Today on FARMCON Conversations, Kevin and I get into a question that may make some people uncomfortable: is straight farming, by itself, still a durable enough business model for most families? That conversation takes us into why Kevin believes free cash flow and additional revenue streams are becoming increasingly important, why a producer’s cost of …
There’s an interesting agricultural investment taking place in Canada that I think deserves more attention than the headline might suggest. Mondelēz Canada recently committed capital to Area One Farms Fund V, a Canadian farmland investment strategy that partners with growth-oriented family farms. The stated goals include strengthening agricultural supply chains, helping producers expand, and advancing …
The Next Farm Growth Model May Look Very Different Read More »
I was once told that the key to living a long and successful life was simply “age-appropriate adaptation.” Interestingly, for high-achievers, this is much harder than you might think. Whether it is a founder who built a company from scratch, a sixth-generation farmer holding the reins to the family land, or an elite athlete, high …
Age-Appropriate Adaptation… And the Graceful Art of Taking a Step Backward Read More »
For decades, the agricultural industry has been chasing what many considered a holy grail: commercially viable hybrid wheat. Corteva spinoff “Vylor” claims to have finally cracked the code, so to speak, with its new “Xpedite” platform, which is designed to make it practical to produce hybrid wheat seed at commercial scale. Vylor is Corteva’s former …
Corteva Spinoff “Vylor” Launching Breakthrough Hybrid Wheat Next Year Read More »
Today on FARMCON Conversations, Kevin and I are joined by FARMCON partner Jake Espenmiller, President and CEO of Conterra Ag Capital. Jake sits in a unique seat where he can see what is happening across farm balance sheets, operating credit and institutional capital, and our conversation quickly moved to what happens when an operation can …
FARMCON CONVERSATIONS — with Special Guest Jake Espenmiller of Conterra Ag Capital Read More »
One of the more important agricultural technology disputes of the past few years was just settled, and I think the implications extend well beyond the two companies involved. Corteva and Inari reached a confidential agreement resolving a lawsuit Corteva filed in 2023 over Inari’s use of Corteva seed material and intellectual property. As part of …
When diesel gets tight, attention turns quickly to any fuel that can move freight, harvest crops, power equipment, and keep supply chains running without changing engines. That is why more countries are reconsidering biodiesel, particularly renewable diesel, as oil-supply disruptions drive up fuel costs and expose the risks of relying on imported petroleum. While renewable …
Can Renewable Diesel Ease the Global Fuel Crunch? Read More »
Congress has made more progress on the 2026 Farm Bill than in the previous three years, but the legislation has a ways to go before becoming law. The House has passed its bill, and the Senate Agriculture Committee has reported its version, leaving Senate floor action and a potentially difficult House-Senate negotiation before a final …
Farm Bill 2018 Expires, Again…What You Need to Know Read More »
This week’s conversation centered on how the edge is changing. Kevin talks about why information alone matters less in an AI-driven world, where he believes advantage comes from now, how higher rates are changing capital allocation, and the frameworks he uses to evaluate businesses, investments and opportunities. 1:15 — What FARMCON is really trying to …
Recent cyberattacks against U.S. water and wastewater systems carry a warning well beyond municipal treatment plants. The same kind of internet-connected industrial equipment used to control water pumps, valves, chemical processes, alarms and monitoring systems also sits behind an expanding range of agricultural infrastructure—from irrigation pivots and well pumps to grain dryers, feed systems and …
