Ag Emerge Podcast

Soil carbon is not mainly leftover residue, and that changes everything you think you know about building healthier fields. Dr. Jennifer Pett-Ridge reveals why the real engine of soil organic matter is the life and death of microbes—and why managing the whole underground food web may matter more than chasing a bucket of bugs.

What happens beneath your feet is far more dynamic than most farmers have been told. Jennifer, a soil ecologist whose work spans Yale, Berkeley, and Lawrence Livermore, breaks down why dead microbes, or necromass, make up a massive share of soil carbon, how roots feed the system through exudates, and why diversity above ground creates diversity below ground. If you want to understand how cover crops, reduced tillage, and perennial strips can change water cycling, nutrient availability, and resilience, this conversation connects the dots.

Subscribe to AgEmerge Podcast for bi-weekly episodes on soil health, regenerative practices, innovative technology, grower stories, and the future of agriculture. New episodes drop every other Tuesday.

Hosted by Monte Bottens

Produced by Ag Solutions Network & Power2Gro

Watch more: https://www.youtube.com/@AgSolutionsNetwork

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Ag Solutions Network website:

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Click to watch or listen and as always, let us know if you have any questions or guest ideas by emailing ​[email protected]​.

Timestamps

04:14 — Why dead microbes matter as much as living microbes

06:32 — Why many commercial inoculants may be ineffective or dead

07:21 — Necromass and why dead microbial material is a major carbon pool

09:21 — Root exudates as the starting point for soil carbon

10:35 — Plants and microbes as a trading system for nutrients and water

11:50 — Why crop diversity creates microbial diversity and more necromass

14:40 — Biomass turnover as the path toward stable carbon

16:35 — Why low-disturbance tillage still raises tradeoffs

18:37 — Fungal networks, drought resilience, and the cost of cutting biological highways

22:54 — DNA sequencing, what it reveals, and why it can become “stamp collecting”

24:12 — Only a small fraction of microbes are active at any one time

33:37 — Why “species” is a messy concept in the microbial world

34:57 — Managing soil as a system, not as individual microbes

37:22 — A real-world example of alternating corn, cover crops, and grazing

38:32 — Complexity in soil often means complexity in labor and logistics, too

39:31 — Practical farmer routines for establishing and terminating cover crops

46:48 — Carbon intensity, lower nitrogen use, and water resilience

48:22 — Soil organic matter as a sponge for both drought and flood

51:39 — Nitrogen losses, nitrous oxide, and why fertilizer efficiency matters

52:14 — Carbon intensity credits and the economics of lower-input systems

53:09 — Gene editing, photosynthetic efficiency, and root improvements

56:11 — Seed endophytes as a way to improve function without changing plant DNA

58:46 — Risks of stacked engineering and unintended input increases

About our Guest:

Dr. Jennifer Pett-Ridge is a Distinguished Member of Technical Staff at LLNL, Adjunct Professor at UC Merced and a principal investigator at the UC Berkeley Innovative Genomics Institute. She uses the tools of systems biology and biogeochemistry (stable isotope probing, NanoSIMS imaging, molecular microbial ecology, computational modeling) to study how earth system changes affect microbiome interactions and ecosystem processes. Much of her current work focuses on soil carbon persistence and sustainable agriculture. She leads the Carbon Initiative at LLNL.

Rob discusses moving from dairy farming into custom hay work, using strip till and diverse cover crops to improve soil, and adopting robotic sprinklers to apply water more precisely. He also shares lessons from experimenting with new equipment, why he sees winter cover crops as a profit center, and how his definition of legacy changed after the family sold its dairy.

About Robert Boyle: Robert is an innovative Arizona farmer and the 2026 Strip-Till Innovator, recognized for his commitment to water conservation, efficiency and sustainable agriculture. Raised on a dairy farm in Chandler, Arizona, Boyle later moved south to Coolidge, where he expanded into dairy production, forage crops and custom farming. After transitioning fully to crop production in 2019, he built an intensive forage operation that now includes baling roughly 4,000 acres every 28 days, producing up to 10 cuttings annually plus green-chop harvests. His practical approach to conserving water while maintaining productivity has made him a leader in advancing more resilient farming systems in the arid Southwest.

Rob jokes that Coolidge is “a quarter mile from hell,” describing the area’s unusually hot well water. He explains how cover crop roots helped improve soil conditions where repeated tillage had fallen short. After selling the family dairy, Rob came to see his daughter—not the cows—as his legacy.

Robert shares how a third-generation Arizona farm evolved from dairying into a highly efficient custom hay and row-crop operation. The conversation centers on strip till, high-diversity cover crops, and precision irrigation, with a strong focus on making farming work in a hot, salty, high-pressure water environment. Monte and Robert talk about adapted machinery, water management, and crop rotations to stay profitable under urban pressure and shrinking water access.

Timestamps:

03:20 Building an efficient operation with technology

04:31 How steamers changed desert hay baling

06:28 Making premium horse hay

08:09 Getting started with strip till

15:40 What changed Rob’s mind about cover crops

16:36 Cover crops as a profit center

18:45 Winter forage economics and seed costs

19:41 Water availability and making cover crops work

21:38 Lessons from turnips and radishes

24:47 Why Rob pursued 360 Rain irrigation

26:43 Adapting robotic irrigation to Arizona conditions

29:57 Comparing targeted irrigation with flood irrigation

32:44 Using lagoon water with irrigation equipment

35:02 Portable irrigation on rented ground

38:02 Managing salinity and pH with humic acid

40:09 Development pressure around Coolidge

44:51 Family, farming, and the future of the operation

49:07 Redefining legacy after selling the dairy

52:06 Rob’s vision for smaller autonomous machines

59:42 What could come next for irrigation robots and biologicals

Iowa’s fight over water quality is no longer academic. Monte Bottens sits down with Chris Jones—a research scientist, author, water-quality expert, and candidate for Iowa Secretary of Agriculture—to examine how nitrate pollution, agricultural policy, public health, and rural decline are shaping the future of farming.

Chris has spent more than 40 years advocating for clean water and sustainable agricultural practices. He managed the water-quality testing laboratory at Des Moines Water Works for eight years, helping oversee operations at one of the world’s largest nitrate-removal facilities. He later worked as an environmental scientist at the Iowa Soybean Association, where he helped establish some of the state’s first independent water-quality monitoring systems.

At the University of Iowa, Chris worked as a research engineer and helped develop Iowa’s first real-time public water-quality sensor network, giving the public unprecedented access to information about the condition of the state’s rivers and streams. He is also the author of The Swine Republic: Struggles With the Truth About Agriculture and Water Quality, selected by the Library of Congress to represent Iowa at the 2024 National Book Festival. In 2024, he helped found Driftless Water Defenders, a grassroots organization protecting the waters of northeast Iowa’s Driftless Area.

During their conversation, Monte and Chris explore the forces behind polluted rivers and stressed water systems—from tile drainage across the Des Moines Lobe to the timing and rate of nitrogen and manure applications. Chris explains how fall fertilizer applications, concentrated livestock production, CAFO placement, and wet soils influence what appears in rivers months later. He also discusses why cover crops may provide their greatest water-quality benefits during the spring.

Chris Jones Online:

https://www.facebook.com/chrisjones4ia

https://www.instagram.com/chrisjones4ia

https://www.youtube.com/@chrisjones4IA

Timestamps:

02:15 - Chris Jones explains his run for Iowa Secretary of Agriculture

09:17 - How the Des Moines water system faces nitrate pressure

13:07 - How tile drainage carries nitrate from fields to streams

16:20 - Why nitrate loss is driven by weather, soils, and mineralization

23:53 - Rate, timing, and distribution as the real nutrient challenge

28:04 - What cover crops can and cannot do for nitrate reduction

31:13 - Spring versus fall manure timing and nitrate loss reduction

34:28 - Why fall anhydrous often means more total nitrogen applied

39:16 - Why diversification, not just regulation, may be the long-term fix

43:30 - Meat processors, livestock diversity, and rebuilding local economies

44:56 - Oats, food hubs, and creating a third crop for Iowa

49:27 - Soil health as the underlying system behind better water quality

53:03 - Why the burden should not fall only on farmers

54:35 - Getting 50% of Iowa school food from Iowa farms

59:09 - Food hubs, small-acre farming, and opportunities for young growers

61:12 - Dignity, consolidation, and what agriculture has taken away

63:12 - Five policy changes Jones says Iowa should pursue

73:32 - Help for beginning farmers and access to land

Autonomous tractors are only the beginning. The next breakthrough in ag tech is a physical AI layer that can learn, adapt, and make farms dramatically more efficient without forcing every grower to become a robotics expert. Colin Hurd returns to the AgEmerge Podcast with a behind-the-scenes look at where ag autonomy really stands now, why retrofit solutions are only part of the story, and what has to change before self-driving machines become truly useful in the field.

From dusty harvest conditions that break today’s sensors to the opportunity for AI systems to preserve hard-earned farming knowledge, this conversation gets into the real bottlenecks - and the real upside - of the next five years.

Colin has devoted his career to leading innovative companies in the machinery industry. In 2016, Colin founded his second company, Smart Ag, which developed the first retrofit driverless system to automate tractors. After funding and growing the company, he led Smart Ag successfully through an exit to Raven Industries (NYSE:RAVN) in 2019. Raven was then acquired by CNH Industrial in 2021 (NYSE:CNHI). Colin stayed with Raven and managed business development until forming Mach in 2022.

Learn about Mach: https://mach.io/about-us/

Timestamps

07:08 - Why physical AI could transform the next 5 to 10 years on the farm

10:39 - Colin’s first startup and the soil compaction problem behind Track Till

12:06 - Why preventing compaction led him into autonomy

13:05 - Smart Ag, autonomous grain carts, and the Raven acquisition

14:34 - Building Mock by acquiring autonomy companies with complementary strengths

16:56 - Mach's thesis: OEMs can source autonomy instead of building or buying it all

18:18 - Why off-road engineering talent is hard to recruit and even harder to localize

20:05 - Why lidar struggles in dusty ag environments

21:04 - Radar-based sensing as Mock’s bet for off-road autonomy

22:53 - Why OEM size creates different autonomy needs across large, mid-sized, and shortline brands

24:21 - Mach's modular stack and why it stays OEM-only

26:20 - Why large enterprise users can help accelerate OEM go-to-market timing

27:29 - Retrofit autonomy and why Mach is avoiding that business model

29:14 - Why smaller, autonomy-first machine designs may be the real future

31:20 - Redesigning machines for autonomy instead of bolting it on

34:15 - One operator supervising eight machines in orchard autonomy

35:08 - Where humanoids fit into agriculture and what they would actually do

37:28 - From rigid path planning to non-deterministic physical AI

39:05 - Machines that understand objectives instead of only following pre-programmed routes

40:44 - The three core autonomy buckets: connectivity, situational awareness, and navigation

42:03 - Physical AI as a supervisory intelligence layer on top of the stack

43:03 - Agentic systems, self-repair, and the right-to-repair conversation

45:46 - Transferring farm knowledge, field history, and terrain awareness into machine behavior

47:16 - Using autonomy to support sustainable practices and reduce cost per acre

48:14 - Why cover crop adoption could accelerate if machines could learn from broader experience

50:37 - Physical AI as a way to reduce fear of failure in new practices

55:23 - Why recursive learning on-device is difficult, but data collection and fleet learning are realistic

58:32 - How farmers can connect with autonomy companies and stay current on emerging tech

63:07 - How Ag Startup Engine was built as an investor-managed fund with farmer input

65:39 - PlowVision and AI-guided cutting in meat processing

67:18 - Terra Blaster and real-time nutrient application for soil health

68:47 - Why founder feedback and customer validation matter more than hype

73:18 - The tradeoffs between angel investing and participating in a fund

74:13 - How farmers can get involved as accredited investors and pilot early autonomy tech

75:39 - Why Mach's technology aims to make agriculture more efficient and more regenerative

Regenerative agriculture is not a slogan—it is a system. And Chuck Schembre knows where that system can break, where it works, and how growers can make the transition without throwing yields out the window.

If you care about specialty crops, produce, vineyards, apples, almonds, or the real-world economics of farming differently, this conversation is for you.

Chuck brings a rare perspective shaped by both science and hands-on farming. From working restaurant lines with peak-season tomatoes and onions that changed how he thought about food, to farming across California, Sonoma, Napa, and now the high desert of Nevada, he shares the path that led him into soil health, ecological farming, and regenerative consulting.

This conversation gets into the realities behind regenerative agriculture—not just the ideals. Chuck and Monte discuss why transitions are so complex, what actually motivates growers to change, and why removing one conventional practice can create ripple effects across an entire production system.

They explore herbicide reduction in orchards and vineyards, cover crop termination, fertility management, phosphorus overapplication in organic systems, food safety challenges in produce, and why regenerative farming doesn't necessarily mean eliminating every conventional tool.

Chuck also explains why context matters. A practice that works on a small diversified farm may not translate directly to a large produce operation, vineyard, or orchard. Successful transitions require understanding the entire system, the economics behind it, and the realities growers face in the field.

**About Our Guest**

Chuck Schembre is the owner of High Desert Harvest Farm, a small diversified regenerative farm in Washoe Valley, Northern Nevada, and founder of EcoSoil Solutions, a soil health and regenerative agronomy consulting company.

A Certified Professional Soil Scientist and agronomist, Chuck has two decades of experience farming organically and regeneratively while interpreting soil and plant health metrics and connecting them to practical farm management. His experience ranges from small-scale organic vegetable systems to large orchard and vineyard operations.

He holds a B.S. in Earth and Soil Science from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

Find Chuck online: https://ecosoilsolutions.com

**Timestamps**

06:14 – Napa demo farm and the move to northern Nevada

08:40 – Cal Poly: soils, organic farming, and surf

10:31 – How fresh tomatoes and onions changed his understanding of food

17:35 – Regenerative transitions and finding committed buyers

21:23 – Soil tests, sap testing, and grower experience

23:47 – What motivates growers to change

31:23 – Why chemical reduction often starts with weed management

36:38 – Moving beyond herbicide dependence

37:07 – Systems thinking: one change affects everything else

42:20 – Why cover crop termination is the key decision

43:14 – Myth-busting regenerative agriculture in specialty crops

46:33 – When conventional fertility may still have a role

47:55 – Phosphorus overapplication in organic systems

48:49 – The tool chest: conventional, organic, and regenerative constraints

50:20 – Restoring orchards before replanting

51:08 – Food safety rules and soil health in produce

53:02 – Why large-scale produce is difficult to transition

58:34 – How small growers can profit through creative sizing and packing

64:49 – Why being a farmer makes Chuck a better consultant

Unlock the future of sustainable farming with Dr. Jessica Chiartas, currently serving at the University of British Columbia. Her research focuses on the long-term impacts of agriculture on soil carbon and overall soil health with a unique focus on carbon at depth. Jessica shares her inspiring journey from corporate pharma sales to pioneering soil health measurement frameworks that could transform global agriculture. Discover how her RegenScore provides a practical, evidence-based way for farmers, brands, and consumers to quantify and promote regenerative practices—beyond mere labels and checkboxes.

In this episode, Jessica breaks down the complexities of regenerative agriculture, from soil’s vital role in climate resilience, water quality, and human health, to the challenges of creating scalable scoring systems that respect local context. You'll uncover the innovative process behind developing region-specific metrics, the importance of community and farmer-centric approaches, and how technology and storytelling are shaping a new era of transparency and impact. We dive into the intersection of soil science, market mechanisms, and consumer choices, revealing why understanding soil health is essential not just for farmers but for everyone invested in a sustainable future.

Jessica shares why regenerative farming isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution but a nuanced, evolving journey—one that requires collaboration across sectors and disciplines. She emphasizes the psychological and social shifts needed to inspire widespread adoption, highlighting the power of education, trust, and tangible health outcomes. Learn how soil health ties directly to climate resilience, biodiversity, and human wellbeing—and why immediate action is critical to avoid slow, irreversible damage.

This episode is perfect for farmers needing practical pathways to adopt regenerative practices, investors and brands seeking credible impact metrics, educators passionate about soil awareness, and anyone curious about how farming can heal the planet while supporting healthy communities. Jessica’s optimistic outlook reminds us that rapid, positive change is possible—if we leverage science, technology, and storytelling to fuel systemic shifts. Tune in to feel empowered to connect with the ground beneath your feet and imagine a healthier, more resilient future for all.

Resources

Regen Score Framework - https://regenscore.org

Soil Life Project - https://soil.life

Jessica Chartis - UBC Profile - https://ubc.ca/jessica-chartis

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Jessica's background

01:59 Jessica's journey from pharma to soil science

03:52 Soil health and its impact on human well-being

06:46 Development of Regen Score and its principles

10:14 Regional specificity and scaling of Regen Score

14:57 Challenges and opportunities in regenerative measurement

19:45 Market drivers and consumer engagement

25:07 Food as medicine and health impacts

30:14 Soil health, biodiversity, and environmental benefits

34:51 Policy, economics, and market pull for regenerative farming

40:08 Future outlook and hope for regenerative agriculture

45:00 Practical steps for farmers to adopt regenerative practices

49:58 Jessica's vision for education and soil awareness

55:04 Closing thoughts and optimism for the future

The future of ag tech is here—aimable, precise, and radically more efficient. Gabe Sibley and Curtis Garner reveal how they’ve built Verdant Robotics platform to target weeds and pests with pinpoint accuracy but also transforms how farms scout, analyze, and act on data in real time.

Discover how Verdant Robotics is pioneering an autonomous spraying system that’s faster, smarter, and more sustainable than traditional methods. Gabe shares how deep learning, high-resolution imaging, and patented aiming technology are redefining crop management—dissecting individual plants, detecting diseases earlier, and reducing input use dramatically.

Curtis chimes in with stories from scaling operations across North America and beyond, explaining how agility, innovation, and a focus on real farmer pain points propel their mission.

We break down the critical role of digitization in unlocking exactly the right amount of herbicide or fertilizer at the right spot, the challenges of supply chain constraints—and more importantly—how the industry can leap forward despite long timelines and slow tech adoption.

Why wait years to see ROI? This tech promises a rapid payback—sometimes in mere months—that could revolutionize productivity for growers of all sizes and crop types, especially those underserved by existing solutions.

If you’re a forward-thinking farmer or agtech enthusiast tired of incremental improvements that don’t deliver, this is your shot at catching the next big wave. Learn how sophisticated AI, machine vision, and precision application tools are converging into a new era of farming—one where autonomous, versatile robots adapt seamlessly to complex crop environments, saving money, inputs, and water, while boosting yields.

Whether you’re in leafy greens, orchards, or row crops, these insights are essential to understanding how automation will shape the future landscape of agriculture. Are you ready to ditch the old and embrace the cutting edge of farm technology? This episode is your front-row seat to the innovations that are not years away—they’re happening right now.

Gabe Sibley is CEO and Co-Founder of Verdant Robotics, known for cutting-edge autonomous sprayers that combine high-resolution vision with precise chemical delivery. Curtis Garner, Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer, is a seasoned farm operations expert, brings practical insights on deploying automation at scale across diverse crops and regions.

Timestamps

07:02 - How farmer conversations reveal unmet needs and unspoken problems

09:59 - Case study: Using AI to identify individual apples and improve profitability

11:17 - Digitizing crops at scale for better decision-making and control loops

14:02 - Unique aimable fluid delivery technology for targeted chemical application

18:11 - 3D space navigation, camera systems, and occlusion strategies in orchards

19:01 - Achieving millimeter-level accuracy and scaling to various crop sizes

20:46 - Expanding from leafy greens to grass seed and international markets

26:09 - Challenges of scaling tech amidst supply chain shortages and global chip scarcity

29:30 - The cultural challenges of integrating Silicon Valley innovation, manufacturing, and farming

36:52 - ROI and operational efficiency of their autonomous spraying units

37:45 - The hardware specs, form factor, and integration options with existing machinery

39:11 - Opportunities in disease detection, multi-spectral imaging, and remote sensing

44:49 - Autonomous operation advancements, teaming with VEX and other partners

58:13 - Final thoughts: the future of agricultural automation and innovations

A tech entrepreneur turned regenerative farmer is rewriting the future of agriculture. Chris Baggott, a serial entrepreneur behind Salesforce's pioneering marketing platform and innovative food ventures, shares how his journey from Silicon Valley to the farm is helping producers thrive beyond commodity markets.

**Watch the full episode:** https://youtu.be/wxffwwsEsOg

Chris explains how his technology background taught him the power of democratized marketing and why farmers should embrace digital tools to build direct relationships with consumers. Learn how technology, AI, and transparency help decommodify food, optimize operations, and allow small farms to compete with larger companies through authentic storytelling and local connections.

Monte and Chris discuss the growing demand for local, nutrient-dense food, the challenges of regenerative agriculture, and practical ways to improve profitability through branding, consumer education, and direct-to-consumer sales. They also explore soil health, managed grazing, supply chains, and the future of community-based food systems.

Whether you're a farmer, entrepreneur, or food advocate, this episode offers practical insights into building resilient, profitable businesses rooted in healthy soil and trusted relationships.

**Main Topics Covered:**

* Chris Baggott's transition from Silicon Valley entrepreneur to regenerative farmer

* Technology, AI, and digital marketing for agriculture

* Direct-to-consumer food systems and local markets

* Soil health, managed grazing, and regenerative farming

* Scaling profitable, transparent food businesses

**About Our Guest**

Chris Baggott is the founder of Tyner Pond Farm in central Indiana, a regenerative farm dedicated to restoring healthy soil and producing better food through pasture-based livestock management.

Prior to farming, Chris built successful software companies, including ExactTarget, which was acquired by Salesforce. Today he combines that entrepreneurial experience with regenerative agriculture, raising 100% grass-fed and grass-finished beef, pasture-raised chicken, and eggs using managed grazing and rotational systems.

Chris is also developing FarmersMarket.com, a national marketplace connecting consumers directly with identifiable farmers instead of anonymous commodity products. His mission is to strengthen local food systems by improving transparency, trust, and direct relationships between producers and consumers.

**Timestamps:**

00:00 - Introduction & episode overview

01:11 - Chris Baggott's tech background and ExactTarget

04:13 - Transition to regenerative farming

05:29 - Democratizing marketing through technology

09:06 - Salesforce acquisition and small business marketing

10:53 - Direct-to-consumer food systems

17:26 - Why regenerative agriculture matters

20:12 - Food marketing and digital platforms

25:02 - Grazing management and soil health

30:41 - Partnerships and scaling farm operations

45:50 - Marketing challenges and opportunities

55:58 - Storytelling and consumer trust

66:05 - FarmersMarket.com and connecting with Chris

Steve Groff continues to provide agricultural thought leadership. Sure, he's an author, speaker, farmer and recently claimed himself as a bird nerd. But one of Steve's hallmark accomplishments, is developing and promoting the tillage radish.

Hailing from Holtwood, Pennsylvania, Steve's Cedar Meadow farm became Regenified certified in 2023. From initial conservation efforts, through integrating cover crop diversity, to projects like biochar and nutrient-dense crop testing, Steve shares the real-world impact of these practices on the Chesapeake Bay watershed, illustrating how strategic land management can clean polluted estuaries while increasing farm profitability.

Monte and Steve discuss the importance of farmer education, public engagement, and bipartisan collaboration to promote sustainable agriculture that benefits us all.

Plus, hear about his recent adventures in fiber crop innovation, including custom flax planters and processing opportunities that could revolutionize U.S. fiber industries and reduce reliance on imports. Enjoy a great catch up conversation with Steve Groff by clicking below.

Steve's Website​​: https://www.stevegroff.com/

Regenified and Cedar Meadow Farm​​: https://regenified.com/farm/cedar-meadows/

Steve's Book: The Future-Proof Farm​: https://www.stevegroff.com/book

Timestamps:

02:55 - Market shifts: variety packaging and customer preferences

03:37 - Steve's personal farm story and history of no-till since 1982

07:32 - Regenerative agriculture: growing food for health and future generations

08:11 - Challenges of farming on steep, rocky terrain in Lancaster County

09:44 - Land costs, succession, and land transfer strategies

13:43 - Water quality concerns in Chesapeake Bay and conservation efforts

16:37 - Nutrient management, manure regulations, and local innovations

19:33 - Progress in Chesapeake Bay restoration and the role of cover crops

20:58 - Biochar research and its potential benefits and challenges

22:04 - Nutrient runoff issues in the Mississippi Delta and alternative management strategies

23:58 - The potential of Maryland’s cover crop payment programs

25:38 - Lessons from regulatory and incentive approaches across states

30:41 - The role of government, incentives, and public awareness in environmental stewardship

32:36 - The personal impact of water clean-up on community life and future opportunities

33:47 - Linking soil health to human health: the food as medicine movement

36:17 - Innovative tools like cover crop roller development and their origin stories

43:39 - Extending cover crop benefits to pumpkins and specialty crops

45:23 - Moving toward nutrient-dense foods and the role of regenerative practices for health

47:26 - Opportunities in fiber crops: hemp, flax, and market potential

50:17 - The influence of high-profile advocacy and policy in advancing regenerative agriculture

54:45 - The importance of diverse viewpoints and bipartisan support for farm sustainability

56:06 - Linking soil health improvements to health costs and chronic disease prevention

58:28 - Hemp industry challenges: regulation, infrastructure, and market development

61:04 - Innovations in fiber crop equipment, including planting systems for hemp and flax

64:08 - Long-term biochar research plans and soil health impacts

65:22 - Future directions: high tunnels, specialty crops, and nutrient density testing

67:22 - Upcoming events and Steve’s focus on hands-on farm work and family

70:25 - The divine story behind the farm’s historical crops and future crop opportunities

72:43 - Final thoughts: observing nature, curiosity, and the farmer’s role in ecosystem health

Most farms struggle with dust, inefficiency, and labor shortages—but Tyler Niday of Bonsai Robotics reveals how AI-driven machinery is changing the game by transforming existing equipment into autonomous workhorses.

Inspired by biology, Bonsai Robotics is making some of agriculture's toughest environments manageable. Tyler shares how autonomous orchard shakers are improving nut harvest efficiency by up to 40%, while converting shuttle trucks into multi-functional farm platforms can save growers hundreds of thousands of dollars in equipment costs.

Monte and Tyler explore the industry's evolution from retrofitting machines with autonomous capabilities to developing full-platform solutions, including Bonsai's Amiga series. These adaptable systems support precision spraying, harvesting, and crop scouting.

Before co-founding Bonsai Robotics, Tyler began in mechanical engineering and helped develop vision systems at Blue River Technology and gained hands-on learning at Orchard Machinery Corporation.

If you've wondered what the future of practical farm automation really looks like, this episode offers a firsthand look at innovations in the field today.

Visit Bonsai Robotics: https://bonsairobotics.ai/

Watch episode: https://youtu.be/Cvs7v5FLSN0

Timestamps:

00:10 - Tyler’s background and journey into ag tech

02:23 - The role of AI and perception challenges in dust environments

07:48 - Vision-only AI vs LiDAR debate and dust interference

12:04 - Scalability of perception models across crops

12:58 - Training AI models on dusty environments and data fusion

16:16 - Focus on specialty crops as a starting point for autonomy

16:45 - Collaborations with OEMs like Floria and OMC

17:30 - Managing connectivity in remote farm locations

19:07 - Starlink and cellular solutions for remote operations

21:30 - The Amiga platform's different configurations and applications

25:44 - Strategic move into precision spraying and harvest-related automation

28:28 - Future autonomous applications for open-field crops

37:44 - Autonomous nut shaker and harvesting efficiency

41:46 - Future of crop variability mapping and individual plant management

47:13 - Returning value through data management and software ecosystems

49:21 - Industry collaboration, standards, and evolving equipment

52:25 - Closing remarks and future outlook