Mike Swidersky is a husband, father and a grazer of cattle and sheep in the high plains of Ontario (Melanchton). Listen to Mike as he talks about lessons learned through his work as a community pasture manager and farmer. Photo cred: @BeefFarmersON  

Ontario AgCast- Mike Swidersky

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    Michael Bosworth is the President & CEO of Next Generation Foods, a food business that markets and distributes locally produced foods in the Northern California area. Brent Lafollette, Martin Miller, and Robert James Woodry are 5th generation farmers and the founders of Premium Growers, a company that produces and sells a variety of flavored, premium roasted Oregon Hazelnuts. They are some of the many farmers who transitioned from being producers to direct-to-consumer retailers.   Michael joins me today to share his company’s humble beginnings. He explains how he puts a price tag on his products and how much of his farm is dedicated to retail. He also describes the benefits of going to food shows. Brent, Martin, and Robert discuss why they decided to start a hazelnut company. They share the effort it took to get their company up and running. They also describe the marketing process involved with their hazelnuts.       “It's incredible what you can learn about how people are using your products.” - Michael Bosworth       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    The origins of Michael Bosworth’s company and how they transitioned from a farm to a food business. The first client who asked them to supply organic ingredients. Adding their margin and how the ingredient price and competition factor in. The percentage of farm production that goes to the food business aspect. Attending food shows and scouting for new food products to offer clients. The type of clients they like to work with. Brent's farming background and how he, Bob, and Marty founded Premium Growers Their hazelnut product and the processing involved before clients receive them. How they set up their business to be a direct-to-consumer type of company. How long it took for their business to become stable. The customer feedback they've received since they started.            Connect with Michael Bosworth:    Next Generation Foods      Connect with Brent, Martin, and Robert:    Premium Growers          We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg and leave a recorded message!   Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on Apple Podcasts and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots! And be sure to join the new Future of Agriculture Membership for even more valuable information on the future of ag.   Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram  

FOA 192: Farmers Becoming Food Companies

    Micki Seibel is an investor, advisor, and tech builder who was part of the team behind internet products such as Netscape and eBay. She is currently an Operating Partner for Radicle Growth, an acceleration fund that partners with entrepreneurs who have ideas that can innovate the future of food. She has over 20 years of experience in building companies and has made much of it at Silicon Valley. Micki also serves on the advisory board of multiple food system startup companies such as Swarm Technologies.   Micki joins me today to share how Radicle Growth is helping startups in the AgTech industry. She discusses the goals of Radicle Growth, their criteria when selecting companies to fund, and the ideas that they want to promote. She describes her career in Silicon Valley and how it led her to be part of the food industry. Micki also explains the effects of climate change on the ag economy and ag innovations.       “Selling to a corn grower in Iowa is not at all the same as selling to a strawberry farmer in California or Chile.” - Micki Seibel       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    Solving the problem of rural connectivity in AgTech. Where her interest in food and agriculture stems from. The different companies she has worked for previously. The technical experience she gathered before becoming part of the AgTech industry. How she developed an interest in the connectivity problem in agriculture. Her thoughts on AgTech and IoT companies and what they should focus on. The people behind Radical Growth and the aim of the company. What it takes to sell the same product to a variety of ag markets. The difference between AgTech and a typical tech investing business. Will the ag industry favor indoor farms or regenerative agriculture? The effects of climate change on agriculture innovations.      Resource:    SWARM TECHNOLOGIES  Episode 87: BLOCKCHAIN AND THE INTERNET OF FOOD WITH RAJA RAMACHANDRAN OF RIPE.IO        Connect with Micki Seibel    Radicle Growth LinkedIn          We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg and leave a recorded message!   Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram  

FOA 191: Investing in AgTech Startups

    Mike Barrow is the Project Lead at OpenVino, a company that aims to create the first-ever open-source, transparent winery, and wine-based cryptocurrency under the Costaflores label. Costaflores is a boutique organic winery based in Argentina. As suggested, OpenVino will rely on blockchain technology to engage in a new and innovative way of selling wine products. With over 30 years of experience in IT, data science, and cloud services, Mike aims to disrupt the wine world with a business that converts consumers into shareholders.   Mike joins me today to share how OpenVino will innovate the way we consume wine through blockchain tech. He shares his passion for wine, what inspired him to start OpenVino, and why he chose to make the company open-source. He explains their data collecting strategies and how consumers can benefit from buying their cryptocurrency. Mike also describes how wine is priced and why quality is second to story.       “The quality of the wine is not dictated by the quality parameter as much as the story behind it.” - Mike Barrow       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    How an open-source winery works and how you can profit from it. Why it's difficult to sell wine regardless of price. The questions that led him to start an open-source winery. The data he needs to collect and how he makes sure his customers understand it. How blockchain fits into their business strategy. A quick recap of what blockchain is and how it works. Determining the best price for their wine products. Why they chose to tokenize their wine production.      Resource:     Episode 110: How Carbon Trading Can Benefit Farmers with Aldyen Donnelly of Nori  Episode 189 - Farmers Building Their Own Open Source Technology        Connect with Mike Barrow    Costaflores OpenVino LinkedIn          We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg and leave a recorded message!   Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram  

FOA 190: The World's First Open Source Winery

    Reinier van der Lee is the CEO & Founder of Vinduino, an AgTech company that supports farmers and other producers in the ag industry with products that improve profits and fruit quality as well as increase yield. One of the company’s latest products is the Vinduino R4 Sensor station, an open-source sensor that gives farmers data on water usage and efficiency. Reinier also owns a 4-acre vineyard and credits his need for better irrigation management as the reason why he founded Vinduino.   Reinier joins me today to share how Vinduino is helping farmers gather the kind of data they need and understand when it comes to water management. He explains how their products work, what separates them from other AgTech companies, and why knowing how much water you’re using is critical to your business. He also discusses why he chose to keep their products open source and shares some of the upcoming events and projects they have lined up this year.       “Water use is important because it impacts the quality and yield of your crop.” - Reinier van der Lee       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    The contributing factors of understanding their need for water. The methods they used to determine how much water they should use. How Vinduino’s software provides water data for farmers. What inspired them to name their product "Vinduino." Where Reinier’s interest in growing grapes rose from. Why they chose to keep their program open-source. Encouraging others who are not tech savvy to innovate existing solutions. When he decided to scale this his business. What it means to sort good solutions from bad solutions. Why simply more data from sensors is not good enough. What's next for the Vinduino company?      Resource:    Citizen Science Hackaday        Connect with Reinier van der Lee    Vinduino Reiner van de Lee          We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg and leave a recorded message!   Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram  

FOA 189: Farmers Solve Their Own Problems Through Open Source Technology

    David Chan is the COO and Founding Team Member at Farm Together, a company that offers a simplified approach to US farmland investment. The company not only serves Americans, but also welcomes foreign investors who are interested in growing their assets or simply having a continuous source of income in their retirement. David has over five years of Fin-Tech experience in the ag industry. He describes himself as a meteorologist by background, but a financier and technologist by training. David earned his MBA at Harvard Business School and is also part of the Board of Directors at the Harvard Alumni for Agriculture.   David joins me today to share how their company, Farm Together, will make it easier for local and foreign investors to invest in US farmlands. He explains how their platform works, when their investors get paid, and the due diligence they conduct prior to putting a property for sale. He discusses several risks involved in investing in different states. David also describes how they plan to put regenerative agriculture in the limelight.       “You must consider what the environment may look like in the future when you are purchasing these properties today.” - David Chan       This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:    Connecting insurance, farmlands, and current trends in institutional investments. The characteristics of the typical user and investor on their platform. How foreign investors can own farm lands in different locations. How their due diligence process works. Knowing the risks of investing in farmlands and how they calculate for them. Why water is always a risk in any irrigated agriculture. How they inform investors of earnings and how investors make money. The feedback they receive from their clients. The SIGMA legislation in California and what it is about. The steps they have taken to make regenerative agriculture mainstream.        Connect with David Chan    Farm Together Email: david@farmtogether.com          We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!    The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.      Join the Conversation! To get your most pressing ag questions answered and share your perspective on various topics we’ve discussed on the Future of Agriculture podcast, head over to SpeakPipe.com/FutureofAg and leave a recorded message!   Share the Ag-Love!    Thanks for joining us on the Future of Agriculture Podcast – your spot for valuable information, content, and interviews with industry leaders throughout the agricultural space! If you enjoyed this week’s episode, please subscribe on iTunes and leave your honest feedback. Don’t forget to share it with your friends on your favorite social media spots!    Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:  Future of Agriculture Website AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram  

Ontario AgCast- Mike Swidersky

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