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Indigo Ag and Truterra team to drive farmer adoption of sustainability programs
Sustainable agriculture companies Indigo Ag and Truterra are teaming up to accelerate farmer adoption of carbon sequestration programs.
The companies are developing a common framework for agriculture sustainability programs focused on data aggregation and standardization. The collaboration is meant to provide farmers with more clarity into which sustainability program best suits their farming operations, leaning on Truterra’s network of ag retailers to drive confidence in these initiatives.
“Working together, we can address the confusion among farmers and other value chain participants as they navigate multiple, often incompatible, ag sustainability programs that undermines trust in the market and results in the loss of value,” Ewan Lamont, head of Indigo’s sustainability solutions business, said in a statement. “This is an important moment for the maturity of the market for agriculture sustainability solutions.”
The two companies are looking to create a common data management and quantification platform “to address the pain points for farmers and other participants in the agricultural sustainability space,” according to a statement.
Going into the 2025 crop season, the partnership will focus on expanding access to carbon credit opportunities through Indigo and Truterra networks. The companies will also expand their scope 3 programs for companies seeking to reduce emissions within their grain and livestock ingredients supply chain.
Almanac acquires Gro Intelligence IP, assets
Global farm data management provider Almanac said it acquired the intellectual property and assets of Gro Intelligence, a once-promising startup that closed its doors earlier this year.
The deal gives Almanac the world’s largest agriculture and climate-related database. It also extends the company’s capabilities into areas including farm insurance, lending, trading and CPG procurement.
Almanac, formerly Semios, rebranded itself last month as it looks to accelerate growth through acquisitions. The company bought Agworld, Altrac and Centricity in 2021, and the purchase of Gro Intelligence assets represents a “quantum leap” in Almanac’s technological capabilities, CEO Sumer Johal said in a statement.
“By integrating Gro’s robust AI-powered data platform within our own, we are aiming to enhance our ability to deliver actionable insights across the global agricultural sector, driving sustainability and productivity for agriculture professionals everywhere,” he said.
Gro Intelligence shuttered in May after failing to secure enough capital, according to AgFunder News. In 2021, the startup made waves after it secured $85 million in funding from backers including Intel Capital.
Bayer develops a new digital platform for fruit and vegetable growers
Crop sciences giant Bayer said it has developed a new digital platform to simplify data collection for fruit and vegetable growers, part of an expanded partnership with Orbia’s precision agriculture business Netafim.
HortiView is meant to unify digital tools for fruit and vegetable growers, who often have to switch between multiple software applications in order to get a holistic view of their operations. A group of advisors are currently testing the new tools in advance of a broader release.
Orbia Netafim, one of the leading drip irrigation manufacturers in the world, has developed irrigation insights available on the HortiView platform. Growers will also be connected to Orbia Netafim’s irrigation operating system GrowSphere.
“Digital technology offers tremendous value in horticulture, but those digital tools rarely work together,” Chris Pienaar, fruit and vegetable digital new value lead for Bayer’s Crop Science division, said in a statement. “Bayer and Orbia Netafim can address these pain points and provide growers with a platform that can generate tailored recommendations specific to their unique environments, cultivation practices, and crops.”