Planet Labs, Farmdar, Saga Robotics, Bitwise Agronomy, Fotenix, INNOFarms.AI, Skyfield AgriTech, Evogene, ICL Group, Wilbur-Ellis, Above Food, Pivot Bio, Qore, Hort Americas, Hortiplan, Artechno Growsystems, Chambers Farm,

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 the forefront of agritech innovation—from satellite imagery and AI-powered crop forecasting to breakthroughs in soil biology and digital crop health platforms. We'll examine new strategies enhancing vertical farming, analyze multimillion-dollar investments driving precision agriculture, and unpack the latest advancements in propagation systems, biostimulants, and bio-based manufacturing. We'll also take a look at evolving financial tools, strategic acquisitions spanning genomics to fintech, and the growing role of AI in supply chain and waste management solutions. With fresh partnerships driving greenhouse automation, robotic integration, and gene expression analytics, there’s a lot to unpack—so let’s dive right in.

Anna: 00:38

Planet Labs signed a six-figure agreement with Singapore-based Farmdar, providing the company with enhanced access to PlanetScope satellite imagery and base maps. The collaboration is focused on strengthening AI-powered crop insights, especially for sugarcane, with goals to advance precision agriculture, support sustainability targets, and reduce operational risks globally. In a joint initiative, Saga Robotics, Bitwise Agronomy, and Chambers Farm announced a collaboration aimed at improving automated yield forecasting. The Thorvald robot will be used to collect and analyze fruit data while simultaneously delivering UV-C treatments. Bitwise Agronomy will apply its proprietary models to generate harvest predictions from the collected data. Chambers Farm will serve as the first commercial test site for this initiative, which is designed to meet the growing demand for scalable crop insights in soft fruit production and deliver reliable, data-driven yield predictions to growers. Fotenix has raised 2.1 million Euros in funding from River Capital’s Fund:AI, EHE Venture Studio, and Innovate UK. The investment will support the development of a digital crop health platform that uses AI-enabled multispectral imaging and robotics. The platform is designed to create 3D digital twins of crops to detect stress, disease, and pests before symptoms appear. INNOFarms.AI and Skyfield AgriTech have formed a strategic partnership targeting vertical and controlled environment agriculture farming in the Gulf Cooperation Council region. Initial operations will focus on the UAE, leveraging INNOFarms.AI’s Intelligence Operating System. The collaboration aims to build scalable, climate-adapted agricultural systems and enhance data-driven decisions in regional food production. Miraterra has acquired Trace Genomics’ intellectual property, product portfolio, and an analytical lab in Ames, Iowa. The acquisition enhances Miraterra’s measurement capabilities across the soil-to-food spectrum. Trace Genomics’ DNA-based soil biology platform will be integrated with Miraterra’s Raman spectroscopy technology. The Ames lab will remain operational, continuing to support legacy customers while expanding the company’s service offerings.

Anna: 03:14

Julia Erftemeijer presented findings from Artechno Growsystems on the AVF+ system at the TomatoTech Summit, showcasing its ability to enhance tomato plant propagation. The AVF+ system shortens propagation timelines while increasing success rates across germination, graft healing, and pinching stages. It is available in modular configurations—Freestyler, Fusion, and Compact—allowing it to fit various facility sizes and layouts. Sustainability benefits of the system include a twelve to sixteen percent reduction in input materials, decreased use of chemical applications, and improved integration of biocontrol methods. Overall, the AVF+ platform is engineered to support growers in achieving greater consistency, operational efficiency, and reduced production waste.

Anna: 04:11

Evogene has finalized the sale of its ag-biologicals subsidiary, Lavie Bio, to ICL Group Limited, a deal that includes Lavie Bio’s technology platforms, microbial assets, and personnel, alongside the transfer of Evogene’s MicroBoost AI for Agriculture platform. This move aligns with Evogene’s strategic aim to maximize value across its subsidiaries, while ICL gains added strength in its innovation pipeline and sustainability capabilities. Wilbur-Ellis has secured a $550 million asset-based revolving credit facility arranged by White Oak Commercial Finance as part of a nearly $1 billion recapitalization and capital raise initiative. As a privately held, family-owned firm involved in the North American agriculture supply chain, Wilbur-Ellis gains increased liquidity and operational flexibility through a multi-lender syndicate comprising SLR Credit Solutions, Ares Management Credit funds, MidCap Financial, and Gibraltar Business Capital. Above Food has signed a Letter of Intent to acquire Palm Global Technologies Limited for approximately $108 million, including a 30% stake in Palm Promax Investments, which is tied to United States-based gold-backed assets valued at $350 billion. The acquisition allows Above Food to expand into asset tokenization, stablecoin issuance, and digital currency ventures, combining leadership expertise across agritech, blockchain, finance, and infrastructure. Pivot Bio is collaborating with Aurora Cooperative to distribute its microbial nitrogen products—PROVEN-forty and PROVEN-Gthree—across Nebraska and Northern Kansas. These gene-edited microbes deliver in-season nitrogen directly to root zones, promoting sustainable practices and improving grower profitability. Both products are manufactured in North America. Lastly, Qore, a joint venture between Cargill and HELM, has launched production of QIRA, a plant-based alternative to fossil-derived one four-butanediol, at its $300 million facility in Eddyville, Iowa. With a projected annual output of 66,000 metric tons for use in industries such as textiles, packaging, automotive, and personal care, the venture leverages Cargill’s fermentation expertise and HELM’s global market access, with a site that enhances supply chain transparency and traceability.

Anna: 06:02

CEA is making strides in automation and sustainability as key players team up to scale controlled environment agriculture. A new partnership is expanding mobile gully systems across North America, focusing on leafy greens and herbs, while providing technical support and services in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. In a move to strengthen local food production, one company has acquired another's assets—ranging from software to manufacturing infrastructure—with plans to support a global grower network and close the deal by July 2025. Meanwhile, a major acquisition is bringing together industrial and AI technologies with advanced seed breeding to create high-yield, climate-resilient tomato varieties optimized for automated cultivation, signaling continued momentum in the evolution of indoor farming.

Anna: 07:53

Windfall Bio has launched a field trial of its mem-based biocover at Republic Services’ Sunshine Canyon Landfill in California. Natural soil microbes, or mems, are being applied to the landfill cover to reduce methane, volatile organic compounds, and odor-causing emissions, with the pilot aiming to improve local air quality and mitigate landfill-related climate impacts. MYGroup has partnered with insect genetics company Beta Bugs to supply Black Soldier Fly eggs for its Insectology food waste treatment process. A new in-house Black Soldier Fly breeding and hatching facility will be established at MYGroup’s site in South Milford, United Kingdom, ensuring a consistent supply of high-quality eggs and neonates and completing the company’s end-to-end bioconversion system. GrubMarket has introduced a specialized Inventory Management AI Agent to streamline inventory processes for food wholesalers and distributors. This new tool is part of GrubAssist AI, the company’s enterprise platform, and automates tasks such as restocking, shelf-life monitoring, and pricing updates through agentic workflows. Antler Bio has raised $4.3 million to scale EpiHerd, its gene expression-based dairy system. Funding was led by The First Thirty Ventures with support from Endgame Capital and Generation-RE. EpiHerd helps farmers detect stress and nutritional deficiencies in cows, improving milk quality and yield, and is already deployed across more than one hundred farms in the United Kingdom, Finland, Sweden, and Denmark. BeeHero has kicked off its third season in Australia with expanded pollination services and pre-pollination reporting. Operating now across seventy thousand acres, the company supports key crops like almonds, canola, macadamia, avocado, berries, and kiwifruit, while its new reports aim to improve transparency and readiness as varroa mite threats continue to rise.

Anna: 08:37

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 is scheduled for September 3rd to 5th, 2025, in Taiwan. The Global Vertical Farming Show 2025 will be held on the tenth and eleventh of September in Dubai, UAE. SPACE is set for September 16th to 18th, 2025, in France. AgraME will follow from October 6th to 7th in Dubai, and the Vertical Farming World Congress is planned for October 7th to 9th in Amsterdam.

Anna: 08:37

That wraps up today's episode of AgTech Digest. We explored the latest developments in agricultural technology. From AI-driven crop forecasting and smart irrigation systems to revolutionary microbial nitrogen solutions and seed breeding for automated environments, the sector is advancing rapidly. We looked at major acquisitions enhancing soil-to-food analytics, strategic partnerships fueling growth in vertical farming, and new systems boosting tomato propagation efficiency. With significant funding rounds supporting robotics, imaging, and bio-based chemistry, plus bold moves into blockchain-enabled services, the future of agriculture is shaping up to be smarter and more sustainable than ever before. Thanks for joining me, I'm Anna, signing off. Stay inspired and keep pushing the boundaries of what's possible!