Apr 8, 2021Survey findings show climate change, soil erosion top ag concerns
Biome Makers, a global agtech company modeling soil functionality, presents the conclusions obtained from the report “2021 Trends and Challenges in Agriculture,” which focuses on key factors concerning various players in agriculture.
The report is based on a survey conducted at the beginning of the year among nearly 100 farmers and agronomists located in the United States, Europe, Central and South America. It includes the voices of different industry players: Ag input manufacturers, retailers and independent agronomists.
According to the study, sustainable practices are increasingly being embraced and implemented by farmers. Cover crops, in particular, are one of the top sustainable management practices that 45% of farmers expressed a willingness to adopt.
Ag-input satisfaction rates have ample room for improvement, given that 84% of farmers expressed that they have not yet found a product with which they are fully satisfied. The costs of ag-inputs weigh heavily on farmers, as 39% selected ag-inputs as one of their top two major operation costs.
Climate change continues to be a considerable challenge this season, causing a variety of issues for 68% of farmers. However, only about a third of them have reported any involvement in carbon farming initiatives.
AgTech has grown in popularity, especially among younger farmers. Nevertheless, 57% of growers of all age groups are eager to try new technologies, but are held back by numerous financial barriers.
For more detailed information, download the full report here. In the report, we relied on the expertise of our participating partners: David Olson (co-owner of Sustainable Growing Solutions), Nate Wall (winemaker at Troon Vineyards), Karbel Montes (plant Nutrition and irrigation expert from Dole) and Brian O’Toole (chairman of Terravesco).
Biome Makers is a global agtech company modeling soil functionality to enhance the productivity of arable soils. The company connects soil biology into decision-making processes in agriculture to benefit farmers and reverse the degradation of arable soils, encouraging carbon sequestration in soil.
Through a soil tech platform, BeCrop, Biome Makers measure the biological quality of the soil and deliver agronomic insights to optimize farm operations. Providing a comprehensive analysis of agricultural and industrial management practices. The applications of functional soil analysis are many; from taking action to improve yields or lower disease risk, to testing the effect of agro-input products and monitoring farm practices.
This technology can also be used to assess the effect of agro-biologicals and different farming practices. We count with more than 12,000 soil samples, and 4.5M microbial references, bringing service to more than 600 clients in 35 countries worldwide.