Future of Agriculture

What do you think about an all-expenses-paid trip around the world for six months to learn about agriculture? Does it sound too good to be true? It is too good, but it is also true. This adventure is made possible through Nuffield scholarship. Today’s guest, Mat Hocken, is a husband, father, dairy farmer from New Zealand, and a Nuffield Scholar who has travelled globally to research on his chosen topic of specialization - agricultural innovation. Mat joins me today to share the details of this amazing scholarship program that’s been created for the advancement of agriculture in a global aspect. He gives an overview of the life of a Nuffield scholar and its new international scholarship program. He also shares how this can influence your view of the world and the agricultural industry.   “I think I’ve learned a lot from just observing what you do [in the US]. [Innovation] is also a cultural context.”  – Mat Hocken This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Specifics on the Nuffield scholarship, their scholars, and a list of participating countries Requirements and qualifications for scholarship application Other programs Nuffield scholars take part in while on their trip What's expected of a Nuffield scholar Elements that Mat looks into in other countries as he studies and writes about agricultural innovation Mat’s agricultural background and the business model he and his family use in their business Backstory of how the Nuffield Scholarship came to be and how it is funded Check Out Matt Hocken Across the Net: Mat Hocken on Twitter 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: AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram

Today’s guests allow us to look at agricultural technology and entrepreneurship from two different perspectives. Kevin Heikes is part of the IN10T, a digital agricultural company that created Farmer Trials. Farmer Trials is a platform that connects people who have new ideas and want to test them on real farms. These people get to work with real farmers who have the skill and resources to assess whether these ideas solve real problems that farmers face. Also with me is Kyle Morrow, a farmer in Indiana who is currently a customer of Farmer Trials. Kyle shares his experience working with the company and allows us to look at matters from a practical approach since one of the goals of the program is to see things from different lenses. Today, we see that all new and innovative agricultural technology is nothing until tested and proven effective on the farm. Kevin shares how art and science are combined as a growth strategy used by Farmer Trials; the communication process among the farmer, the ag entrepreneur, and Farmer Trials; and when entrepreneurs can approach Farmers Trials if they have new insights and project proposals.   “Having something like Farmer Trials where they can try multiple things within a given year accelerate the learning curve to utilizing the data.” - Kyle Morrow This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Problems that existed on the farm before Farmer Trials came along Requirements farmers had to meet in the past if a company wanted to do farm trials Tasks that Farmer Trials manage and facilitate for agribusinesses Working in the business versus working on the business Why the services offered by Farmer Trials are appealing to companies both big and small How Farmer Trials plan to use the grant awarded them by Kansas Department of Agriculture Who determines the compensation for the projects   Check Out Kevin Heikes Across the Net: Farmer Trials Website Farmer Trials on Twitter Farmer Trials on Facebook Kevin Heikes on Twitter   Check Out Kyle Morrow Across the Net: Kyle Morrow on Twitter   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: AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram

While having guests and learning from people with different perspectives are the typical setup of this show, stopping to reflect on the things that have been discussed and talked about is an excellent way of seeing the learning, growth, and future direction of the program. With this said, today, I’m going to deviate from my normal program flow to look back and see where the journey has taken us. Today, I’m going to talk about the five big takeaways I have learned from the first 60 episodes of the Future of Agriculture podcast. I also explain how these five big things determine the direction and content of the program. Agriculture should be looked at from as many different lenses as possible. That’s where we’re going to get the ideas. This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Agricultural technology and agricultural entrepreneurship What agricultural education is about and why it is important Defining cooperative extensions and how this reinforces agricultural education Solving serious problems like environmental impact, sustainability, social issues, hunger, and food waste The generational aspect to each agriculture story Agriculture and empathy How we can practice empathy together in the next 60 episodes of the program     Mentioned in This Episode: Episode 49: Building a Brand from Scratch in Agriculture with Marji Guyler-Alaniz of Farmher Episode 46: Growing Cannabis and Other Fun Agronomy Topics with Dr. Curtis Livesay of Dynamite Ag Episode 39: Farmland Ownership and Cash Rent with Dave Meyers of Bird Dog Bird Dog Website Episode 19: Dr. Pamela Marrone, CEO and Founder of Marrone Bio Innovations (MBI) com Episode 51: The Power of A Plant with Stephen Ritz of Green Bronx Machine Episode 58: The Best STEM Delivery Tool with Dr Daniel Foster Episode 59: Why You Should Teach Agriculture - Part Two with Dr. Daniel Foster Episode 44: Grassfed Beef Through Adaptive Multi-Paddock Grazing with Russ Conser of Standard Soil Episode 53: Millennials Solving World Problems Through Agricultural Technology with MiKayla Sullivan of Kinosol Wasted Food Website Episode 40: From Land to Landfill - Food Waste with Jonathan Bloom of Wasted Food Episode 34: Utilizing Food Waste for Urban Agriculture with Tinia Pina of Re-Nuble Episode 26: Vertical Farming with Dr. Nate Storey of Bright Agrotech Upstart Farmers University Episode 56: Old Farm with New Ideas with Coley Jones Drinkwater of Richland Farms Dairy Episode 2: Organic Feed Production with Cameron Molberg of Coyote Creek Feed Mill Episode 22: Eating Bugs with Robert Nathan Allen of Little Herds Episode 31: The Temple Grandin Interview Episode 57: Diversity and Inclusion in Agriculture with Marcus Hollan of the Cultivating Change Foundation   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: AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram

Peter Schott grew up in a family with technologically inclined parents who used computers on their farm even from way back in 1984. Because of this, Peter's curiosity on the possibilities that technology can bring in solving agricultural problems grew. As a result, Peter and another guy from his college dorm decided to work together on offering solutions through mobile apps by establishing their own company called Myriad Mobile. Today, Peter talks about the significant role that mobile apps play in the future of agriculture and the solution of current agricultural problems. He shares some excellent insights from two different perspectives - one from that of a farmer’s and the other of an entrepreneur. He also explains the significance of knowing your audience, your vision, and the problem you want to solve when thinking of a good app to pursue.   “I think the industry is best served if people spend more time listening to their customers and working alongside them rather than telling them what they need.”  – Peter Schott This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: How Peter’s family used computers on the farm in 1984 Biggest game-changer for technology on his farm from 1984 to the present How Myriad Mobile came to be and the core of Myriad’s business The platform he created as a result of a cooperative request Challenges of having and creating a mobile team and where he found his success in sales Similarities and differences between developing apps for agriculture and other fields How farmers can differentiate good technology versus salesmanship How powerful Twitter is in connecting with others in the same industry A peak on the process entrepreneurs go through when engaging with a mobile app firm The biggest unsolved problems in agriculture that can be solved by technology Check Out Peter Schott Across the Net: Myriad Mobile Website Peter Schott on LinkedIn Peter Schott on Twitter   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: AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram

Today’s episode is a continuation of a two-part series on why you should teach agriculture. In the previous episode, Dr. Daniel Foster, an educator at Pennsylvania State University, shared his insights about agriculture and agricultural education on a national scale. Dr. Foster not only makes a difference in the lives of young people, but also trains teachers who want to make a difference in the agricultural education outside the country. Dr. Foster joins me today as he talks about agriculture and agricultural education on an international scale. He shares how he tried to help establish agricultural education in Guatemala and the inspiring story when Dr. Foster and his team of agricultural instructors had an intercultural agriculture trip to Korea.   “It’s okay to be scared but saddle up anyway because there’s a young person in this world, there’s a young person in America that needs you.”  – Dr. Daniel Foster This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Possible reasons why there is a decrease in agriculture instructors in the U.S. How agricultural businesses can offer assistance and support on ag programs Why there are high rates of out-of-school and disengaged students aged 16 to 24 in Guatemala Foster’s proposal regarding the development of Guatemala’s agricultural education Why each agricultural teacher is required to do an individualized professional development plan How Dr. Foster expands the global mindset of students Other significant student learnings Dr. Foster hopes his students will discover Challenges prospective agriculture educators face and how Dr. Foster can help instructors   Questions Ag Businesses Should Ask Ag Programs: Where are the ag programs around me? What do you have going on? Where do you need assistance and help? How can we help?   Check Out Dr. Daniel Foster Across the Net: Email: foster@psu.ed Daniel Foster on Twitter Join our National Teach Agriculture Campaign!   As a primary supporter of the agricultural network, BASF proudly sponsors the National Teach Agriculture Campaign, a movement with a mission to raise awareness about the need to recruit and retain qualified and diverse agricultural teachers. If you are interested in making a lasting impact in developing the future leaders of agriculture, visit NAAE.org for more details.   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: AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram

Daniel Foster is a proponent of agricultural literacy and is currently an Agricultural Teacher Educator at The Pennsylvania State University. He credits his mother for his love for the industry which all started when his mom decided to move out of Texas to Arizona to further her career in agriculture. He was just 15 going 16 at the time and was a starter on his school’s football team, so he considers this part of his life as a fun transition.   In Arizona, he decided to pursue a degree in agriculture and continue his studies until he eventually got his doctorate at Ohio State. To this day, he recalls never really wanting to teach agriculture. That is until February of his senior year as a student teacher. It was then he realized he wanted to keep doing this, teaching young minds about the importance and future of agriculture, for the rest of his life.   On today’s episode, Daniel talks about how his mom inspired him to pursue agricultural studies, why he decided to become a student teacher, the importance of Ag literacy, and his thoughts on Ag Educators.    “It's a lot more fun helping a kid discover what they have inside through agriculture than it is trying to twist the arm of an elected official to recognize the importance of our industry.”  – Dr. Daniel Foster    This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:  What contributes to the Ag teacher shortage? Do rural areas need better Ag programs? What does Ag literacy success look like? Why should Ag literacy be relevant to everybody? How Ag literacy can cause you to make better lifestyle choices. Why the engine of Ag education is the educator. Core pain points causing attrition in the ranks of Ag teachers. The importance of facilitating and utilizing support programs in Ag education. His goal of funding a female agricultural production operation in every continent. Check Out Daniel Foster Across the Net:  Official Bio 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:   AgGrad Website  AgGrad on Twitter  AgGrad on Facebook  AgGrad on LinkedIn  AgGrad on Instagram 

Today’s guest grew up in Mariposa, California and has viewed the world from different lenses as a youth through the 4-H Youth Program. Marcus Hollan attributes his distinctiveness and success to his involvement in such programs when he was younger which allowed him to embrace the diversity of others and understand the importance of inclusion in a community. Marcus is one of the founders of the Cultivating Change Foundation, an organization that elevates and values the LGBTQ community within the agriculture industry. In today’s episode, Marcus talks about the roles that diversity, inclusion, equality, and equity play in the workplace - especially in agriculture. As the chief learning officer of Studio 5, Marcus also shares the organization’s goals, the business case for promoting agriculture, and how the corporate equality index has become a significant tool to know more about how open a company is to embracing racial, cultural, religious, and gender orientation differences.   “There is also power in recognizing our differences; in celebrating and honoring who we are.”  – Marcus Hollan This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Defining diversity, inclusion, equality, and equity What people want - equality versus equity Why you should ask purposeful and intentional questions What inspired Marcus to launch Cultivating Change Foundation The goals of the foundation Challenges Marcus faced in starting Cultivating Change Defining the corporate equality index and its function   Join us at the 2017 Cultivating Change Summit! On June 21 to 23, the third annual Cultivating Change Summit will take place in Sacramento, California. Learn from the excellent speakers, fantastic workshop presenters, and the 8-people panel that will tackle the future of agriculture through the lens of diversity and inclusion as they come up with plans of actions as to how we can better serve the agriculture industry. Be a part of history-in-the-making by checking out Cultivating Change 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: AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram

Coley Jones Drinkwater belongs to a third-generation family of farmers who tend to and sustain the Richlands Dairy Farm in Blackstone, Virginia. Richlands Farm has been a dairy farm since the 1950s. Coley’s story makes you see life in agriculture from different perspectives - a multigenerational angle, a sustainability angle, and an entrepreneurship angle. On today’s episode, Coley talks about the inspiring story of how her grandparents started and pursued the farm as they relied on agriculture in raising and sending their five children to college. She also explains how she and her family decided not to sell the farm during one of its trying times with the challenges, pressures, and sacrifices she and her family made to keep the farm and pursue their own creamery in spite of the denial of her initial proposal. “I hope in building the creamery that maybe that is something that I can do for someone else’s family as well where you can just come, get some ice cream. Sit on the porch. Just breathe and take a moment to be together as a family because that to me is really what makes farming worth all the sacrifice.”  – Coley Jones Drinkwater This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: The crops that Coley and her family grow on the farm What to expect during the farm’s Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze Fall Festivals The farm’s first ever “Dinner on the Dairy” that’s happening on June 23 Why the first ice cream flavor gives honor to Coley’s grandmother Coley’s frustration about misleading labels and marketing strategies concerning truth and honesty The hardest part in farming for Coley since she came back to the farm full-time What gives Coley hope and purpose in life Check Out Coley Jones Drinkwater Across the Net: Richlands Dairy Farm Website Richlands Dairy Farm on Facebook 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: AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram

Today’s guest is an independent movie producer from New York City. Sam Goldberg grew up in Manhattan without any background in agriculture. He was introduced to agriculture when a filmmaker approached him for a concept about grain entrapment, a real and grave danger that farmers and other members of the community are exposed to. Seeing the significance of the issue socially, Sam currently is raising funds for the operation and completion of the movie titled Silo The Film. On today’s episode, Sam talks about the progress he and his team have made in the production of Silo. He also shares why he thinks this movie is socially relevant and his stand on why he wanted to pursue this film in spite of the timespan they need to devote to complete it. He also mentions some of the things that Sam and his team are currently working on like fund-raising, casting, and searching for the right location to shoot the movie.   “This, to me, represents a potential bridge for conversation where a segment of the population can be humanized in such a way that is relatable to anybody.”  – Sam Goldberg   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Overview and plot of Silo The Film What compelled Sam and his business partners to pursue this project The social significance of this film Reasons for filming a documentary Response of the people who viewed the short film at the Tribeca Film Festival The overall cost of the project and how the cost is divided How the revenue side of film works How Sam found the grain entrapment expert his team is working with on the film   Check Out Sam Goldberg Across the Net: Silo The Film Website Silo the Film on Facebook     We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!   The Future of Agriculture Podcast is a part of a network called 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: AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram  

Joining us on today’s episode of Future of Agriculture Podcast are two educators who are making an impact in the agricultural industry by engaging the youth and influencing the future workforce of agriculture. Our first guest, Seth Heinert, is an Agricultural High School teacher in Ogallala, Nebraska who started a rural program two years ago. Beverly Flatt is a program manager who works with city schools called Academies of Nashville in Tennessee helps students discover the passion they would like to pursue after high school. Seth and Beverly share two different programs and approaches as they cater to students from diverse backgrounds and regions. Seth shares some fascinating stories about his classroom experiences in western Nebraska and the reasons why he’s so passionate about pursuing rural education and instilling in his students a love for agriculture. Beverly identifies the agriculture programs they offer in urban education. She also mentions that for the urban students, their exposure to the amount of technology used in the agricultural sector play a significant role in generating interest in the students.   “I think agricultural education plays a huge role in getting kids engaged in their rural communities.”  – Seth Heinert “Just giving students an experience and an opportunity to get involved in agriculture is often the only thing we need to do to sell them on making this an industry and a passion for life.” – Beverly Flatt   This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast: Seth’s priorities in the program he started The essence of having an advisory council and the responsibilities they carry out The three components of Seth’s rural program The primary classifications of the courses Seth teaches What led Beverly to agriculture literacy What the program Academies of Nashville is all about and the school levels and age group they cater to The four agricultural programs in the urban program Acquiring accurate information and getting rid of fake news is the biggest challenge on ag literacy How Beverly and her team determine the courses to be offered in their program How agriculture can improve the academic performance of students     We are a Part of a Bigger Family!   The Future of Agriculture Podcast is a part of a network called 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: AgGrad Website   AgGrad on Twitter   AgGrad on Facebook   AgGrad on LinkedIn   AgGrad on Instagram