Future of Agriculture
439 episodes - English - Latest episode: 28 days ago - ★★★★★ - 246 ratingsThis show explores the people, companies, and ideas shaping the future of the agriculture industry. Every week, Tim Hammerich talks to the farmers, founders, innovators and investors to share stories of agtech, sustainability, resiliency and the future of food.
We believe innovation is an important part of the future of agriculture, and real change comes from collaboration between scientists, entrepreneurs and farmers. Lead with optimism, but also bring data!
For more details on the guests featured on this show, visit the blog at www.FutureOfAgriculture.com.
Homepage Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
Future of Agriculture 043: Sharing Ag With Over 2 Million People - Joel Cowley President and CEO of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
March 08, 2017 10:00 - 32 minutes - 22.1 MBToday’s guest, Joel Cowley, grew up with his grandparents who exposed him to agriculture even before being introduced to books at school. Losing his parents at an early age, he knows the importance and value of agriculture programs since one of these supported parts of his college education through scholarship. The confidence that was built from being exposed to agriculture at a young age allowed him to acquire a bachelor’s degree in animal science from Colorado State University, a maste...
Future of Agriculture 042: Agtech Foodtech and Ag Entrepreneurship with Louisa Burwood-Taylor of AgFunder
March 01, 2017 14:00 - 33 minutes - 46.1 MBAgTech 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 industr...
Future of Agriculture 041: The Return of the Most Entertaining Man in Agriculture, Damian Mason
February 22, 2017 10:00 - 33 minutes - 45.9 MBMost of you will remember today’s guest, Damian Mason, from Episode 04 of the Future of Agriculture Podcast. His charm, humor, and intellect makes him a truly unforgettable person. He is a well-known keynote speaker, coach, and consultant in the agriculture industry. Damian has been in the agriculture industry for over 23 years. In today’s episode, I took the opportunity to get his views about agriculture as a business. We talk about a variety of topics from consumer perception, baby anim...
Future of Agriculture 040: From Land to Landfill - Food Waste with Jonathan Bloom of Wasted Food
February 15, 2017 14:00 - 47 minutes - 37.9 MBFood 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...
Future of Agriculture 039: Farmland Ownership and Cash Rent with Dave Meyers of Bird Dog
February 08, 2017 14:00 - 37 minutes - 50.8 MBOn today’s episode of the Future of Agriculture Podcast, my guest is a Purdue graduate who was brave enough to make a career change from being a Turkey breeder in Perdue Farms to sales. Dave Myers shares his journey in farming and how a man changed his perspective when he was taught about the soil and how it can maximize the growth in farming. As Dave saw the struggles of many growers, he appreciated that with his new career path, he can help growers become more efficient with how they gre...
Future of Agriculture 038: Jay Hill Snapchat Famous First Generation Farmer
February 01, 2017 10:00 - 33 minutes - 45.8 MBOn today’s episode of Future of Agriculture Podcast, I found a very interesting man on Snapchat about a year ago and he tells the story of his diversified farm in Mesilla Valley in Southern New Mexico. Jay Hill started his love for agriculture as a young boy while spending time watching the farmers on a 10-acre hobby farm. He is a first generation farmer whose life in farming started at the very young age of 16. Jay shares not only his journey from 16 years back, but also the things tha...
Future of Agriculture 037: Matthew Sligar of Rice Farming TV The Casey Neistat of Agriculture
January 25, 2017 14:00 - 44 minutes - 61.6 MBOn today’s episode of Future of Agriculture Podcast, I have the privilege of talking with the Casey Neistat of Agriculture – Matthew Sligar. He documents his life in relation to rice farming through video blogging. He creates artistic videos that are made in engaging and amusing ways. Matthew is a rice farmer from Gridley, California. He shared with us today where he got his inspiration and confidence to launch his website Rice Farming TV. We also talked about some of the episodes on h...
Future of Agriculture 036: $1.5 Billion in Agricultural Research With Dr. Shannon Hauf Monsanto
January 18, 2017 14:00 - 41 minutes - 56.9 MBI recently had the opportunity to attend a media event held by Monsanto announcing the new project initiatives that the company will be unveiling in 2017. The information, research, and development that this company has invested to bring better technology and products to the agriculture industry is simply amazing. On this week’s episode, I’m talking with Dr. Shannon Hauf of Monsanto. Dr. Hauf graduated with a background in plant breeding and weed science, then later, she began working at M...
Future of Agriculture 035: The Future of American Agriculture From a Policy Perspective with Sara Wyant
January 11, 2017 10:00 - 46 minutes - 63.3 MBOn today’s episode, we're talking about insights the future of American agriculture from a policy perspective and what’s going on in Washington D.C. that is affecting it's future. The transition from the Obama administration to the Trump administration as well as the new farm bill on the horizon makes for an exciting time to look behind the curtain and figure out what is going on in our nation’s capital. I’m very excited to have my guest, Sara Wyant, on the show. Sara founded Agri-Pulse Co...
Future of Agriculture 034: Utilizing Food Waste for Urban Agriculture with Tinia Pina of Re-Nuble
January 04, 2017 18:00 - 36 minutes - 42.5 MBUtilizing Food Waste for Urban Agriculture with Tinia Pina of Re-Nuble The United States has a shortage of people who want to work in agriculture. We’ve gone from most of the population to only one percent of people working in this industry. There are fewer people with farms and a lack of individuals who want to make long lasting and meaningful careers in agriculture. There is something we can do about attracting interest in farming, though, such as enticing professionals from other indu...
Future of Agriculture 033: Agricultural Trucking & Transportation with Jared Flinn of BulkLoads.com
December 28, 2016 18:00 - 36 minutes - 41.6 MBOn today’s episode of the Future of Agriculture Podcast, my guest, Jared Flinn, is the founder and operating partner of Bulk Loads. His site provides an online platform that connects shippers with the transportation companies. Jared graduated with a minor in agricultural economy, but wasn’t sure what he wanted to do with his credentials. He started working as a truck driver and grew to love all the aspects of the industry and eventually moved into shipping logistics in the agriculture sect...
Future of Agriculture 032: International Farming & Ag Leadership with Kip Tom
December 21, 2016 18:00 - 23 minutes - 27.2 MBThis is a good time for reflection on this past year and anticipation of what is to come in 2017, and I’m energized about the potential we have in some of the strategic objectives that we’ll be rolling out here in the coming year. I’m also excited to interview our guest today who came from humble farming beginnings and is now a leader in agri-business and a force in politics. On today’s episode of the Future of Agriculture Podcast, we have who could very well be our next United States Secr...
Future of Agriculture 031: The Temple Grandin Interview
December 14, 2016 18:00 - 27 minutes - 31.7 MBOn today’s episode of the Future of Agriculture Podcast, I am extremely excited to chat with a guest with whom I have the utmost respect for and who I am in awe of. Dr. Temple Grandin is an author and a professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University who is passionate about agriculture and the people involved in it. Temple has revolutionized the industry with practices she devised and is a highly-regarded internationally known speaker on the subjects of autism and cattle handling. ...
Future of Agriculture 030: The Shark Farmer with Rob Sharkey
December 07, 2016 14:00 - 32 minutes - 37.5 MBOn today’s episode of the Future of Agriculture Podcast, I am chatting with possibly one of the most active Twitter users within the agricultural space – Rob Sharkey. Rob is the host of an amazing podcast I recently discovered called The Shark Farmer Podcast. “Sharky,” as his friends lovingly call him, runs a grain farm in Illinois in addition to an outfitters business for deer hunters. Today, I had the chance to ask him some of the most pressing questions I’ve always wanted to ask a farme...
Future of Agriculture 029: Turkey Production with Steve Olson of the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association
November 30, 2016 14:00 - 32 minutes - 37.3 MBThis episode is going is going live on the last day of November 2016. Many of us in the U.S. still have turkey in our bellies and are wrapping up a week of delicious food. This is the perfect setting to dive into the fascinating world of the commercial turkey industry. Over 46 million turkeys are grown every year just in the state of Minnesota. The birds are grown indoors with technology to monitor every aspect of the feed, water, and environment. On this episode we speak with Steve Ol...
Future of Agriculture 028: Startups, Social Media, and the future of AgTech with Kevin Heikes of in10t.io
November 23, 2016 18:00 - 36 minutes - 41.8 MBKevin Heikes is the Founder of In10t.io, an advisory firm dedicated to helping clients solve problems in Agriculture related to technology strategy, product commercialization and digital system design. Kevin has worked with several start-ups, including FarmLink, where he served as Vice President of Product and Farms Technology where, post acquisition, by DuPont Pioneer he led the integration and product migration to DTN. This episode is filled with new ideas, tactics, and anecdotes that...
Future of Agriculture 027: International Agriculture Development and The Future of Agriculture in Africa with Trent McKnight, Founder of AgriCorps
November 16, 2016 18:00 - 32 minutes - 37 MBAgriCorps sends American college graduates and professionals into developing nations to teach agriculture and to build local agricultural communities. The volunteers, known as AgriCorps Fellows, work for one year in countries such as Ghana and Liberia. Trent shares his perspective on the future of agriculture in Africa, challenges and rewards of agricultural development, and the differences between U.S. and African food production. I agree with his perspective that Africa will grow into a ...
Future of Agriculture 026: Vertical Farming with Dr. Nate Storey of Bright Agrotech
November 09, 2016 18:00 - 39 minutes - 45.7 MBDr. Nate Storey holds a PhD in Agronomy and Crop Science from the University of Wyoming. He started his company, Bright Agrotech while completing his graduate studies. Six years later, Bright Agrotech are leaders in the high density indoor and greenhouse farming industry. They partner with farmers of all sizes to build a fresher, more distributed food system. Many of you, especially the more entrepreneurial-minded, will really enjoy this episode. Vertical farming holds promises of entry-...
Future of Agriculture 025: Michael Dunn, Precision Agronomist & Remote Sensing Specialist
November 02, 2016 17:00 - 30 minutes - 34.9 MBAccording to AgFunder, over $4 billion poured into AgTech investments in 2015. Many times when people think of the recent AgTech craze, their mind immediately goes to drones. I have been curious about drones for quite some time, both from a "coolness factor" perspective and from the perspective of "what's really that great about them in agriculture?". I had been looking to bring on a drone expert to the podcast for quite some time, but didn't want someone who would be too technical or wo...
Future of Agriculture 024: AgriTourism with Matt Krueger of the Valley Corn Maize and K&D Krueger Farms
October 26, 2016 13:00 - 33 minutes - 38.7 MBHappy Halloween! I hope for many of you this means the end to a successful growing season and a bountiful harvest. To celebrate this season, we are happy to bring on a farmer who has recently started a venture in the agritourism space. Matt Krueger of K&D Krueger Farms is a 4th generation farmer in the Red River Valley of Minnesota. Two years ago, Matt and his family decided to launch a corn maze for the people of his community. The response has been outstanding, and Matt expects upwa...
Future of Agriculture 023: JJ Jones of the Center For Food Integrity
October 19, 2016 13:00 - 32 minutes - 37.3 MBThe amount of biased propaganda on the internet is incredible. Especially in this politically divisive season, we are surrounded by information that cannot fully be trusted. Where can one go for well-researched, scientific facts? For politics: your options are slim. But for food and agriculture, we have the Center for Food Integrity. On this episode, Tim discusses objective research in agriculture, and how we can articulate truthful messages in an unbiased way. JJ Jones grew up in Northw...
Future of Agriculture 022: Eating Bugs with Robert Nathan Allen of Little Herds
October 12, 2016 13:00 - 34 minutes - 40 MBLittle Herds is a non-profit organization that promotes insects as food and feed. In this episode, Robert Nathan Allen (“RNA”) describes why insects should be a larger part of our diet and feed. Also, he describes the business models of some current insect farming operations. Even if you’re not going to rush out and buy some cricket protein bars, the case for insects, especially for feed, is compelling. Enjoy this episode with an open mind and let me know what you think about the pros an...
Future of Agriculture 021: Brian Hogue, Arable Media
October 05, 2016 13:00 - 37 minutes - 42.6 MBBrian Hogue and his team at Arable Media have a deep knowledge of agriculture, and an eye for what makes stories interesting to tell on video. Arable creates video content specializing in agricultural, outdoor, and rural lifestyles. Through use of specialized equipment such as 360 degree cameras and drones, they can tell your story accurately and beautifully. Brian is an entrepreneur, world traveler, and all around great guy. Enjoy this interview! Arable Media Website Brian Hogu...
Future of Agriculture 020: Johnny George, Tree T-Pee
September 28, 2016 13:00 - 37 minutes - 42.6 MBWhen Johnny Georges walked onto the set of Shark Tank it was clear that he was not your average entrepreneur. Wearing a tee shirt and a ball cap, Johnny pitched his business that sells the Tree T-Pee. His product serves as both a water containment and frost protection system for tree crop farmers in Florida. Johnny left with a deal to partner with John Paul Dejoria of Paul Mitchell and Patron fame. Also, he left with a recorded pitch that would go viral and ultimately be viewed over a ...
Future of Agriculture 019: Dr. Pamela Marrone, CEO and Founder of Marrone Bio Innovations (MBI)
September 21, 2016 08:27 - 30 minutes - 34.5 MBDr. Pamela Marrone, CEO and founder of Marrone Bio Innovations (MBI), started the company in 2006 to discover and develop effective and environmentally responsible, biologically-based products for pest management and plant health. In August 2013, she led the company IPO on the NASDAQ stock exchange. Marrone Bio Innovations are experts at discovering, developing, and commercializing naturally derived technologies. They have created an industry-leading platform of pest management and p...
Future of Agriculture 018: Jerry Miller, Founder of FarmersOnly.com
September 14, 2016 20:30 - 36 minutes - 41.7 MB“City folks just don’t get it” That’s the slogan of FarmersOnly.com, an online dating service for those that value the rural lifestyle. In this episode, Jerry Miller, the founder of FarmersOnly.com discusses the challenges of getting the website launched and why its has been so popular (now over 6 million users!). This episode is interested from both an agriculture entrepreneurship perspective, but also it’s just interesting to learn about this unique business serving our industry. ...
Future of Agriculture 017: Jake Wenger of Wenger Ranch & Wood Colony Jake talks about multi-generational farming, water allocation, and CA AB1066
September 08, 2016 15:10 - 41 minutes - 47.7 MBJake operates a family farm near Modesto, CA growing primarily almonds and walnuts. He is an elected board member on the local water board and is very active in the California Farm Bureau (where his father serves as president). Jake talks about the benefits and challenges of operating a farm business with family, how water is allocated to farmers, how bills like AB1066 in California affect farmers, and the right way to pronounce the word "almond". One fascinating point Jake makes is abou...
Future of Agriculture 016: Jerrod Westfahl of AgriSync Talks AgTech and Entrepreneurship in Agriculture
August 31, 2016 20:52 - 37 minutes - 42.6 MBAgriSync has a really cool technology that helps farmers communicate with trusted advisers using their smart phone. (Think FaceTime for farmers). Jerrod Westfahl is one of the entrepreneurs bringing this fascinating technology to market. Jerrod is educated in law and has a background in farming and growing successful companies. AgriSync has a unique combination of experience in agriculture, software and online community building. They are using it to bring emerging communication techn...
Future of Agriculture 015: Janette Barnard of The Poultry Exchange
August 24, 2016 13:11 - 39 minutes - 45.5 MBJanette Barnard was in the middle of a successful agribusiness career with Elanco when she decided to go back to school to get her MBA from Texas A&M. At A&M she caught the “entrepreneurship bug” and upon graduation launched The Poultry Exchange. Her company addresses the problem with selling fresh poultry in the “spot market”, which refers to the market for large quantities of processed poultry that is not contracted ahead of time. In this episode, Janette describes the problems...
Future of Agriculture 014: Dr. Doug Sammons, Monsanto
August 18, 2016 20:47 - 29 minutes - 33.9 MBThis interview will make you smarter. Have you heard of "superpests"? This term refers to agricultural pests that develop resistance to agricultural chemicals and other applications. The more technical term for these "superpests" is multi-resistance. Dr. Doug Sammons has dedicated his career to working with enzyme function and activity specifically around designing and adapting agricultural applications to manage pests (mainly dealing with insect pests). If a farmer notices that an ap...
Future of Agriculture 013: Career Advancement in Agribusiness Webinar
August 18, 2016 20:33 - 49 minutes - 56.5 MBThis episode is a recorded webinar I did for the Kansas State University Master of Agribusiness program entitled "Career Advancement in Agribusiness". The Master of Agribusiness (MAB) Program is an executive distance-based program offering business training to individuals working full-time in food, agriculture, and animal health. The program is built to facilitate earning a Master's degree without career interruption, and students participate in two one-week sessions. Visit http://mab.ksu...
Future of Agriculture 012: Greg Peterson of the Peterson Farm Bros
August 18, 2016 20:09 - 31 minutes - 36.3 MBFUN episode here as Tim sits down with Greg Peterson of the Peterson Farm Bros. Greg, along with his siblings Nathan, Kendal, and Laura got their start by creating viral YouTube videos including "Farmer Style" (parody of "Gangnam Style"), "I'm Farming and I Grow It" (parody of "I'm Sexy and I Know It"), and "Chore" (parody of "Roar"). In addition to creating viral videos, they are building the Peterson Farm Bros brand to include various social media, public speaking, and performing....
Future of Agriculture 008: Erik Wilson of My Job Depends on Ag
August 04, 2016 03:09 - 37 minutes - 42.9 MBOn this episode, Tim chats with Erik Wilson, who is a farmer, owner of a custom spraying business, and one of the co-founders of "My Job Depends on Ag". Erik has a fantastic success story of someone living the American Dream through his career in agriculture. The conversation ranges from getting involved in agriculture when you don't have an ag background, running an agribusiness, GMOs, to agricultural advocacy. Check out “My Job Depends on Ag” on Facebook to join the conversation! Vi...
Future of Agriculture 007: Vance Crowe, Director of Millennial Engagement at Monsanto
August 04, 2016 03:00 - 36 minutes - 42.1 MBVance Crowe has a fascinating agricultural success story. Although he grew up in Central Illinois, he did not grow up on a farm or study agriculture in college. However, through a series of unique experiences he is now the Director of Millennial Engagement with Monsanto. Most of you have probably heard of Monsanto, and may even hold strong opinions about the work that they do. Listen to Vance. He is a thoughtful, articulate, intelligent ambassador for the future of agriculture. I am honore...
Future of Agriculture 006: Matt Brechwald of Off Farm Income
August 04, 2016 02:45 - 54 minutes - 62 MBTim discusses with Matt his journey from law enforcement to farming, podcasting and rodent control. Matt took an agricultural internship in college that lead him in an unconventional direction, but he now farms with his wife and daughter in Kuna, ID. Matt also hosts the "Off Farm Income" podcast and runs a business killing rodents for farmers and ranchers. Follow Matt on Twitter @mattbrechwald Listen to his podcast on iTunes. Visit his website and Facebook Page. Thanks for liste...
Future of Agriculture 005: Ranching, Sustainability, & AgVocacy with Debbie Lyons-Blythe
July 26, 2016 16:20 - 50 minutes - 57.8 MBIf you were a listener of the AgGrad podcast, this episode will be a repeat for you, but it's great nonetheless. Debbie Lyons-Blythe runs a successful cattle ranch in Kansas and blogs about it at http://www.kidscowsandgrass.com. She is a fantastic advocate for agriculture, ranching, and sustainable practices. She is a winner of the "Farm Mom of the Year", and as you will hear, a very knowledgeable and articulate leader for the ag industry. Debbie mentions that she is open to invitin...
Future of Agriculture 004: Damian Mason, The Most Entertaining Man in Agriculture
July 25, 2016 20:52 - 39 minutes - 45.5 MBThis episode was originally posted on the AgGrad Podcast, but it was so good we had to re-publish here. Damian is a professional public speaker to agribusinesses and agricultural association events. He has a background in production agriculture, and a very unique but well thought out perspective on several agricultural issues. Damian got his start in the entertainment business as a Bill Clinton impersonator (which he recently brought back to his offerings due to political relevance). ...
Future of Agriculture 002: Organic Feed Production with Cameron Molberg of Coyote Creek Feed Mill
July 20, 2016 02:48 - 33 minutes - 38.8 MBUsually when people first think of organic agriculture they think of one thing: raising crops with no chemicals. Well, this industry is WAY larger and MUCH more complicated than that. Take, for example, organic milk. A product that has become commonplace in most grocery stores. Certified organic milk must come from certified organic dairies that feed certified organic feed. For there to be a consistent supply of milk to keep grocery store shelves full of fresh product, there must be a ...
Future Of Agriculture 001: Introduction to the Show
July 20, 2016 01:43 - 8 minutes - 9.33 MBWhy did we create the "Future of Agriculture" Podcast? In this episode, Tim explains that the next 30 years are likely going to be one of the most crucial times ever for agriculture and agribusiness. Population growth, limited resources, and variable consumer preferences create challenges and opportunities for all of those who work in the ag industry. These issues affect everyone along the value chain from farm to fork. Tim lists a few of the over 300 careers that exist in the agric...