Trinity AgTech's & CropX's Partnership, Corteva Launches Innovative Investment Platform & Ever.Ag's Latest Acquisition

Good morning readers; in this week’s AgTech Digest, we delve into the latest partnership between Trinity AgTech & Bayer, Corteva’s investment platform, Origin AgriTech’s corn hybrid advancements, Zeakal improvements in Corn, and more!

Let’s dive into the news!

Partnership

Trinity Agtech Partners With Bayer to Propel Regenerative Ag in Europe

Bayer has partnered with Trinity Agtech to enhance its Carbon Initiative in the EMEA region. The partnership aims to build a unique ecosystem for regenerative agriculture by developing high-quality assets for a market committed to credible outcomes.

Trinity Agtech's platform, Sandy, will play a crucial role in measuring and monitoring farm-level carbon, aiding in developing tailored Bayer solutions for the agricultural value chain. The goal is to create a market where farmers can employ regenerative practices that result in a 15% reduction in carbon emissions compared to conventional methods.

These efforts are planned to be significantly expanded by 2025.

CropX Technologies Partners with WiseConn to Revolutionize Precision Irrigation

CropX Technologies and WiseConn have partnered to create an innovative digital API integration. The main objective of this partnership is to improve precision irrigation management for farmers worldwide. With WiseConn's presence in North and South America, Europe, and Australia, it is a global impact initiative.

Integrating CropX's system with WiseConn's precision irrigation enables dynamic scheduling based on real-time conditions. This feature optimizes water use and crop yield, leading to advanced farm management.

Moreover, the collaboration focuses on sustainability and efficiency, which means it is expected to reduce water usage, increase crop yields, and improve resource management for growers.

The integration also empowers farmers by providing them with as-applied data and decision support, facilitating informed irrigation practices.

Crop Protection & Plant Science

Origin Agritech’s Breakthrough in Corn Hybrid Development

Origin Agritech Ltd. (NASDAQ: SEED) has made a significant breakthrough in corn production technology. They've developed a high-yield corn inbred line using precise gene editing techniques that outperform traditional corn yields. In field trials, the new line demonstrated a remarkable yield increase of over 50%.

Dr. Gengchen Han, Chairman and CEO of Origin Agritech, emphasized the significance of this advancement, stating, “The significant increase in yield potential heralds a new era in corn production, offering a sustainable solution to meet the growing global demand for food.” Dr. Han further noted the crucial role that the company’s gene-edited high-yield corn is expected to play in enhancing food security and sustainability across the globe.

ZeaKal Announces The Development of PhotoSeed™ Technology in Corn

ZeaKal, a pioneering ag-tech company, today revealed its achievement in agricultural innovation with the successful development of its PhotoSeed™ technology in corn. This revolutionary technology has demonstrated a remarkable increase in the oil composition of corn by an average of 23 percent, all while maintaining the crop’s yield and protein levels. With this breakthrough, ZeaKal is poised to alter the agricultural landscape for corn significantly, enhancing its sustainability and value proposition for growers, industry stakeholders, and consumers alike.

In rigorous first-year replicated field trials, PhotoSeed has shown its capability to increase the photosynthetic efficiency of corn plants. This leads to an enhanced capture of CO2 and sunlight, translating into increased oil production without compromising the energy plants need for maintaining modern yields. Until now, the agricultural sector has sought ways to boost corn’s oil content without affecting its yield, a challenge that ZeaKal has effectively addressed with PhotoSeed.

Lavie Bio Extend Biofungicide Validation Trials With Bayer Ag

Lavie Bio Ltd., a pioneer in the development of microbiome-based, computational-driven bio-stimulant and bio-pesticide products, has announced an extension of its joint validation trials for bio fungicides with Bayer AG, a leading global entity in the agriculture sector. This decision comes on the heels of a successful first year of laboratory and greenhouse testing, which showcased the potential of Lavie Bio’s bio fungicides in combating diseases that pose significant threats to fruits and vegetables worldwide. The promising outcomes have paved the way for a second year of validation trials, this time in field experiments, marking a significant step in the product’s development journey.

Benoit Hartmann, Head of Biologics at Bayer Crop Science, emphasized the importance of this collaboration in Bayer’s innovation strategy, stating, “Biofungicides are a real opportunity for innovation, and we are looking forward to the new solutions this partnership with Lavie Bio helps us deliver together.” This extension underscores the commitment of both companies to explore and deliver new biological solutions that can enhance agricultural productivity and sustainability.

Vestaron Announces EPA Approval of BASIN®

BASIN insecticide has received registration from COFEPRIS in Mexico after being approved by the EPA in the United States. This insecticide is made from modified spider venom and is designed to effectively control pests while also protecting pollinators, workers, and biodiversity.

One of BASIN's significant advantages is its 4-hour re-entry interval and 0-day PHI, which provide growers with tremendous flexibility while contributing to sustainable resistance management.

Vestaron, the company behind the product, plans to launch BASIN commercially by or before 2025, demonstrating its commitment to providing environmentally friendly agricultural solutions.

Finance

Saskatchewan Bolsters Innovation with Enhanced Support for Cleantech and Agtech Startups

The Saskatchewan Technology Startup Incentive program has undergone some significant changes that will have a positive impact on the province’s innovation ecosystem. The annual tax credit cap for the program has been doubled from $3.5 million to $7.0 million in the 2024-25 Budget.

The program has also been expanded to include cleantech startups, which aligns with Saskatchewan’s sustainability and competitive resource sector goals. Additionally, there will be a significant infrastructure investment to redevelop the west wing of the Galleria Building at Innovation Place in Saskatoon to support agtech companies. All of these initiatives aim to accelerate growth in cleantech and agtech sectors, creating jobs and enhancing the province’s innovation ecosystem.

These efforts have already yielded positive results, with over $90 million in private investment facilitated and over 400 jobs created since the inception of the STSI program in 2018.

Nature’s Miracle SPAC Rings Closing Bell in NASDAQ

Nature’s Miracle Holding Inc. (NASDAQ: NMHI), a leader in vertical farming technology and infrastructure, has announced its entry into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Ohio-based Future Tech Inc. (FTC). This strategic move paves the way for Nature’s Miracle to potentially acquire FTC, a financial technology, data systems, and energy integrator company.

Under the terms of the MOU, Nature’s Miracle is poised to acquire all issued and outstanding shares of FTC’s common stock in exchange for shares of Nature’s Miracle's common stock. This proposed transaction is contingent upon successful due diligence and approval by the Board of Directors of Nature’s Miracle, in addition to certain milestones to be achieved by FTC.

Corteva Agriscience Launches Innovative Investment Platform

Corteva, Inc. (NYSE: CTVA), a global leader in the agricultural sector, today unveiled Corteva Catalyst, a pioneering investment and partnership platform designed to spearhead the introduction of agricultural innovations. The initiative is poised to advance the company’s research and development (R&D) priorities while fostering value creation through the acceleration of early-stage, transformative technologies. These advancements aim to empower farmers worldwide with sustainable methods to increase food and feed production.

Sam Eathington, Executive Vice President and Chief Technology and Digital Officer at Corteva, emphasized the company’s commitment to innovation through collaboration with the global scientific community. “Corteva has a long tradition of addressing the critical challenges farmers face around the world by advancing innovation in partnership with the global scientific community,” Eathington stated. “Through Corteva Catalyst, we will build upon that tradition by pairing our considerable expertise and resources with the agility of start-ups and universities to deliver new solutions for farmers globally. This initiative will expand our pipeline and accelerate growth.”

Acquisition

Ever.Ag Acquires Adapt-N from Yara North America

Ever.Ag has announced its acquisition of Adapt-N, a leading in-season nitrogen recommendation tool from Yara North America.

The acquisition is expected to widen Adapt-N's market access and enhance Ever.Ag's portfolio of ag-tech solutions. By incorporating Adapt-N into FieldAlytics, Ever.Ag aims to optimize nitrogen application for better crop health and minimal waste, thus demonstrating its commitment to sustainability.

The move is also expected to deliver both economic and environmental benefits to the agricultural sector. Despite the acquisition, Adapt-N will remain accessible via API. Additionally, its integration with FieldAlytics will simplify its use for ag service providers and farmers.

New Product

Hivekit Unveils On-Site Farm Management Solution

Hivekit, a developer based in the UK and Germany, has recently launched a compact version of their operations software. This version is designed to be used on-site without the need for internet connectivity. One of the key features of this new solution is that it enables farmers to fully own their data and operate independently of third-party services.

The platform provides comprehensive farm management tools, such as asset, staff, and vehicle tracking, which are integrated with metrics and sample collection. These tools are displayed in a 3D farm model, allowing farmers to visualize their operations easily.

Efficiency is achieved through task assignment and process automation via a mobile app, which is aimed at streamlining farm management. The platform is also designed to easily connect with various vehicles and equipment, promoting flexibility across vendors. This is made possible through open APIs, ensuring vendor-neutral integration.

AgBoost Unveils Global Commercial Expansion of its AI-Enabled Genetic Data Analysis Softwares

AgBoost, a company that specializes in AI-enabled genetic data analysis software for cattle producers, has announced the global commercial expansion of their technology.

The aim of this technology is to enhance efficiency, profitability, and sustainability in the global beef production industry. AgBoost's platform offers a breakthrough in interpreting genomic data, which is essential for breeding, health, and nutrition management.

The company has already seen significant interest from producers, with millions of genomic data records for individual cows already in their system. Sean Akadiri, founder and CEO, is excited about the platform's potential to transform decision-making in cattle production.

Allison Transmission Marks Entry into the Brazilian Agriculture Sprayer Market with KS Pulverizadores

Allison Transmission and KS Pulverizadores unveiled Brazil's first Allison-equipped agriculture sprayer at the Show Rural Coopavel. This marks a significant milestone in Allison's expansion efforts beyond North America, following its success in Argentina since 2015.

KS Pulverizadores, a premier Brazilian agriculture equipment manufacturer, has chosen to integrate Allison’s 2000 Series™ transmissions into their agriculture sprayers. This decision aims to provide customers with enhanced vehicle performance, particularly improved maneuverability across diverse soil conditions.

Alexandre Kleinschmitt, Co-Owner of KS Pulverizadores, expressed pride in the collaboration, stating, “We’re proud to integrate Allison’s proven fully automatic transmission into our agriculture sprayer to provide our customers with a product that is specifically designed to meet the unique challenges of the industry. Allison transmissions are built for reliability and durability, and we look forward to continuing our partnership with Allison to offer a truly differentiated solution that will increase vehicle performance and productivity.”