AgTech Digest by AgTech Media Group | Biz and Tech Podcasts

August 14, 202610 min

EW Group, Olmix, Ranchbot, Netafim, Varda Foundation, USDA, BASF Agricultural Solutions, Zoetis

Citrus greening has wiped out 95% of Florida's citrus production — and this week the EPA registered an RNA-based, non-GMO therapy to fight back. The week's lead deal came out of Europe: Germany's EW Group completed its acquisition of French natural-solutions maker Olmix from Amadeite and Motion Equity Partners on August 7, adding nine industrial sites and algae-, clay-mineral- and yeast-based biologicals sold across more than 100 countries. Olmix, founded in 1995 and based in Brehan, Brittany, now sits inside a life-sciences holding spanning 300-plus subsidiaries and more than 30,000 employees. Terms were not disclosed. Also this week: Australian livestock-monitoring firm Ranchbot raised more than $15 million (A$22 million) in a Series B led by Lewis & Clark Partners and Fulcrum Global Capital, standing up a U.S. holding company in Fort Worth, Texas, on the back of roughly 10 million cattle and 15 million sheep monitored for 12,000-plus customers; USDA and DHS signed a New World screwworm memorandum targeting the smuggling of some 800,000 head of cattle a year, about $320 million in illicit trade, with drones and AI-assisted screening at ports of entry; Netafim launched GrowSphere FLEX for smallholders; Varda Foundation open-sourced its SoilHive soil-data platform; Zoetis won emergency-use authorization for Simparica Trio against screwworm; BASF Agricultural Solutions is building a climate research center at its Limburgerhof headquarters; Bongards' Creameries is spending $135 million to add 180 million pounds of process-cheese capacity in Bongards, Minnesota; atNorth and Selected Group will pipe data-center waste heat into a Danish commercial greenhouse; Maple Agro Farms signed an LOI on a 10,000-acre palm oil leasehold in Ghana; and ADAMA named Orly Pascal Chief Human Resources Officer. This week's premium Trends Analysis edition — “Gene Editing Grew Up. The Genetics Land Grab Is On.” — argues crop genetics is now an asset class, citing Tropic's purchase of Rahan Meristem, Corteva's Vylor spin-off, a €300 million EIB loan to Limagrain, and licensing deals linking Bayer, RAGT, Limagrain and Pairwise. In this episode: (00:00) Cold Open (00:28) The Impact Scorecard (02:39) Corporate and Financial Shifts (04:28) Innovation and Public Strategy (07:08) Market Signals and Operations (08:06) Close Connect with Us! Be sure to subscribe to our other shows: Vertical Farming Podcast: https://vertical-farming-podcast.captivate.fm/listen Greenhouse Success Stories: https://greenhouse-success-stories.captivate.fm/listen Subscribe to our Newsletters: https://network.igrownews.com/ Connect with us: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/igrow-news/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/igrownews 🎙️🎙️🎙️ Podcast Production Support provided by https://fullcast.co Discover the best podcast services in the world at The Podosphere: https://www.thepodosphere.com/ Mentioned in this episode: 2025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews 2025 Precision Ag Report 2025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews 2025 Precision Ag Report

August 7, 202613 min

Corteva, AGCO, Nutrien, Bayer, Biome Makers, Inari Agriculture, FMC, Terion, Ginkgo Bioworks, Semios, CIBO Technologies, Indigo Ag

📺 Watch on YouTube and Spotify Welcome back, listeners! In today's episode, we dive into the latest developments in AgTech — the latest consolidation analysis revealing where M&A is reshaping the industry, Diane Holdorf on why nature-positive agriculture requires measurable farm-level data, Corteva and FMC posting strong earnings, Bayer and Ginkgo Bioworks partnering on next-generation biological crop protection, Terion launching its first commercial sustainability platform, Semios accelerating post-acquisition integration, and breakthrough advances in digital agriculture, electrification, and wheat genetics. Let's get started! Here’s a Quick Snapshot of What’s Making Headlines: Analysis: The Consolidation Map: which segments of AgTech are in active consolidation, which are still fragmenting, and what Q2 and Q3 2026 M&A activity reveals about where institutional buyers see durable value Interview: Diane Holdorf of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development on the Nature-Positive Agriculture framework and what corporate sustainability commitments actually require at the farm level Earnings: Corteva posts a strong Q2 beat with seed and crop protection both outperforming; FMC raises full-year guidance; Syngenta Group confirms H1 seed growth offsetting crop protection softness; Mosaic announces CEO transition Partnerships: Bayer and Ginkgo Bioworks sign a precision fermentation partnership for next-generation biological crop protection; Bosch Rexroth secures a major electrification deal for agricultural machinery with a European OEM Data & AI: Terion — the Flagship Pioneering company — launches its first commercial data product, a sustainability verification platform connecting farm-level data to corporate supply chain commitments Integration: Semios publishes its first post-Pessl Instruments integration update — iMETOS weather data now flowing into Semios pest and disease models across 10 countries Funding: Aigen raises $28M Series B for solar-powered micro-robot weeding; Agrosphere raises $5M seed for satellite-driven insurance parametrics; Xarvio Field Manager reaches 50 million hectares under management Events: Commercial UAV Expo (Las Vegas, September 1st to 3rd), Taiwan Smart Agriweek (September 8th to 10th), Women in Agribusiness Global Summit (New Orleans), Global Agrovet Research Conference (Dubai), EIMA International (Bologna) Read The Full Summary On The Latest Issue Of IGROW NEWS Connect with Us! Be sure to subscribe to our other shows: Vertical Farming Podcast: https://vertical-farming-podcast.captivate.fm/listen Greenhouse Success Stories: https://greenhouse-success-stories.captivate.fm/listen iGrow Digest: Presented by iGrowNews.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/igrownews 🎙️🎙️🎙️ Discover the best podcast services in the world at The Podosphere: https://www.thepodosphere.com/ Mentioned in this episode: 2025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews 2025 Precision Ag Report 2025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews 2025 Precision Ag Report

July 31, 202614 min

Corteva, Nutrien, AGCO, AppHarvest, Benson Hill, Invaio Sciences, Semios, Pessl Instruments, Rothamsted Research

📺 Watch on YouTube and Spotify Welcome back, listeners! In today's episode, we dive into the latest strides in AgTech — the data ownership question and why farm data is becoming a power issue as AI gets embedded in agricultural decisions, Pieter Lommen of Delphy on why CEA projects fail before they buy their first climate computer, Bayer cutting full-year crop science guidance, Bowery Farming's IP auction concluding across three buyers, Loam Bio's first commercial soil carbon credit sale, and Land O'Lakes expanding its Microsoft AI precision farming collaboration to 100 million acres. Let's get started! Here’s a Quick Snapshot of What’s Making Headlines: Analysis: The Data Ownership Question: who owns the data generated on a farm, why current contracts largely favour platforms over farmers, and why the answer is about to matter much more as AI gets embedded in agricultural decision-making Interview: Pieter Lommen of Delphy on practical CEA consulting — translating Dutch greenhouse science into commercially viable operations globally, crop-specific knowledge transfer, and why implementation matters more than technology Earnings: Bayer cuts FY crop science guidance citing US herbicide pricing pressure and glyphosate market dynamics; FMC reports better-than-expected Q2 on Latin America volume; Yara Q2 EBITDA up 14% on ammonia margins; Syngenta Group H1 revenues broadly stable M&A: BioAtlantis acquired by a strategic buyer — Irish seaweed bioactives company exits after 20-plus years; Bowery Farming IP auction concludes with hydroponic patents going to three separate buyers Launch: Protelum launches commercially — plant-based protein ingredient from lupin and faba bean targeting food reformulation; Loam Bio completes first commercial soil carbon credit sale under its CSIRO-validated methodology Partnerships: Syngenta and Indigo Ag's Terion sign a multi-year agronomic data sharing agreement; Land O'Lakes and Microsoft expand their AI precision farming collaboration to cover 100 million acres Funding: Naio Technologies raises 30M euros for vegetable crop weeding robotics; Persephone Biome raises $12M Series A for microbiome-based crop health; Tarfin raises $20M to expand agricultural credit access in Turkey Events: Commercial UAV Expo (Las Vegas), Taiwan Smart Agriweek, Women in Agribusiness Global Summit (New Orleans), Global Agrovet Research Conference (Dubai), EIMA International (Bologna) Read The Full Summary On The Latest Issue Of IGROW NEWS Connect with Us! Be sure to subscribe to our other shows: Vertical Farming Podcast: https://vertical-farming-podcast.captivate.fm/listen Greenhouse Success Stories: https://greenhouse-success-stories.captivate.fm/listen iGrow Digest: Presented by iGrowNews.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/igrownews 🎙️🎙️🎙️ Discover the best podcast services in the world at The Podosphere: https://www.thepodosphere.com/ Mentioned in this episode: 2025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews 2025 Precision Ag Report 2025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews 2025 Precision Ag Report

July 24, 202625 min

CasClear, CRISPR, and AI in Soybean Genetics: New AgTech Frontiers - Interview with Matt Begemann Interview

📺 Watch on YouTube and Spotify Unlock the future of agtech and CRISPR with this deep dive into the world of soybean innovation and next-gen crop defense! Matt Begeman, a key voice from Confluence Genetics, unveils how his team is driving breakthroughs in seed genetics and leveraging cutting-edge technologies like CasClear. From transforming the profitability and sustainability landscape for growers to exploring the epic potential of CRISPR-based antimicrobials and cell-specific cancer therapies, this episode journeys across the science and strategy shaping global food and health systems. Listen in to discover: The intricate challenges and opportunities facing modern soybean growers How AI and advanced breeding accelerate development of nutrient-rich, high-value crops The story behind CasClear and its powerful implications for agriculture—and even cancer treatment Why data, partnerships, and strategic tech licensing are changing the game If you’re passionate about the intersection of biology, technology, and agriculture, this episode is packed with thought-provoking insights you won’t want to miss! 5 Key Takeaways Take your agricultural strategy to the next level with these essential insights: AI-driven breeding models like CropOS can significantly accelerate soybean variety development and optimize desired traits—embrace technology to boost your crop outcomes. Creating higher-value soybean products with specialty traits unlocks premium markets for growers—seek out partnerships to increase your profitability per acre. Gene editing and CRISPR-based innovations, such as CasClear, are expanding possibilities for crop protection and quality—stay informed and engaged with cutting-edge solutions. Gathering and leveraging high-quality, connected sequence and phenotype data is key to successful breeding and product innovation—invest in your data strategy. Strategic collaborations and technology licensing can help expand the reach of impactful platforms—consider partnerships to amplify innovation and business growth. Memorable Quotes "So if we could take our CasClear technology, design it specifically for their cancer, deliver it to that individual, and basically deliver cell-specific chemotherapy where it only destroys the cancer cells and leaves all the normal cells intact. That's the conceptual idea we've built with CasClear in the oncology space." "Our goal is to enable as many different companies to use this technology as we can because I can't work on soybeans, antimicrobials, and oncology all at the same time. We've really got to partner with other companies to make this successful." "If you have decades worth of phenotype data but you've never sequenced your populations or understand your population structure, you're also kind of stuck. You've got to really pull both of these together to enable those AI tools to really drive your breeding organization forward and make better products at the end of the day." Connect with Matt Website: https://confluence.ag/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-begemann/ Resources Mentioned confluence.ag – https://confluence.ag/ castclear.com – https://castclear.com/ University of Missouri – https://missouri.edu/ University of Wisconsin–Madison – https://wisc.edu/ University of Utah – https://utah.edu/ UC Berkeley – https://berkeley.edu/ Benson Hill – https://bensonhill.com/ CropOS by Benson Hill – https://bensonhill.com/cropos/ ChatGPT by OpenAI – https://openai.com/chatgpt Anthropic – https://www.anthropic.com/ Connect with Us! Be sure to subscribe to our other shows: Vertical Farming Podcast: https://vertical-farming-podcast.captivate.fm/listen Greenhouse Success Stories: https://greenhouse-success-stories.captivate.fm/listen iGrow Digest: Presented by iGrowNews.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/igrownews 🎙️🎙️🎙️ Discover the best podcast services in the world at The Podosphere: https://www.thepodosphere.com/ Mentioned in this episode: 2025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews 2025 Precision Ag Report 2025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews 2025 Precision Ag Report

July 24, 202614 min

Corteva, Nutrien, AGCO, AppHarvest, Benson Hill, Invaio Sciences, Semios, Pessl Instruments, Rothamsted Research, Bayer, FMC, Yara

📺 Watch on YouTube and Spotify Welcome back, listeners! In today's episode, we dive into the latest strides in AgTech — the data ownership question and why farm data is becoming a power issue as AI gets embedded in agricultural decisions, Pieter Lommen of Delphy on why CEA projects fail before they buy their first climate computer, Bayer cutting full-year crop science guidance, Bowery Farming's IP auction concluding across three buyers, Loam Bio's first commercial soil carbon credit sale, and Land O'Lakes expanding its Microsoft AI precision farming collaboration to 100 million acres. Let's get started! Here’s a Quick Snapshot of What’s Making Headlines: Analysis: The Data Ownership Question: who owns the data generated on a farm, why current contracts largely favour platforms over farmers, and why the answer is about to matter much more as AI gets embedded in agricultural decision-making Interview: Pieter Lommen of Delphy on practical CEA consulting — translating Dutch greenhouse science into commercially viable operations globally, crop-specific knowledge transfer, and why implementation matters more than technology Earnings: Bayer cuts FY crop science guidance citing US herbicide pricing pressure and glyphosate market dynamics; FMC reports better-than-expected Q2 on Latin America volume; Yara Q2 EBITDA up 14% on ammonia margins; Syngenta Group H1 revenues broadly stable M&A: BioAtlantis acquired by a strategic buyer — Irish seaweed bioactives company exits after 20-plus years; Bowery Farming IP auction concludes with hydroponic patents going to three separate buyers Launch: Protelum launches commercially — plant-based protein ingredient from lupin and faba bean targeting food reformulation; Loam Bio completes first commercial soil carbon credit sale under its CSIRO-validated methodology Partnerships: Syngenta and Indigo Ag's Terion sign a multi-year agronomic data sharing agreement; Land O'Lakes and Microsoft expand their AI precision farming collaboration to cover 100 million acres Funding: Naio Technologies raises 30M euros for vegetable crop weeding robotics; Persephone Biome raises $12M Series A for microbiome-based crop health; Tarfin raises $20M to expand agricultural credit access in Turkey Events: Commercial UAV Expo (Las Vegas), Taiwan Smart Agriweek, Women in Agribusiness Global Summit (New Orleans), Global Agrovet Research Conference (Dubai), EIMA International (Bologna) Read The Full Summary On The Latest Issue Of IGROW NEWS Connect with Us! Be sure to subscribe to our other shows: Vertical Farming Podcast: https://vertical-farming-podcast.captivate.fm/listen Greenhouse Success Stories: https://greenhouse-success-stories.captivate.fm/listen iGrow Digest: Presented by iGrowNews.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/igrownews 🎙️🎙️🎙️ Discover the best podcast services in the world at The Podosphere: https://www.thepodosphere.com/ Mentioned in this episode: 2025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews 2025 Precision Ag Report 2025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews 2025 Precision Ag Report

July 17, 202612 min

Groupe Flore, Groupe Thomas Plants, Tecnosem, Kimitec, DVC Partners, Royal Berry, Dutch Berries, Rize, BNP Paribas Asset Management Alts,

📺 Watch on YouTube and Spotify Welcome back, listeners! In today's episode, we dive into the latest strides in AgTech — tariffs adding 8 to 23% to agricultural hardware costs and splitting the sector between those who localized early and those who didn't, a sharply divided earnings season with Corteva up and AGCO down 18%, three company exits including AppHarvest, Benson Hill, and Invaio Sciences each telling a different story, Semios acquiring Pessl Instruments for sensor hardware, and a 180-year Rothamsted dataset showing UK arable soil carbon declining despite organic matter additions. Let's get started! Here’s a Quick Snapshot of What’s Making Headlines: Analysis: Tariff impact on AgTech hardware: steel, aluminum, and semiconductor duties adding 8 to 23% to equipment costs, supply chains rerouting, and an early mover advantage emerging for companies that localized manufacturing ahead of the current cycle Earnings: Corteva Q2 strong with seed and crop protection both up; AGCO Q2 weak on North American volume declines; Deere reaffirms full-year guidance; Nutrien raises its potash volume outlook for 2026 Exits: AppHarvest assets sold to AppTech Group in a court-supervised process; Benson Hill formally begins wind-down after failing to find a buyer; Invaio Sciences closes operations M&A: Semios acquires Pessl Instruments, adding weather stations and soil sensors to its pest and disease monitoring platform; Trimble completes restructuring of its agriculture division into a standalone business unit Digital Ag: CBH Group launches its digital grain platform across Western Australia; WinField United launches an AI agronomic advisory tool for its network of independent retailers Sustainability: Yara and CF Industries sign a green ammonia offtake agreement; Nufarm and Corteva expand their omega-3 canola commercial partnership across Australia and Canada Resear: Rothamsted Research publishes 180-year dataset showing UK soil carbon declining in arable fields at 0.17% per year despite organic matter additions — a significant finding for net-zero commitments Events: Commercial UAV Expo (Las Vegas), Taiwan Smart Agriweek, Women in Agribusiness Global Summit (New Orleans), Global Agrovet Research Conference (Dubai), EIMA International (Bologna) Read The Full Summary On The Latest Issue Of IGROW NEWS Connect with Us! Be sure to subscribe to our other shows: Vertical Farming Podcast: https://vertical-farming-podcast.captivate.fm/listen Greenhouse Success Stories: https://greenhouse-success-stories.captivate.fm/listen iGrow Digest: Presented by iGrowNews.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/igrownews 🎙️🎙️🎙️ Discover the best podcast services in the world at The Podosphere: https://www.thepodosphere.com/ Mentioned in this episode: 2025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews 2025 Precision Ag Report 2025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews 2025 Precision Ag Report

July 10, 202612 min

Bayer, Pivot Bio, John Deere, Nutrien, Ceres, AGCO, Trimble, Headwall Photonics, Agremo, Scoular

📺 Watch on YouTube and Spotify Welcome back, listeners! In today's episode, we dive into the latest strides in AgTech — the H1 2026 state of play with $1.27 billion across 89 deals, Europe's first new herbicide active ingredient in over 15 years from Bayer, Pivot Bio's PROVEN 40 clearing EPA registration, John Deere's See & Spray surpassing 1 million acres, a WFFS strawberry virus spreading through 28 US states with no cure available, and Nutrien and Ceres putting AI agronomic support into 2,000-plus retail locations. Let's get started! Here’s a Quick Snapshot of What’s Making Headlines: Analysis: H1 2026 AgTech State of the Industry: $1.27B disclosed across 89 deals, robotics leads funding, partnerships dominate activity, Series A and B still squeezed, and a clear bifurcation between infrastructure plays and product companies Partnerships: Nutrien and Ceres partner to deploy AI-powered agronomic decision support to Nutrien's 2,000-plus retail locations; AGCO expands its Trimble precision ag licensing deal to cover additional machine lines Crop Protection: Bayer receives EU authorisation for LASO, its first new herbicide active ingredient in Europe in over 15 years; Pivot Bio's PROVEN 40 receives EPA registration — first biological nitrogen product cleared at 40 pounds per acre rate Precision Ag: John Deere See & Spray surpasses 1 million commercial acres treated; Headwall Photonics and Agremo integrate hyperspectral imaging with AI crop analytics for canopy-level nutrient and stress detection Grain & Supply: Scoular publishes its 2025 sustainability report covering 2.5 billion bushels handled; AGT Food and Ingredients expands pulse protein capacity in Saskatchewan; Viterra completes integration of Gavilon grain assets Plant Health: WFFS strawberry virus spreads to 12 additional US states — now present in 28 states with no curative treatment available; EPPO adds Potato Virus A to its A2 quarantine list Funding: Keenan Systems raises 12M euros to scale livestock feed management AI; BeeHero closes $10M Series B for precision pollination; Farmonaut raises $3M for satellite crop monitoring across emerging markets Events: Commercial UAV Expo (Las Vegas), Taiwan Smart Agriweek, Women in Agribusiness Global Summit (New Orleans), Global Agrovet Research Conference (Dubai), EIMA International (Bologna) Read The Full Summary On The Latest Issue Of IGROW NEWS Connect with Us! Be sure to subscribe to our other shows: Vertical Farming Podcast: https://vertical-farming-podcast.captivate.fm/listen Greenhouse Success Stories: https://greenhouse-success-stories.captivate.fm/listen iGrow Digest: Presented by iGrowNews.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/igrownews 🎙️🎙️🎙️ Discover the best podcast services in the world at The Podosphere: https://www.thepodosphere.com/ Mentioned in this episode: 2025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews 2025 Precision Ag Report 2025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews 2025 Precision Ag Report

July 3, 202613 min

Tropic, Rahan Meristem, Reservoir, Contain, Eurofins Agro Testing, Terraxy, Wa'ed Ventures, Africa Finance Corporation,

📺 Watch on YouTube and Spotify Welcome back, listeners! In today's episode, we dive into the latest strides in AgTech — Tropic acquires Rahan Meristem to become the first fully integrated banana genetics company, Reservoir makes its first ever acquisition to own the financial data layer, the US government links soil health to biofuel pricing for the first time, the Supreme Court rules on Roundup, a dual-function rice gene opens new doors for climate adaptation, and BASF, ADAMA, and Burro each launch major new products. Let's get started! Here’s a Quick Snapshot of What’s Making Headlines: Big Story: Tropic acquires Rahan Meristem to become the first fully integrated banana genetics company — combining gene editing IP with commercial-scale tissue culture across Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East M&A: Reservoir makes its first-ever acquisition, absorbing agri-finance platform Contain and naming founder Nicola Kerslake as General Partner; Eurofins Agro Testing acquires Czech lab Laborator Postoloprty Funding: Terraxy raises $3M in a KAUST-backed Seed-2 round led by Wa'ed Ventures for desert soil regeneration in Saudi Arabia; Africa Finance Corporation arranges 108.3M euro sovereign facility for Togo's agricultural modernisation Products: BASF launches Efficon insecticide in Egypt with novel Axalion Active ingredient; ADAMA launches Novali herbicide at the highest pyroxasulfone load available; Burro unveils Grande 44 autonomous field platform Policy: President Trump signs Executive Order advancing precision agriculture; USDA releases Final Regenerative Feedstock Rule — the first federal mechanism linking on-farm soil practices to premium biofuel pricing Legal: US Supreme Court rules 7-2 for Monsanto in Monsanto v. Durnell — FIFRA preempts state failure-to-warn claims, effectively capping a decade of Roundup litigation exposure for Bayer Partnerships: Fischer Farms partners with Seed Group for UAE and MENA vertical farming entry; Syngenta, McDonald's, and McCain sign a three-party MOU on China's potato supply chain; Ever.Ag deploys AI planning at Coles Supermarkets Research: Chonnam National University identifies OsFeSOD3, a dual-function rice gene improving drought tolerance and chloroplast development simultaneously Read The Full Summary On The Latest Issue Of IGROW NEWS Connect with Us! Be sure to subscribe to our other shows: Vertical Farming Podcast: https://vertical-farming-podcast.captivate.fm/listen Greenhouse Success Stories: https://greenhouse-success-stories.captivate.fm/listen iGrow Digest: Presented by iGrowNews.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/igrownews 🎙️🎙️🎙️ Discover the best podcast services in the world at The Podosphere: https://www.thepodosphere.com/ Mentioned in this episode: 2025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews 2025 Precision Ag Report 2025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews 2025 Precision Ag Report

June 26, 202612 min

Tropic, Rahan Meristem, Reservoir, Contain, BASF, ADAMA, Burro, Monsanto, Bayer, Syngenta, McDonald's, McCain, Ever.Ag, Coles Supermarkets, Eurofins Agro Testing, Terraxy

📺 Watch on YouTube and Spotify Welcome back, listeners! In today's episode, we dive into the latest strides in AgTech — Tropic acquires Rahan Meristem to become the first fully integrated banana genetics company, Reservoir makes its first ever acquisition to own the financial data layer, the US government links soil health to biofuel pricing for the first time, the Supreme Court rules on Roundup, a dual-function rice gene opens new doors for climate adaptation, and BASF, ADAMA, and Burro each launch major new products. Let's get started! Here’s a Quick Snapshot of What’s Making Headlines: Big Story: Tropic acquires Rahan Meristem to become the first fully integrated banana genetics company — combining gene editing IP with commercial-scale tissue culture across Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East M&A: Reservoir makes its first-ever acquisition, absorbing agri-finance platform Contain and naming founder Nicola Kerslake as General Partner; Eurofins Agro Testing acquires Czech lab Laborator Postoloprty Funding: Terraxy raises $3M in a KAUST-backed Seed-2 round led by Wa'ed Ventures for desert soil regeneration in Saudi Arabia; Africa Finance Corporation arranges 108.3M euro sovereign facility for Togo's agricultural modernisation Products: BASF launches Efficon insecticide in Egypt with novel Axalion Active ingredient; ADAMA launches Novali herbicide at the highest pyroxasulfone load available; Burro unveils Grande 44 autonomous field platform Policy: President Trump signs Executive Order advancing precision agriculture; USDA releases Final Regenerative Feedstock Rule — the first federal mechanism linking on-farm soil practices to premium biofuel pricing Legal: US Supreme Court rules 7-2 for Monsanto in Monsanto v. Durnell — FIFRA preempts state failure-to-warn claims, effectively capping a decade of Roundup litigation exposure for Bayer Partnerships: Fischer Farms partners with Seed Group for UAE and MENA vertical farming entry; Syngenta, McDonald's, and McCain sign a three-party MOU on China's potato supply chain; Ever.Ag deploys AI planning at Coles Supermarkets Research: Chonnam National University identifies OsFeSOD3, a dual-function rice gene improving drought tolerance and chloroplast development simultaneously Read The Full Summary On The Latest Issue Of IGROW NEWS Connect with Us! Be sure to subscribe to our other shows: Vertical Farming Podcast: https://vertical-farming-podcast.captivate.fm/listen Greenhouse Success Stories: https://greenhouse-success-stories.captivate.fm/listen iGrow Digest: Presented by iGrowNews.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/igrownews 🎙️🎙️🎙️ Discover the best podcast services in the world at The Podosphere: https://www.thepodosphere.com/ Mentioned in this episode: 2025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews 2025 Precision Ag Report 2025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews 2025 Precision Ag Report

June 19, 202613 min

CIBO Technologies, Indigo Ag, Flagship Pioneering, Terion, Ingredion, Nutrien, Sand County Foundation, Microsoft, Kellanova, Walmart, GROWMARK, NativState, Neeley Forestry Service, Vireo Growth,

📺 Watch on YouTube and Spotify Welcome back, listeners! In today's episode, we dive into the latest strides in AgTech, featuring Flagship Pioneering's merger of CIBO Technologies and Indigo Ag's Source business into Terion, a new neutral AI data infrastructure company, NativState's forestry carbon acquisition, Munters exploring an exit from food tech, FMC and Corteva's $200 million herbicide licensing deal, and a regenerative agriculture awareness study that nearly doubled among US adults in a year. Let's get started! Here’s a Quick Snapshot of What’s Making Headlines: Big Story: Flagship Pioneering merges CIBO Technologies and Indigo Ag's Source business into Terion, a neutral AI data infrastructure company headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts M&A: NativState acquires Neeley Forestry Service, adding 200,000-plus acres and pushing its enrolled base past 950,000 acres; Vireo Growth signs all-share deal for C21 Investments and roughly 15 Nevada dispensaries Divestiture: Munters Group explores selling its FoodTech business, Speria, to focus on Data Center Technologies and AirTech — Evercore advising, no deal agreed yet Venture: Elanco launches a $25M corporate venture platform for animal health; Anterra Capital reaches $100M first close on Fund III; Ardian and Societe Generale launch a 100M euro nature-based solutions fund Product: Intelinair launches AGMRI AI Agent for agronomic queries; OneSoil launches AI Agronomist serving 1.16 million users across 70 million hectares Crop Science: FMC and Corteva sign supply and license deal for rimisoxafen, the industry's first dual mode-of-action herbicide, with a $200M prepurchase from Corteva Policy: EU Parliament adopts new gene-editing rules splitting plants into NGT-1 and NGT-2 categories; USDA opens $125M Research Facilities Act applications Carbon & Research: eAgronom sells 29,000 Verra-certified soil carbon credits for 1.46M euros; Kiss the Ground study shows regenerative ag awareness nearly doubled among US adults in a year Read The Full Summary On The Latest Issue Of IGROW NEWS Connect with Us! Be sure to subscribe to our other shows: Vertical Farming Podcast: https://vertical-farming-podcast.captivate.fm/listen Greenhouse Success Stories: https://greenhouse-success-stories.captivate.fm/listen iGrow Digest: Presented by iGrowNews.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/igrownews 🎙️🎙️🎙️ Discover the best podcast services in the world at The Podosphere: https://www.thepodosphere.com/ Mentioned in this episode: 2025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews 2025 Precision Ag Report 2025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews 2025 Precision Ag Report

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