Ag’s New Vision
November 29, 2023 Imagination, mulling a problem over time and again in search of a solution, the tenacity and curiosity to keep working at something, these are the human characteristics that propel agriculture forward.
I’ve learned a lot in the short 20 months that I’ve been with Meister Media Worldwide. Even though my previous experience focused on the global food supply chain, I was unaware how profoundly technology and genuine creativity are impacting and altering agriculture — from how and where we’re growing food to what we’re growing.
A few recent news items caught my attention for their sheer novelty, yet they also illustrate how fast agriculture and food production are transforming and what kinds of solutions are needed to address some of our biggest challenges.
In South Carolina, the Camille Griffin Graham Correctional Institution, a women’s prison, will build a vertical farming facility to provide 48,000 pounds of fresh lettuce per year to the institution’s cafeteria and food program. The incarcerated women will also benefit from career training in vertical farming and ag tech.
South Carolina-based ag tech company AmplifiedAg is building the facility, which will become the first vertical farm in the U.S. located at a correctional facility.
Meanwhile, Tyson Foods recently announced a joint venture with Protix, a Dutch company that produces insect-based ingredients, to construct and operate an insect ingredient facility in the U.S. Once completed, it will be the first at-scale facility of its kind to upcycle food manufacturing byproducts into insect proteins and lipids, which will be used primarily in pet food, aquaculture, and livestock feed.
John R. Tyson, CFO of Tyson Foods, said: “The insect lifecycle provides the opportunity for full circularity within our value chain, strengthening our commitment to building a more sustainable food system in the future.”
For corn farmers, short-stature corn is exciting with its ability to better withstand damaging wind, produce higher yields and reduced competition for resources, and facilitate easier harvesting.
Of course, AI remains a critical technology for continued developments and discoveries in ag tech, helping most everything perform smarter, faster, and better than what was previously possible. Imagine what we might see in the next year or so!
And that’s just it… imagination, mulling a problem over time and again in search of a solution, the tenacity and curiosity to keep working at something, these are the human characteristics that propel agriculture forward.
From my vantage point, I’ve got a front-row seat to the changes underway in our industry and it’s exhilarating.
I can’t wait to see what’s next. Let’s get growing!
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