Pigs in the Fields Don’t Stand a Chance - Introducing Agrology’s New Pig Cages
For growers who are worried about wild animals or tractors destroying their in-field technology, we have your back. And, we now share your strong dislike of wild pigs.
Setting New Standards for In-Field Measurement Accuracy: Cross-Validated Emissions Data Enables Informed Decision Making for Farmers, CPG brands, and Stakeholders
At Agrology, we are advancing the frontier of environmental science with a focus on refining novel, low-cost approaches for gas flux measurement, an endeavor that is critical for effective Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) in agriculture. Our efforts are geared towards enhancing the accuracy of quantifying soil carbon and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. We utilize the power of cross-validation to ensure our systems perform reliably across various conditions.
Nature's Medicine Cabinet: The Nexus of Climate Change, Public Health, and Secondary Plant Metabolites
As we confront the realities of climate change, the role of secondary plant metabolites (PSMs) in imparting resilience to crops becomes increasingly important. Climate change is expected to intensify both biotic and abiotic stressors on crops, leading to reduced yields and compromised crop quality. Secondary metabolites offer a buffer, enhancing a plant's innate ability to withstand these stressors. For example, certain metabolites can help plants tolerate drought conditions or resist temperature fluctuations, thereby securing agricultural productivity in an increasingly unpredictable climate.
Thoughts on 100 Years of Growth, Innovation, and Progress with the USDA
This year commemorated the centennial anniversary of the USDA's Agricultural Outlook Forum, which reflected a century of agricultural growth, innovation, and progress in the United States. I attended this year’s forum, with Agrology board advisors, Devry Boughner Vorwerk and Mark Linder. We met with leaders and discussed the forthcoming evolution of agriculture. The focus was on paving the way for sustainable growth in international trade, while also combating climate change through innovative farming practices.
O'Neill Vintners: The Intersection of Winemaking and Environmental Innovation
In the wine industry, O'Neill Vintners & Distillers carves a niche that is as bold as it is sustainable. Their story isn’t just about turning grapes into wine; it's about revolutionizing the very ground those grapes grow on, turning the age-old practice of winemaking on its head by diving deep into the soil beneath.
Regenerative Agriculture - A Big Tent
Recently, I had the privilege of attending EcoFarm Conference in Monterey, California, and immersing myself in a wide tapestry of expertise and insights. Throughout the conference, we explored the worlds of regenerative and organic agriculture: from the intricate workings of soil health, to the deeper philosophies and ontologies that underlie the regenerative movement.
It’s Time to Rethink Soil Carbon and Greenhouse Gas Measurements in Agriculture
The reliability of conventional models used to gauge soil carbon levels and sequestration in agriculture is facing well-deserved scrutiny from experts and academics. Agrology addresses that accuracy concerns of models as a measurement tool and asks the question is it time to make the transition to real-time, ground-truth soil carbon measurement?
The Easiest Way to Track Volumetric Water Content as the Heat Rises
As summer heats up and we approach harvest, being efficient with water is incredibly important. I work with growers and help them take advantage of the powerful features available in the Agrology app. One of those features is volumetric water content (VWC). As heat rises, so does the importance of knowing how tightly the soil holds water.
Extreme heat is coming. Here are VPD strategies to help growers prepare.
Protecting the grapes had to be done at the right time and using the right intervention. Real-time data was the key to perfecting the timing. Customers received Agrology alerts that the vapor pressure deficit (VPD) would be extremely high in certain vineyard blocks, meaning that crops were at risk of severe yield reductions, or damage to the grapes on the vine.
Friday Fun with Soil Carbon Flux Calculations
By Adam Koeppel, CEO, Agrology - Since the launch of the Arbiter Soil Carbon Monitoring System, Agrology CEO has spent more time looking at CO2 concentration data to refine Agrology’s flux calculation formulas. This blog outlines how Agrology’s carbon flux calculations work.
Broken Carbon Credit Markets Threaten the Future of Farming. For Farmers, the Path to Profit is Ground-Truth Data.
By Adam Koeppel, CEO, Agrology - Farmers can lead the world in sequestering carbon and they can ramp up fast. But they have to at least break even on regenerative practices to make this happen. It's time to empower farmers with data they need to profitably adopt regenerative agriculture, reverse climate change, and secure our food supply. It’s time to fix the broken carbon credit markets.
IOT, AI, Machine Learning and…Statistics?
By Kevin Kelly, Co-founder, Head of Software, Agrology - It’s easy to get excited about the state of applied Machine Learning (ML) and artificial intelligence (AI) today. The power of frameworks like Keras/Tensorflow and PyTorch, built on the ubiquitous and approachable language Python, have empowered engineers who have the will (and some Google Fu) to create things that were impossible just a few years ago.
Why Solving Farming’s Biggest Issues Requires a New Approach to Technology
By Tyler Locke, Co-Founder and CTO, Agrology - Agriculture is one of the most complex industries with respect to deploying technology. Extreme factors like weather, animals (yes, feral pigs in vineyards are a problem) and large farming equipment can make deploying a networked solution extremely difficult. That is why traditional farming technology is complicated. It results in platforms that only the largest farmers can afford. Until one day my friend and Agrology co-founder, Adam Koeppel, and I decided we could build a better smart agriculture platform.
Growers, Do You Have the Tools To Navigate a Changing Climate?
Climate change is impacting farmers at an alarming rate. Given this complexity, why are there different technologies to manage each threat? Agrology built one system to capture data on the ground, in the canopy and in the air. Data is reported in an easy-to-use app and we’re developing a trail of data to prove regenerative farming practices and carbon sequestration work.
Agrology is officially a public benefit corporation!
Agrology has created a new type of sensor technology that enables growers to access ground truth data in their field at a fraction of the costs they’re used to. This enables farmers to see in real-time what is happening under the surface and in the air to proactively address issues before they become big problems.
The Science of Smoke - What The Phenol?!
This article focuses on smoke taint; its chemistries, impacts and mitigation strategies. In this series we’ll start with broad science and focus specifically on crops where adverse reactions to the presence of smoke during their growth, harvest or processing are most pressing.
Smoke Taint Detection
Wildfires continue to pose a threat to winemakers around the world due to the adverse effects of smoke exposure on flavor. At Agrology, we’re focused on helping scientists, growers and viticulturists better measure, predict and mitigate these negative impacts.