Future of Agriculture - Future of Agriculture 068: Farmers Investing in AgTech with Spencer Stensrude of Ag Ventures Alliance and Matthew Rooda of SwineTech

Future of Agriculture 068: Farmers Investing in AgTech with Spencer Stensrude of Ag Ventures Alliance and Matthew Rooda of SwineTech

08/30/17 • 36 min

Spencer Stensrude is a business analyst for Ag Ventures Alliance, a company that invests in startups aimed to support and innovate the agricultural industry. The company itself was formed by farmers in Iowa in the late 90s. One of their latest investments is a company called SwineTech and is headed by Matthew Rooda. As the name implies, SwineTech is a company focused on innovating the swine industry, and right now its focus is on preventing sows from crushing their piglets.

On today’s episode, Spencer and Matthew talk about how they met, what their companies are all about, and how they started working together. They also share their prediction for the agricultural industry in the future and one of the biggest issues in the pork industry and how it’s affecting the economy.

“We are happy the company making money and sending us a check vs having to sell the company to someone else to pay back the investors.” – Spencer Stensrude

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

What is SwineTech all about?
How did they discovered the piglet problem and how they developed a solution?
The success rate of their new technology.
The process from getting the startup ready to actually getting an investment.
Matthew’s long term vision for SwineTech.
Why Ag Ventures invested in SwineTech?
The price point of SwineTech's product for producers.
The timelines and process involved in investing in SwineTech.
The focus of Ag Ventures for future investments.
The first objection Matthew usually gets from producers when selling his product.
What excites Spencer about the industry and his prediction for the future of agricultural technology.

Check Out Spencer Stensrude Across the Net:

Check Out Matthew Rooda Across the Net:

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The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.

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“We are happy the company making money and sending us a check vs having to sell the company to someone else to pay back the investors.” – Spencer Stensrude

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

What is SwineTech all about?
How did they discovered the piglet problem and how they developed a solution?
The success rate of their new technology.
The process from getting the startup ready to actually getting an investment.
Matthew’s long term vision for SwineTech.
Why Ag Ventures invested in SwineTech?
The price point of SwineTech's product for producers.
The timelines and process involved in investing in SwineTech.
The focus of Ag Ventures for future investments.
The first objection Matthew usually gets from producers when selling his product.
What excites Spencer about the industry and his prediction for the future of agricultural technology.

Check Out Spencer Stensrude Across the Net:

Check Out Matthew Rooda Across the Net:

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!

The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.

Share the Ag-Love!

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:

Future of Agriculture Website

AgGrad Website

AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram

Previous Episode

Future of Agriculture 067: Disruptive Agricultural Technologies with Aidan Connolly, CIO of Alltech

Aidan Connolly has been with Alltech for 27 years and is currently its Chief Innovation Officer (CIO). Alltech is a company that helps farmers feed the world, raise healthy animals, and protect the environment. He works with the company’s research department focused on developing nutrition-based technologies that will capitalize on insights gained through Alltech’s investment in nutrigenomics. Aidan’s main tasks as CIO is to spearhead Alltech’s projects in multiple facets of the agricultural industry, make sure they’re always on the cutting edge when it comes to current technology, as well as incorporating new technologies into how food is produced in the future.

On today’s episode, Aidan shares how he became Alltech’s CIO and how the company decides which innovation to invest in. He also explains the disruptive technologies that will greatly affect the agricultural industry in the near future.

“Brain power and imagination are going to be very important in terms of the roles we play.” – Aidan Connolly

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

Alltech's views on disruptive technology. How they strategically decide when to invest in an innovation. What is the Pearse Lyons Accelerator? The 8 potentially disruptive technologies. Is artificial Intelligence something humans should worry about? How he prepares his children for the future. Since 2009, TOP US food and beverage companies have lost an equivalent of $18 billion of market shares. How does this affect agriculture? Can the "local food" movement scale? How should we balance thinking about innovations and our busy lives?

Mentioned in this episode:

ONE18 Conference Humans Need Not Apply Video

Check Out Aidan Connolly Across the Net:

Alltech LinkedIn Twitter

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!

The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.

Share the Ag-Love!

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:

AgGrad Website AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram

Next Episode

Future of Agriculture 069: The Logistics of a Farm to Table Restaurant with Jack Gilmore of Jack Allens Kitchen

Jack Gilmore is the owner and head chef of the famous Jack Allen’s Kitchen in Austin, Texas. More than good food and service, Jack Allen’s Kitchen is known for being a pioneer in what we call the “Farm to Table.” According to Jack, at least 80% of every food on his menu is locally sourced. He first got into cooking when he was 15 and taught himself how to cook when he was working part time in a restaurant. By the time he was 18, he realized school wasn’t his thing so he decided to get married and start a family.

Jack knew how to cook, so he figured he could make a living out of it. He worked for other people and was able to work with incredible chefs, until he grew tired of working for someone else and decided to start his own restaurant. From cooking for a decent wage to actually owning his own restaurant chain, he has come a long way.

On today’s episode, Jack talks about how he started his restaurant business, what made him choose to buy from local farmers as much as possible, and the logistics involved in running a locally-sourced restaurant. He also his thoughts on the future generation of farmers.

“I don't tell anybody we're a 100% local, I tell them we're as local as we can be.” – Jack Gilmore

This Week on The Future of Agriculture Podcast:

How he partnered with local farmers
How much of his menu is influenced by the ingredients available?
How he manages the many farmers he partners with as well as the logistics behind.
How he plans his ingredient supply forecast with the farmers.
How he determines which farmers to work with
How he shows his appreciation to the farmers.
Why he's not worried about the next generation of farmers as much as he is about next generation of chefs.
The biggest and smallest farms he buys from.
Is the farm to table concept still a growing concept nationwide?
The future of the local food movement.
How does he manage the food waste in his restaurant?

Check Out Jack Gilmore Across the Net:

Jack Allen’s Kitchen

We Are a Part of a Bigger Family!

The Future of Agriculture Podcast is now part of the Farm and Rural Ag Network. Listen to more ag-related podcasts by subscribing on iTunes or on the Farm and Rural Ag Network Website today.

Share the Ag-Love!

Learn more about AgGrad by visiting:

Future of Agriculture Website

AgGrad Website

AgGrad on Twitter AgGrad on Facebook AgGrad on LinkedIn AgGrad on Instagram