Matt Bechdol fell into a class on remote sensing during his time as a student at Indiana University and what was initially a requirement for environmental science turned into a love affair. Specifically, he fell in love with the intersection of business, agriculture, technology and the environment – close to the definition of agbioscience, right? That love took him to graduate school, an ag research gig at NASA and ultimately becoming the CEO of GRYFN in 2019.
GRYFN focuses on remote sensing and spatial data to help automate business processes and bring objectivity to time-intensive, human work like plant breeding. Matt gets into the question they’re always asking: what else? From defense to oceanography, he talks about a creating a wide swath of tools to create multiple insights that solve problems across different industries.
As a CEO, Matt gives us his entrepreneurial leadership lessons, too. He talks about providing clarity on your value proposition, pricing discipline, knowing what you’re good at and hitting base hits rather than home runs.
Listen to Matt’s past episode of Agbioscience here.
Keystone Cooperative announced new and increased responsibilities for several key leaders that will build upon the strong legacy of the cooperative and position it for future success. As previously announced, current Co-Alliance CEO Kevin Still will become the President & CEO of Keystone Cooperative. Jeff Troike, current CEO of Ceres Solutions, will move into an Executive Vice President role alongside Co-Alliance’s current EVP, Scott Logue.
In their Executive Vice President roles, Jeff Troike & Scott Logue will oversee Keystone’s four divisions, which will be led by:
Eric Adair, Vice President – Energy, will head up this division and focus his efforts on continuing to grow the business and operational efficiencies within it.
Todd Masten, Vice President – Liquid Fuels, will lead the liquid fuel team in growing farm, retail, commercial & municipal gallons.
Mike Hayden, Assistant Vice President – Propane, will step into this role and seek opportunities to enhance Keystone’s LP market position.
Agronomy Leadership
Doug Whicker, Vice President – Agronomy, becomes the lead of the agronomy division and will continue to drive growth in the business through superior customer service and employee expertise.
Emily Thrasher, Assistant Vice President – Procurement, will step into the role of managing the division’s overall crop input procurement, supplier relationships and market positions for crop nutrients, crop protection, seed and value-added products.
Brock Frasch, Assistant Vice President – Agronomy, will lead the division’s efforts in operational excellence, enhanced efficiencies and agronomic insights.
Grain Leadership
Tom Blackwell, Senior Director – Grain, will lead the division and focus on bringing increased capacity, quality, and reliable market access to Keystone’s farmer-owners.
Swine and Animal Nutrition Leadership
Dewey Bucher, Vice President – Swine & Animal Nutrition, will focus on increasing this division’s feed production, swine ownership & management for the cooperative’s members.
Nathan Hedden, Assistant Vice President, will build the division’s capacity to serve contract growers and enhance production efficiencies.
In addition to these leadership roles, Keystone is also announcing the following leadership responsibilities:
Strategy and Operational Leadership
Doug Brunt, Senior Vice President – Strategy & Operational Excellence, will be responsible for Keystone’s strategic plan development and capturing synergies across the organization.
Phil Brewer, Vice President – Strategy, will focus on the budget and strategy of Keystone, while also coordinating the company’s asset management team.
Accounting, IT and Credit Leadership
Rodney Graham, Senior Vice President & CFO, will lead Accounting, Information Technology and Credit teams.
Scott Osborne, Vice President – Accounting, will be responsible for working alongside the accounting team to ensure a seamless transition to Keystone Cooperative.
Legal, Safety and Insurance
Elizabeth South, Vice President – Legal, Safety & Insurance, will ensure the Keystone team and customers are operating safely and minimizing risk for the organization.
Sales, Marketing and Communications
Amy Kinsler, Vice President – Sales, Marketing & Communications, will lead teams dedicated to amplifying Keystone’s farmer-owners voices and delivering an unmatched customer experience
HR & Talent Management
Angela Hudgins, Vice President – HR & Talent Management, is focused on delivering upon Keystone’s goal of being the employer of choice in today’s marketplace.
Public Policy, Sustainability and Innovation
Drew Garretson, Vice President – Public Policy, Sustainability & Innovation – will focus Keystone’s efforts on the opportunities to further refine and develop its approach in all three arenas.
“Keystone’s Senior Management Team will be responsible for guiding the new cooperative through the collaboration of the merger and preparing for the needs of future customers. I am excited to work alongside this team of strong performers to bring the best of our legacy cooperatives forward, delivering increased market share and outstanding products and services, while staying focused on the customer experience and dedication to our local, rural communities.” said Kevin Still, President & CEO.
Keystone Cooperative will begin business officially on March 1, 2024. The cooperative represents a merger between Co-Alliance Cooperative, Inc. and Ceres Solutions Cooperative, Inc. The cooperative will have four divisions including Energy, Agronomy, Grain, and Swine and Animal Nutrition: operating in Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and Illinois.
Farmers will be able to implement data-driven recommendations to help drive productivity. Brings together industry leaders in precise execution and agronomic solutions.
For years, farmers have had to navigate a complex landscape of digital tools to harness the power of their on-farm data. Corteva Agriscience (NYSE: CTVA) and John Deere (NYSE: DE) today announced a partnership to make it easier for farmers to access Corteva’s industry-leading agronomic recommendations through the John Deere Operations CenterTM.
This partnership combines the digital and onboard capabilities of John Deere, the global leader in intelligent farm equipment, with the agronomic expertise and analysis of Corteva, the global leader in agricultural solutions. The result is the delivery of precise, customized, agronomic insights to:
equipment, via John Deere Precision Ag technology;
Pioneer sales representatives, for providing best-in-class agronomic support; and
farmers, for improved productivity and sustainability.
“We are focused on making it as easy as possible for farmers to unlock even more value through data-driven, scientific recommendations, based on the unique characteristics of their farm. This partnership does exactly that,” said Brian Lutz, vice president of agricultural solutions, Corteva. “As a technology company dedicated to putting the best, most innovative tools in the hands of farmers, this partnership, by setting a new standard for the industry, is an exciting next step both for farmers and our companies. We’re pleased to be able to combine Corteva’s cutting-edge science with John Deere’s technology stack to simplify the last mile of execution in the field.”
“The future of farming will be enabled by the combination of data-driven insights and science-based agronomic recommendations that are precisely executed by connected and increasingly intelligent machines,” said Doug Sauder, director, product management and user experience at John Deere. “Achieving the ambitious goals for providing food, fuel, and shelter for an increasing global population necessitates the entire industry work better together to ensure we are doing everything we can to help farmers optimize how they plan and execute in the field with the best products. We are excited to work with Corteva to provide a seamless experience for our mutual customers and help them garner more value from their farm data.”
Pilot programs will begin in the spring across the United States and expand to Canada in the future. These pilots are the foundation for a strategic, multi-year partnership, leveraging the companies’ respective areas of expertise to develop and deploy digital solutions that support farmers and their pursuit of more efficient, productive and sustainable farms.
Telling the real story behind agbioscience innovation and what’s happening on farms requires a willingness to bravely sit at tables where you might be misunderstood. Michelle Miller, The Farm Babe, found seats at those tables over a decade ago and has become one of the most influential voices and advocates for modern, high-tech agriculture. From The Today Show to Forbes and People Magazine, Michelle has been breaking myths about where our food comes from and helping consumers better connect to their food through her moniker – The Farm Babe.
But her advocacy wasn’t always on behalf of the farmer. Michelle talks about her time on Rodeo Drive, her once belief in the misinformation surrounding agriculture and how life changes also changed her mindset. Whether it’s biotech or artificial intelligence (AI), she talks about how she’s approached those topics with consumers – hint: it starts with empathy for those who are trying to learn more.
What excites Michelle about the future of agbioscience and modern agriculture? From animal health to plant science, she talks about the future of our food and how farmers will continue to do more with less.
College of Agriculture researcher developed D16 through traditional breeding techniques
The license is limited to popcorn and doesn’t apply to dent corn, field corn or sweet corn.
Traditional breeding techniques
Ag Alumni Seed has supported multiple research projects at Purdue University with both financial and in-kind contributions — such as the use of land, equipment and facilities. Jay Hulbert, the company’s president and CEO, said development of D16 began with research that Guri Johal conducted at the company’s Romney facility a decade ago. Johal is a professor of botany and plant pathology in Purdue University’s College of Agriculture.
“D16 is not a GMO trait. Guri converted multiple elite Ag Alumni Seed proprietary popcorn inbreds to incorporate into D16,” Hulbert said. “The feature was developed using time-honored traditional breeding techniques without incorporating any foreign DNA into the corn.”
Benefits of D16 to farmers
Hulbert said a shorter corn plant like D16 has advantages over traditional corn plants.
“A shorter plant is less likely than a taller plant to break, fall over or ‘lodge’ under stress caused by high winds or other severe weather,” he said. “In a food crop like popcorn, lodging increases the risk of the grain being contaminated by dirt or other foreign materials; D16 may be at lower risk of contamination than traditional corn. In addition, corn can become so tall that it’s difficult for farmers to work in the field except with specialized high-clearance equipment.”
D16 may also enhance yield reliability for farmers.
“Shorter-stature corn may improve sustainability by allowing farmers to grow more plants per acre, improving yield and utilizing water and fertilizer more efficiently,” Hulbert said.
Developing D16 further
Hulbert outlined Ag Alumni Seed’s next steps with D16.
“Using our Southern Hemisphere facilities, we will fast-track new hybrids with this shorter-stature feature. The new hybrids will be tested side by side with our current hybrids in U.S. trials this coming summer,” Hulbert said. “Based on the results of those trials, we’ll make decisions on conducting further trials and commercializing D16 hybrids.”
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Ask new CEO of AgReliant Genetics about his career journey and you’ll get an interesting take from him: it’s not at all what he expected. But whether he’s been launching, fixing or changing products, systems and processes, agbioscience innovation has been the fabric of his story. This week, Brian Barker joins us to talk about making the leap into leadership of AgReliant’s longstanding reputable brands.
From global turbulence to urban sprawl and a growing population, how does AgReliant view their next wave of innovation to meet the demands that evolve globally? As Brian says, that corn kernel is more like a microchip than anything else and getting everything you can out of the plant will remain their focus. From gene editing to analytic tools, the new wave has just begun.
What’s ahead for AgReliant Genetics? Brian says it starts with AgReliant’s people and doubling down on what they do best.
Technology maintains diesel-like performance while delivering cost savings and lower carbon emissions for heavy-duty industry
ClearFlame Engine Technologies announced today that it has completed the first sale of its FuelAdaptive™ truck to Vander Haag’s Inc. The truck is the world’s first product to deliver diesel-like performance to the heavy-duty trucking industry with a reduction in fuel costs and carbon emissions using a nationally-distributed fuel.
Vander Haag’s, a leader in sustainable heavy-duty solutions, will use ClearFlame’s truck to deliver parts to its 11 locations in multiple states.
ClearFlame’s technology provides:
More than 40 percent lower fuel costs than diesel: ClearFlame’s FuelAdaptive™ engine is the only alternative fuel engine technology in the market that offers the same performance as a diesel engine with lower fuel costs.
Builds on existing infrastructure: ClearFlame’s technology capitalizes on the existing fuel infrastructure available today, making it faster and easier for customers to cut costs and carbon emissions immediately.
Easy integration: Minimal change to existing diesel engine platforms.
Supply-Chain Ready: Incorporates easily into existing maintenance networks and manufacturing supply chains with no need to retrain technicians.
“Vander Haag’s has been an enthusiastic development partner for ClearFlame because of their market readiness, cost savings and use of existing infrastructure. Many of our customers don’t have the capital, infrastructure, or light duty cycles needed for EV adoption, and we see a massive opportunity to increase our market share by bringing customers the sustainability they desire without increasing costs.” – John Vander Haag, CEO, Vander Haag’s Inc.
“Our trucks not only have 40 percent lower fuel costs than diesel, they offer a greater reduction in lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions than a comparable EV truck. As the world continues to careen past climate goals like the 1.5°C temperature warming limit called for in the Paris Climate Accords, ClearFlame stands ready to bring cost-effective carbon reduction solutions to the market today.” – Dr. BJ Johnson, CEO, ClearFlame
ClearFlame is focused on turning the more than four million diesel trucks on the road today into the cleanest, most fuel-efficient fleets. In their first pilots, ClearFlame reduced carbon emissions by nearly 45 percent, with greater savings expected in the future.
ClearFlame trucks are built to operate on a range of decarbonized liquid fuels including ethanol, a locally grown biofuel that supports America’s agricultural economy and promotes energy independence. ClearFlame also expands customer choice and prepares for growth in the alternative fuel market by adapting to future e-fuels made from renewable energy, such as green methanol or green ammonia.
ClearFlame expects to announce additional sales in the first half of 2024. The company is finalizing lease agreements for limited production trucks, targeting 2-3 dozen units with select customers.
“These grants are critical to ensuring the security of our food supply,” said Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. “Federal partners like USDA-AMS are a wonderful asset to Indiana and to agriculture. I am excited to see Hoosier businesses expand with these grants.”
The purpose of this program is to improve food supply resilience in the middle of the food chain through increasing distribution, aggregation, storage capacity, market expansion and facility updates/expansions. Following federal guidance, the project performance period will be June 2024 through May 2027. Applicants must demonstrate how this project will improve resilience in the middle of the food chain.
“Our Hoosier farmers, producers, agribusinesses and consumers need a steady food supply chain system. We are grateful that USDA recognized this need in Indiana and across the country and continue to work with us to enhance our middle of the food chain businesses,” said Don Lamb, Indiana State Department of Agriculture director. “These grants will go a long way in ensuring rural vitality and success for our small and mid-sized producers, processors as well as Hoosier consumers.”
WHO IS ELIGIBLE:
Indiana businesses and producers that work in the middle of the food chain sector, defined as “from the farm gate to the end retail market” or the processing and aggregation/distribution sector of the food chain. Eligible product ideas could include, but are not limited to, creating a produce packing line, value added dairy and egg products, establishing/expanding a co-packing facility or building a commercial kitchen.
WHO IS INELIGIBLE:
Products including meat, poultry, wild-caught seafood, dietary supplements and food for animal consumption do not qualify in this program. Businesses may have the above listed product lines, but grant funds cannot be used to benefit these products. All for profit businesses must qualify as a small business by the Small Business Administration standards.
ELIGIBLE EXPENSES MAY INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:
Purchase/upgrade of equipment, infrastructure and technology – including installation;
Construction of a new facility or expansion of current facilities;
Increasing storage space – including cold storage, addition of new product lines;
Increasing packaging and labeling capabilities; and
Facility upgrades for climate-smart equipment.
“This partnership between USDA and Indiana is allowing critical funding to reach areas of the supply chain that need it most,” said USDA Marketing and Regulatory Programs Under Secretary Jenny Lester Moffitt. “The projects funded through this program will create new opportunities for the region’s small and midsize producers to thrive, expand access to nutritious food options, and increase supply chain resiliency.”
Applications will open on Jan. 29, 2024 and will be due to ISDA on March 8, 2024 by 12:00 pm (noon) EST. Those interested in receiving a subaward should apply directly through ISDA by March 8, 2024. Links to technical assistance webinars, application materials and additional resources can all be found at ISDA.in.gov. AMS encourages applications that serve smaller farms and ranches, new and beginning farmers and ranchers, underserved producers, veteran producers, female producers and underserved communities.
Through the program and in addition to the Infrastructure Grant funding, ISDA will support supply chain coordination and technical assistance to farmers and food businesses operating in processing, aggregation and distribution—all critical activities to support access to more and better markets for farmers.
For details about a virtual Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure grant overview on Jan. 24 from 3-4 p.m. or for more information, visit isda.in.gov.
Up to $15,000 available in professional services to support research and development, business operations improvement, or technology development and implementation projects
“INTAP is one of the Indiana SBDC’s most impactful programs,” said Indiana Economic Development Corporation Vice President of Small Business Andrew Carty. “It is laser-focused on supporting small businesses in taking the plunge on their next iterative stage of innovation. By helping qualified companies fund projects they might not otherwise be able to pursue, INTAP enables our small businesses to secure the necessary skillsets, technologies or technical expertise needed to get to the next level.”
Through INTAP, eligible small businesses may apply to receive up to $15,000 in professional services from a qualified vendor to complete growth and improvement projects that require specialized assistance or technical expertise. Such projects include app or technology development, inventory and point of sale tracking system updates or training, intellectual property legal assistance, grant writing assistance for the Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) programs, and more. The program is administered in partnership with Ivy Tech Community College Bloomington’s Cook Center for Entrepreneurship, which houses the South Central Indiana SBDC regional office.
INTAP has assisted 250 businesses with completing projects since the program was launched in 2017, 80 of which were completed in 2023. To be eligible for INTAP, Indiana small businesses must meet the following criteria:
be or become an Indiana SBDC client by March 1,
have a physical presence in Indiana,
use a vendor physically located in Indiana,
be able to complete the project within five months and before Dec. 31, 2024,
be an eligible project type, and
be able to demonstrate a positive impact after completion, including but not limited to new job creation, increased production or sales or new market expansion.
Indiana companies are encouraged to learn more about eligibility requirements and submit applications online.
Success Story: AgTech startup partners with software developer to launch product
Indiana SBDC client Contango, a West Lafayette-based AgTech company, developed a software that optimizes the supply chain for physical commodities such as grain, fertilizer and energy. The company utilized INTAP in 2023 by working with Spiccato Software Solutions to develop their validated software design mockups into a functional product. This project helped Contango make the shift from selling a prototype to selling a product, increasing customer confidence and accelerating Contango’s growth. Contango has also participated in the 2022 gBETA AgBioScience Accelerator and was a featured startup at the 2023 gener8tor Agriculture Conference.
