As an entrepreneur, sometimes the boldest move you can make is to pivot. This week, we are joined by Rian Mc Donnell, CEO of FloVision Solutions, to talk about AI-driven solutions to help the food industry become more financially and environmentally sustainable by reducing waste and maximizing yield. We get into:  

• The work Rian leads with his team to optimize the food chain starting with protein – and how that vision varies from when he started the company 
• Insights that FloVision drives downstream to food processors and the capabilities they have because of these technology 
• FloVision’s market differentiation  
• How Rian sees the company playing a role in this massive food evolution 
• Feedback he gets from working with customers – especially food processors who are very traditional in their operations 
• FloVision’s recent $8.7 million Series A fundraise and what it will enable the company to do 
• The company’s tech stack and how the data drives different decisions and solutions based on their position around the globe, their food priorities and regulatory frameworks 
• Areas ripe for collaboration and what’s ahead in 2026 

Indiana Farm Bureau has outlined its legislative priorities for 2026 and this week. Katie Nelson, the organization’s Executive Director of Public Policy, joins this week to talk about the three buckets of prioritization heading into session, why they’re focused on broad issues and the call to action for agbioscience innovators. We get into:  

• A legislative recap of 2025 and lingering challenges that persist for the industry 
• The broad policy scope that Indiana Farm Bureau has casted heading into 2026 and the “why” behind that 
• Investment in agriculture, the challenges farmers are facing and how Katie hopes some measures move forward to enable operational success 
• Helping rural communities thrive, the uphill battles being faced – from education to healthcare – and where Indiana Farm Bureau plans to be most active 
• Supporting Indiana farmers through helping them to have the resources they need (water, land, etc.) 
• How Indiana Farm Bureau is navigating federal challenges, the shutdown and conversations on behalf of farmers 
• Trade agreements they’re eyeing heading into 2026 that may impact Indiana farmers most critically 
• The call to action for the agbioscience community to drive these priorities forward 

Everyone has a story of how they’ve come into their career and many times on this podcast we hear the phrase “I got here by accident.” This week, we are joined by Angel Vazquez, a Field Atlas Ambassador and Ball State University student, who is exploring his interest in agbioscience careers, sharing the industry story with his peers and what he hopes to accomplish after graduation. We get into:  

• How he is thinking about his career journey as college winds down  
• Angel’s personal story, why medicine is the path he chose and how he hopes to make a difference in the lives of others 
• The curiosity of agbioscience and wanting to be a Field Atlas Ambassador 
• Agbioscience conversations on Ball State’s campus and how his peers engage when discussing career opportunities in the industry 
• Learning from his peer Ambassadors on other college and university campuses 
• What he thinks students are seeking in a career 
• What employers should know about connecting with students 
• His favorite Field Atlas experience and what it taught him 

October was a busy month and we spare none on today's update with AgriNovus CEO, Christy Wright, and VP Libby Fritz. Updates include:

• A new global HQ for Elanco and our upcoming One Health Summit co-hosted with BioCrossroads (register here)
• Corteva's restructure into two companies and what comes next
• BiomEdit's $2M Bezos Earth Fund Grant (listen to CEO Aaron Schacht here)
• BioBond launches two new adhesives -- one for fake fingernails and school adhesives
• ARI's new HQ at the 16 Tech Innovation District to secure Indiana's bioinnovation future
• Quadrant is coming on 12/3! Register here.

Biochar is an effective and profitable way to manage organic waste – and there are innovators creating new platforms to enable producers, investors and equipment suppliers to grow and deploy waste-to-value projects faster and easier than ever before. This week, we are joined by Jason Dodier, Co-Founder and CCO of Grain Ecosystem, to talk decarbonization projects, the value of the American farmer and grain as a risk reduction partner. We get into:  

• What Grain Ecosystem does and how they deploy these waste-to-value solutions 
• How this process looks for each player in the system – farmers, investors and equipment suppliers 
• The Grain Ecosystem model and its adoptability that differentiates it from competitors on the market 
• Feedback they get from the ecosystem as they deploy solutions 
• Grain’s momentum built up over the last three years and the company’s biggest opportunities for growth 
• Working with Elevate Ventures and other Indiana partners to expand their footprint in the state 
• What’s ahead for Grain Ecosystem 

From agbioscience innovation to defense, pharma, food and nutrition, and beyond – the bioeconomy is broad; and the intersection of innovation, research and policy generates a lot of questions when it comes to how we grow and scale to be a global leader right here in the United States. This week, we are joined by Sarah Glaven, Visiting Fellow at Princeton University’s Andlinger Center and a former biotechnologist representing The White House, The Pentagon and The Naval Research Laboratory. We get into:  

• Sarah’s professional story, from being an outdoors kid to leading critical bioinnovation work on a national scale 
• How she defines the bioeconomy and what she believes is its importance to the US’ future 
• Biggest headwinds we are facing when it comes to the growth and scale of the bioeconomy 
• How her past experiences have shaped her perspective on the critical alignment needed among policy, innovation and research to advance the bioeconomy in the US (and the grade she’d give us on that alignment today) 
• Indiana’s position in the bioeconomy and how reshoring biomanufacturing supply chains can reduce disruption and increase competitiveness in the US 
• Creating a skilled workforce to grow the bioeconomy and examples of upskilling and developing talent that have her most impressed 
• What has Sarah most excited about the US’ bioinnovation future 

The intersection of innovation and regulatory – specifically when it comes to food is health – is a growing conversation. This week, we are joined by Dave Riggs, Business Cluster Unit President for Eurofins SFA, to talk laboratory science, consulting food brands around the world and health emerging as a trend on their minds. We get into:  

• The work his SFA team leads and who they aim to serve 
• How much food companies have to think about in product development and the risks that come up in a product’s life cycle in quality and safety standard aren’t met 
• How laboratory scientists approach their work like consultants to overcome challenges and drive big outcomes for food brands around the world 
• Food is Health making its way into the Eurofins labs and unintended consequences that have come alongside the movement 
• Balancing innovation and scientific discovery with an evolving regulatory landscape 
• Challenges and headwinds on the horizon for the food industry and how those create opportunities for creativity across the value chain 
• Dave’s advice to young talent considering science careers 
• What’s ahead for Eurofins 

Developing and recruiting next generation talent is a critical topic for all industries and agbioscience leaders are no stranger to the conversation. This week, we are joined by National FFA CEO, Scott Stump, to examine how young leaders are developed, getting them engaged in agbioscience and looking ahead to the excitement that is October for National FFA in Indianapolis as their Convention and Expo looms near. We get into:  

• Scott’s story – from leading students in the ag classroom to leading the National FFA Organization 
• What the organization does and who it exists to serve 
• How Scott has seen the makeup of National FFA students evolve over his career – and how that’s changed the organization 
• What National FFA hears from industry partners on challenges they are facing in terms of workforce and talent development 
• How agriculture education will need to shift in the future to meet industry needs 
• The upcoming 98th National FFA Convention and Expo in Indianapolis, what to expect and why it’s important to unite to share ideas 
• What’s ahead for National FFA  

AgriNovus CEO, Christy Wright, and Vice President, Libby Fritz, recap September with Cayla Chiddister and discuss the month's news, including additions to our team via our Field Atlas Ambassador program, our participation in the One Health Summit in Indianapolis and several industry stories to share.

• Meet our Field Atlas Ambassadors
• Read Christy's Food Dive Story
• AgriNovus Partners with BioCrossroads and Elanco for the Life Sciences Summit 2025
• Aaron Schacht to Speak at Life Sciences Summit 2025 | Watch Aaron Schacht - BiomEdit on Agbioscience
• Keystone Cooperative's Kevin Still Announces Intention to Retire | Watch Kevin Still -- Keystone Cooperative on Agbioscience
• SePro Corporation Announces Two Acquisitions
• Insignum AgTech Raises $2.4M
• Purdue Researchers Develop Rapid Test for HPAI
• Integrated Dynamics (Velocity Winner) Awarded $245,000 from National Science Foundation for Phase 1 SBIR Grant
• Field Atlas AMP Applications Now Open | Apply Here

As consumers shift their preferences toward healthier food options, there is ripe opportunity for innovators in the CPG snack market. This week, we are joined by NutriPop co-founders Ujaswin Jain and Audrey Chung to talk food is health, student entrepreneurship and seizing the moment. We get into:  

• How the NutriPop team came together on the campus of the University of Notre Dame 
• What popped water lily seeds are and how they become a nutritious snack 
• The company’s participation in AgriNovus’ Velocity accelerator and how that experienced helped drive NutriPop forward in 2025 
• After winning the Food is Health track for Velocity, NutriPop’s successes, wins and momentum on market 
• NutriPop’s differentiation and what makes them unique in the food is health space 
• The tough realities of the CPG market and why they chose to enter as entrepreneurs 
• Advice they would offer to young student entrepreneurs heading down a similar path  
• What’s ahead for NutriPop