Rivulis launches software solution for Drip Irrigation

The ag-tech solution from Israel with proven track record in advanced agriculture markets, now will be launched in India and help farmers improve their water use efficiency

Rivulis Irrigation India has announced the launch of “Manna”, a satellite-based software solution to help growers use Rivulis technology efficiently and improve their irrigation and water management. Water management and water conservation bundled with cost of operation have been serious concerns for the Indian farmers.

“How much to irrigate” and “when to irrigate” is the challenge faced by every farmer daily. Manna has been successfully providing site-specific irrigation solutions across advanced agrarian markets of USA, Mexico, Europe, Australia and Brazil, and is now being launched in India to help farmers improve their irrigation and water management efficiencies.

Kaushal Jaiswal, MD RIVULIS INDIA said, “Water is becoming a very precious resource for India and all efforts are going on to increase efficient utilization of every drop of water and increase Water Use Efficiency. Indian farmers are mainly dependent on gut feel when it comes to irrigating their crops. This usually leads to over-irrigation or under irrigation and irrigation-led losses. Till now there has not been a scientific approach towards irrigation and there has been skepticism towards requirement of right amount of water and exact time of irrigation. Manna will help the farmers by accurately forecasting their irrigation requirements and help them reduce irrigation losses, save cost and improve yield.”

To address the issue of “Precise Irrigation”, Rivulis has launched an innovative Manna Irrigation Intelligence Software. Farmers in India who used this software have received excellent results of better yields (quantity and quality) and have given excellent reviews.       

Manna Irrigation Software leverages three types of data—

• Multi-spectral satellite imagery
• Hyper-local, virtual-station weather service
• Crop models (For crop phenology stages)

Using the above three, Manna Irrigation Software provides growers with the following functionality:

• Crop and site-specific Irrigation Recommendations i.e. the amount of water to be applied for that week;
• Historical, current and forecasted weather conditions at the field level, on a daily basis which includes: Maximum & Minimum Temperature, Rainfall, ETO – Reference Evapotranspiration and more, as well as extreme weather alerts delivered to their phones;
• Real time Crop Monitoring Maps /Tools on weekly basis based on Satellite Images which include

For Indian farmers this software is available in mobile App (Both Android and IOS) and web based application is also available. RIVULIS intends to price the app subscription very affordably, so the maximum number of farmers can take advantage of this state-of-the-art technology.

Sudhir Mehta, Director Rivulis India and Israel said, “Agriculture is one sector that has witnessed least innovation and availability of new-age technology. Despite our nation being known as a large agrarian country in the world, we have not been able to attract investment in the sector. Most Indian farmers, due to limitation of land size, have not been adopting and investing in technology and rely majorly on their gutfeel, especially in areas of irrigation and water management. Manna will help the farmers reduce their water and power losses accruing due to over-irrigation and help them improve their yields, thereby resulting in better water efficiency and profitability. The web and mobile based application is available in both IoS as well as Andriod platforms and to ensure that this solution benefits maximum farmers, we have also made SMS facility available for those farmers who are using feature phones.”

“The Company has already approached the Union Ministry of Agriculture and we are eager to collaborate with various State Governments to assist them in monitoring of water usage and conservation. Rivulis and Manna are committed to improving water management and profitability for the farmers and believe that this is an effective step towards the Government’s vision of More Crop Per Drop and Doubling Farmers Income”, he added.

Currently, RIVULIS will focus on markets of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Gujarat, UP and parts of Tamil Nadu, before extending its reach in other leading agrarian markets of the country. It will initially focus on crops like cotton/sugarcane/ pomegranate/grapes and tomatoes and will further expand its crop portfolio to other crops in coming months.

The ag-tech solution from Israel with proven

Terramera raises $45 M to reduce chemicals in agriculture

The funds raised will enable Terramera to scale its technology and transform agriculture while positively impacting the environment and the well-being of people worldwide

Terramera®, an emerging cleantech leader with revolutionary technologies to transform how we grow food, has raised US$45 million in equity funding to advance its Actigate™ Targeted Performance technology. The close of this Series B round was led by new investor Ospraie Ag Science and previous investor Seed2Growth (“S2G”) Ventures.

The funds raised will enable Terramera to scale its technology and transform agriculture while positively impacting the environment and the well-being of people worldwide. Additionally, the company announced the appointment of accomplished executive Jeff Booth as Board Chair and Ospraie Ag Science lead investor and Ag industry veteran Carl Casale to its Board of Directors.

“We are on the path to reduce global synthetic chemical loads in agriculture by 80% by 2030 with Actigate,” said Karn Manhas, Terramera Founder and CEO. “We are grateful for the support of Ospraie Ag Science and S2G Ventures, as they will be instrumental to fulfilling our mission of using technology to unlock the intelligence in nature, ensuring an earth that thrives and provides for everyone.”

Terramera’s Actigate technology significantly improves the performance of active ingredients used in crop protection products, dramatically reducing the amount required. Actigate improves performance of both natural and conventional active ingredients. The result is higher-performing organic biopesticides and less synthetic chemicals in farming. This lowers costs across the system, improves farm productivity and profitability, reduces waste and minimizes environmental impact.

“Terramera has the people, purpose and now the capital in place to transform the industry as a whole and truly impact the world,” said Carl Casale of Ospraie Ag Science. “Terramera’s Actigate platform shifts the paradigm, making biopesticides more effective and competitive. There is also a huge opportunity to create value and reinvent conventional inputs to have greater impact, while reducing cost, waste and effects on the environment.”

“Terramera’s technology fuses AI, science and nature to create game-changing solutions for agriculture and pest control that will better our lives and ensure the sustainable future of our planet,” added Manhas. “We can’t do it alone. We want to work with others who share our vision to accomplish our 2030 goals and accelerate the impact we can have on our earth.”

The funds raised will enable Terramera to

Cooks Venture raises $12 Million

Funded by AMERRA Capital Management, funding round helps advance the capabilities and reach of regenerative farming & slow-growth poultry genetics nationwide

Cooks Venture, a next generation Ag Tech company committed to regenerative agriculture and a truly transparent supply chain, announced the closing of $12 million senior secured financing provided by AMERRA Capital Management, LLC, a private, alternative asset management firm with a focus in agri-business and aquaculture operating companies.

Cooks Venture is establishing regenerative agriculture systems through crop science and genetic IP to build a superior, transparent food system for the future as well as redefining Ag Tech for monogastric animals. The company’s first offerings are pasture-raised, slow-growth, heirloom chickens, the result of a nine-figure investment which has taken over a decade to come to fruition.

In order to increase the use of regenerative farming and further develop crop science, Cooks Venture will use the funding to expand their processing capabilities, lead farmers in the transition to regenerative processes, and work with leading agroecologists to improve and innovate industry practices.

Cooks Venture is now the only independent genetics company of scale in the world. The sole purpose of the business has been to develop the best, slow-growth, heirloom chickens available nationwide with a focus on better animal welfare and regenerative agricultural systems. This is supported through propriety poultry genetics and crop science technology developed by Cooks Venture and its acquisitions.  

Cooks Venture was founded on the scientific principle that sequestering 1% more carbon into the soil on agricultural lands could help reverse climate change. The company operates on four pillars of regenerative agriculture: better soil health, increased biodiversity, the use of integrated pest management, and better energy use. Following these tenants reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers that harm ecosystems and destroy soil fertility which, in turn, lowers energy consumption and decreases carbon emissions.

“Our goal is to use crop science and state-of-the-art technology to build regenerative processes and change our current food system while mitigating climate change. We’re starting with the most impactful and prolifically eaten food in the world – poultry,” said Matthew Wadiak, founder and CEO of Cooks Venture. “AMERRA was an ideal partner for us and their provided financing will help us achieve our near-term growth objectives and allow us to expand our capacity to serve B2B and direct consumers nationally.  Our financial adviser, Ivan Saval, also played an important role in sourcing and structuring this financing transaction.” 

“We strongly support Cooks Venture and its dedication to improving the agriculture ecosystem through scientifically proven regenerative practices and innovation,” said Chris Chapman, Managing Director at AMERRA. “Matthew’s impressive background in the food and technology industries, combined with his drive to create lasting change in the agriculture space, will surely solidify Cooks Venture as a household name.”

As a result of this funding round, the company has opened a completely renovated, start-of-the art, air-chilled processing facility, officially allowing Cooks Venture to be able to produce up to 700,000 slow-growth, heirloom chickens per week.

Mr. Wadiak continued, “Most importantly, this financing will give us the opportunity to further shape how regenerative farming is used within the larger agriculture space and help farmers who are looking to get more involved, all while providing consumers with responsible food choices driven by our proprietary systems.”

Cooks Venture’s mission seeks to improve and bring innovation to the American food system. They are redefining how agriculture technology and genetics for monogastric animals interact in developing better practices to create economies of scale for farmers which in turn provide profitable returns for farmers and private business.

National Securities Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of National Holdings Corporation, acted as financial advisor to Cooks Venture, Inc. in connection with the financing. 

Funded by AMERRA Capital Management, funding round

Rouge River Farms certifies all US Operations with EFI

This marks the 30th certification for EFI, which partners with growers and retailers to create a more transparent food chain, safer food and healthier places to work

Equitable Food Initiative (EFI )announced that Rouge River Farms, which specializes in tray-packed and year-round sweet corn, now has all of its U.S. operations EFI certified. In May 2018 Rouge River Farms was the first company on the East Coast to earn an EFI certification, and now the company completes its nationwide EFI certification effort.

This marks the 30th certification for EFI, which partners with growers and retailers to create a more transparent food chain, safer food and healthier places to work. Rouge River Farms’ operations in Florida, Georgia and Virginia have now met more than 300 rigorous standards to earn EFI certification, based on independent assessment conducted by third-party certifier SCS Global Services.

“Through EFI’s workforce development and certification program, Rouge River Farms has demonstrated its commitment to the principles of the Ethical Charter on Responsible Labor Practices,” stated Bonnie Holman, sustainability program manager in SCS’s food and agriculture division. “Accountability, increased transparency and responsible labor practices are the guiding principles of the charter, which is why SCS has endorsed this industrywide effort. Companies like Rouge River Farms should be applauded for their leadership in these arenas.”

Rouge River produces the only EFI-certified sweet corn, which is available featuring EFI’s Responsibly Grown, Farmworker Assured^® label in select Costco Wholesale locations east of the Mississippi River. Farmworkers receive a bonus from each Rouge River sweet corn purchase made at Costco.

“EFI is so much more than an audit. It is a holistic approach that transforms the way workers interact. I have seen how EFI can make a company better,” remarked Margaret Stuart, senior compliance manager at Rouge River Farms. “After the EFI Leadership Team training, I saw an increase in productivity among the workers in our facility. I saw their behaviors and expectations of one another change, and saw that they were taking more pride in their work.”

In its first four years of operation, EFI has worked with 21 grower-shipper companies on 64 farm locations, covering 38 produce commodities and impacting more than 33,000 farmworkers.

This marks the 30th certification for EFI,

Bühler expands insect portfolio by mealworms

The yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) offers interesting market opportunities in predominantly food applications

Bühler has developed a string of technologies and capabilities to offer total rearing and processing solutions for the insect industry. “Our proposition to the market is to support the industry through solutions that produce and process a range of insect species,” says Andreas Aepli, CEO Bühler Insect Technology Solutions. The first industrial black soldier fly plant has already opened in June this year. Bühler is now in the execution of a new facility for a second species, the yellow mealworm. 

Livestock production, especially the pig industry, is under enormous pressure because the already tight margins continue to decline – in particular in Europe. While retail prices for pork have remained broadly stable, farm gate prices for pigs have plunged to levels where many producers are struggling to break even. Furthermore, production costs are on the rise, since grain prices have increased substantially, and feed makes up 75% of the cost to produce pig meat. That is why the number of pig producers, who have already de-stocked or are leaving the industry completely, is rising. These producers are now looking for alternative but more sustainable businesses, in which they can leverage their animal farming skills.

First project for the new species

A first project has been started in the Netherlands with a farmer who already worked on the concept of producing yellow mealworm in an old pig farm. Bühler will now support the project and design, installation and commissioning of a complete mealworm production facility in a 2,300 square-meter facility. “With this project we will set the bar on modularized mealworm production in an automated and hygienic way,” says Andreas Aepli, CEO Bühler Insect Technology Solutions. 

“Our technological solutions can be readily integrated into existing farms, but larger-scale facilities can also be realized. Once the first plant is completed and producing profitably in the Netherlands, it will offer livestock farmers an alternative option for gaining a sustainable business with attractive margins.

Yellow mealworm as an alternative

The yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) offers interesting market opportunities in predominantly food applications. They have a great nutritional value which includes proteins, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibers. Thus, they are already used in various food products with very attractive marketing concepts. While the mealworm market has shown significant growth in the last years, the global market size is predicted to even exceed its current growth rate. In addition, mealworm farming could offer a new and stable production and commercialization outlook for farmers.

Another interesting aspect of mealworm farming is the resource use. Mealworms can grow on for instance wheat bran and rice husks, by-products that many existing Bühler customers produce and could get increased value out of.

Globally, the pressure on protein is rising fast as the worldwide population is expected to rise to nearly 10 billion by 2050. The global supply of protein is under pressure due to land erosion, ocean depletion and climate change. Alternative proteins are in high demand and innovative sources such as algae, funghi, single-cell bacteria as well as insects are on the rise. Insects offer one of the biggest potentials as they can be produced anywhere in the world and can be used almost directly as a high-quality source of nutrition and protein.

The yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) offers interesting