Ambrook, ZenaTech, Bunge, Kelly Hills, Source Agriculture, GDM, Terrana Biosciences, FMC, Agrobiomics, Syngenta, and The Reservoir, Flagship Pioneering, Terrana Biosciences, Cargill, Oasis Grower Solutions, Del Monte Foods, Little Leaf Farms

Anna: 00:00

Welcome to another episode of AgTech Digest, your go‑to source for the latest in agricultural technology. In today’s episode, we’re exploring a dynamic mix of strategic acquisitions, major funding rounds, and breakthrough technologies reshaping the food and farming ecosystem. From financial tools empowering thousands of farmers to satellite-enabled smart irrigation, plus new RNA-based crop platforms, biofungicides, and plant trait enhancers, it’s clear that innovation is accelerating across every layer of the value chain. There’s a lot to unpack today, so let’s get started.

Anna: 00:38

Several pivotal developments are shaping the agritech and agribusiness sectors this week, beginning with Ambrook raising $26.1M in a Series A round led by Thrive Capital and Field Ventures. The funding will support the growth of AI-native financial tools, enhanced workflows, and the expansion of Ambrook Pay. With over 2,500 operations across all 50 US states already using the platform to manage $1.6B in transactions, Ambrook aims to further support complex agricultural operations through an expanded product suite. Next, ZenaTech has signed an agreement to acquire a California-based civil engineering and land surveying firm—its first acquisition in the Southwest or West Coast. This move expands ZenaTech’s Drone as a Service offerings, particularly for crop health monitoring, and supports broader growth in precision agriculture and irrigation analytics. In major corporate restructuring news, Bunge Global completed the sale of its North American dry corn and masa milling operations to Grain Craft. This transaction, which includes 6 facilities and approximately 600 employees across the US and Mexico, aligns with Bunge’s focus on its core global value chain operations. Additionally, Bunge Global SA finalized its merger with Viterra Limited, forming a combined entity dedicated to food, feed, and fuel on a global scale. The merger furthers Bunge’s strategic emphasis on reinforcing its core operations worldwide. Meanwhile, Kelly Hills has launched The Forge, a new initiative designed to scale proven ag technologies into deployable on-farm tools. The program prioritizes interoperability, agronomic relevance, and measurable return on investment at the farm level. Its inaugural cohort includes companies such as Precision AI, Pyka, Yamaha Precision Agriculture, Taranis, and others, all working to bridge the gap between innovation and field-level execution through pilot programs and product integration. Finally, Source Agriculture has made an investment in Hydrosat to advance satellite-based water and yield optimization. Hydrosat’s technology has already demonstrated up to 30% water savings and 50% yield gains, and the company currently operates across 4M acres in 43 countries, in partnership with the European Space Agency and the US Space Force. This investment reinforces Source Agriculture’s mission to drive sustainable and efficient food production.

Anna: 03:14

A critical conversation is unfolding around agtech investment as Danny Bernstein, CEO of The Reservoir, sheds light on the sector’s persistent capital challenges. He identifies a fundamental structural gap caused by illiquidity and the absence of standardized financial tools, which hampers early-stage commercialization. To address this, The Reservoir is crafting innovative investment structures such as bundled special purpose vehicles and exchange-traded fund-style exposure, designed to accelerate funding for promising technologies. Bernstein emphasizes the importance of engaging real-world growers early, launching products quickly, and delivering tangible value from the outset. In addition to financial innovation, The Reservoir is also working closely with Western Growers, government agencies, and elected officials to influence policy and foster a more innovation-friendly ecosystem for agtech advancement.

Anna: 04:11

Plant science is advancing rapidly this week with major acquisitions, product approvals, and increased investments in biological solutions. GDM is set to acquire the remaining 50% of AgReliant Genetics from Vilmorin & Cie and KWS, bolstering its presence in the North American corn and soybean seed markets, while Vilmorin & Cie will retain its corn germplasm and operations in the United States and Canada; this deal is pending regulatory approval and standard closing conditions. Meanwhile, Flagship Pioneering launched Terrana Biosciences with a $50 million investment to develop RNA-based tools that enhance crop traits like growth, stress response, and yield without altering plant genomes, with field testing already in progress. FMC gained approval for Tremisia Fungicide in Ukraine, marking its first fluindapyr-based product for the EMEA region, targeting diseases in oilseed rape, sunflower, and wheat across over 10 million hectares; Ukraine joins the United States, Brazil, and South Korea as approved markets. Agrobiomics secured €7.5 million from the EIC Accelerator to advance biostimulants focused on improving crop resilience to drought and salinity, with plans to expand into cereals, fruits, and vegetables in climate-sensitive regions. Lastly, Syngenta is expanding its biologicals portfolio by acquiring Intrinsyx Bio, integrating Novartis biological assets, and opening a 22,000 square meter production facility in South Carolina, demonstrating a strong commitment to sustainable agriculture and meeting growing global demand.

Anna: 06:02

Several significant developments are shaping the agricultural industry this week, encompassing strategic investments, digital innovation, corporate restructuring, and facility expansion. Cargill has unveiled a series of integrated upgrades to its cocoa supply chain spanning West Africa to Europe, featuring biomass boilers, solar plants, electric barges, and circular packaging solutions aimed at reducing supply chain emissions by 30% per ton of product by 2030, while cutting site-level CO2 emissions by up to 90% in the Netherlands through enhanced logistics and processing systems. In the digital realm, Oasis Grower Solutions launched a revamped website tailored for horticulture and agriculture professionals, offering a comprehensive knowledge hub with crop-specific content, product details, downloadable resources, and improved e-commerce, organized into floriculture, controlled environment agriculture, nursery, and agbiotech segments. Financially, Del Monte Foods filed for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy to facilitate a value-maximizing sale, entering a restructuring support agreement with key lenders and securing $912.5 million in debtor-in-possession financing to maintain operations during a planned going-concern sale of most or all assets. Meanwhile, Little Leaf Farms announced plans for a third campus on a 215-acre site in Manchester, Tennessee, with construction set to start in summer 2025 and operations expected by fall 2026, reinforcing its position as a leader in controlled environment agriculture.

Anna: 07:53

Looking ahead to upcoming industry events, mark your calendars for the Commercial UAV Expo taking place from September 2nd to 4th, 2025, in Las Vegas, USA. Taiwan Smart Agriweek will follow shortly after from September 3rd to 5th, 2025, in Taiwan. The Global Vertical Farming Show 2025 is scheduled for the 10th to 11th of September in Dubai, UAE, and SPACE will run from September 16th to 18th, 2025, in France. AgraME returns to Dubai from October 6th to 7th, 2025, followed by the Vertical Farming World Congress set for October 7th to 9th, 2025, in Amsterdam.

Anna: 08:37

That wraps up today’s episode of Agtech Digest. We explored the latest developments in agricultural technology, from cutting-edge controlled environment agriculture systems and innovative plant science collaborations to strategic partnerships reshaping precision farming and sustainability efforts. With major funding rounds, new product launches, and expanding global collaborations, the future of AgTech is advancing toward greater efficiency and environmental responsibility. Thanks for joining me, I’m Anna, signing off. Stay inspired and keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible!