s live in a country that barely made any progress in the last 50 years and how access to substantial capital can make a huge difference in the economy of a developing nation. He has served as an angel investor to multiple businesses in Sub-Saharan Africa, some o...
Apr 10, 2019•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast Scott Bennett is the Director of Congressional Relations at the American Farm Bureau Federation , an independent, voluntary, non-government group that is headed by people who represent the best interests of farmers and their families in the US. He obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Economics and Political Science at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Before joining the American Farm Bureau Federation, he was the legislative director for Rep. Bob Goodlatte, ...
Apr 03, 2019•35 min•Transcript available on Metacast Henry Gordon-Smith is considered one of the leading experts in urban agriculture. He is the Founder and Managing Director of Agritecture , a global urban agriculture consultation company that seeks to spread and promote the idea of urban and vertical farming. Part of Henry’s duties as Managing Director include overseeing projects, planning events and conferences, and networking with like-minded businesses. He has a BA in Political Science from the University of British Columbia and an MSc in Sus...
Mar 27, 2019•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast Dr. Paul Zorner is the CEO of Locus Agricultural Solutions , an agricultural company that develops microbial “probiotics.” These microbial probiotics aim to become the alternative to conventional farm pesticides, effectively reducing chemical interaction with our crops as well as preserving soil health. Dr. Paul’s responsibilities as CEO include overseeing the company’s strategies, operations, and product development. He has over 40 years of experience in science and R&D operations from multiple...
Mar 20, 2019•43 min•Transcript available on Metacast Matt Zieger is the Vice President of Village Capital, a company that seeks startups offering innovative solutions and disruptive ideas that promote sustainability. As Vice President, he is responsible for developing strategic partnerships with individual investors, private organizations, and government projects. He specializes in cross-sector collaboration which allows him to weave multiple business entities into focusing on sustainability and economic growth. Matt joins me today to discuss the ...
Mar 13, 2019•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast Ross Thruston is the President and Founder of Livestock Water Recycling , a company that is implementing technology in animal agriculture units that recycles the water and nutrients from animal agriculture systems. He has over 30 years of experience in construction and environmental technology. Jay Binversie is a third generation dairy farmer and the owner of Robinway Dairy and Bucky Organics . Robinway Dairy is a 1700 cow dairy farm based in Kiel, Wisconsin. Bucky Organics is a company that pro...
Mar 06, 2019•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast Steve Sarracino is the Founder of Activant Capital , a business that invests in growth-stage tech companies worldwide. They provide funding for businesses in commerce, Internet of Things, and data-driven companies. For agriculture, Steve prefers data-driven companies because they can act as a source of truth not just for farmers, but also for consumers. He obtained his MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and his BA in Finance and Economics at Southern Methodist Universi...
Feb 27, 2019•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast Dr. David Williams is a professor of agronomy and member of the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences with the University of Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s Industrial Hemp Program . He has been in the agronomic industry his entire career, wearing hats as a teacher, researcher, and practitioner. David has been a champion of industrial hemp agronomic science research since 2014. David joins me today to discuss the various ways hemp can be utilized other than for its psychoactive properties. ...
Feb 20, 2019•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast Zev Paiss is a Managing Partner at Farmers Support Group , a company dedicated to helping hemp farmers as well as laying down the foundations for a U.S. hemp supply chain. Their goal is to guarantee buyers for every hemp seed planted. Zev’s extensive business acumen allows him to provide the group with consultation, supply chain development, and investor relations services. He also manages the company’s sustainability development projects. Zev joins me today to discuss the hemp industry, its cur...
Feb 13, 2019•30 min•Transcript available on Metacast Ken McCarty manages McCarty Family Farms , a dairy farm that has been in operation since 1914, making it more than a hundred years old. On top of using state-of-the-art equipment, their farm is also Non-GMO Project Verified. Ken is part of the fourth generation of owners and makes sure their daily operations puts emphasis on environmental sustainability and animal welfare among other concerns. Ken joins me today to describe how he and his family run and manages their farm. He shares some of its ...
Feb 06, 2019•34 min•Transcript available on Metacast Dick Wittman is the Founder of Wittman Consulting , a company dedicated to training consultants who can help family farm businesses in transitional processes and agricultural finance. Dick is a former manager and the current board chair for a 20,000-acre family farm located in Idaho. He has an extensive farming and ranching background in crops, cattle, and timber. He holds a degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Idaho and a Master’s degree from the University of Utah. Currently...
Jan 30, 2019•36 min•Transcript available on Metacast Jeff and Garrett Sims are the owners of Sims Farms , a family-owned and operated ag business in the Centralia, Missouri area. The farm was established in 1967, and they’re the 5th generation of farmers who manage and oversee its day-to-day operations. Some of the services they offer include stewardship, soybeans production, and commercial corn production. Jeff and Garrett join me today to describe how Granular has enabled them to manage their business at a more efficient rate. They share how the...
Jan 23, 2019•44 min•Transcript available on Metacast Sid Gorham is the President & CEO of Granular , a software and analytics platform that aims to improve farming efficiency and help farmers make better, well-informed business decisions. As the leader of Granular, his responsibilities include setting growth strategies and maintaining a rich and diverse entrepreneurial culture as they scale the company. His extensive experience in leading companies in the tech and mobile industries, as well as seeing the needs of the ag industry, has served as one...
Jan 16, 2019•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast Justin Dahlgren and Eric Thalken are farm managers in Nebraska. They have adapted to using Granular , one of the world’s leading farm management software tools. Granular provides farmers with all the necessary tools that analyze operational, agronomic, and financial information for their farms. Justin’s farm primarily grows corn and soybeans tied to their 8,000-head feedlot. On the other hand, Eric’s 2,300-acre farm has transitioned to organic farming recently and aims to be 100% organic this ye...
Jan 09, 2019•42 min•Transcript available on Metacast Tim Moffett is known as the Ag Comedian , as he blends comedy and farming into a finely tuned and unique craft. He likes to combine everyday life on the farm and stand-up comedy to show everyone there is always something to smile and laugh about - even in agriculture. Tim frequently performs at agriculture conventions, fairs, business meetings, corporate events, and even at family reunions. Tim joins me today to discuss comedy in agriculture, a side to the industry most think doesn’t exist. He s...
Jan 02, 2019•27 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
