Carbon Robotics, Agtonomy, FarmDroid, Creation Investments, Agrolend, AgroSpheres, BASF, Taranis, Syngenta, Vestaron Corporation, ADM, CIBO Technologies, Truterra, Varda, MyEasyFarm, Agri Automation, GEODNET, Verdant Robotics, Sabanto, DAS, Bloom Fresh - This Week in AgTech

Anna: 00:00

Welcome to another episode of AgTech Digest, your go-to source for the latest in agricultural innovation. Today, we’ll introduce Harnois Greenhouses’ Vermax, an energy-efficient glass greenhouse designed to lower emissions and reduce energy costs, paving the way toward net-zero agriculture. We’ll also dive into major investments, including Carbon Robotics’ $70 million for their LaserWeeder, and Agtonomy’s recent funding to advance autonomous farm equipment. Plus, exciting new partnerships like AgroSpheres and BASF’s bioinsecticide for sustainable crop protection, and fresh product launches like Verdant Robotics’ Sharpshooter precision system. Let’s get started!

Anna: 00:41

Harnois Greenhouses proudly presents Vermax, an innovative glass greenhouse designed to advance sustainable agriculture through energy efficiency and climate control. With its semi-enclosed system and patented energy-saving technology, Vermax enables precise management of internal growing conditions, cutting energy costs while maintaining optimal environments year-round. As energy costs rise, Vermax offers growers a solution that significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions—by nearly 2,000 tonnes annually—contributing to a more sustainable agricultural future. Vermax embodies Harnois Greenhouses' commitment to environmental responsibility and productivity, providing a pathway toward the industry's first-ever net-zero glass greenhouse. This pioneering step reaffirms Harnois’ dedication to helping growers meet modern agricultural demands while minimizing their carbon footprint and maximizing output.

Anna: 01:36

Let's turn our attention to recent funding and investments in the agricultural technology sector. Carbon Robotics has secured $70 million in Series D funding, led by BOND and including participation from NVIDIA's NVentures, Anthos Capital, and Fuse Venture Capital. This brings their total raised to $157 million. The funds will be used to scale their LaserWeeder business and expand into new markets in Eastern and Southern Europe, as well as the Asia-Pacific region. Agtonomy has closed its Series A round, reaching a total of $32.8 million. The round was led by Autotech Ventures, with new investors including Rethink Food, Allison Transmission, and Black Forest Ventures. This funding will help Agtonomy expand its team, scale operations, and grow its pilot program for autonomous equipment in agriculture. FarmDroid has secured $11.33 point million in a funding round led by Convent Capital, with participation from EIFO and Navus Ventures. This investment will support the global expansion of FarmDroid's autonomous, solar-powered robots.Lastly, Creation Investments has announced a $20 million investment in Agrolend, bringing the company's total capital raised to nearly $100 million. This investment will support the expansion of Agrolend's credit offerings to industries, retailers, and farming cooperatives throughout Brazil. These investments highlight the continued growth and innovation in the agricultural technology sector, with a focus on autonomous solutions, sustainable farming practices, and improved financial services for farmers.

Anna: 03:08

Several strategic partnerships have recently been formed in the agricultural technology sector, aiming to drive innovation and sustainability. AgroSpheres, a biotech innovator, has partnered with agricultural leader BASF to develop an AgriCell-powered bioinsecticide targeting lepidopteran pests. This collaboration combines biotech with agricultural expertise to help farmers increase yields with sustainable, low-dose solutions, reducing reliance on chemical pesticides. In another key collaboration, Syngenta Crop Protection and Taranis, a digital agronomy company, are joining forces for a three-year partnership. By integrating Taranis’ AI insights with Syngenta’s Cropwise platform, they aim to improve farm productivity, streamline sustainable practices, and enable U.S. farmers to make data-driven decisions for profitability. Meanwhile, Vestaron Corporation, known for peptide-based pest control, has partnered with ADM, a global food processing leader, to scale production of Vestaron’s products. This partnership will address the increasing demand for sustainable crop protection by leveraging ADM’s manufacturing capacity to expand Vestaron’s global market reach. CIBO Technologies and Truterra have expanded their sustainability partnership to enroll millions of acres in emissions-reduction programs. This collaboration empowers companies to meet emissions goals while providing farmers access to sustainability programs, promoting corporate responsibility and environmental impact.Additionally, Varda, a geospatial agricultural solutions provider, has partnered with MyEasyFarm, an AgTech precision agriculture startup, to integrate Varda’s GlobalFieldID into MyEasyFarm’s platforms. This partnership enhances field traceability and precision, supporting eco-friendly practices and profitability. Finally, Agri Automation has teamed up with the GEODNET Foundation to deploy RTK stations across rural Australia and New Zealand. This collaboration strengthens autonomous farming capabilities by offering high-precision, cost-effective solutions that reduce labor needs and boost productivity. These partnerships showcase a commitment to advancing agricultural technology, fostering innovation, and supporting sustainability in the sector.

Anna: 05:21

In the world of agricultural technology, several new products have been released, promising to revolutionize farming practices. Verdant Robotics has unveiled the 2025 Sharpshooter, a precision application system that dramatically reduces chemical inputs by over 96% and cuts hand-weeding costs by 65% through its Bullseye Aim & Apply Technology. Equipped with Spatial AI, Machine Learning, and Aiming-Nozzle technology, the Sharpshooter offers millimeter-level accuracy to control weeds, thin crops, and manage fertility, covering up to 5 acres per hour and providing detailed agronomic insights, making it ideal for high-density crops and sustainable farming. Sabanto is set to introduce the Sabanto Steward at FIRA USA 2024, an autonomous retrofit kit for tractors that addresses labor shortages and rising costs by converting existing tractors to autonomous mode with an option for manual control. This versatile kit supports various field operations such as rolling, aerating, spraying, and seeding, enhancing productivity while reducing labor expenses, offering farmers a high return on investment. Digital Agricultural Services (DAS) has launched a crop insurance solution in Australia to mitigate climate risks and financial losses. By using machine learning, geospatial data, and automapping, this solution improves policy accuracy, reduces fraud, speeds up claims processing, and offers both standalone and integrated insurance options. It provides Australian farmers with accessible, affordable, and precise insurance coverage to strengthen their financial resilience.

Anna: 06:54

This week’s interview highlights Bloom Fresh, an innovator in cherry cultivation, as they unveil their groundbreaking low chill cherry varieties. These new trees require fewer than 400 chill hours less than half the traditional 800 hours allowing cherry farming to thrive in warmer climates with milder winters and addressing the challenges posed by climate change. The advantages of these varieties are significant, enabling earlier harvests, extending the growing season, and achieving yield increases of 20 to 30 percent compared to standard cherry trees. From a sustainability perspective, low chill cherries contribute to reducing the carbon footprint of cherry production, as they can be cultivated closer to consumer markets. Growers have reported strong production levels, praising the cherries for their flavor, sweetness, and firmness, which indicates strong market acceptance. As climate change continues to impact agriculture, low chill cherry varieties are poised to play a vital role in ensuring the sustainability and viability of cherry production.

Anna: 07:55

In other news, BASF's Liberty ULTRA herbicide has received approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This new product incorporates Glu-L Technology, expanding BASF's herbicide offerings. Agreena, a company focused on sustainable agriculture, reports that over 2,300 farmers across Europe have adopted regenerative agriculture practices. This adoption covers 4.5 million hectares, showing a significant increase in sustainable farming methods. On a less positive note, Jungle, a French vertical farming company, is facing compulsory winding up due to financial difficulties. This highlights the ongoing challenges in the vertical farming sector. Pivot Bio's N-OVATOR program has seen substantial growth, with 1.4 million acres now qualified to generate nitrogen credits for the 2024 growing season. This represents nearly double the enrollment from the previous year. Lastly, Boehringer Ingelheim has made a significant investment of $66.1 million to expand its facility in Athens, Georgia. The expansion adds 63,000 square feet of administrative space and 28,000 square feet of laboratory space, enhancing the company's research and development capabilities.

Anna: 09:06

Several notable events are on the horizon for those interested in agricultural technology. World Agri-Tech Mexico is scheduled for October 29 to 30th, 2024. The REAP Conference 2024 will take place on November 6 in Newmarket, UK. From November 12 to 15th , 2024, the Inhouse Farming Feed & Food Show will be held in Hanover. Dubai, UAE will host the AgriNext Conference on November 13 to 14th , 2024. Lastly, the Asia-Pacific Agri-Food Innovation Summit is set for November 19 to 21st, 2024. These events offer opportunities to learn about the latest advancements and network with industry leaders in the agtech sector

Anna: 09:44

This concludes our Agtech Digest episode. Thank you for listening to these updates on agricultural technology innovations, investments, and events. We hope you found this information valuable and insightful. Stay tuned for our next episode, where we'll continue to bring you the latest developments in the world of agtech. Until then, this is Anna signing off. Stay inspired and keep pushing the boundaries of what's possible!