The Modern Acre

Kelly Damewood is the CEO of CCOF (California Certified Organic Farmers), one of the first organic certification agencies. Kelly has spent over a decade working towards a single goal: helping organic farmers thrive. After her own experience running a small farm, she went to law school determined to help farmers who farm in a better way. In her previous role as CCOF’s policy director, Kelly spearheaded key initiatives such as passage of state legislation to improve an outdated regulatory program for organic farmers and creating a groundbreaking project to drive organic production and consumption in California. She holds a Juris Doctor degree from Vermont Law School and a Master of Laws degree in agricultural and food law from the University of Arkansas School of Law. — This episode is presented by Pinion. Learn more HERE. — Links CCOF - https://ccof.org Kelly on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kellydamewood/ Join the Co-op - https://themodernacre.supercast.com

Zac Ellis is the Sr. Director of Agronomy at Olam and oversees thousands of acres of almond production. The Olam Group is a leading food and agri-business supplying food, ingredients, feed and fiber to 20,900 customers worldwide. Their value chain spans over 60 countries and includes farming, processing and distribution operations, as well as a sourcing network of an estimated 5.0 million farmers. Zac spends a large portion of his time investigating and implementing agtech, while also focusing on how to farm sustainably. He joins the podcast to share more about his journey, what agtech is working for Olam, and his takes on regenerative and organic practices. — This episode is presented by Pinion. Learn more HERE. — Links Olam - https://www.olamgroup.com Zac on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/zac-ellis-32100727/ Join the Co-op - https://themodernacre.supercast.com

David Friedberg, CEO of Ohalo Genetics and former CEO of The Climate Corporation, shares his expertise in agricultural technology and gene editing. He discusses innovative potato breeding techniques that could revolutionize farming for smallholders. Friedberg delves into the evolution of GMOs and the misconceptions surrounding them, emphasizing the benefits of gene editing. He also highlights the role of AI in enhancing agricultural productivity and the importance of data-driven approaches for the future of farming.

Help us celebrate our 350th episode by doing one (or all!) of the following: Share a recent episode with a friend or colleague Join our membership community The Modern Acre Co-op Subscribe to our new newsletter focused on food & ag strategy — Tim Bucher is the CEO and Founder of Agtonomy, a hybrid autonomy and tele-assist platform for agriculture vehicles. They partner with established equipment manufacturers to transform tractors and agriculture machines into autonomous and remote-controlled equipment that is accessible to local farmers. Tim is a lifelong farmer who also spent the bulk of his career in the tech industry in Silicon Valley. He worked for a number of successful startups and founders, including Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Michael Dell. — This episode is presented by Pinion. Learn more HERE.

Jack Richardson is kicking off a new and improved version of The Modern Acre newsletter. After starting his career in venture banking, Jack has spent the last five years in AgTech, first at a food waste startup and now in precision technology at an Ag OEM. He's spent most of his career in strategy roles where he's explored ways to make business models work. Outside of his specific roles, he's written about the space more broadly – you may have come across my prior writing on LinkedIn. In tandem with the contributing to the monthly newsletter, Jack will join us on the podcast every month to break down his latest research and dig into the strategy behind the company he's profiling. This month we dig into Mt. Joy. Check out the newsletter here. — This episode is presented by Pinion. Learn more HERE. — Links Subscribe to the newsletter! Jack on Linkedin Mt. Joy Episode with Grant Jones Join our membership community

Austin is an expert on agricultural and antitrust policy. During the 2020 presidential campaign, he advised candidates Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and Pete Buttigieg on agricultural policy before ultimately serving as Co-Chair of the Biden campaign’s Agriculture Antitrust Policy Committee. He is a Fellow of the Thurman Arnold Project at Yale University, an initiative that brings together faculty, students, and scholars to collaborate on research related to competition policy and antitrust enforcement. He also serves on the Board of Directors for Common Good Iowa and the Socially Responsible Agriculture Project. In 2022, The Advocate named him a "Champion of Pride.” He recently published his debut book, Barons: Money, Power, and the Corruption of America’s Food Industry, which profiles a series of powerful magnates to illustrate the concentration of power in the American food system. The book has received universal acclaim. Publishers Weekly gave it a Starred Review and the host of Bloomberg's Odd Lots commended the book, remarking that “I have come away with a completely different idea of agriculture that I cannot unsee." The book has received praise from across the political spectrum, including a rave review from The American Conservative. — This episode is presented by Pinion. Learn more HERE. — Links Austin's Website Join the Co-op

Michael Lavin is the founder and managing partner of Germin8 Ventures, a purpose-driven venture capital firm that believes in the power of technology to fix the global food system. Founded in 2018 and backed by C-level executives, entrepreneurs and technologists across the food and agriculture industries, Germin8 is building a portfolio of entrepreneurs and businesses with the potential to profoundly change the future of FoodTech and AgTech. Michael oversees all aspects of Germin8’s investing, operations and strategy in addition to actively participating on the boards of its portfolio companies. Prior to Germin8, Michael served as an investment banker and financial consultant at Mesirow Financial, a global financial services firm managing more than $100 billion of assets, where he executed numerous M&A, capital raising and restructuring transactions for early stage startups, middle market and Fortune 500 companies with a particular focus on food and agriculture, industrial technology and aerospace. Michael is an advisor, mentor and member at several accelerators and incubators including Rabobank’s TERRA Accelerator, Alchemist Accelerator, Techstars Farm to Fork Accelerator, 1871, The Good Food Accelerator, Family Farmed and The Hatchery. He received a bachelor’s degree in finance and a master’s degree in finance from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Michael is based in Chicago but splits his time between the San Francisco Bay Area, Europe, Tel Aviv and other hubs where food meets tech. — This episode is presented by Pinion. Learn more HERE. — Links Germin8 Ventures Michael on LinkedIn Join the Co-op

Jason Giannelli is the farm manager for two large California farming operations, Old River Farming and R & G Fanucchi. Jason shares more about what's happening on the ground in California right now with SGMA, farming practices, and regulatory pressures. — This episode is presented by Pinion. Learn more HERE. — Links Jason on LinkedIn Join the Co-op

Chris Tolles is the CEO and Co-Founder of Yard Stick. Yard Stick measures soil carbon. Scientists and farmers alike know that climate-friendly agricultural practices have the potential to remove atmospheric CO2 at gigaton/year scale. When these practices are adopted, more carbon is stored in soils, improving soil health and fighting climate change. But significant measurement challenges have held soil carbon efforts back - until now. By reducing the cost of soil carbon measurement by 90%+, Yard Stick will dramatically expand the opportunities for evidence-based regenerative practices to simultaneously improve ecosystem health, increase farmer income, and combat climate change. — This episode is presented by Pinion. Learn more HERE. — Links Yard Stick Website Join the Co-op

Kevin Bearley is a Principle at Pinion and partners with business owners to create sophisticated income and tax solutions that include structuring organizations, transitioning businesses, and maximizing tax benefits at present and into the future. Kevin navigates complex family dynamics and advises family business owners that fair doesn’t always mean equal. When putting together estate plans, he focuses on ensuring operating assets and cash flow are accessible to on-farm heirs for long-term, prosperous farm operations, while also providing a monetary benefit to other off-farm heirs. Kevin Bearley listens closely to family business goals and develops financial strategies so the family business will survive and thrive in future generations. — This episode is presented by Pinion. Learn more HERE. — Links Pinion Website Join the Co-op