Farm Foundation recently hosted a thought-provoking panel discussion in partnership with the Farm Robotics Challenge, offering college students a unique opportunity to gain insight into real-world agricultural challenges and how technology can play a pivotal role in addressing them. The panel brought together voices from across the agricultural value chain—farmers, innovators, and industry leaders—to discuss the future of robotics in farming and provide direct feedback to the student teams as they embark on their robotics projects. 

If you would like to watch the panel discussion, you can access the full recording here. 

Who Participated? 

The panel featured an incredible lineup of experts and practitioners who shared their perspectives: 

Klaas Martens: Klaas is a third-generation farmer in New York. He operates Martens Farm and Lakeview Organic Grain Mill with his wife Mary Howell Martens and their son Peter. On 1,600 acres, he produces numerous crops, including corn, soybeans, spelt, wheat, einkorn, emmer, triticale, buckwheat, oats, barley, rye, cabbage, dry beans, and hay. He’s been farming since the 1970s and shifted to organic farming in the 90s. Klaas is a Farm Foundation Round Table Fellow.

David Hill: Southern Hill Farms, owned and operated by the Hill family, has deep roots in agriculture. David and Lisa Hill, along with their sons Michael and Kyle and daughter-in-law Brooke, continue a farming legacy that began with Lisa’s grandfather in Virginia and extended to Central Florida in the mid-20th century. Starting with ornamental trees in Clermont, the Hills diversified in 2010 by planting blueberries, eventually welcoming the public in 2014 for u-pick events and community gatherings. Today, Southern Hill Farms is a beloved Central Florida destination, known for its Fall Festival, farm market, and family-friendly experiences. David is also a Farm Foundation Round Table Fellow.  

Kevin Seidel: Kevin Seidl is a group product manager for the John Deere Operations Center (JDOC) at John Deere. He leads a group of product managers responsible for key features within the JDOC, with a specific focus on live remote monitoring and equipment & agronomic analysis capabilities. As a software engineer, Kevin has built some of the foundational features of the JDOC program. Throughout his 15-plus years at John Deere, he has had various product management roles of increasing responsibility, where he has focused on the JDOC’s monitoring and analysis capabilities. Kevin earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Bradley University and a master’s in business administration from the University of Iowa. 

Moderator: Tim Brennan, VP of Programs and Strategic Impact at Farm Foundation, who guided the discussion and connected the insights to Farm Foundation’s broader mission. 

Key Themes and Insights 

1. Automation and the Labor Shortage 

Farmers face ongoing labor shortages, making automation and robotics an urgent need rather than a luxury. Panelists emphasized that technology should not replace workers but rather enable farmers to address gaps in their workforce. Solutions like autonomous machinery and follow-me functionality were highlighted as transformative tools that could alleviate these challenges. 

2. Harvesting Challenges and Opportunities 

One of the most pressing issues discussed was the need for robotics to address harvesting challenges, particularly in specialty crops like strawberries. Unlike blueberries, which already have some mechanical solutions, strawberries require precision to pick ripe fruit without damage. Developing robotics capable of 24/7 harvesting could revolutionize the industry. 

3. Smaller, Smarter Machines for Soil Health 

Larger machinery has contributed to significant soil health concerns, including compaction and increased energy use. Panelists discussed the opportunity for robotics to lead the way toward smaller, lighter, and more collaborative machines. These innovations would not only protect soil but also reduce operational energy demands. 

4. Practical, Farmer-Centered Solutions 

A recurring theme throughout the discussion was the importance of creating practical, problem-solving technology. Farmers need innovations that work in diverse conditions, are reliable, and solve specific challenges like soil conditions or adverse weather. 

Farm Foundation’s Mission in Action 

Hosting this panel aligns directly with Farm Foundation’s mission: to build trust and understanding at the intersections of agriculture and society. By partnering with the Farm Robotics Challenge, Farm Foundation supports the next generation of innovators and provides a vital space for collaboration between farmers and technology developers. 

This event highlighted the importance of bringing real-world agricultural perspectives to the forefront, ensuring that technology is grounded in practicality and addresses the evolving needs of those throughout the food and agriculture value chain. 

What’s Next? 

As the student teams dive into their robotics projects, we look forward to seeing how their ideas take shape and how they tackle the challenges outlined during the panel. The Farm Robotics Challenge serves as a testament to the power of collaboration and innovation in shaping the future of agriculture. 

We’re proud to continue fostering connections between agriculture, technology, and society, and we can’t wait to see how these students contribute to a more innovative and sustainable agricultural future. 

The post Bridging Innovation and Agriculture: Insights from the Farm Robotics Challenge Panel  appeared first on Farm Foundation.

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor released the following statement as the U.S. Senate approved the nomination of former U.S. Rep. Lee M. Zeldin as Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The vote followed a robust dialogue with Senate biofuel champions and an encouraging confirmation hearing, during which Congressman Zeldin committed to implementing President Trump’s pro-biofuel agenda.

“Administrator Zeldin has made it clear that he understands how important American-made biofuels are to President Trump’s efforts to unleash American energy dominance,” said Growth Energy CEO Emily Skor. “He’s also committed to advancing year-round E15 and ensuring that America’s farmers and biofuel producers have the regulatory certainty under the Renewable Fuel Standard to plan and invest in rural growth. We thank Administrator Zeldin for agreeing to work alongside Senator Pete Ricketts and other rural champions on Capitol Hill to deliver a much-needed boost to the farm economy and greater fuel savings for hardworking Americans with homegrown ethanol.”

The post Growth Energy Welcomes New EPA Chief appeared first on Growth Energy.

Chairman Smith,

Growth Energy is the world’s largest association of biofuel producers, representing 97 U.S. plants that each year produce more than 9.5 billion gallons of cleaner-burning, renewable fuel, including five of Kanas’ twelve biorefineries. We also represent 123 businesses—including six associate members in Kansas—associated with the production process; and tens of thousands of biofuel supporters around the country. Together, we remain committed to bringing better and more affordable choices at the fuel pump to consumers, helping our country diversify our energy portfolio in order to grow more energy jobs, sustaining family farms, and driving down the costs of transportation fuels for consumers.

Today, 98 percent of all gasoline sold in the U.S. contains 10 percent bioethanol. E15, a fuel containing up to 15 percent bioethanol, is now available at more than 3,700 retail locations in 33 states, and higher bioethanol blends such as E85 are available at nearly 6,000 sites around the country. In Kansas, there are 72 retail locations selling E15 and 90 locations selling E85.

E15 is approved for all 2001 and newer vehicles, more than 96 percent of all light duty vehicles on the road today. Most vehicles require a minimum octane rating of 87. Bioethanol, with an octane rating of 113, helps meet that in modern cars. Bioethanol is a cleaner, renewable, and cost-effective alternative to toxic chemicals like lead and MTBE. Consumers have now driven more than 140 billion miles on E15, and retailers have conducted millions of transactions with this fuel. There have been no adverse reports of fuel quality experienced with E15 since first being approved 13 years ago.

Growth Energy appreciates this opportunity to support House Bill 2012, which would provide an important tax credit for bioethanol fuel blends from 15 to 85 percent. Specifically, this legislation would provide a non-refundable 5 cent per gallon tax credit to fuel retailers for every gallon of higher bioethanol fuel blends sold. This credit is important as retailers in Kansas continue to build out the market and invest in additional infrastructure to offer these higher bioethanol blends.

Bioethanol blends such as E15 and E85 also give consumers more affordable choices at the pump. During the summer of 2023, Kansans saved an average of 11 cents per gallon on E15 compared to E10. Providing a 5 cent per gallon tax credit to incentivize a higher bioethanol blend helps hardworking Kansans save on fuel costs without any impact to the state’s fuel tax revenue.

This credit will also help Kansas bioethanol producers, corn growers and sorghum producers, and livestock farmers. At a time when American farmers are facing a 25% decrease in farm incomes, Kansas corn growers and sorghum producers can benefit from the increased demand for their crop. The tax credit could result in the purchasing of as much as 1.7 million additional bushels of Kansas corn annually to produce an additional 5 million gallons of bioethanol. This increased production in bioethanol also results in the availability of an additional 29 million pounds of nutrient-rich animal feed, an important co-product in the bioethanol production process, for Kansas livestock farmers.

When considering the consumer savings, the benefits to the agriculture and bioethanol industries, and noting no impact on Kansas’ fuel tax revenue, the proposed retail tax credit doesn’t affect the state’s bottom line. Several Midwestern states have successfully implemented similar tax incentives for higher bioethanol blends. As more states consider incentives, Kansas should ensure its product made from Kansas-grown corn and sorghum benefits Kansas drivers.

Given our experience with retailers around the country offering bioethanol blends, we are happy to assist the committee with technical questions as they consider this important legislation. We look forward to working with you to finalize this important benefit for Kansas drivers, fuel retailers and farmers. Thank you in advance for your consideration.

The post Growth Energy Testimony in Support of Kansas E15 Legislation appeared first on Growth Energy.

Scientists have discovered the anti-icing secret of polar bear fur -- something that allows one of the planet's most iconic animals to survive and thrive in one of its most punishing climates. That secret? Greasy hair. After some polar sleuthing, which involved scrutiny of hair collected from six polar bears in the wild, the scientists homed in on the hair 'sebum' (or grease) as the all-important protectant. This sebum, which is made up of cholesterol, diacylglycerols, and fatty acids, makes it very hard for ice to attach to their fur. While this finding sheds fascinating new light on our understanding of polar bear -- and even Inuit -- ecology, it may also have a suite of unrelated applications, with a similar concoction of artificially made sebum promising to be useful as an anti-ice surface coating, or in next-gen ski skins used by skiers and snowboarders.

New psychology research indicates that multilingual children may have enhanced executive function and perspective taking skills.

New research has combined cosmological data from two major surveys of the universe's evolutionary history and found hints that it may be less clumpy at certain points than previously thought. Their findings suggest that the universe may have become more complex with advancing age.

A new collaboration has unlocked new potential for the field by creating a novel high-performance organic electrochemical neuron that responds within the frequency range of human neurons.

Researchers found for the first time evidence that even microquasars containing a low-mass star are efficient particle accelerators, which leads to a significant impact on the interpretation of the abundance of gamma rays in the universe.

By applying techniques from explainable artificial intelligence, engineers can improve users' confidence in forecasts generated by artificial intelligence models. This approach was recently tested on wind power generation.

Researchers present a solution to the challenging problem of recycling poly-cotton textile waste. The process starts with fully removing all cotton from the fabric using superconcentrated hydrochloric acid at room temperature. The cotton is converted into glucose, which can be used as a feedstock for biobased products such as renewable plastics. The remaining polyester fibers can be reprocessed using available polyester recycling methods.

Wandering salamanders are known for gliding high through the canopies of coastal redwood forests, but how the small amphibians stick their landing and take-off with ease remains something of a mystery. A new study reveals the answer may have a lot to do with a surprising mechanism: blood-powered toes.

The narrow, deep holes required for one type of flash memory are made twice as fast with the right recipe, which includes a plasma made from hydrogen fluoride.

According to a new study, self-guided family therapy for obesity could work just as well as traditional approaches at a fraction of the cost.

Research comparing different approaches to dementia care for people with Alzheimer's disease and other dementias found no significant differences in patient behavioral symptoms or caregiver strain, whether delivered through a health system, provided by a community-based organization, or as usual care over an 18-month period -- but did improve caregiver confidence in managing dementia-related challenges.

In the most comprehensive global analysis of genetic diversity ever undertaken, an international team of scientists has found that the genetic diversity is being lost across the globe but that conservation efforts are helping to safeguard species.

A pre-Columbian society in the Amazon developed a sophisticated agricultural engineering system that allowed them to produce maize throughout the year, according to a recent discovery. This finding contradicts previous theories that dismissed the possibility of intensive monoculture agriculture in the region.

Grasslands in Asia and North America differ in their responses to drought, according to a new article. The findings show that differences in the dominant grasses and lower species diversity in the Eurasian Steppe grasslands may make it more vulnerable to drought than the North American Great Plains.

Scientists detected all five nucleobases -- building blocks of DNA and RNA -- in samples returned from asteroid Bennu by NASA's OSIRIS-REx mission.

New research highlights the benefits of combining existing long-term plankton monitoring programs and emerging technologies in monitoring the health of our seas.

Scientists found that asteroid Bennu contained a set of salty mineral deposits that formed in an exact sequence when a brine evaporated, leaving clues about the type of water that flowed billions of years ago.