The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is making more than $3 billion in funding available for agricultural producers and forest landowners nationwide to participate in voluntary conservation programs and adopt climate-smart practices in fiscal year 2024 as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda.
AGCO Corporation, a worldwide manufacturer and distributor of agricultural machinery and Precision Ag technology, announced it has entered into a Joint Venture with Trimble, where AGCO will acquire an 85 percent interest in Trimble’s portfolio of Ag assets and technologies for cash consideration of $2.0 billion and the contribution of JCA Technologies.
The Tech Hub LIVE Conference and Expo, a leading event at the crossroads of agriculture and technology, was held in Des Moines on July 24-26. The conference, under the theme of Integrated Solutions Driving Profitable Decisions, drew a record-breaking attendance and showcased groundbreaking advancements in ag technology.
A partnership of 13 public and private entities led by Roeslein Alternative Energy (RAE) finalized an $80 million grant from the federal government’s first pool of funds from the U.S.D.A’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program. The funding will be used in a five-year pilot project in Iowa and Missouri called ‘Horizon II’ to demonstrate a “Climate-Smart Future for Corn, Soybean, Livestock, and Renewable Natural Gas Production.”
Biotalys announces the appointment of seasoned agricultural executive Kevin Helash as the company’s new CEO. Mr. Helash, currently CEO of EnviroKure, will take on his new responsibilities upon termination of his current engagement, at the latest on December 1. Mr. Helash will replace Patrice Sellès, who will then step down from his position as CEO and director in mutual agreement with the company. Mr. Sellès has agreed to remain in an advisory role for 30 days from the end of his appointment to ensure a smooth transition.
Bonsai Robotics, which provides the first computer vision-based automation solutions for harsh, off-road environments, announced that it has raised a $13.5M seed round led by Acre Venture Partners with participation from E14, Congruent, Serra Ventures, Fall Line Capital, SNR Ventures, Andros, and angels including Travis Deyle (founder of Cobalt Robotics), Lee Redden (founder of Blue River Tech), and Matt Barnard (founder of Plenty). Bonsai Robotics will use the funds to accelerate its product roadmap and invest in both hiring and sales & marketing.
A new farm manager has been hired at the Michigan State University Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center in Benton Harbor. Michael de Schaaf, a small agricultural service business owner with nearly three decades of winemaking experience, assumed the role Oct. 1.
Precision Farming Dealer has announced the full speaker and session lineup confirmed for the 2024 Precision Farming Dealer Summit that is 100 percent focused on equipping your company to run a more profitable precision farming business.
LG Seeds will add 28 new corn hybrids ranging from 80- to 118-day relative maturities (RMs) in 2024. The new corn hybrids feature seven different trait offerings – conventional, Roundup Ready, Agrisure 3110, VT Double PRO, Agrisure Duracade 5222, SmartStax and SmartStax PRO.
Kubota North America Corporation (KNA) announced at its annual Kubota Connect dealer meeting the company’s plan to be a first-time exhibitor at CES 2024 in Las Vegas in January 2024. The move signifies Kubota’s readiness to share its broad technology story and 2030 vision, built on more than 100 years of providing customer solutions to societal issues in the areas of food production, clean water, and the environment, and to provide attendees a virtual glimpse into the future of its vision for next-generation equipment announcements.
BioLumic, an agricultural biotech startup, announced grant funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to use the company’s proprietary ultraviolet (UV) light seed treatment technology to enhance the crop performance of rice – specifically Direct Dry Seeded Rice, rice grown using sustainable practices.
Stine Seed Company is celebrating the 50th episode of the Stine Seedcast — the company’s agricultural podcast — with company founder Harry Stine. Since its introduction in November 2021, the biweekly podcast, hosted by Stine national marketing and sales director David Thompson, has had Stine leadership, agronomy experts and industry partners on the show to provide timely agronomic and product advice to growers when and where they need it.
