PODCAST: Ag Embraces Disruptive Technology

John Deere (NYSE: DE), the world’s largest farm equipment maker, unveiled a fully autonomous tractor at the Consumer Electronics Show 2022 in Las Vegas. This week’s Ag+Bio+Science podcast presented by AgriNovus Indiana comes from the expo.

AgriNovus Chief Executive Officer Mitch Frazier discussed the future of farming technology with Igino Cafiero, CEO of Bearflag Robotics, which was recently acquired by Deere.

“This is all about increasing the productivity of the individual farmer, right? Allow farmers to do more with less. And autonomous tractors are really just an extension of that. How can we empower growers to do more with less,” said Cafiero.

Deere says the driverless tractor will be available to a limited number of farmers later this year.

The Indiana Economic Development Corp. also took part in CES, sharing an exhibit with the Indy Autonomous Challenge. The IAC held a head-to-head race in Las Vegas.

Frazier talked with Dave Roberts, IEDC’s Chief Innovation Officer, about Indiana’s adoption of technology and its role in the future.

“It’s so important to Indiana because as we think about where the state is going, where technology is going, it’s intertwined,” said Roberts. “The strengths that we’ve had historically around manufacturing, agriculture, life sciences, they’re all being disrupted by transformative technology.”

Roberts says the state needs to show it’s “in the game” and ready to show the Hoosier State is at the forefront of disruptive technology trends.

Listen to the full Ag+Bio+Science podcast when it comes out Monday morning. Click here to check out the full lineup of Inside INdiana Business podcasts hosted by Gerry Dick.