Future of Agriculture

Dr. Nishant Dass is an associate professor and Ph.D. Coordinator in finance at Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business. His areas of expertise include major areas of financing and business management including CEO-Compensation, Corporate Governance, Mutual Funds, Trade Credit, and International Finance. He has plenty of published papers under his name with regards to financing and has extensive experience providing sage financial advice to startups and other small companies. He has recently picked up an interest in Blockchain technology, citing it as the next big thing since the internet.   In this episode, Dr. Nishant Dass discusses the potential and limitations of Blockchain technology. He explains why Bitcoin is not Blockchain, the kinds of problems Blockchain can solve in the near future, and why Blockchain doesn’t guarantee truth. He also shares what he believes will happen within the next two to three years with regards to its inevitable global implementation.     “If the internet is about exchanging information and Bitcoin exchanging money, then Blockchain is about exchanging value.”– Dr. Nishant Dass This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:  Why he likes to work with startups. How he discovered Blockchain How he applies his knowledge of Blockchain to his work Is the concept of Blockchain overhyped? The differences between Bitcoin and Blockchain. How he sees Blockchain tech developing in supply chains. Situations where Blockchain tech can improve efficiency. The limitations of Blockchain. What we expect to see from Blockchain in the near future. What needs to happen for Blockchain to be successful. Connect with Dr. Nishant Dass: Georgia Tech profile We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!  The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.  Share the Ag-Love!  Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!  Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram 

Tomaz Levak and Ziga Drev are the founders of OriginTrail, a service that developed the first purpose-built protocol blockchain-based supply chains. Their protocol aims to bring trust into the supply chain without the need for a middleman brokering trust. The OriginTrail platform was created to bring blockchain tech to supply chains in an interoperable, scalable, and decentralized manner.   In this episode, Tomaz and Ziga discuss their product and how it can solve many of the problems encountered with the current supply chain structure. They explain how their product works, the companies they are testing it on, and how it can impact the agricultural sector in the near future. They also share some of the ways you can become involved in their product, such as by being an investor.     “Blockchain is a technology that allows you to get rid of this middleman that is brokering trust.”– Ziga Drev   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:  How do you get Blockchain technology to scale? What are the incentives in implementing Blockchain? When did they realize Blockchain was the solution to supply chain problems? How does OriginTrail's protocol work? How Blockchain changes the way we do open source projects. What is Trace and can you buy it with currency or is it only acquired by participating in the supply chain? What's the next step for OriginTrail? Connect with Tomaz and Ziga: OriginTrail We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!  The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.  Share the Ag-Love!  Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!  Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram 

In part 1 of our Blockchain series, I discussed the concept of Blockchain and how it can impact the agricultural industry. I highlighted reputable resources, possible points where Blockchain can positively change, and how it can build trust in all market participants from beginning to end. I also compared Blockchain to BitCoin, emphasizing on their similarities, and why it is the next big thing in the agricultural industry. I also discussed the advantages farmers will reap from it and how a Blockchain system can affect our current supply chain.   In this episode, I’ll explain other potential applications of Blockchain as well as some of its current limitations and scenarios where applying a Blockchain system helps improve the system for everyone involved in terms accountability and data accuracy. I’ll also explain how Blockchain can help farmers focus on farming instead of other time-consuming transactions.     “Enough people need to adopt Blockchain, to where it could be an effective use to the supply chain.”– Tim Hammerich   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:  Limitations and challenges with Blockchain. Additional applications and opportunities for Blockchain. What needs to be built to utilize Blockchain's full potential? How it can create a more efficient transaction between clients and suppliers. The potential benefits of Blockchain to logistics. We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!  The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.  Share the Ag-Love!  Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!  Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram 

Innovations in the agricultural industry come in many forms. From technological advances to improving farming practices, the world is slowly but surely guaranteeing safe and sustainable food sources for generations to come. But, what if we take that a step further? What if we have a system in place that enables traceability, security, improves food safety and gets everyone involved in making sure food quality is top notch? That is what the concept of Blockchain seeks to implement.   In this episode, Tim discusses the concept of Blockchain and why it’s one of the most ambitious, yet sensible approaches when it comes to advancing the agricultural industry. He lays down the facts, his sources, and why it’s not so different to how Bitcoin operates. He also explains how a typical Blockchain approach would work with our current supply chain.     “Blockchain is a series of technologies that can build trust in our supply chain.”– Tim Hammerich This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:  What is Blockchain and how can it affect agricultural businesses? What information does it provide farmers? Can you trust Blockchain with sensitive data? The similarities between BitCoin and Blockchain The five areas in agriculture where Blockchain is currently being explored. The limitations of Blockchain? Resources Mentioned: Future of Agriculture – Leveraging Data to Optimize Commodity Decisions with Mike Neal of DecisionNext Future of Agriculture - Disruptive Agricultural Technologies with Aidan Connolly, CIO of Alltech Blockchain Meets Agriculture: Supply Chain Transformation Possibilities How the blockchain will radically transform the economy We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!  The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.  Share the Ag-Love!  Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!  Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram

Nick Horob is the founder of Harvest Profit, a company that provides a set of management tools focused on the business side of the farm. Their aim is to allow farmers make decisions based on objective analysis and data, preventing emotionally-driven choices which in turn gives them better, long-term returns. While Nick grew up in a family of farmers, his extensive experience in risk management, real estate investment, and business best practices motivated him to start Harvest Profit so he could help farmers not just increase their yield, but to let them know where to invest and where to cut their investments.   In this episode, Nick explains what Harvest Profit is all about. He discusses the many problems encountered by farmers when it comes to investments and how their services provide the answers to those issues. He also shares why his company stands out among the competition, their goals for 2018, and his thoughts on the future of AgTech.     “Producing a crop is a combination of hundreds if not thousands of micro variables.”– Nick Horob This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:  How does Harvest Profit improve a farmer's business? What inspired him to start Harvest Profit? Farmers attitudes towards new technologies and new software. What makes Harvest Profit much more attractive to farmers than other competitors? What it’s like to compete with bigger companies? Connect with Nick Horob: Harvest Profit Email: nick@harvestprofit.com We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!  The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.  Share the Ag-Love!  Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!  Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram 

Tyler Mayoras is a Principal at Advantage Capital Partners, a company that invests in small businesses that are ready for growth. As a principal, his duties revolves around screening and identifying potential opportunities for investments, facilitate due diligence, and close transactions. His primary focus is on investments made by their agriculture wing, aptly called Advantage Capital Agribusiness Partners. Some of the most prominent businesses he watched over were Hip Chick Farms, Shenandoah Growers, and NurturMe.   In this episode, Tyler shares the kind of businesses their company looks for when it comes to investing. He explains their requirements, what convinces them to invest in that particular business, as well as why almost half of the businesses they look at are rural or close to rural. He also shares how the government is involved in their investments and his experience working with NurturMe, a gluten-free baby food company.     “A lot of the whole food revolution is being driven by people under 40: The Millennials and Generation Z.”– Tyler Mayoras   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:  The type of investing Tyler does with Advantage Capital Partners. How hard is it to invest in a new industry? Would wheat-based products still be considered plant-based? Is it hard to merge those who are interested in progressive food and ag business and those supporting a rural economy? The trends in the natural space and how companies manage to stay unique. What do they consider as impact investing? Spaces he would like to find more companies to invest in. The impact of information accessibility on food trends. Resources Mentioned: 23andMe NurturMe Connect with Tyler Mayoras: Advantage Capital Partners Twitter We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!  The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.  Share the Ag-Love!  Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!  Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram 

How does a 30,000 acre farm operate with just 9 employees? Lon Frahm shares with Tim how he has grown his row crop operation to over 30,000 acres, and how he uses economies of scale such as self-insuring and storing his own grain, to develop advantages over other farmers.  Lon has a very impressive story. He took over his family's farm upon his father's death when he was just 28 years old. He has lead the operation to tremendous growth over the past 30 years and has experiences very little employee turnover.  Lon knows the value in keeping good people on the team, learning quicker than your competition, and networking with peers in the industry.  Whether you are a farmer, in agribusiness, or not in any related field, there are still some business gems in this episode.  Learn more about Frahm Farmland at http://www.frahmfarmland.com Wall Street Journal Article Featuring Lon Frahm Visit http://www.AgGrad.com to connect to careers and employers in agriculture.  Reach out to Tim on Twitter @timhammerich. 

Steven Brockshus is the CEO and Founder of TERVA, an online real estate marketplace dedicated to empowering farmland professionals with knowledge, insights, and data. They aim to build a marketplace not only to educate, but to also connect with people looking to buy and sell farmland. He aims to bring the agricultural real estate industry online to shift the industry and how people interact and think about farmland.   In this episode, Steven shares his story on how he started TERVA as well as the moments and people in his life that inspired him to do so. He talks about what it can do now and what it sets to do for farmers in the future, and why TERVA is a great resource for those planning to retire on the countryside.     “Disruption in the ag context is different than a disruption in a Silicon Valley or social media based business.”– Steven Brockshus   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:  What is TERVA, their vision, and mission? How the startup company he interned with inspired him to create TERVA. How being in the FFA made him a better business leader. Who finds the most value in using TERVA? The format people want when using TERVA. Where do they plan to expand next? How they convince potential investors. Resources Mentioned: Zillow Connect with Steven Brockshus: TERVA Email: steven@terva.ag We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!  The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.  Share the Ag-Love!  Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!  Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram 

Dr. Peter Ballerstedt is a Doctor of Animal Nutrition and is an expert in forage and ruminant nutrition in agriculture. He stepped out of the agriculture industry for some time and ventured in the tech world for many years. He came back because he realized a fantastic source of health could be found through leveraging animal agriculture, specifically ruminants. A stern believer in grass-based animal nutrition, Peter calls this – the potential of ruminants to lead the way towards healthier diets - the Ruminant Revolution.     In this episode, Peter discusses what his Ruminant Revolution is all about. He addresses the need for ruminants and why it’s one of the best sustainable options to support an ever-growing human population. He also dives in on some facts regarding cultivable lands and current innovations in the ruminant agriculture industry.     “Our grassland resources are our largest and least well-utilized resource that remains.”– Dr. Peter Ballerstedt   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:  What made him love ruminants? Why do we need a Ruminant Revolution? What the is diet like of mostly meat eaters and the diet he recommends today. The steps needed for rangeland industry progression to catch up with road crops? Why Ruminant Animal Agriculture isn't competitive with human beings. Why he favors grass-based agriculture. His thoughts on the saying "You are what you eat.” Resources Mentioned: Good Calories, Bad Calories book by Gary Taubes Dr. Michael and Dr. Mary Dan Eades Connect with Dr. Peter Ballerstedt: Facebook Twitter Instagram Email: peter.ballerstedt@gmail.com We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!  The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.  Share the Ag-Love!  Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!  Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram 

Charles Baron is the Co-Founder of Farmers Business Network, an idea conceived by farmers for farmers. The company aims to gather unbiased and objective information with regards to agronomics and commodities. The idea is to pool available data from individual farmers, so every farmer in their network would benefit from them. The company started three years ago with just 3-4 farms, but through word of mouth and good service, they now have close to 4,700 farms within their network. Charles and his team plan on ultimately expanding his reach outside the U.S. and continue to improve their data interpretation and gathering services.   In this episode, Charles explains the idea behind Food Business Network, what drove him to become a farmer, and the problems farmers face in the U.S. that go unnoticed. He also shares how his company managed to grow their network to what it is now, and their outlook for the future of their company.     “Farmers Business Network exists to bring benefits back to our farmers using our technology and network.”  – Charles Baron   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:  What problems does Farmers Business Network solve for farmers? Why farmers have the worst economics. The uses of Farmers Business Network in terms of commodity prices. What does the side benefiting from the status quo think of their company's business strategy? How transparent is farmer's business network? Why did some hate their price transparency? What kinds of farms do they cover? How do they make sure the data is validated? How do they market their services to farmers? His thoughts on fluctuating commodity and input prices. Any plans on serving the animal agriculture side? What gets investors excited about Farmers Business Network? Resources Mentioned: Farmer2Farmer Connect with Charles Baron: Farmers Business Network We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!  The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.  Share the Ag-Love!  Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!  Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram