Local Bounti, Cropin Technology, Dole, MAVRK Capital, Rantizo, Protein Industries Canada, Solynta, Mars, Bloom Fresh, Village Farms, CEA Advisors, AeroFarms, Hort Americas

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 significant developments across the agricultural technology landscape. We'll examine major financing rounds including Local Bounti's $10 million convertible note and strategic divestments like Dole's $140 million fresh vegetables division sale, dive into innovative plant science initiatives from non-GMO soybean development to gene-edited cacao partnerships, and discover controlled environment agriculture expansions spanning cannabis production to organic fertilizer launches. We'll also cover diverse industry updates ranging from integrated fermentation technology to agrivoltaics projects that combine solar energy with traditional farming. There's a lot to cover, so let's get started.

Anna: 00:56

Revolutionary financing strategies and strategic business transformations are reshaping the agtech and agribusiness landscape as companies adapt to evolving market demands. Local Bounti Corporation has raised ten million dollars through a convertible note with an existing investor, carrying a six point zero percent annual interest rate that matures in five years and includes a warrant to purchase up to five hundred and fifty thousand shares at zero point one two five dollars per share, with the financing reducing the company's principal debt and supporting operational growth. Meanwhile, Cropin Technology has secured a seven hundred thousand euro contract from EIT Food to deploy its FIRST Potato AI initiative, promoting regenerative potato farming with data-driven, farm-level decision support through a platform that uses real-time data and predictive analytics for irrigation, input use, and residue management. Pilot programs will launch in Denmark, Germany, and the UK, with expansion talks underway. In a significant divestment move, Dole plc has sold its Fresh Vegetables Division to Arable Capital's og Holdco LLC for one hundred and forty million dollars, with the deal including ninety million dollars in cash, a fifty million dollar seller note, and a ten million dollar earn-out potential. The division covers lettuce, broccoli, celery, and salad kits while employing over three thousand workers, though Dole retains facilities in Huron, California, and Yuma, Arizona, as part of a broader streamlining strategy. Furthermore, MAVRK Capital has closed the first round of its second fund focused on produce-related receivables, targeting growers, distributors, and retailers across the United States, Latin America, and South America, with Valley Strong Ventures serving as the anchor investor and several hundred million committed to bridge institutional capital with global food production needs. Additionally, Rantizo has undergone a strategic transformation by selling its drone spraying operations to an AgTech investment group and rebranding as American Autonomy, Inc., focusing on software development while maintaining its AcreConnect™ platform as central to supporting spray drone operator management, marking a strategic shift toward digital tools in aerial agriculture.

Anna: 03:29

Groundbreaking advancements in plant science are accelerating sustainable agriculture through innovative breeding techniques, strategic partnerships, and intellectual property protection initiatives. Protein Industries Canada has launched a three million dollar initiative supporting a four point three million dollar project to strengthen the non-GMO soybean sector, led by NRGene Canada, Pulse Genetics, Hensall Co-op, and Yumasoy Foods Ltd., targeting early-maturing, high-protein soybean varieties for northern climates while including development of a new whole-soy plant-based protein product for domestic and export markets. This initiative aligns with Canada's "Road to twenty-five Billion dollars" strategy to boost the plant-based food sector. Simultaneously, Solynta is revolutionizing potato farming through its hybrid breeding approach that replaces traditional seed tubers with true potato seeds, enabling more efficient and scalable potato farming through a non-GMO model that supports reduced crop losses and pesticide use, with trials underway in Kenya, Canada, and East Africa. By 2030, Solynta aims for TPS to become a global standard in the potato supply chain, supported by the public release of its diploid potato genome to encourage open innovation. In collaborative developments, Mars has partnered with Pairwise to apply its Fulcrum® gene editing platform to cacao crop development, with the collaboration including access to CRISPR tools like the SHARC™ enzyme to improve cacao resilience and enhance resistance to climate stress, disease, and environmental challenges threatening global cacao supply chains. Moreover, Bloom Fresh is intensifying intellectual property enforcement ahead of peak table grape season, protecting premium grape varieties such as SWEET GLOBE, COTTON CANDY, and ALLISON through enforcement measures including customs programs, DNA testing, and collaboration with Breeders Alliance, while encouraging stakeholders to report unauthorized produce to protect quality and grower interests.

Anna: 05:45

Dynamic expansion initiatives and technological innovations are transforming the controlled environment agriculture sector as companies scale operations and introduce cutting-edge growing solutions. Village Farms International is expanding cannabis production by converting part of its Delta 2 greenhouse in British Columbia through a ten million Canadian dollar project that will add forty metric tonnes of annual production capacity by Q1 2027, with the expansion funded from existing cash to support the company's scale-up strategy for global markets. Concurrently, CEA Advisors has delivered a Tissue Culture Micropropagation Growtainer® Lab to Nash Nurseries in Michigan, with the modular lab enabling scalable, sterile plant propagation in controlled environments using insulated shipping containers suitable for diverse sectors including horticulture, agriculture, and botanical research. In financing developments, AeroFarms has refinanced its debt and secured additional equity funding to support operations and expansion, with funds sustaining the Danville, Virginia facility and covering pre-construction for a planned second vertical farm through a financing package that includes contributions from existing investors and a new loan facility. Additionally, Hort Americas and Avé Organics have launched OAN 10‑0‑0®, a new liquid organic nitrogen fertilizer for North American growers that is OMRI-approved, pathogen-free, LGMA compliant, and provides a fifty-fifty nitrate-ammonium nitrogen blend. Packaged in two hundred and seventy gallon totes, it's aimed at organic and hydroponic growers seeking sustainable crop nutrition solutions.

Anna: 07:35

Innovative technologies and strategic partnerships are driving agricultural advancement across multiple sectors, from renewable energy integration to recruitment solutions and analytics platforms. AgVault has introduced integrated fermentation technology to enhance ethanol plant profitability through a new system that enables production of high-grade yeast for animal feed markets, reporting a thirty-five percent ROI from co-located facilities producing sixteen thousand tons annually while improving efficiency and lowering production costs through precision fermentation processes. In personnel developments, Iris Nevins, a software engineering leader, has acquired Agricruit, shifting her focus from tech to agriculture recruitment, with the firm founded in 2020 by Kale Klendworth having built national recognition in ag staffing while operating Agtalent, a proprietary job board, and an internal applicant tracking system. Meanwhile, AgLaunch has officially opened the application window for its 2026 AgLaunch365 Accelerator with a final deadline of September 15th, 2025, embedding startups directly into field operations with a national farmer network for real-world validation while accepted startups receive one hundred thousand dollars in investment, on-farm trials, data access, and support from ag sector partners. Furthermore, SatSure Analytics India Pvt. Ltd. has entered a strategic partnership with Kenya's KALRO, with the collaboration aiming to improve agricultural productivity through satellite-based analytics focusing on crop monitoring, yield forecasting, and climate resilience. Finally, Lightstar Renewables has announced the Plains Road Agrivoltaics project in Montgomery, New York, integrating solar energy generation with continued agricultural use as DiMartino Farm maintains hay production while adding new vegetable acreage, with the project expected to power four hundred and sixty-six homes annually while supporting long-term farm viability.

Anna: 09:49

Looking ahead to upcoming industry events, mark your calendars for the Commercial UAV Expo from September 2nd to 4th, 2025 in Las Vegas, USA. Following that, Taiwan Smart Agriweek will take place from September 3rd to 5th, 2025 in Taiwan. The Global Vertical Farming Show 2025 is scheduled for September 10th to 11th, 2025 in Dubai, UAE. Next, SPACE will be held from September 16th to 18th, 2025 in France. Additionally, don't miss AgraME from October 6th to 7th, 2025 in Dubai. Finally, the Vertical Farming World Congress will run from October 7th to 9th, 2025 in Amsterdam.

Anna: 10:35

That wraps up today's episode of AgTech Digest. We explored the latest developments in agricultural technology, from strategic financing moves like Local Bounti's ten million dollar convertible note to transformative business shifts such as Dole's fresh vegetables division divestment and Rantizo's pivot to software-focused American Autonomy. We discovered breakthrough plant science innovations spanning Canada's non-GMO soybean initiative to Mars and Pairwise's gene-edited cacao partnership, while examining controlled environment agriculture expansions from Village Farms' cannabis production scaling to innovative organic fertilizer launches. From integrated fermentation technology enhancing ethanol plant profitability to agrivoltaics projects combining solar energy with traditional farming, it's clear that the agtech sector continues making remarkable strides in sustainability, efficiency, and innovation. With strategic partnerships bridging technology and agriculture, comprehensive funding supporting next-generation solutions, and cutting-edge developments addressing global food security challenges, the future of agriculture is shaping up to be more integrated and resilient than ever before. Thanks for joining me, I'm Anna, signing off. Stay inspired and keep pushing the boundaries of what's possible!