Future Farmer Nov/Dec 2023

Are self driving trucks the future of your ag operation?

ASK THE EXPERT

What Landmark Companies can do for you!

We offer cutting-edge technology in design software and equipment to design and install drainage systems for growers looking to improve their cropland. Our dedication to the industry keeps us at the top of the list if you’re in need of professionally designed and installed drainage systems.

How Landmark Companies approaches each project to give the best product for each field.

Our experienced sales staff will meet with the customer to identify the needs of the grower. From there, they will turn this information in to Landmark Companies' design staff to acquire light detection and ranging (lidar) to further understand the topography of the field. We will also use soil maps to help determine the proper spacings and drain tile type. The three main types of drain tile are narrow slot, regular slot, and sock tile. These different types of perforations will be decided based on the type of soil. For example, sock tile will be used in sand subsoils. Narrow slot tile will be used when the subsoil is moderately sandy, and regular perf will be used in heavier subsoils.

Selecting the right perforations helps keep the pipe from taking on sediments 2

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and prevents it from clogging while maintaining the drainage coefficient.

Once we determine the tile type, we will then determine the drainage coefficient.

The drainage coefficient is the measure of water drained per 24 hours. The three main drainage coefficients used are 1/2in, 3/8in, and 1/4in. To achieve the best results in a drainage system we would use the soil type to choose what coefficient would best fit the application and budget. Once the tile type and drainage coefficient are determined, we will create a design and size the drainage system based on those specifications. After the project has been designed, we will go over the project with the customer to make any changes they may want or to add to the project. Some projects may need surface water intakes to remove the surface water or may need a lift station to pump the water if a gravity outlet is not available.

Misconceptions of drain tile.

Most frequent questions asked.

Q: Does drain tile hurt your field during extended dry periods without rain?

A: No, drain tile increases root growth

which helps the crop withstand this.

Drain tile is only removing excess water.

Q: Will drainage systems increase flooding?

A: No. After the field’s water table is

under control by the drainage system, this leaves more area to store water during the wet periods. So when the field is drained, it will be able to take water underground instead of running off the field to the ditches. Fields with the unmanaged water table will not be able to take on as much water.

Q: Why do I still have wet spots in my field if I have installed drain tile?

A: Water will only percolate through

the soil so fast. So, if you have a low area that holds water, the suggestion would be to install a surface inlet to help remove the water faster or add tighter spacings in the low ground if inlets are not desired. Ground compaction can be

a culprit as well.

How a properly designed and installed drain tile system can benefit growers.

• Provides better root growth by lowering the water table.

• Increases crop yields.

• Reduces erosion.

• Ability to plant and harvest faster after a rain event.

• Increase property value.

• Help eliminate saline in soil.

Why Landmark Companies would like to work for you.

With over 80 years of combined experience between our install crews, salespeople, and management staff, we pride ourselves on workmanship, integrity, and honesty. We will always continue to deliver the highest quality work that research and technology has to offer. Our greatest accomplishment is your field to perform the way it never has before. We believe in making your ground produce higher yields year after year and continuing business in the future.

Jarrid Gross, Director of Water Management

| 218-284-2936 | LandmarkTeams.com | JarridG@landmarkteams.com

FUTUREFARMERMAG.COM

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FEATURING

COVER STORY

CONTENTS

EMERGING PRAIRIE

34

22

DRIVING INTO THE FUTURE: AUTONOMOUS TRUCKS ARE SET TO TRANSFORM THE AG INDUSTRY

26

TINY HEROES, BIG IMPACT

34

FARMENTED FOOD

44

KWS SEEDS, AIGEN COLLABORATE TO DEVELOP ROBOTIC WEED CONTROL FOR FARMS

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HOW INVESTING IN AG RESEARCH BENEFITS ALL OF US, NOT JUST FARMERS

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AIGEN'S $12M SERIES A UNLEASHES TRUE-SOLAR AGRICULTURE ROBOTS

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INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION AT GRAND FARM'S LIVESTOCK BONANZA

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AGTECH NATION RECEIVES SBA AWARD TO STRENGTHEN NATIONAL FOOD SYSTEM; GRAND FARM A FEATURED PARTNER

52 LIKE OUR CONTENT? Check out our website at futurefarmermag.com 4

NOV/DEC 2023

AND MORE...

November/December 2023 Volume 4 Issue 6

Future Farmer Future Farmer is published 6 times a year and is direct mailed to farmers throughout North Dakota and Minnesota. Find us online at Futurefarmermag.com.

Publisher EDITORIAL Editorial Team Lead Editors Art Director Editorial Graphic Designer Creative Strategist

Mike Dragosavich Brady Drake Brady@SpotlightMediaFargo.com Geneva Nodland, Grant Ayers Kim Cowles Ty Betts Josiah Kopp

Contributor

Emerging Prairie

INTERACTIVE Business Development Manager Business Development Associate Videographer Director of Creative Strategies Graphic Designer Web Developer

Nick Schommer Kellen Feeney Tommy Uhlir Megan Suedbeck Ben Buchanan Austin Smith

ADVERTISING VP of Business Development Sales Representative Sales & Marketing Advisor Business Development Representative Client Relations

Paul Hoefer Paul@SpotlightMediaFargo.com Al Anderson Al@SpotlightMediaFargo.com Tori Helland Tori@SpotlightMediaFargo.com Austin Cuka AustinCuka@SpotlightMediaFargo.com ClientRelations@SpotlightMediaFargo.com

Client Relations Manager

Jenny Johnson

Marketing Coordinator

Jessica Mullen

Operations Assistant DISTRIBUTION Delivery

Miranda Knudson John Stuber

Future Farmer is published by Spotlight LLC, Copyright 2023 Future Farmer. All rights reserved. No parts of this magazine may be reproduced or distributed without written permission of Future Farmer, and Spotlight LLC, is not responsible for, and expressly disclaims all liability for, damages of any kind arising out of use, reference to or reliance on such information. Spotlight LLC, accepts no liability for the accuracy of statements made by the advertisers.

Spotlight LLC 4609 33rd Ave S Suite #304 Fargo, ND 58104 Info@SpotlightMediaFargo.com ADVERTISING: 701-478-SPOT (7768)

MEET THE TEAM.

LEARN MORE ABOUT US AT SPOTLIGHTMEDIAFARGO.COM

Most farmers and ranchers know they need a formal plan for managing their assets now and planning for succession in the future.

But making financial decisions for your family business—the farm—can be confusing and just plain stressful. So where do you start?

Who can you trust? Who’s on your side?

Alex Vasichek, one of the few AgricultureFocused Financial Planning Professionals in the Fargo, ND area.

Chances are, farmers will have an accountant or bookkeeper to track their accounts receivable & payable and process tax returns—but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

“When you don’t know, you don’t know,” says

To streamline the process, it’s important to seek out financial advisors who act as a “one-stop shop” for financial and succession planning, which means they’ll quarterback the entire process.

First, they’ll meet with the owner/ primary decision maker to discuss and assess the family’s needs and goals.

Then they’ll prepare a comprehensive financial strategy in cooperation with an experienced team of professionals—accountants, attorneys, and insurance specialists—to help put the plan into action.

Finally, the team continually reviews the plan as economic conditions and family situations dictate.

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“Most people don’t know where to begin, so human nature being what it is, they do nothing.”

Most financial advisors re-evaluate their clients’ position every five to 10 years. We will meet with our clients annually or semiannually and review estate planning every three to five years.

Why is that important? “Clients assume that once they’ve established a trust or a will they don’t have to revisit it,” warns Vasichek.

“A lot can happen in just a few years.” For example, land values have skyrocketed over the last five years; especially in North and South Dakota and Nebraska.

Technology has allowed farmers to farm bigger in less time, creating more value for the farmstead.

In addition to fluctuations in asset valuation, the status of family relationships are continually in flux: •

Married couples divorce and remarry.

•

Principal stakeholders may pass away.

•

Children and grandchildren are born.

•

Potential heirs develop behavioral or health problems that lead to a change in their status within the family business.

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“Nothing surprises me anymore” muses Vasichek, who is also a Farm Succession Coordinator. “We’ve seen it all, so we can draw on our experience to support

clients’ transitions through these trying family situations to find solutions that maintain the integrity of their succession plans—and the family itself.

While a skilled financial advisor will do most of the heavy lifting, it’s always helpful when clients are armed with information and questions: •

Do your own homework so you can discuss potential risks and rewards with your financial professional.

•

Discuss fees. While some advisors earn commissions on the financial products they sell, look for an advisor who operates under a fiduciary standard of care.

•

Define your needs, such as how much and what type of advice you want.

•

Make sure you can always reach out to your advisor or team personally; not just virtually.

•

Find out whether your financial advisor and other professionals have a history of working with farmers and ranchers.

Elevate Financial works side-by-side with farmers, so they recognize that not all decisions are based solely on financial success. “In some cases, legacy and tradition can be just as important,” adds Vasichek.

“Agriculture is a different beast. Over time, farmers, even those nearing the ends of their careers, can insist on buying land; even if it’s overpriced. That’s when our agriculture-based experience really pays off. We’d rather find ways to protect existing assets for future generations and make sure the new land will hold its value over time, rather than challenging our client’s wishes.”

Whether you’re a longtime farmer/rancher or just starting to build your empire, an Agriculture-Focused Financial Planner may be able to help you along the way.

Alex Vasichek Agriculture-Focused Financial Planner

Alex Vasichek is a registered representative of and offers securities through MML Investors Services, LLC. Member SIPC. Supervisory office:100 South Fifth Street Suite 2300 Minneapolis MN 55402. 612-333-1413.Elevate Financial is not a subsidiary or affiliate of MML Investors Services, LLC, or its affiliated companies. CRN202610-5130121

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SPONSORED CONTENT

By Josiah Kopp

Photos by Josiah Kopp, Tommy Uhlir, & Red River Ag

Sowing Seeds of Success Anyone who has had the privilege of working with Red River Ag, either as a team member or a customer, knows their dedication to meeting everyone's needs on a personal level. That culture has expanded significantly since Red River Ag's conception in 1982. Founders Kevin and Richard Yaggie began what has since turned into a threelocation operation that continues to make waves in the community—and beyond—as a trusted name.

When brothers Aaron and Alex Yaggie returned to the farm after college in 2014, Red River Ag began a new chapter, building steam as not just a growing business, but one that is built upon unmatched customer service and solutions for all growers, no matter how large or small their operation.

"We've been blessed to see rapid expansion to our three locations and to be able to offer a wider variety of products to serve our customers—such as grain, seed, crop protection, fertilizer, and fuel," President Aaron Yaggie said. "Every farm is different and offering a customized approach to serve the needs of our customers is something we take pride in—we have assembled a strong team of trusted advisors that are readily available to help your farm reach its 2024 goals."

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So, who are some of the faces that help make up Red River Ag's thriving organization?

We had the privilege of sitting down and meeting some of these individuals and hearing about their roles within Red River Ag and how the Yaggies help create a thriving culture for the team.

As an agronomist and location manager at the Thief River Falls location for Red River Ag, Nikki Toft enjoys connecting with farmers and aiding them in making informed decisions for their farms. She values the close relationship she shares with her bosses. When asked about a specific example of how her bosses demonstrate their investment in her as a team member, Toft cites Aaron's trust in her. "Aaron gives me a lot of trust and lets me make decisions when it comes to Hefty and what I think is best for our farmers," she said.

Aaron's confidence extends to Toft's daily responsibilities, as he trusts her to complete tasks without constant oversight.

Toft acknowledges the challenges of being a young woman in agriculture but appreciates that Aaron has always believed in her.

Regarding Red River Ag's unique approach, Toft notes their flexibility in tailoring programs to individual farmers' needs, rather than applying a one-size-fits-all strategy. This customization, she observes, sets Red River Ag apart from local competitors.

Toft has been with Red River Ag for five years. She recalls the initial challenges in sales but highlights the strengthening of her relationship with Aaron over time. This bond transformed their dynamic from a traditional employee-boss relationship to a collaborative partnership, improving her job performance and resilience during challenging periods.

One thing Toft is thankful for is the extensive training opportunities and interactions with the Hefty brothers to enhance customer service. She uses a scouting app to collect detailed field data and create tailored chemical recommendations for her clients.

Describing the company culture, Toft expresses her appreciation for Red River Ag's family-oriented approach.

Toft recalls one instance where Aaron offered to arrange babysitting for her newborn daughter and even picked her up from daycare when needed.

This nurturing environment has inspired Toft to treat her customers similarly, fostering a friendly rather than strictly business relationship.

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SPONSORED CONTENT

Evan Purrington appreciates the dynamic nature of the industry and the opportunity to work closely with farmers in his role at Red River Ag. He enjoys the fast pace of the work and the variety each day brings. Purrington especially appreciates the organization's commitment to its team members and the company's willingness to allow employees to attend various seminars and expos to enhance their industry knowledge.

According to Purrington Red River Ag excels in going the extra mile for their customers, addressing challenges faced by farmers

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and offering tailored services to farms of all sizes. This approach, he believes, sets the organization apart from others.

Having joined Red River Ag in November 2021, Purrington realized it was the right fit for him when he began looking forward to each workday with enthusiasm. He values the autonomy and trust he receives from Aaron and the team, allowing him to make on-thespot decisions and work in a way that suits him best.

Purrington is also thankful for the array of services provided by Red River Ag, including crop planning, soil

sampling, variable rate mapping, and more. These resources enable the team to effectively assist growers in various aspects of farming.

Terry Funk values working for Red River Ag because he is recognized by his name and isn't treated like a number. He appreciates the trust placed in team members to contribute to the business's growth.

According to Purrington the company culture is challenging and flexible. He finds satisfaction in overcoming daily challenges and appreciates the worklife balance that allows for family time and vacations.

Red River Ag successfully focuses on what is beneficial for the growers, rather than solely prioritizing the company's interests. This approach, he believes, distinguishes them from many other organizations.

Having spent three years with Red River Ag, Funk realized it was the right place for him after his experience working for a major corporation where he felt more like a number than a valued employee.

About Red River Ag

Dave Dietz, who joined Red River Ag in April of 2023, greatly values his role in the organization for the "ability to work with farmers and their farming operations." He appreciates the company's leadership, particularly how "the owner group is willing to listen to new ideas for better serving our customers and supports our team members by encouraging growth and development."

Dietz believes that Red River Ag stands out in its commitment to understanding and catering to the specific needs of its customers, regardless of the size of their farm operations. "We make a sincere effort to know our customers and their specific needs," Dietz said.

This approach, coupled

Red River Ag LLC is an agricultural company that specializes in a range of crops, including sugar beets, soybeans, corn, and wheat. The company is at the forefront of incorporating modern farming techniques and sustainable practices to enhance productivity and environmental stewardship. With a strong commitment to community and agricultural excellence, the company invests heavily in advanced technology and research to continually improve crop yields and quality. Their approach combines the best of traditional farming wisdom with cutting-edge innovations, making them a leader in the regional agribusiness sector.

with the organization's responsiveness to customer feedback, is a key factor in its success.

Another thing Dietz appreciates is the owners' openness to new ideas and willingness to adapt—this is instrumental in providing team members like Dietz with the tools and support needed for growth. "Aaron and the other owners are good listeners. They are young and energetic," he said.

Red River Ag's partnership with Hefty Seed and the use of various marketing tools, helps Dietz and his colleagues serve their customers more effectively.

These tools allow farmers to efficiently monitor grain markets and make informed decisions.

Describing the company culture, Dietz appreciates the team spirit and the fun work environment. "We have an awesome employee group. We have fun at work.

We work hard but we also take time to appreciate each other's talents and personalities," he said.

focused on your success— these are just a few reasons to give Red River Ag at Hawley, MN a try!"

The family-oriented values of Red River Ag resonate with Dietz, especially in how it enables him to interact with farmers and their families. "In the grain and agronomy business, we deal directly with the farm decision-makers," Dietz said.

"Give us the opportunity to help your farming operation grow," Dietz said. "We have excellent products, friendly service, and the ability to work with partners who are

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SPONSORED CONTENT

About Hefty Seed Company Hefty Seed Company provides Red River Ag with advanced agricultural inputs, including top-tier seeds, fertilizers, and crop protection products, along with expert agronomic advice. This partnership helps Red River Ag to optimize its crop production and maintain its status as a frontrunner in innovative farming practices.

Join the team! | 218-483-9090 | 400 Elevator St Hawley, MN 56549

Did you know?

Red River Ag has

three locations in Minnesota: Hawley, Plummer, and Thief River Falls.

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| redriveragllc.com

By Brady Drake Photos by Josiah Kopp

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Autonomous Trucks are Set to Transform the Ag Industry It's clear to see that we are living in a futuristic present. Technologies portrayed in sci-fi films are currently being deployed and our future is looking very bright because of it.

In the ag industry, one example of technology aid is the use of unmanned autonomous trucks to increase haul capacity while addressing the labor shortage we face in our region—spearheading this effort is Kratos Defense & Security Solutions which is working with Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative on a pilot deployment.

How does it work?

The autonomous truck uses a series of sensors to follow a manned lead truck, maintaining a particular distance from the lead truck at all times.

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hat deployment, which is still in its infancy, is the only deployment of autonomous class 8 tractor-trailers for an ag company in North Dakota, putting Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative on the cutting edge of addressing North Dakota's significant labor shortage.

"This application is all about addressing the impacts of labor shortages," said Maynord Factor, Kratos Defense & Security Solutions' VP of business development. " When you have haul capacity goals and objectives that you have to meet, but you lose a driver to something like COVID, what do you do? You still have to meet your haul capacity, but how do you do that? Now, with the automated trucks, companies have the ability to augment their labor pool."

A look inside the cab.

Currently, the autonomous Minn-Dak follow truck, which can be operated manually as well, have a spotter sitting in the driver's seat for test runs. Minn-Dak and Kratos will likely continue doing this through at least the end of this season in order to capture relevant data before moving forward with the fully autonomous follow trucks.

One roadblock facing the rollout of this technology, according to Factor, is that Minnesota law currently only permits autonomous trucks to drive on highways, not county roads—this inhibits ag operations at the moment.

"There are piles [of sugarbeets] on the North Dakota side and there are piles on the Minnesota side," Factor said. "We really need to get to the piles on the Minnesota side and that's when it will really make sense for everybody. Then, they can evaluate the whole operation from start to finish—every pile loaded and unloaded and bringing the vehicles back."

The other step in the approval process includes collecting data and communicating that data with state legislators, the North Dakota Department of Transportation, and the Highway Patrol— this also involves keeping them up to date with the status of the deployment.

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The trucks use a series of sensors in order to detect nearby objects and to track the lead truck.

Already in ND Kratos Defense & Security Solutions has already deployed autonomous Truck Mounted Attenuators (TMA) for the North Dakota Department of Transportation in order to curb the more than 12 crash-related fatalities in road work zones that are reported by the United States on average per week. Traditionally, TMAs are humandriven mobile crash barriers that follow behind a highway maintenance vehicle to protect workers and equipment from potential collisions. This puts the drivers of TMAs at risk themselves. The autonomous TMA almost completely mitigates crash-related injuries and fatalities that currently are the result of these work zone crashes that are, unfortunately, inevitable. The autonomous TMA works by precisely following the manned lead truck in front of it, adding a level of protection for those individuals as well. The use of autonomous follow trucks in the ag industry should provide the same benefit.

"Rural communities are historically very overlooked when it comes to technology deployments," Factor said. "So now, here's a great opportunity for someone in Wahpeton, ND, to have the chance to work with and see technology that they never thought they would."

So folks, the future is here and it is exposing us to new technology, increased haul capacity, and increased safety.

Interested in working with Kratos Defense & Security Solutions?

Reach out to Maynard Factor at maynard.factor@kratosdefense.com or 850-461-4457.

By Grant Ayers | Photos Provided by Michael Place of Chapul Farms

hapul Farms is an insect agriculture project development company that designs, builds, and operates commercial-scale Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL) facilities. Their mission is to restore biodiversity to agriculture, soil, and planet Earth for a more sustainable, resilient, and secure food system. We connected with Michael Place, CTO of Chapul Farms, to discuss the organization’s mission, its environmental goals, how larvae are providing a food-secure future, and much more.

At the age of 20, Michael underwent a transformative health experience centered around fresh food, breaking away from fast food. That led him to become a backyard gardener, beekeeper, and compost enthusiast. Around a dozen years ago, he recognized the potential of insects’ role in our ecosystem and how we can move forward in the world of ag-tech. He noticed that only a few companies worldwide were exploring this concept,

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which pushed him to focus on developing systems within the urban permaculture movement on the East Coast.

Over time, Michael’s research into the industry's direction deepened, leading to partnering with Pat Crowley, CEO of Chapul Farms. Their collaboration resulted in the launch of a vision to implement large-scale systems. Notably, their approach also extends benefits to smallholder farmers globally,

Pat Crowley, CEO of Chapul Farms

exemplified by a Tanzania project initiated in 2016.

This dual approach aims to address waste issues while generating high-demand commodities. His involvement spans a wide range, from technology and science to collaboration with fellow experts and companies worldwide.

Michael’s responsibilities encompass a range of fields, including entomology, microbiology, biology, soil science, and fermentation. This intricate interplay forms a complex microbial circular supply chain. By maintaining an extensive global network of collaborators, the team behind Chapul Farms seeks to accelerate industry growth and drive education about their contributions.

On the technology front, their partnership with Nexus PMG, a sustainable infrastructure engineering firm, amplifies their efforts. Together, the two organizations are constructing sophisticated biological systems that incorporate cutting-edge engineering in North Dakota.

Michael Place, CTO of Chapul Farms

Aly Moore, COO of Chapul Farms

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Chapul Farms

Did you know that, according to Project Drawdown, diverting organics from landfills is the number one most actionable item to address climate change?

Chapul Farms’ solution?

Insects. According to Chapul Farms, “Insects are a keystone species to soil biodiversity that leverage millions of years of microbiological evolution to process organic material into healthy protein and fat, add microbial life to agricultural soils, eliminate food waste, decrease agricultural GHG emissions, and decrease reliance on fossil fuel and unsustainable inputs to plant and animal agriculture.”

Chapul Farms, led by Pat Crowley (CEO), Michael Place (CTO), and Aly Moore (COO), operates within the realm of insect agriculture, drawing inspiration from Mother Nature's playbook. Their process begins with utilizing waste streams, low-value co-products, and underutilized materials. These feedstocks undergo various treatments, including consistency and moisture adjustments through fermentation and microbes.

The next step involves feeding these materials to insects, Mother Nature’s circular recycling process. Through bioconversion, these insects transform the feedstock into high-quality premium protein.

This innovative process stands out for its speed, especially when compared to less environmentally friendly waste management methods

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like landfilling. Chapul Farms' approach results in valuable coproducts that find significant utility in agriculture. These co-products serve as livestock feed and as a biofertilizer, which holds great promise for enhancing soil health.

Furthermore, the company collaborates with growers to optimize application rates and context-specific use.

The co-product composition itself is noteworthy, encompassing organic matter rich in beneficial compounds and diverse microbial life. This unique blend contributes to soil health by offering structures akin to natural fertilizers, microbe-rich components, and efficient water management capabilities. Chapul Farms has dedicated over a decade to refining its methods. While they initially worked with crickets and even gained attention from Mark Cuban's investment on Shark Tank, they have since focused exclusively on Black Soldier Fly Larvae (BSFL) for the past 5 years. This particular insect species holds immense potential for largescale applications, whether in municipal waste management, sustainable feed ingredients, or circular agricultural practices, such as those increasingly seeing adoption in North Dakota.

The process begins with the inception of a waste stream, which often contains moisture and comes in various shapes and sizes. This diversity is crucial for supporting the insects, the beneficial microbes they host and optimizing the efficiency of their process. Chapul Farms handles substantial volumes of waste, transforming it in a span of six to seven days, a significant improvement from the former three-week timeline in the early stage of the industry.

This progression reflects the team’s enhanced understanding of the insects involved and their efficient conversion of the material at play.

Upon receiving multiple waste streams, Chapul Farms initiates pretreatment, including physical processes like shredding and resizing,

Which industries are you working with growers on the most?

“Let's begin by focusing on the livestock industry, which is currently in a more advanced state and experiencing higher demand. Our company produces two co-products in this area. To put things into perspective, the global compound feed market involves a substantial amount of protein-rich feed, totaling approximately 1.2 billion tons. A significant portion of this relies on mono-crops like corn and soy, which have played a significant role due to their cost-effectiveness and efficiency.

On the premium end of the feed spectrum, we find fishmeal. This product offers a notably dense and highly bioavailable protein and lipid profile. Even at inclusion rates as low as 1-2%, fish meal enhances nutrition

as well as fermentation. These prepared materials are then introduced into an expansive tray-based system and housed in commercial-scale BSFL facilities. Thousands of trays are meticulously managed, maintaining optimal conditions of depth, moisture, and ambient conditions. Within this environment, they introduce newborn insect larvae, which swiftly consume thousands of times their own weight over the course of a week.

straightforward, mirrors some of the principles and techniques practiced in waste management and agricultural organizations, but supercharged with insects reducing the energy required and radically increasing the quality and uses of the outputs. The huge challenges of responsibly managing waste and embracing circularity are shared among various industries, necessitating strategic and innovative solutions.

Following this stage, they separate produced materials based on their intended use. Larvae, a crucial protein source, is dried and can undergo a further defatting process, and the residual frass, is separated and dried as well. These two refined co-products are then prepared for distribution.

The procedure, while seemingly

Chapul Farms’ role involves optimizing the waste materials, which are then fed to the insects within their traybased system. The insects play a significant role in processing the materials, contributing to the majority of the work within the trays. They then ensure that the resulting products are market-ready.

for land-based animals. While it can also be used in bulk feeds for caloric content, its concentrated nutritional value stands out. Interestingly, our product occupies a premium position in the market, surpassing the value of fish meal in pricing.

Functionally, our product serves as a feed ingredient with a primary focus on quality and sustainability.

The two major markets vigorously seeking our BSFL protein. Quality and sustainability drive their interest, guiding formulation decisions based on our product. The most common market form for our larvae is whole dried specimens, although demand for defatted options is growing sharply. This flexibility allows for tailored formulation, particularly in aquaculture where the balance of fat and protein is crucial.

Our larvae protein finds its way into diverse sectors, including global aquaculture, pet food, poultry, swine,

and cattle (research stage). While we are currently positioned on the more premium end of the pricing spectrum, the value we offer is farreaching. Beyond being a valuable high-quality protein source, our product brings numerous benefits.

Extensive research across various sectors such as aquaculture, poultry, and pet industries has identified broad immunostimulatory properties. These properties position our product as a potential alternative to antibiotics in livestock feed. The inherent resilience of insects, developed over 100s of millions of years of evolution, allows them to counter harmful compounds, thereby reducing pathogens like E. coli and Salmonella. This is particularly relevant in applications such as poultry, where challenges like necrotic enteritis caused by bacteria can be potentially mitigated by our product.”

Michael Place, CTO of Chapul Farms

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Chapul Farms

In essence, their journey into the protein market is marked by a commitment to quality, sustainability, and multifaceted benefits. Beyond its role as a premium feed protein, Chapul Farms’ product offers a path toward reducing reliance on other additives, including pharmaceuticals, making it an attractive and valuable proposition for customers.

It's worth noting that the frass possesses a multitude of exceptional qualities. If you consider the vast number of insects in the Amazon, diligently processing leaves and nutrients, their excrement and remains contribute significantly to the creation of rich, productive soil. In natural contexts, it can be argued that frass is a primary contributor to healthy soils worldwide.

Chapul Farms’ ongoing research consistently reveals its positive impact across various crop scenarios.

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For instance, in their case, the application of a mere 3% frass leads to notable results: an impressive composition of approximately 300 microbes and 65% organic matter. Notably, this results in a substantial enhancement in water retention.

To illustrate, when compared to control soil, the inclusion of their frass can help retain an additional 1.5 million gallons of water per inch of rainfall on a 1000-acre plot, owing to its superior water absorption and retention capabilities.

The benefits of frass are indeed substantial, encompassing its ability to catalyze soil health. However, it's important to acknowledge that soil is an immensely intricate biological entity. Although synthetic methods have demonstrated success in enhancing soil productivity, the journey toward restoring soil health presents challenges and risks, particularly for growers who aim to embrace this direction.

In this context, their engagement in sizeable USDA grants to advance frass-related research is noteworthy. Over the span of a decade or more, Place anticipates that frass will emerge as a transformative factor, potentially surpassing the prominence of protein. This projection is underpinned by its dual significance—not only is frass a voluminous output for them, but it also holds immense potential in addressing concerns associated with energy constraints, nitrogen runoff, and scalability issues prevalent in contemporary agricultural practices.

The implications for growers are profound. By integrating frass into their operations, they can accelerate the process of soil rejuvenation, all while maintaining consistent yields. This holistic approach encompasses heightened microbial activity and augmented organic matter levels—effectively encapsulating the journey toward composting and nurturing organic soil.

Practically speaking, frass can be utilized in its wet form, providing a versatile solution for growers. This convenience extends to the option of picking up frass directly from Chapul Farms’ facility. While some initial trials may be necessary to optimize usage strategies, they are exploring additional possibilities such as pelletization and potential blends with other elements like biochar. The adaptability of

frass underscores its potential to cater to individual grower needs, encompassing factors like crop variety, conditions, equipment, and overall objectives.

Ultimately, as growers embrace the inherent qualities of frass and recognize its alignment with their existing processes, a clearer understanding of its tangible benefits emerges. To facilitate this comprehension, they’re actively collaborating with growers through a comprehensive series of trials.

Their endeavors extend across regions, from Oregon to North Dakota, as they strive to provide tailored insights and solutions that resonate with diverse growers and their unique circumstances. In essence, frass presents a practical, impactful tool that holds the potential to redefine and elevate agricultural practices.

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Chapul Farms

Michael, along with the rest of the Chapul Farms team, has expressed a commitment to cultivating enduring partnerships while outlining their ongoing venture into building a lasting facility. They emphasize their intent to establish a strong presence in ag-tech, over an extended period, for a better future. The company seeks to engage with like-minded growers who share an interest in soil health and collaborative efforts to build long-term relationships focused on bettering our planet.

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Chapul Farms advocates for their nature-based approach, underscoring its sustainability advantages and projecting its significance as a substantial industry pillar in the coming years. Despite being relatively unknown to many, the approach is already gaining traction on a global scale within the industry, and we can’t wait to see where they go next.

| chapulfarms.com | info@chapul.com | /ChapulFarms | @ChapulFarms | /Chapul-Farms | @ChapulFarms

Helps You Get More Value From Your Imperfect Produce

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with CEO Vanessa Williamson Can you start by telling me about yourself and your company?

My name is Vanessa Williamson.

I'm the CEO and co-founder of Farmented Foods. We lovingly refer to ourselves as an “ugly vegetable fermentation company,” and we create products like dill sauerkraut, radish kimchi, spicy carrots, and more. Essentially, what we do is pretty simple. We work with farmers to help eliminate unnecessary food loss on their farms in the form of the “ugly” or excess crops that they can't traditionally sell.

Then, we ferment them into our products and distribute them to stores and restaurants, as well as sell them at farmer's markets and online. We have two fermentation locations. One is in Montana, where we started the company.

My co-founder, whose name is also Vanessa, runs that space.

That's where we do the bulk of our production currently, and we distribute from there. We also opened up a second fermentation location here in Fargo about a year ago. We're ramping up to build a production facility here, as well, to be able to distribute across the Midwest.

How did you come about starting the company?

I was actually a student at Montana State University in Bozeman, MT, and so was my business partner. I was studying business and marketing, while she was a sustainable food system and bioenergy student.

We both decided to take this interdisciplinary course called “Farm to Market.” The premise of the course was to use design thinking to create products and help solve problems for farmers.

We were randomly paired up at the end of the semester—we hadn't worked together yet.

We were partnered with a local farmer and tasked with creating a value-added product out of what he grew. After talking with him for just a few minutes, we realized we could actually help him solve a problem, which that year happened to be an overabundance of daikon radishes. He didn't know what to do with them. They were just in cold storage. He had all this green cabbage that was slightly damaged—perfectly fine to eat, but just a little bruised, or maybe a pest took out a chunk. He had all these funky-looking carrots, too, and Vanessa was super interested in fermentation. She had done it personally. After researching

the market around fermentation, we realized it was really on an upswing.

So, we decided to ferment all of these different vegetables, and that's what made our original three products, radish kimchi, dill sauerkraut, and spicy carrot chips. When we presented it to the community for our final, we had such an overwhelmingly positive response—especially from the farmers. So many producers approached us afterwards saying that this is actually a real problem and they were facing it on their farm as well. We thought that this could actually be a solution, because fermentation not only adds a lot of health benefits for consumers, but it also extends the shelf life of the produce. We took about a year's time, and then we started selling our first jars at a winter farmer’s market and grew from there.

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From what I’m hearing, you've had a little bit of success so far, especially in that Montana area market.

How would the FargoMoorhead area and beyond be impacted, and how would the industry change, if your company were to be even more successful?

A way that Farmented Foods is industry-changing is that on each of our products, we have an “ugly vegetable certified” badge that we've made and we have our story on there. It says we love vegetables, whatever shape or size they are.

We're really putting that at the forefront of our brand positioning.

Because, yes, there could be other ways to use these vegetables.

Yes, other companies could be using these. But we want to make it clear that these vegetables have value. Farmers shouldn't have to sacrifice their profitability because a vegetable turned out a little twisted, when nutritionally it's exactly the same. We’re really pushing that idea that we should be utilizing all of these vegetables, and we don't want to be the only company utilizing them. We want other companies to embrace it.

As far as growing beyond Fargo, we recently became an approved brand for Natural Grocers. In the next four to five months we’ll be getting into as many of those stores as we can, which is really exciting. Getting to promote these local products that help local farmers on a national scale is really exciting for us.

Product-wise, I know you talked about cabbage, radishes, and carrots so

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far. What's the vision for utilizing other sorts of vegetables? Do you have any plans for adding new fermented products into your lineup?

Yes, we definitely do. We create products seasonally. Every summer, we usually do a round of fermented salsa, because a lot of farmers have tomatoes at the end of the summer. Last year, we did some fermented jalapenos. We've done a fermented Bloody Mary mix. We experiment with different things.

We do focus on more vegetableoriented crops.

Something that we're experimenting a lot with right now is fermented sauces.

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We have excess brines when we ferment certain products, and we don't want to waste those, because they have really good microbial cultures that are great for your gut health and we want to make sure that those are consumed and not wasted.

We're testing out some different sauces with that to make sure that we're not wasting any product.

What are some of the most difficult barriers you have faced so

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far in your business journey, and how have you overcome them?

Expanding. Just having a food company isn't easy.

You're competing for people's attention and their palette, really. So expanding into new stores when we're not physically there to do demos can be challenging, along with the challenge of making sure that there's the marketing and support in place for those stores in order for the products to be

successful. That's been an important thing for us.

We are also currently trying to figure out how we expand our operations and make it less labor-intensive and more efficient per gallon of product that we produce.

Here in North Dakota, we're still currently fermenting in 3-gallon crocs, and we do about 10 at a time. That's 30 gallons every two weeks, and about 60 gallons per month.

But in Montana, we ferment in 55-gallon barrels. Just one

barrel is almost equivalent to what we produce in a month here, and we have four going at a time—along with some crocs—in Montana.

In a month's time, we'll do roughly 2,500 gallons of product. Making that process more efficient is one of the challenges we're facing right now. We’re taking it day by day, thinking of how we solve that and what equipment we can get to make that easier, along with who we can bring on and so forth.

I'm assuming that in Montana you have a larger facility that you work from?

We do, and we're expanding it currently. It's still a pretty small, confined space, but it is our own space. We're looking to grow that as we grow as a company. Here in Fargo, we produce out of Square One Kitchen, which is a commercial kitchen here in town, and it’s a shared space.

Eventually we'll move into our own space as well.

I was going to ask about that, because it seems odd to do something like that at that scale at home. And you’re probably not allowed to if you’re selling it broadly like that.

Yes, we have to operate in a commercial kitchen.

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Also, that much fermentation probably smells… not good.

Yeah, I wouldn't want that in my house.

Me neither.

Switching gears a little—how did you get involved in the gener8tor program?

Lindsay (gener8tor managing director) actually reached out and invited us to apply. We looked into it, and it seemed like a really great program, so we applied. We went through the multi-step interview process and were selected.

What has your experience been like in the program?

What are some important lessons you've learned so far?

The experience has been amazing. It's been a whirlwind. I can't believe three months are already up. It feels like we just started. And yet, in that three month period of time, so much has happened for us. We've become an

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approved brand for Natural Grocers, we've expanded into more stores, and we've been able to really work on the business versus working on day-to-day operations.

As like small business owners and startups, you can get so focused on dayto-day things and not take the time to look at the big picture. That's been really awesome for us—to really take the time and figure out where we’re going and how we’re going to get there.

We've been so fortunate to meet incredible mentors, from the community and beyond. I think we met with over 70 different mentors at the beginning of the program, which was a whirlwind in itself. We've gained some really strong connections from that.

Having people push you to look at your company as a whole and where you want to go is so beneficial, as well as getting insight from other people. You can take what you want from everyone. It's been amazing to be able to connect with the community in that way as well.

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As a follow up to that, do you have any specific mentors that you want to give a shoutout to?

Kris Poulson. He's just been a huge advocate for Farmented Foods.

He has started, sold, and currently owns different agriculture-based businesses, and he's been able to derive so much insight for us and has really been a champion for Farmented. We're incredibly grateful.

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It’s great to hear you’ve had such great support. One last question: is there anything that we missed or anything important that I should know about Farmented Foods?

Well, you can find us at the Red River Market. You can also find our products locally at the Luna Market in Brewhalla and at Swanson Health off of 45th Street near SCHEELS. If people want to try it, definitely go support those places that support us and come check out the Red River

Market as well.

| farmented.com | /company/farmented-foods | /farmented | @farmentedfoods

Content provided by KWS

KWS Seeds, Aigen

Collaborate to Develop Robotic Weed Control for Farms WS Seeds and Aigen, an AI-driven robotics company, are teaming up to drive development of robotic and AI technology for controlling weeds, offering farmers a chemical and carbon-free solution.

KWS and Aigen are collaborating on a project that will evaluate the performance of the Aigen onfarm robotic fleet in operating autonomously and identifying and removing weeds. The project will be carried out in sugarbeet fields that KWS supports at the North Dakota State University Agronomy Seed Farm. The project kicked off in August with Aigen Element robots in

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action across the two sugarbeet field locations.

“Both KWS and Aigen are focused on improving food production systems to meet the growing world demand in ways that also minimize the environmental impact of farming and the use of chemicals and fossil fuel,” says Cesar Ruano, head of sugarbeet business venture for KWS in Europe.

“That’s our common responsibility,” adds Kenny Lee, Aigen co-founder and CEO. “This project is a great opportunity to reduce the use of herbicides and fossil fuels at the same time, while improving outcomes for farmers.”

Aigen is an agricultural technology startup based in Kirkland, WA, that has developed a groundbreaking

autonomous, scalable robotics platform for precision weed control and farm production insights, powered entirely by solar and wind energy. The Aigen Element fleet reduces the use of both agricultural chemicals and fossil fuel, while saving farmers time and money.

KWS is one of the world's leading plant breeding companies and a leading ag innovation company with its Digital Innovation Accelerator (DIA) group based in St. Louis, MO, and Berlin, Germany.

“We’re committed to making the sugarbeet industry profitable and sustainable, and a key directive for that is improving weed control measures, which is a leading crop management challenge for farmers,” says Mark Schmidt, vice president of sales with KWS Seeds for North America. “We back up that forward-looking commitment

by reinvesting a significant part of our annual earnings back into a variety of R&D activities to advance agriculture for a better future for our customers.

In the past fiscal year, this global commitment summed up to a total of $322 million. The resulting innovations range from plant breeding solutions to new digital technologies.”

Jia Yan, project manager responsible for digital innovations with the KWS DIA group, and Duane Bernhardson, KWS business development manager based in Grand Forks, ND, are working with Aigen to implement the project for sugarbeet farmers. The scope of the project includes refining artificial intelligence models to customize the robotic weed control to perform in sugarbeet fields.

“Finding a win-win solution for our common customer, commodity crop farmers, is a key driver for Aigen and KWS,” says Chris Benner, Aigen’s head of field operations. “We worked closely with farmers to understand their challenges—weeds and rising costs— and are proud to partner with KWS to help refine our solution. We are excited to deliver the first robots to sugarbeet

fields here in the Red River Valley in Spring 2024.”

“The breadth and depth of this project expands our aim to discover innovative, sustainable solutions to improve yields and reduce the use of pesticides, fertilizers and other agricultural resources. Those successes will position agriculture to lead the way in climate change initiatives and environmental stewardship,” says Bernhardson with KWS. “It also expands our opportunity to bridge innovative companies with growers and the industry. We’re excited to partner with Aigen and see how this innovation will change agriculture.”

“The robotics and artificial intelligence research work complements other technology projects that the KWS DIA group is researching to help farmers,” says Yan. Other DIA projects range from digital insect monitoring and grain quality analysis, to virtual fence lines for livestock, to disease prediction, and more.

“KWS provides farmers with seeds and solutions for more sustainable farming. Our motivation is to find

sustainable methods for conserving resources and advancing crop management practices,” continues Yan. “We look at every field with a vision towards the future. As part of that vision, we seek to integrate robots and AI in agriculture for better plant breeding and crop production. Embracing digital innovation, we lead the way by partnering with start-ups like Aigen, advancing towards this new frontier.“ About KWS KWS is one of the world’s leading plant breeding companies. Over 5,000 employees* in more than 70 countries generated net sales of around €1.5 billion in the fiscal year 2021/2022. A company with a tradition of family ownership, KWS has operated independently for 165 years. It focuses on plant breeding and the production and sale of seed for corn, sugarbeet, cereals, vegetables, oilseed rape, and sunflower. KWS uses leading-edge plant breeding methods to continuously improve yield for farmers and plants’ resistance to diseases, pests and abiotic stress. To that end, the company invested more than €285 million last fiscal year in research and development. *excl. seasonal workforce More information: www.kws.com.

Follow us on Twitter (X) at @KWS_Group.

About Aigen At Aigen, we believe in a future with no harmful chemicals in our food—where farmers prosper, people thrive, and the planet flourishes.

With roots in farming, electric vehicles, robotics and impact investing, Rich Wurden and Kenny Lee founded Aigen in 2020 to connect farmers to breakthrough technologies, decarbonize agriculture, and improve human and planetary health. Aigen’s Element vehicles can autonomously navigate, weed, and analyze row crops without any chemicals or diesel fuel. Offered as a service, Aigen’s vehicles reduce farmers’ workload and their reliance on fossil fuels, while increasing their crop and soil health.

Kirkland-based Aigen is backed by New Enterprise Associates, Bessemer Venture Partners, Cleveland Avenue, ReGen VC, Global Founders Capital, Industrious Ventures, E2JDJ, and AgFunder.

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farming practices must evolve and advance to keep up with the demand of a growing population.

Farmers represent fewer than 1% of the U.S. population. Yet, they're responsible for solving some of society’s biggest challenges, like how to feed a world population of 10 billion by 2050 in an increasingly sustainable and efficient manner.

I believe investing in ag research and innovation plays a critical role in helping farmers do more and better with less.

As the CEO of Valley United Co-op, which serves hundreds of farmers across North Dakota and Minnesota, I have seen firsthand how quickly

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Consumers have undoubtedly noticed rising food prices over the past few years. Farmers are being hit just as hard with inflation, and it’s costing them more money than ever to produce food. There are several factors contributing to rising food prices.

They include long-standing challenges, such as

the growing demand for food, higher transportation costs, and extreme weather events. But there are also several unique challenges contributing to recent food inflation, including the lingering supply chain issues from the pandemic and the war in Ukraine—which disrupted the global supply of agricultural commodities such as wheat, corn, sunflower oil, and fertilizer.

Investing in ag research and driving adoption of modern ag technologies can help address many of these challenges. New technology increases crop production and efficiency, allowing farmers to harvest more food with fewer resources (such as fuel, fertilizer, and water).

Research can also enable farmers to grow crops under increasingly volatile growing conditions.

As an ag retailer, we know it’s our responsibility to equip our farmers with the best technology, tools, programs, and data so they can be more productive, profitable, and sustainable. The ag industry is always evolving, and factors that affect farmers change every day, every hour.

This is why it is a priority for Valley United Co-op to have partners with strong research and development (R&D) programs.

For example, as an owner of Land O’Lakes, Inc., our co-op is able to utilize the data and insights being generated at the WinField United Innovation Center in River Falls, Wisconsin.

Operations at the industryleading research facility include both creating new products and improving or enhancing existing products and practices to help increase farmers’ crop production and efficiency—allowing them to harvest more food more sustainably.

One of the cutting-edge technology tests is aimed at reducing drift and improving spray efficiency to keep applications where they belong—on weeds. At the Innovation Center, high-tech wind tunnels help measure and create the perfect spray droplet for crops to help reduce the waste of resources and increase product efficiency for farmers.

In addition, as part of WinField United’s investments in agronomic research, its Answer Plot® program provides localized data and insights for growers, arming them with information to choose the best products for their soil types matched with the right management practices.

Our co-op also partners with Truterra, Land O’Lakes, Inc.’s sustainability business— which offers a range of solutions to meet farmers wherever they are in their sustainability journey. From a soil health assessment, which provides a comprehensive report with actionable insights for farmers to understand the biological, chemical and physical health of their fields, and then create a roadmap for improving their soil health, to our farmer-centric, retail-driven carbon program.

These investments in ag research have significantly helped support our farmers as they adopt regenerative growing practices. Research supported by the USDA, Economic Research Service (ERS) finds spending on public agricultural R&D from 1900 to 2011 generated $20 on average for every $1 spent in the U.S. In spite of this, ag research spending has been trending downwards.

This is an issue every American should care about because without constant innovation, the ag industry won’t be able to sustainably feed families in the coming decades.

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SPONSORED CONTENT

Just because the ground is freezing, does not mean that the world of Agtech is slowing down. In each issue of Future Farmer, Emerging Prairie offers up insight into what's new and notable at the cross-section of startups and agriculture.

This month, we take a look at the Grand Farm Field Days, learn more about the advancements that Aigen is making, and so much more!

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CONTENTS

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52 54 56 59 62

Aigen's $12M Series A Unleashes True-Solar Agriculture Robots Inspiring the Next Generation at Grand Farm’s Livestock Bonanza AgTech Nation Receives SBA Award to Strengthen National Food System; Grand Farm A Featured Partner Taking A Look Back at the Grand Farm 2023 Field Days Progress On Grand Farm’s Innovation Shop

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PETER BOHLER

Aigen Element, truly solarpowered agriculture robots.

Aigen Element debuting on farms in Spring 2024.

Aigen's $12M Series A Unleashes True-Solar Agriculture Robots Funding from ReGen Ventures, New Enterprise Associates, Cleveland Ave, Incite, and Susquehanna Private Equity Investments will scale Aigen's robotic fleet, launching on farms in Spring 2024

Equity Investments LLLP. The funding expands Aigen's manufacturing capacity to meet high pre-order demand and create a new agricultural era that is both sustainable and scalable.

"Aigen is building a future where both people and the planet thrive, and ReGen is thrilled to be supporting their journey." Rose Marcario, Partner at ReGen Ventures and former CEO of Patagonia

"ReGen Ventures believes that innovation is the cornerstone of a regenerative future, and that's why we invest in visionary companies like Aigen," said Marcario. "The Aigen team's exceptional progress in hardware and software development has us eagerly supporting their next phase—scaling."

Aigen, an AI-driven robotics company, closed $12 million in Series A financing from leading investor ReGen Ventures along with NEA, Cleveland Avenue, Incite, and Susquehanna Private

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Founded in 2020, Aigen is the only agricultural technology company developing truly solar-powered autonomous robots for crop

management without chemicals or fossil fuels. The Aigen Element robots combine LTE connectivity with the cutting edge of AI, ML, solar, and battery technology to create a reliable, sustainable product that saves farmers time and money.

"Aigen is defining a new era for agriculture, where farmers prosper and people are healthier. Getting chemicals out of our food is not only incredibly important for fighting climate change, it's also personal for Kenny and Rich," said Swati Mylavarapu, managing partner at Incite. "The Aigen team embodies what Incite looks for in our investments: talented entrepreneurs who have the power to make the world a better place. We are thrilled to be joining them."

Aigen co-founders, Rich Wurden and Kenny Lee.

To date, Aigen has successfully demonstrated and integrated all critical technologies to solve farmers' most urgent problem: eliminating herbicide resistant weeds at scale.

With a total $19 million raised, Aigen is building a 7,500-square-foot manufacturing and R&D facility to manufacture their solar-powered robotic fleet.

"Agriculture is the intersection of human health and planetary health and that's why we focused on creating technology for farmers that is both profitable and sustainable. Our robotic fleet empowers farmers to escape the conventional system of chemical dependency," said Kenny Lee, cofounder and CEO of Aigen. "Thank you to our amazing team who have accomplished so much in the past year. We are humbled by the support of our investors and incredibly excited to scale our fleet into 2024 and beyond."

"Aigen wouldn't have been possible a few years ago, because the technology wasn't there. Today, we have a great team working on the cutting edge of AI, robotics, electric

motors, and solar power," said Rich Wurden, co-founder and CTO of Aigen.

"Thanks to technological advances in all those areas and the incredible work of our team, we are automating farming solutions that have worked for thousands of years and helping farmers get chemicals off their farms and out of our food."

The Aigen Element robotics service will debut on over 20,000 acres of U.S. farmland arriving on farms in April 2024 to transform weed control and real-time farming insights.

About Aigen At Aigen, we're building a future with no harmful chemicals in our food, where farmers thrive, communities prosper, and the planet flourishes.

With roots in farming, electric vehicles, robotics, and impact investing, Rich Wurden and Kenny Lee founded Aigen in 2020 to connect farmers to breakthrough technologies, decarbonize agriculture, and improve human and planetary health. Aigen's Element robotic fleet can autonomously navigate, weed,

and analyze row crops without any chemicals or diesel fuel. Offered as a service and powered 100% by solar and wind, Aigen's vehicles reduce farmers' workload and their reliance on fossil fuels, while increasing their crop and soil health.

Kirkland-based Aigen is backed by ReGen Ventures, New Enterprise Associates (NEA), Cleveland Avenue, Incite, Susquehanna Private Equity Investments LLLP, Bessemer Venture Partners, Global Founders Capital, Industrious Ventures, E2JDJ, and AgFunder.

Learn more at aigen.io About ReGen Ventures ReGen partners with founders daring to build companies that will restore our planet.

Learn more at regen.vc

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By Kennedy Fields

Inspiring the Next Generation at Grand Farm’s Livestock Bonanza Over the next 10 years, there’s going to be a great transfer of knowledge that needs to take place for the next generation of growers to succeed.

One of our goals at Grand Farm is to engage the next generation of agriculturalists. On September 20, 2023, we gathered the future of agriculture together to ignite interest in what it means to feed the world!

Did you know that according to the U.S. Census of Agriculture, almost 70 percent of growers are over the age of 45 and almost 30 percent are over the age of 65?

120 students between third and sixth grade made the trek to the Grand Farm Innovation Campus for the Livestock Bonanza Workshop for a day of connection, inspiration, and hands-on learning.

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Kids learned from industry professionals through hands-on education models.

During the workshop, students explored different aspects of agriculture through engaging breakout challenges, tested their knowledge on the trivia wheel, created delicious “Build a Burger” creations, enjoyed captivating stories, and got up close with real animals like llamas, ponies, and calves.

Educators must continue to improve their understanding of agriculture to attract and retain people in the industry. All of our conferences have education workshops and components to bring together

educators, students, researchers, and industry to build connections and transfer knowledge across generations.

This learning experience was thanks to our event partners and the women who lead this initiative; Alisha Nord from the North Dakota Farm Bureau, Shelby Lyons from North Dakota Cattlewomen, and Hannah Gress from FFA Central Cass County; and our sponsor, the North Dakota Farm Bureau.

Contact the Grand Farm Education Initiative and learn how to join the Grand Farm educator ecosystem and attend our annual conference by reaching out to Ruchi Bhardwaj at ruchib@emergingprairie.com.

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AgTech Nation Receives SBA Award to Strengthen National Food System; Grand Farm A Featured Partner

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced AgTech Nation, a Nationwide AgriFood Innovation Network, catalyzed by AgStart, as a Stage Two winner for the 2023 Growth Accelerator Fund Competition. Grand Farm is a featured partner of AgTech Nation on this award. The Network will receive a $150,000 award to leverage partnerships with leading agrifood-focused entrepreneursupport organizations across the country to support the launch, growth, and scale-up of STEM/R&Dfocused small businesses pioneering innovations in our global food system.

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The SBA’s Growth Accelerator Fund Competition brings together organizations, entities, groups, and individuals beyond geographic boundaries to support innovators and innovation needed to confront the challenges of today. AgTech Nation is expected to facilitate a thriving national ecosystem to quickly connect innovative high growth agrifood entrepreneurs with the insights, resources and partners they need to succeed, without regard to location, gender, or ethnic origin.

particularly in rural communities.

Technology innovation is essential to keep American agriculture competitive, and much of this innovation is emerging from innovative startups,” said John Selep, president of AgStart. “AgTech Nation is intended to strengthen U.S. leadership in agrifood technology by ensuring those innovative startups can connect to the resources they need to be successful. Healthy agriculture means healthy rural communities.”

“American agriculture is globally competitive, and an important part of the economy of many states,

AgTech Nation’s vision is to create a fertile, productive, and inclusive national ecosystem to

reduce barriers for entrepreneurs commercializing innovative technologies to tackle the biggest issues in agriculture and food.

“AgTech Nation’s coast-tocoast network of agrifoodfocused entrepreneur-support organizations is a first-of-its-kind national collaboration focused on innovation in our global food system, addressing the challenges of sustainably feeding a growing world population in the face of finite resources and a changing climate,” Selep said.

AgTech Nation partners are leaders and conveners in their respective regions, providing support to agrifood entrepreneurs. Partners include:

innovation and to advance ideas from lab to market.

AgLaunch, Memphis, TN, is a

39 North AgTech Innovation District, St. Louis, MO, is a vibrant innovation district cultivating the infrastructure, talent, and access to capital to facilitate agrifood tech

national platform of innovative farmers from diverse farming operations that crowdsource due diligence, share data, coordinate field trials, and provide investment capital to support agtech startup companies from idea-to-scale.

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AgStart, Woodland, CA, is a nonprofit incubator supporting agrifood technology startup companies in Northern California through its combination of mentorship, education, community building, and its Lab@AgStart innovation labs.

The Combine, Lincoln, NE, is a statewide initiative supporting high-growth entrepreneurs in food and agriculture, consisting of commercialization support through mentorship and a capital readiness program, networking events, a network of partnering producers across the state, as well as incubation space on the Nebraska Innovation Campus.

research lab to the marketplace in crop science, animal health, food tech, and precision ag.

FourthWave Accelerator Western Growers Center for Innovation and Technology (WGCIT), Salinas, CA, aids Western Growers’ California, Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico vegetable, fruit and nut membership by supporting startups with business services, including physical facilities, administration support, marketing and promotion to WG’s growers, packers and shippers.

collaborative network of growers, technologists, corporations, startups, educators, policymakers, and investors working together to solve problems in agriculture through AgTech and innovation.

The North Carolina Biotechnology Center, Research Triangle Park, NC, supports the progression of innovation from the

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will support female founders, and Manos Accelerator will support Latino founders.”

HSMC West Lafayette, IN, & Advocacy Chiefs Sacramento, CA is an experienced SBIR/STTR collaborative team that brings deep knowledge, experience, resources, tools, and relationships with participating agencies to aid small businesses in pursuing SBIR/STTR grants.

FourthWave, Sacramento, CA,

The Water Energy and Technology (WET) Center, Fresno, CA, exists to address the critical nexus of water and energy resources in agriculture by testing and commercializing cutting-edge technologies/businesses, fostering interdisciplinary partnerships, and driving sustainable solutions.

Grand Farm, Fargo, ND, is a

to collapse barriers and expand access to underserved agrifood entrepreneurs,” said Selep. “HSMC & Advocacy Chiefs will provide expertise in SBIR and STTR programs,

“AgTech Nation aims to build a national network of entrepreneursupport organizations, a ‘Network of Networks’ focused on agrifood innovation, sharing assets and resources across geographies, climate zones and crop types,” said Emily Lohse-Busch, executive director of 39 North. “There is a powerful ‘network effect’ where we can increase the potential value for entrepreneurs, and strengthen our communities.”

“AgTech Nation will engage organizations with critical expertise to strengthen the network’s ability

is a leading accelerator for female tech entrepreneurs that addresses the primary impediments to startup success and charts a new course in business culture with an innovative curriculum designed to facilitate the entrepreneurs’ growth as impactful, conscious leaders.

Manos Accelerator, San Jose, CA, is a mentorship-driven accelerator program that provides “hands-on” education, business resources, infrastructure, capital, and guidance for promising Latino-led startup companies, moving them towards a fast track to success.

For more information about the Growth Accelerator Fund Competition, please visit sbir.gov/accelerators

Taking a Look Back

at the Grand Farm 2023 Field Days

July 6th Featuring Proseed and KWS Group partner plots.

Field Day attendees hear from KWS about the projects on their plots.

Proseed highlights the work being done on their plot.

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July 26th Featuring the NDSU Agronomy Seed Farm, Susterre, Mosaic Company, and Intelligent Ag partner plots.

Grand Farm Ecosystem Director Andrew Jason gives an overview of the Grand Farm Innovation Shop.

Grand Farm co-hosted the Field Day with Next Gen Ag. Chandler Gramm, founding member of Next Gen Ag, talks about the organization's work to empower the next generation of agricultural leaders.

Susterre demonstrates their hydraulic planter.

Mosaic Company gives an overview of their test plot.

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Intelligent Ag demonstrates equipment next to their test plot.

NDSU Agronomy Seed Farm highlights some of the work they are doing on the Grand Farm Innovation Campus and their nearby farm.

September 13th Featuring the Nutrien Premium Fertilizer Technologies plot.

Nutrien Premium Fertilizer Technologies presented on the fertilizer technologies being tested on their plot.

Senior Agronomist Mike Howell discusses the varieties of technologies available from Nutrien Premium Fertilizer Technologies.

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Progress on

Grand Farm’s Innovation Shop Grand Farm is building a world-class Innovation Campus near Casselton, ND, which will bring together researchers, growers, industry, startups, and policymakers to ideate and execute on innovations to solve some of the world’s largest challenges in agriculture. The campus will provide expanded acreage for the deployment of agriculture technology projects, rapid prototyping capabilities, and increased research and educational capacity.

Grand Farm's Innovation Shop will be the first building to go up on the Innovation Campus.

The 25,000-square-foot facility will be utilized for event space, workshops, education activities, project space, equipment storage, and more.

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Infrastructure construction has been underway over the summer on the site, and structural work began this fall including foundation and steel work.

Work on the Innovation Shop is scheduled to be completed by Spring 2024.

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For more information about the Grand Farm Innovation Shop and to follow construction progress visit

grandfarm.com.

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