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Jord BioScience, FMC, Syngenta, Square Roots Japan, Acadian Plant Health, AdeptAg, Mars & More: This Week’s AgTech Innovations & Market Trends
Sepehr Achard
February 21, 2025
Welcome to this edition of AgTech Digest, where we bring you the latest updates on funding, partnerships, innovations, and industry trends.
From breakthroughs in plant science to indoor farming advancements, AI-driven AgTech, and sustainability initiatives, this week's coverage highlights key developments shaping the future of agriculture.
📩 Stay informed. Stay ahead. Read on for the latest insights.
This Week’s Highlights Include:
Estimated Reading Time: 7 - 8 minutes
You can also listen to the full episode here.
Special thanks to Sollum Technologies for becoming the latest Scale-Up Company on our directory! 🎉
Sollum Technologies has developed a 100% dynamic LED lighting solution that uses the full spectrum of the Sun's natural light to illuminate closed environments like greenhouses, research centers, and laboratories. The award-winning, turnkey solution uses AI-powered light fixtures controlled by Sollum's proprietary SUN as a Service® cloud platform, offering energy savings, increased productivity, and superior produce quality.
Read more about all the great things Sollum is working on here.
And if you haven’t done so already, make sure you claim your company listing today.
PLANT SCIENCE DEVELOPMENTS
🌱 Plant Science & AgTech Weekly Recap: Series B, New Herbicide & More!
🔹 Jord BioScience Secures Series B Funding for Next-Gen Crop Inputs
What happened? Jord BioScience closed its Series B funding round.
Why it matters: Funding will accelerate next-gen crop input development and commercialization.
Who benefits? Farmers worldwide, with new biological solutions for corn, soybeans, canola, wheat, and specialty crops.
🔹 FMC Introduces Dodhylex™ Active Herbicide
What happened? FMC produced the first commercial batch of Dodhylex™ active, a new herbicide for rice.
Why it matters: First new herbicide mode of action in over 30 years, tackling resistant grass weeds.
What’s next? Regulatory submissions are underway, with full launches expected in 2026.
🔹 Syngenta & Ceres Biotics Expand VIXERAN® Biostimulant
What happened? Syngenta Crop Protection partnered with Ceres Biotics to expand VIXERAN®.
Why it matters: Enhances nitrogen use efficiency in crops, reducing environmental impact.
How? Uses Azotobacter salinestris bacteria to improve nitrogen absorption from leaves and roots.
🔹 Ounce of Hope Earns OMRI Certification for Organic Farming
What happened? Ounce of Hope’s fish-based fertilizer and soil conditioner is now OMRI-certified.
Why it matters: Approved for organic farming without risking certification.
What’s the impact? Boosts consumer trust and adoption of sustainable ag products.
🔹 Acadian Plant Health Unveils Abiotic Stress Management Portfolio
What happened? Acadian launched an ASM portfolio to help plants withstand extreme weather, drought, and flooding.
Why it matters: Targets and mitigates environmental stressors with biological compounds.
Who benefits? Growers facing climate-related crop challenges.
🔹 ProGro BIO’s Rhizol Microbial Inoculant Delivers Strong Results
What happened? ProGro BIO completed a large-scale trial of Rhizol in 26 states.
Why it matters: Demonstrated higher yields, improved soil health, and pathogen resistance.
What’s next? Expansion of microbial solutions for sustainable farming.
THIS WEEK’S EDITORIAL
🌿 U.S. Indoor Farming & Vertical Farming Outlook
🔹 Market Expansion
U.S. indoor farming to hit $8.64B by 2030 (CAGR 11.9%).
Vertical farming to grow from $735.6M (2023) at 19.1% CAGR.
🔹 Key Players
Gotham Greens, Little Leaf Farms, Oishii, Local Bounti, 80 Acres Farms & more.
🔹 Tech Innovations
AI-driven climate control, automation, blockchain, & precision ag improving efficiency.
🔹 Challenges & Opportunities
High costs & scalability remain hurdles.
Tech & local production trends to drive adoption.
THIS WEEK’S INTERVIEW
The Urgent Need for Better H5N1 Surveillance and Testing Infrastructure in the U.S.
🔹 Current Issues
Shaun Holt, CEO of Alveo Technologies, highlights delays in lab-based H5N1 diagnostics, posing risks to poultry & dairy industries.
🔹 Need for Real-Time Testing
Faster on-farm surveillance could improve efficiency & lower costs.
🔹 Policy Recommendations
Faster regulatory approvals for rapid tests.
Pilot programs for on-farm diagnostics.
Vaccination & biosecurity enhancements.
Investment in decentralized testing solutions.
INDOOR FARMING LATEST
🌱 Indoor Farming: Tech & Expansion Updates
🔹 AdeptAg Partners with FGM for Labor-Saving Tech
North American AdeptAg teams up with Denmark’s FGM Moving Gutter Systems to improve space optimization & plant growth for leafy greens.
As the exclusive North American distributor, AdeptAg will provide on-site support & domestic service, solving remote support issues from European providers.
The company offers irrigation, seeding, harvesting, & automation solutions for growers.
🔹 Square Roots Japan Expands Modular Indoor Farming
Tokyo-based Square Roots Japan collaborates with traditional farmers to protect specialty crops using a modular, data-driven platform.
Features smart software, crop recipes, & R&D services to adapt farming to climate challenges.
Backed by Collaborative Fund, with expansion plans coming soon.
AGRICULTURE TECHNOLOGY
🌍 AgTech Data & AI Innovations: Rain Forecasting, Analytics & More!
🔹Cordulus Enhances AI Rain Forecasting
52% more accurate than traditional methods, trained on 8M+ rainfall events in Europe.
Real-time updates every 10 minutes, helping farmers optimize sowing, spraying & harvesting.
Expanding hyperlocal forecasting with thousands of weather stations.
🔹 CoStar Group Acquires Ag-Analytics
Integrating AcreValue® farmland insights into its Land.com Network.
Provides land valuations, geospatial mapping & soil data for investors & landowners.
Aims to improve market transparency & capital access for agricultural investments.
🔹 AEH Group Selects VitalEdge for Digital Transformation
Implements e-Emphasys ERP to streamline CRM, equipment inspections & field service.
Improves workflow efficiency, customer service & business intelligence in Australia & New Zealand.
How Did You Like Today's Newsletter? |
AGRIBUSINESS NEWS
🌾 Ag Market Trends & Industry Updates
🔹 Corn Acreage Set to Increase in 2025
CoBank report predicts a 5% rise in U.S. corn acreage to 87.06M acres.
Key drivers: Strong export demand, ethanol production, tight global stocks.
Challenges: Trade disputes with Canada & Mexico may impact demand.
🔹 Bushel Plus Expands into U.S. Market
Brings harvest optimization tools like SmartPan System & MAD Concaves.
Helps farmers reduce grain loss, save fuel, & improve efficiency.
Expanding U.S. distributor network with precision ag dealers.
🔹 EU Unveils Vision for Agriculture & Food
Focus on competitiveness, sustainability & rural community support.
Based on Strategic Dialogue recommendations & EU citizen priorities.
🔹 Mars & Fonterra Launch $27M Climate-Smart Dairy Program
Goal: Cut dairy emissions by 50% by 2030, impacting 26,000 hectares.
Incentives: 2,000 dairy farmers receive investments, 165 rewarded yearly.
🔹 Sipcam Agro USA Opens New Formulation Plant
12,000 sq. ft. facility for fungicides & insecticides in the U.S.
Improves supply chain reliability, cost control & formulation flexibility.
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