Editor’s note: Agtech Seedlings is a weekly roundup of the latest in agriculture technology news, digging into venture funding, product announcements and other innovation milestones. Have news to share? Email us here.
Microsoft-backed Grand Farm to open Georgia innovation site
A 250-acre site in Perry, Georgia, could be the next farm of the future.
Grand Farm, a Microsoft venture to accelerate farm use of digital tech, said it plans to build a working innovation farm in partnership with the University of Georgia. The farm is set to deploy its first field projects next year, with plans to use precision agriculture tools and robotics to advance research and sustainable agriculture practices.
This is Grand Farm's second site since launching in 2019. The venture opened its first innovation farm in North Dakota, pledging $1.5 million to provide workers with digital skills and drive agricultural innovation in the rural U.S.
Grand Farm's innovation sites utilize Microsoft technology, including its farm management platform FarmBeats, which lets producers measure soil temperature and moisture to make decisions around crop nutrition.
Earlier this month, grain trading giant CHS said it would partner with Grand Farm to provide technology and research at the North Dakota site as part of an effort to advance autonomy, artificial intelligence, robotics and drones.
Regenerative ag comes to rice
Farm emissions certifier AgriCapture has issued what it says are the first-ever carbon credits rewarding rice growers for implementing sustainable production practices.
The carbon credits went toward 455 rice fields in Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi and Texas, and participating farmers were able to save over 9 billion gallons of water by transitioning to regenerative practices. The credits were focused on incentivizing practices that conserve water and address methane emissions.
"AgriCapture is committed to revolutionizing the agricultural industry by encouraging and incentivizing sustainable farming practices that improve efficiency and productivity," Tyler Hull, president of AgriCapture, said in a release. "By creating the highest quality carbon credits, we are building a financial instrument to transition U.S. farming to low carbon intensity practices."
Berry producer inks deal for shelf-life extension tech
Blueberry supplier Agrovision is tapping agtech firm RipeLocker to extend the shelf life of its fruits.
RipeLocker uses low-atmosphere vacuum chambers to put fruit to "sleep," effectively delaying aging and maintaining freshness for up to 12 weeks, or roughly three times the norm. Agrovision is the first global berry producer to employ the technology, Ripelocker said.
Agrovision is one of the largest berry producers in the world, owning Fruitist and Big Skye brands. The company, which is focused on providing berries year-round, received its largest equity financing to date in March to scale its global footprint.
"We believe this partnership with RipeLocker will be a needle mover,” Agrovision Co-Founder, CEO and Executive Chairman Steve Magami said in a statement. “The implications of this advancement are far-reaching: we can ensure prolonged freshness, access more distant markets, and introduce high-flavor varietals previously limited by shorter shelf lives.”
