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Future Harvest
Innovations and Insights from Biotalys, John Deere, Verdant Technologies, BASF, Serra Ventures and More!
Sepehr Achard
October 18, 2024
In partnership with Harnois Greenhouse
Welcome to This Week’s AgTech Digest!
In partnership with Harnois Greenhouse, we’re excited to bring you the latest updates in the world of agricultural technology. This week, we cover groundbreaking innovations, major funding rounds, and exciting partnerships that are shaping the future of farming.
Grab a coffee, check out our table of contents, and dive into this week’s digest!
What We Are Covering Today?
This Week’s Investments: Serra AG & FOOD TECH FUND II, PROBITY Project & Bioprime!
AgTech Collaborations: Acadian, BASF, John Deere, and More Drive Innovation
🌐 Automation in Action: Transforming Maple Syrup Production and Beyond
Other News: Appointments, New Product Certified, Greenhouse Expansion & A Report
Estimated Reading Time: 6 - 7 minutes
Listening Time: 14 minutes
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SPONSORED BY HARNOIS
Harnois Greenhouses: Low to High-TechPoly Greenhouse Solutions for Berries
Greenhouse-grown berries offer numerous benefits over traditional open-field cultivation, including extended growing seasons, better crop protection, and increased yields.
At Harnois, we provide a full range of greenhouse structures for berry production, from cost-effective open-field solutions like TunnelPro Plus to advanced high-tech gutter-connected greenhouses like Luminosa.
We offer turnkey solutions, backed by a team of agronomists and equipment experts, ensuring growers get tailored systems that fit their needs and budgets. As technology evolves, greenhouse berry production will continue to play a crucial role in sustainable, year-round farming.
FUNDING & INVESTMENTS
This Week’s Investments: Serra AG & FOOD TECH FUND II, PROBITY Project & Bioprime!
🌱 Serra AG & FOOD TECH FUND II Secures $22M in Commitments
Who: Serra Ventures, backed by Illinois Growth & Innovation Fund and Wisconsin Economic Development Corp.
What: Raised $22M in initial commitments, aiming for $100M in total for AgTech investments.
Purpose: To fund early-stage companies addressing key agricultural challenges.
🌾 UK Researchers Trial Precision-Bred Wheat in £2.2M PROBITY Project
Who: University of Nottingham and partners, funded by Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme and Innovate UK.
What: £2.2M PROBITY initiative trialing precision-bred cereal crops.
Crops in focus:
Wheat with improved baking qualities
Barley to reduce methane emissions in livestock
High-yield wheat with larger grains
🌍 BioPrime Raises $6M to Scale Sustainable Crop Protection
Who: BioPrime, with investment from Edaphon, Omnivore, and Inflexor Ventures.
What: $6M in Series A funding to expand bio-fungicides, bio-insecticides, and biostimulant technologies.
Where: Targeting expansion to North America, Southeast Asia, and Brazil.
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STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS
AgTech Collaborations: Acadian, BASF, John Deere, and More Drive Innovation
Acadian Plant Health™ & BASF Agricultural Solutions Partnership
Who: Acadian Plant Health™ and BASF Agricultural Solutions.
What: Partnership to develop climate-resilient crop production solutions.
Focus:
Enhancing crop yield and quality.
Promoting sustainable farming practices.
Integrating Acadian's biostimulant technology with BASF’s chemical and biological products.
John Deere & DeLaval Launch the Milk Sustainability Center (MSC)
Who: John Deere and DeLaval, in collaboration with Dairy Data Warehouse BV.
What: Launch of the Milk Sustainability Center (MSC), a digital ecosystem for dairy farmers.
Purpose:
Integrate agronomic and animal performance data to optimize nutrient use efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions.
Help dairy farmers meet sustainability goals while boosting productivity.
Key Features:
Holistic data view combining John Deere’s agronomic data with DeLaval’s animal systems.
Helps identify cost-saving opportunities and reduce environmental impact.
Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA) & Topraq Partnership
Who: Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA) and Turkish precision agtech firm Topraq.
What: Partnership to combine regenerative agriculture with precision technology.
Focus Regions: Southeast Europe and West/Central Asia—key regions for global food supply.
Purpose:
Optimize water, energy, and fertilizer use through data-driven solutions.
Integrate Topraq’s precision agriculture tech with AEA’s expertise in plant nutrition and soil health.
Key Tool: Croptix platform to manage crop nutrition and reduce plant disease risks.
NEW PRODUCTS
New Product Releases: AI, Herbicides, Data & More!
Untether AI Focuses on Precision Farming with speedAI® 240 Slim
Who: Untether AI, AI acceleration solutions provider.
What: Introduction of the speedAI® 240 Slim for precision farming tasks.
Key Features:
AI capabilities for crop monitoring, pest detection, and irrigation management.
Edge-optimized approach, more scalable than traditional GPU-based systems.
Reduces the need for multiple GPUs, lowering operational costs in farming systems.
FMC Launches Ambriva® Herbicide to Combat Resistant Weeds in India
Who: FMC, agricultural solutions company.
What: Launch of Ambriva® herbicide targeting Phalaris minor in wheat fields.
Where: India.
Key Features:
Combines Isoflex® active with Metribuzin for post-emergence weed control.
Effective against herbicide-resistant Phalaris minor and other grass weeds.
Rigorously tested in Indian agricultural conditions.
Concept Reply & DKE-Data Launch agrirouter 2.0 for Data-Driven Farming
Who: Concept Reply, IoT solutions specialist, and DKE-Data.
What: Release of agrirouter 2.0, a data platform for better farm management.
Purpose:
Improve machinery integration and data access for optimized farming processes.
Supports precision farming, resource planning, and yield optimization.
Key Features:
Integrates with machinery from various manufacturers for seamless data exchange.
Provides telemetry, GPS, and data-driven decision-making tools.
Oxipital AI Showcases Visual AI Platform for Produce Industry
Who: Oxipital AI, visual inspection technology leader.
What: Demonstration of the Visual AI platform at the Global Produce and Floral Show.
Focus: Revolutionizing quality control in produce production.
Key Features:
Real-time, high-speed detection, measurement, and classification of defects.
Operates across all stages of production for 100% item inspection.
Provides actionable insights with both real-time and historical production data.
THIS WEEK’S INTERVIEW
🌐 Automation in Action: Transforming Maple Syrup Production and Beyond
Image provided by Farmblox
Baird Farm & Farmblox: Automating Maple Syrup Production
Who: Baird Farm (Vermont) & Farmblox (automation systems provider).
What: Partnership to integrate automation into maple syrup production.
How it started:
Nathan Rosenberg, CEO of Farmblox, visited Baird Farm and identified potential for automation in the maple syrup industry.
Jacob Powsner, Co-owner of Baird Farm, saw immediate benefits in streamlining operations through automation.
Why it matters:
Maple syrup production is labor-intensive, and automation helps reduce manual tasks and boost efficiency.
Collaboration highlights the potential for tech solutions in traditional farming sectors.
OTHER NEWS
Other News: Appointments, New Product Certified, Greenhouse Expansion & A Report
Biotalys Appoints Kamal El Mernissi as Chief Business Development Officer (CBDO)
Who: Biotalys, an AgTech company specializing in protein-based biocontrol solutions.
What: Appointment of Kamal El Mernissi as Chief Business Development Officer (CBDO).
CEO Statement: Kevin Helash expressed excitement about reuniting with El Mernissi and highlighted the potential of Biotalys’ solutions in sustainable crop protection.
Corteva Announces Judd O'Connor as Executive VP of Seed Business Unit
Who: Corteva, a global agricultural company.
What: Appointment of Judd O'Connor as Executive Vice President of the Seed Business Unit, effective December 1, 2024.
CEO Statement: Chuck Magro, Corteva’s CEO, expressed confidence in O'Connor’s leadership, citing his operational expertise and focus on innovation.
Verdant Technologies' HarvestHold Fresh Approved by California Regulators
Who: Verdant Technologies, a leader in post-harvest solutions.
What: Approval from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR) for HarvestHold Fresh.
Technology: Uses 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) to extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables.
Little Leaf Farms Expands Greenhouse Operations in Pennsylvania
Who: Little Leaf Farms, leading U.S. packaged lettuce brand.
What: Expansion of its McAdoo, Pennsylvania campus with the opening of a third greenhouse and construction of a fourth.
Details: 20 acres of greenhouse space to be completed by fall 2025.
ProducePay’s Fresh Produce Industry Volatility Report Highlights Pricing Instability
Who: ProducePay, AgTech company focused on produce supply chain solutions.
What: Release of Fresh Produce Industry Volatility Report highlighting pricing instability as the top concern.
Key Findings: The global produce industry experienced an annualized volatility rate of 70% in 2023.
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