As farmers and ranchers, our work is never just about getting the job done but looking for the best practices and embracing innovation for whatever challenges may lie ahead. That is why at the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), we understand that the future of farming will rely on innovation and why we started the Ag Innovation Challenge, to support those who are looking to drive ag forward.
The Ag Innovation Challenge is our national business competition that aims to showcase rural entrepreneurs who are developing solutions to help farmers and ranchers work more efficiently and sustainably. In partnership with Farm Credit, the goal of the Challenge is not only highlighting these gamechangers but also investing in their new businesses.
By supporting these companies, we’re helping grow their ideas into products that support farmers and ranchers in their mission to provide the food, fiber and renewable fuel we all rely on. Already, with the help of sponsors, including Farm Credit, Bayer, John Deere, Farm Bureau Bank, Farm Bureau Financial Services and T-Mobile, we have been able to invest more than $1.5 million into agricultural businesses since the Ag Innovation Challenge began.
We bring in judges from across the agricultural supply chain to help us narrow it down, and I’m very excited to share a little more about those companies chosen to be our Final Four.
Gripp, out of Indiana, provides farmers a user-friendly platform designed to track assets, communicate across teams and keep everything running smoothly. This solution aims to help farmers stay connected and on top of work, from the office to the field.
As farmers, we know that keeping track of our equipment is key to keeping things running smoothly on the farm. However, with our short timetables and often getting pulled from one thing straight to another, it can be a challenge to keep records updated. An app like Gripp could offer a helpful way to troubleshoot or even schedule maintenance, more easily.
Halio, based in Utah, has created the first bio-pesticide and soil amendment engineered to address salinity in soil. Their goal is to enhance crop resilience against salt and maximize yields with a design that’s implementable for all types of farmers. This could give us more tools in the toolbox as we look for ways to improve our stewardship.
Labby, from New York, is working to help dairy farmers with real-time milk testing powered by artificial intelligence and advanced sensory technology. Their goal is to help improve milk quality, optimize herd health and boost revenues—all while promoting sustainable practices.
AI is increasingly being woven into our latest technologies and farm equipment. And tools such as Labby help farmers explore what’s possible when it comes to increasing efficiency on the farm.
RhizeBio, in North Carolina, is on the forefront of soil health innovation. Their company uses data-driven technology to help farmers monitor biodiversity, nutrient cycles and stress tolerance in the soil, giving them insights to make informed decisions and potentially improve their crop yield.
Soil health is critical to agriculture, and if we want the best yields at harvest, we have to get our nutrients just right. That’s the goal of tools like RhizeBio: to take a deeper dive into what’s going on beyond the surface, help farmers assess the soil, and suggest solutions to improve soil health.
While each of these companies brings something unique to the table, their common thread lies in how they have created innovative solutions to help improve farmers’ economic and environmental sustainability.
Now that we have our four companies that have risen to the top of this year’s Challenge, they will take to the Cultivation Center Stage at the American Farm Bureau Convention in January to pitch their ideas for a chance to receive the grand prize of $100,000 or runner-up prize of $25,000.
This kind of investment helps entrepreneurs in the early stages of business, and our hope is that through this final round all of them will keep driving forward. — Zippy Duvall, AFBF president
