The Business of Agriculture Podcast

Comet Bio is a technology-enabled food ingredient company that, after eight years, is finally ready to churn out food ingredients. The company extracts fiber — arabinoxylan to be specific — from wheat straw and turns it into an ingredient for food companies to use in food for human consumption. This is a win-win for everyone involved: New demand for an Ag by-product (straw) is always good, creating a product that adds up to 100 times value is even better. Comet's CEO, Rich Troyer explains the process, the product, and the potential. The company's first processing facility is in Denmark, with plans to build and open a facility in North American wheat country in the future. Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com

Organic food sales growth still outpaces conventional, despite food inflation and even after nearly two decades of "organic" being a thing. Additionally, the margins are better for organic. So, how much longer can "organic" grow organically? How do organic chicken farms operate, is it the same as vertically integrated conventional poultry production? Where does the product end up? Lorenzo Bared, VP of Strategy for Farmer Focus, the nation's largest branded organic poultry producer with a business model focusing on independent family farmers. Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com

I was recently asked by two investor friends of mine, "Damian, if I handed you a billion dollars, where in Ag would you invest it?" The question, as well as the six weeks of pondering it inspired in my head, made me think this was a solid and stimulating topic for The Business of Agriculture. Looking from 2023 and beyond, where within our industry will there be a need for investment capital to fuel expansion to feed new demand? Biologicals? Ag tech? Real estate? Environmental plays using Ag? Food waste? Infrastructure? Rob Saik of AGvisorPRO joins me on this fun discussion. Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com

Silage — in case you're unfamiliar— is high moisture forage chopped and stored for cattle feed, principally dairy animals. It derives its name from the fact we used to blow this forage into silos. That's not done much anymore for reasons of safety, practicality, and scale. The most common method of ensiling and storing cow feed involves piling it on concrete, packing it with a large tractor, then covering with plastic. For reasons of economics and environment — which aren't always opposing forces — the stack and pack silage practice may be changing. Large silage bags such as the 14 x 500 footers used by Iowa dairyman Anthony Nunes reduce feed waste, improve feed quality, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Mr. Nunes joins nutritionist Marc Etchebarne and environmental consultant Jake Schmitz to discuss the future of feed storage. Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com

Regenerative practices have become a new area of focus in production Agriculture. But what about our grazing lands — are we managing those lands for healthier soil, a healthier environment AND a healthier bottom line? Hugh Aljoe and Jim Johnson with Noble Research Institute, an Oklahoma-based ranch and research entity operating on 14,000 acres, join Damian. They discuss the important role grazing land plays in American Ag and methods by which to improve soil, environment, and our balance sheet. With almost double the number of acres in grass and rangeland as there are in crops, proper management can boost beef production while more than offsetting the greenhouse gases released by all of production Agriculture. Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com

A few years ago there was a great deal of hype surrounding Controlled Environment Ag (indoor farming). Money was pouring into the space from outside investors. Along with the money came the media coverage, which brought more money and more hype. According to some, we were just a short time away from never eating vegetables grown conventionally in fields again. Yet, here we are in 2023 still eating lettuce from Yuma and produce trucked in from California. What happened to the indoor Ag revolution? Walt Duflock with Western Growers discusses the realities of produce farming, while Adam Bergman, Global Head of Ag Tech with Citi discusses the money and business side of controlled environment agriculture.

My farmer friends at XtremeAg say, "The limiting yield factor isn't the seed, it's probably us." Well, that's not necessarily the case — another huge limiting yield factor is loss due to pathogens. With so many nasty diseases out there, our problem has often been misdiagnosis or a failure to treat our crops before the damage is done. Fortunately, new technology has emerged to detect pathogens before they present themselves. Thus allowing preemptive treatment or, in the absence of pathogens, no treatment which is a win for the environment AND your wallet. Mike Tweedy with PatternAg joins Damian to discuss new innovations in autumn pathogen detection which allows for seed selection and treatment plans months before any problem arises. Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com

We're several years into various programs looking to sign up acres for such things as carbon sequestration, nitrogen reduction, cover crops, and other regenerative practices. Yet, there are still not very many acres signed up. Why is that and what will it take to get more acres involved with ecosystem marketing? In this episode Damian asks the questions you've asked him. Why are companies paying farmers to plant cover crops? How much are they paying? Will consumers support these costs in an era of food inflation? Will these programs go away? Tim Meinhold and Laura Kowalski with Primient — a corn processing company — join the discussion with Truterra's Gregg Allard. Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com

If you're in modern day production Agriculture, you are in business. Probably to the tune of millions of dollars of allocated capital. Yet, many farmers don't flex their money mindset or think like entrepreneurs. This could make for real on-farm struggles moving into an era of high interest rates, consolidation, and demographic changes on North American farms. Evan Shout, CFO of Saskatchewan's HGV (Farms) and founder of FarmerCoach joins Damian to discuss improving one's entrepreneurial quotient, the business side of farming, and how to remedy business mindset shortcomings. Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com

Every Summer we begin to analyze crop reports, look at the markets and ask the question, "Will Ag make money this year? And if so, which sectors?" Jarod Creed of JC Marketing & Ag Financial Services joins Damian to discuss farm income, recent ag economic history, political winds shaping or shifting Ag, and other forces impacting farm revenue. The good news: 2023 looks profitable for many. The bad news: We work in a business with plenty of ups and downs…as you'll enjoy hearing Jarod and Damian discuss. Sponsored by: Pattern Ag pattern.ag AGvisorPRO getagvisorpro.com Truterra truterraag.com