Episode description

Put AI to work on your farm: https://farmwave.io/

Rhishi Pethe's Software Is Feeding The World Newsletter: https://www.rhishipethe.com/sftw

Verdant Robotics: https://www.verdantrobotics.com/

Verdant Robotics is offering a smart sprayer that helps farmers reduce labor and input costs. But don’t let the word “robotics” in the name fool you: their technology, although very cutting-edge, hooks right onto existing equipment like any other farm implement. 

“Here at Verdant we have a slogan called 'autonomy last.' So even though our co founders and early employees all were foundational in the birth of that (autonomous vehicle) industry, it's the last thing that we're going to do. The majority of the value that we're going to provide the grower is automating the machine on the back. That's actually where the value is being provided.” - Curtis Garner

Automation doesn’t necessarily mean autonomy. That’s Curtis Garner, founder and CCO at Verdant Robotics. A lot of the team, like Chief Operating Officer Brent Shedd, came from the world of self-driving vehicles, but they are now laser focused on farmers, and building the next generation of smart tech-enabled farm equipment. 

“If you're a grower and you're looking at  an implement that isn't software defined, you should really rethink the way that you're evaluating the long term viability of the equipment  on your farm. Because you want implements that will only increase in value to your operation the longer that you own them.” - Brent Shedd

Curtis Garner and Brent Shedd from Verdant Robotics join guest host Rhishi Pethe on today’s Future of Agriculture podcast.