Agbioscience

AgriNovus Indiana
  • 4.8 (35)
  • Business
  • Updated Weekly

This weekly podcast dives into agbioscience, where agriculture, life sciences and cutting-edge technology converge. Agbioscience is an in-depth conversation with leaders and entrepreneurs across food, animal health, plant science and agtech. This one-of-a-kind podcast offers updates on the latest advancements and future trends from those at the forefront of agbioscience innovation.

  1. 3d ago

    458. Nano-Yield's Clark Bell on maximizing fertilizer use, nanotechnology + doing more with that’s already in the tank

    It started with forty acres of sagebrush in Utah County, bought in 1979 so a father's sons could turn it into a sod farm and earn money for college. Decades later, one of those sons heard a friend was using nanotechnology to improve a dry-cleaning business and wondered whether the same idea could do something for a farm. The trials that followed beat industry standards — and the sod farm became an agtech company.  That company is Nano-Yield, and its co-founder and CEO, Clark Bell, joins us this week on Agbioscience. Nano-Yield builds a nanoparticle delivery system that helps plants take up the fertilizer and crop protection already going on the field — more from existing inputs rather than more inputs, and it's earned the company a 2026 Stevie Award for agricultural innovation, an EY Entrepreneur of the Year finalist nod, and a No. 2,539 ranking on the 2026 Inc. 5000 on 127% three-year growth.  Highlights include:  The core problem Nano-Yield is solving for farmers — and why this is the right moment for the technology Why "more efficiency from existing inputs" is landing now instead of "add another product" Nanotechnology in plain English: what a grower actually needs to understand about how it improves productivity What makes the science genuinely different from traditional fertilizer enhancement and other crop input technologies From a technical standpoint, what's happening inside the plant that allows the approach to improve performance and efficiency What growers have said as they integrated Nano-Yield into their operations The USDA backing tied to innovative domestic fertilizer production and business growth — how that support accelerates expansion and validates the opportunity Scaling without weakening the science or muddying the value proposition for the farmer The measurable results customers are seeing today in yield, nutrient efficiency, crop health and consistency A customer story that captures the impact of the technology Balancing innovation talk with what farmers care about most: return on investment and operational simplicity What the Stevie Award and EY finalist honors mean — and what they say about the company's maturity What will define success for Nano-Yield over the next year: adoption, farmer outcomes, partnerships, or something else

    458. Nano-Yield's Clark Bell on maximizing fertilizer use, nanotechnology + doing more with that’s already in the tank

  2. Oct 14 ·  Bonus

    457. BONUS: Verility's Liane Hart on AI solutions for animal health, growing a startup + her Velocity experience

    Verility CEO Liane Hart shares how their innovative AI-powered mobile diagnostic platform is increasing efficiency + accuracy, revolutionizing livestock reproduction. She dives into her entrepreneurial journey, innovation at the intersection of human + animal health and how the Verility team is uniquely positioned to advance this bioinnovation.

  3. Oct 12

    456. World Food Championships' Mike McCloud on building Food Sport + a faster feedback loop across the value chain

    Picture a kitchen arena where 1,500 cooks from more than 40 countries have all won their way in — no open registrations, no fast track, just Golden Tickets earned at hundreds of qualifiers across the year. They cook in rounds, plate blind, and wait on the score. That's the World Food Championships, and it lands at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis October 15–18 for year two of a three-year run.  It's also the event Mike McCloud founded in 2012, and the term he coined for it — Food Sport — has spent fourteen years becoming its own category. This week on Agbioscience, Mike joins us to talk about what happens when a live culinary tournament turns into something brands can test against, and what that means for agriculture on the other end of the plate.  Highlights include:  What "Food Sport" actually is — and how a live, multi-round tournament differs from a cooking show or a traditional culinary competition How WFC has evolved since 2012, and what has surprised Mike most across fourteen years Why you can't just sign up: inside the qualifying process, the 800+ sanctioned events, and the Golden Tickets that set the level of the field WFC as a product innovation lab — putting a brand's ingredient into the hands of hundreds of accomplished competitors, including required-ingredient final rounds like the Chef Category What a brand actually has to bring to an ingredient integration — and what "we tried it at WFC" gives a product team that a focus group or a test kitchen can't Stories of competitors using an ingredient in ways that changed how a brand thought about its own product Building a faster, more effective feedback loop between producers, manufacturers and innovators and the people who cook for a living What happens after the four days — the chef-brand relationships that outlast the event Indianapolis as home for three years, with 2026 as year two: why this market works and what the first two years have proven How a live culinary event intersects with Indiana's $70B+ agbioscience sector — production agriculture, food processing, animal health, plant science, agtech, food-is-health and bioinnovation — in ways people wouldn't expect Whether WFC can be a catalyst for moving Indiana corn, soy, pork, poultry, dairy and tomatoes downstream into value-added food and nutrition — and what that would take Mike's vision for WFC's next decade

    456. World Food Championships' Mike McCloud on building Food Sport + a faster feedback loop across the value chain

  4. Oct 7 ·  Bonus

    455. BONUS: ClearLeaf's Agustin Buchert on translating medical innovation to agbioscience, expansion + the life of an entrepreneur

    ClearLeaf CSO and Co-Founder Agustin Buchert shares the company's journey from medical products to agricultural innovation focusing on plant health solutions. He also discusses expansion into US markets and the exciting opportunity to join Indiana's thriving agbioscience ecosystem

  5. Oct 5

    454. Faegre Drinker’s Rachael Spiegel on food, agriculture, the law + why recalls continue to climb

    Rachael Spiegel, Partner at Faegre Drinker, sits at the intersection of food, agriculture and law — a place where regulatory complexity, supply chain risk and the realities of feeding people all collide. She joins Agbioscience to unpack how companies are navigating an era of rising recalls, what drives the decisions made in the first hours of a crisis and how leaders can build resilience across the value chain.  Highlights include:   The path into food and ag law — how Rachael's background shaped her read on the food system and the challenges it faces  The view from Faegre Drinker — the hurdles food and ag companies are hitting right now, and how those issues have evolved Prevention, crisis and regulation — how her time actually splits between helping companies head off problems, responding when they hit, and steering through a complex regulatory system, plus what that work reveals about where the food system is strongest and most vulnerable How risk moves through the value chain — what she sees from working across the chain that others may miss The recall trend — whether the upward swing reflects growing risk, better detection, stronger oversight, or all of the above What's actually driving recalls — supply chain complexity, improved testing, traceability, regulatory pressure, litigation risk, consumer expectations, or something else entirely Inside the decision-making — what companies and the public often misunderstand about how recall calls get made in the moment The real cost of a recall — beyond the immediate financial hit, where companies feel it most, and how short-term damage differs from long-term fallout • Partners across the value chain — how recalls are changing the way companies engage with suppliers, customers and everyone in between Looking ahead — how food and ag leaders should be working now to reduce risk and build resilience

    454. Faegre Drinker’s Rachael Spiegel on food, agriculture, the law + why recalls continue to climb

  6. Oct 1

    453. Recapping September with Christy Wright, Corteva begins new chapter, IBI Ag and Givaudan choose Indiana + more

    September marked the end of a new era and the beginning of new chapters for Indiana's agbioscience ecosystem. Christy Wright, president and CEO of AgriNovus, joins VP Libby Fritz in studio to highlight the big news of the month:  Corteva launches new era of innovation as standalone company -- alongside VylorIBI Ag chooses Indiana for its North American HQGivaudan adds Indiana facility that will generate 250 new jobsFallow Ag launches out of The Pantheon in Vincennes -- a big win for AgriNovus' VelocityThe Pantheon gets a new leaderAgriNovus announces its 2026-27 class of Field Atlas AmbassadorsApplications are open for mentors and mentees to participate in Field Atlas AMP (Agbioscience Mentorship Program)

  7. Sep 30 ·  Bonus

    452. BONUS: Ecoatex's Raha Saremi on bio-based materials innovation + growing and scaling as a Velocity startup company

    Welcome to Directionally Speaking, a narrative series that highlights the innovators bringing solutions to market through AgriNovus' Velocity accelerator. This week, AgriNovus Senior Director of Innovation Tim Dixon sits down with Raha Saremi, founder and CEO of Ecoatex, and gets into how her company transforms agriculture byproducts into sustainable, bio-based materials for packaging, fibers and more. She discusses the innovative process, her journey from scientist to entrepreneur and her experience in the Velocity bioinnovation cohort. Learn more about Raha and Ecoatex at agrinovusindiana.com/velocity

  8. Sep 28

    451. Halderman Farm Management’s Howard Halderman on how AI is transforming farm management

    Farm management today looks very different than it did a decade ago, with rising complexity, shifting client expectations and new technology reshaping how decisions get made. In this episode, Howard Halderman, president of Halderman Farm Management, shares how his team is thinking about AI, where it is already improving operations and why human judgment still matters in managing one of agriculture's most important assets.  How farm management is evolving: Howard explains the scope of Halderman Farm Management's work and how the role of a modern farm management company has changed over time. Why the job is getting more complex: The conversation explores where expectations have increased most in recent years, from operations and data to client service and strategic decision-making. How AI entered the business: Howard shares some of the earliest ways his team began using AI and AI-enabled tools to support operations and improve decision-making. Where AI adds real value: He discusses where these tools can genuinely improve outcomes and where experience, judgment and relationships remain irreplaceable. Why trust and governance matter: The episode examines the importance of data quality, accuracy and protecting client relationships as AI becomes more common in the business. How talent needs are shifting: Howard reflects on how technology is changing the skills farm management teams need and what that means for the future workforce. Where the biggest opportunity lies: He looks ahead to the most promising applications for AI in farm management, from agronomic insight to financial performance and long-term planning. What agriculture gets wrong about AI: Howard offers a grounded perspective on the difference between hype and practical value as the industry navigates rapid change. What the next five years could look like: The conversation closes with Howard's view on how the best farm management companies may operate differently as AI continues to mature.

    451. Halderman Farm Management’s Howard Halderman on how AI is transforming farm management
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Ratings & Reviews

4.8
out of 5
35 Ratings

About

This weekly podcast dives into agbioscience, where agriculture, life sciences and cutting-edge technology converge. Agbioscience is an in-depth conversation with leaders and entrepreneurs across food, animal health, plant science and agtech. This one-of-a-kind podcast offers updates on the latest advancements and future trends from those at the forefront of agbioscience innovation.

Information

  • Creator
    AgriNovus Indiana
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2026
  • Episodes
    454
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 AgriNovus Indiana
  • Show Website
    Agbioscience

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