Heemskerk and Alltech collaboration working towards a cost-effective solution for rising ammonia levels

[DIESSEN, the Netherlands] – The agriculture industry in the Netherlands has been heavily hit by demands to reduce nitrogen (N₂) emissions. Following a Council of State judgment, the Dutch government is now looking at how the agricultural industry can play a role in reducing overall nitrogen emissions, such as ammonia and nitrous oxide, from cows and manure.

Following last week’s declaration of a “climate and environmental emergency”, by the European Parliament, farmers and the agriculture industry can lead the fight against this crisis. Global animal health company, Alltech^®, has partnered with Dutch dairy nutrition company, Ingenieursbureau Heemskerk^®, to develop a solution. They are collaborating on a new technology, specifically designed to improve protein utilisation and reduce ammonia emissions in dairy cattle. Heemskerk intend to bring this product to the market in the near future.

“We need to ensure that we get the most out of the protein in our animal feeds and use the latest technologies to reduce agriculture’s ammonia emissions. Producing more and better quality food, whilst at the same time reducing waste, aligns with Alltech’s vision for a Planet of Plenty™,” explained Robbie Walker, business development manager, Alltech.

“Our partner, Heemskerk, is working to create a solution that can empower farmers in the Netherlands to make a real contribution to solving some of the environmental impacts created through agriculture while working towards new, sustainable dairy production practices,” added Walker.

An additional solution to treat ammonia in manure storage facilities is also being developed. Adding a feed solution to the daily ration of cows, coupled with a manure storage facility treatment solution, could potentially see a reduction of 38 kilotons of ammonia (NH₃) per year.

“Speed and agility are essential if farmers are going to have a positive impact in the fight to reduce nitrogen emissions,” said Eric Heemskerk, founder of Heemskerk. “By collaborating with Alltech, we are working to create a cost-effective solution to the ammonia crisis that can be easily deployed. Ultimately, the product we will be bringing to market is backed by science, and we look forward to empowering farmers to make a real difference.

Over 50 mycotoxins can be tested for by the Alltech 37+ Laboratory

[DUNBOYNE, Ireland] New and emerging mycotoxins can now be analysed by the Alltech 37+^® Laboratory. In total, five new mycotoxins have been added to the testing panel, bringing the total number of detectable mycotoxins to 54. These new additions further increase the understanding of mycotoxin occurrence and the potential risk to animal performance.

Emerging mycotoxins refers to mycotoxins that are neither routinely analysed nor legislatively regulated. However, research has shown more evidence of their increasing incidence and potential toxicity to animals. The emerging mycotoxins analysed by Alltech 37+ include beauvericin; moniliformin; enniatins A, A1, B and B1; phomopsin A and alternariol. Fusaric acid also features in this emerging mycotoxin category.

“The Alltech 37+ mycotoxin analysis test is the cornerstone of the Alltech Mycotoxin Management program,” explained Nick Adams, global director, Mycotoxin Management, Alltech. “We now test for 54 mycotoxins. With this new analytical capability, Alltech is better equipped to understand how contaminated feedstuffs might impact animal performance and health.”

Due to their toxic properties, mycotoxins are a concern for livestock producers, as they can impact feed quality as well as animal health and performance. A world leader in mycotoxin management, Alltech’s 37+ test results provide a realistic picture of mycotoxin contamination in feed ingredients or total mixed rations, speeding up the process of diagnosis, and suggest effective remediation and help move toward an effective mycotoxin control plan.

“Since adding these mycotoxins to our analytical capabilities, we have already seen a high frequency of samples with these contaminants,” explained Dr. Patrick Ward, Ireland Analytical Services Laboratory manager, Alltech. “As we test more samples and accumulate more data, we will strengthen our understanding of these mycotoxins.”

Between Alltech’s 37+ mycotoxin analytical services laboratories in Lexington, Kentucky, and Dunboyne, Ireland, they have run over 30,000 samples, each searching for up to 54 mycotoxins in animal feed.

For more information on mycotoxin management, visit knowmycotoxins.com.

[LEXINGTON, Ky.] – The challenges associated with the ever-increasing global population have made it more important than ever for the agri-food industry to be able to perform at its full potential. Inclusion and diversity in the workforce are essential to shaping a sustainable future — and yet, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the gender gap in the food and agriculture industries is extensive. To gather real-world insights into the professional landscape for women in agriculture, Alltech has announced its support of an industry-wide survey.

Launching on Sept. 10, this global survey, which will be conducted in partnership with AgriBriefing, aims to collect feedback about the barriers that impede progress and to identify the resources needed to ensure workplace equality. The survey is open to women and men across all sectors of the agri-food industry, and the results will be revealed at the Women in Food & Agriculture Summit, to be held Dec. 3–4, 2019, in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

This collaborative effort to reach across sectors and geographical boundaries in an attempt to improve the industry’s outlook reflects Alltech’s vision for a Planet of Plenty™. During ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference, held in Lexington, Kentucky, in May, Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech, outlined the company’s vision for a future with enough nutritious and safe food for the rising population, with our environment and resources preserved for future generations. A diverse and inclusive workforce is among the most valuable of those resources.

“It is my experience that the most effective organizations embrace diversity and support inclusion,” said Dr. Lyons. “The food and agriculture sectors include many talented female leaders, and we need to make sure young people see themselves represented and can envision a future career in the industry. Through this industry-wide survey, we hope to gain a better understanding of the challenges facing women in ag and identify opportunities for growth.”

Women and men in all sectors of the food supply chain are encouraged to contribute to this important global conversation about gender equality in agriculture by taking the survey here.

For more information on the Women in Food & Agriculture Summit, visit wfasummit.com, and join the conversation on social media using #WFA19.     

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Download image: https://photos.alltech.com/pf.tlx/7Sj7qh7lTATTt

Caption: Alltech announces industry-wide survey on women in agriculture.

Contact: press@alltech.com

Lauren Dozier

Corporate Communications Manager

ldozier@alltech.com; 1-859-351-8892  

Jenn Norrie

Communications Manager, North America

jnorrie@alltech.com; 1-403-863-8547

About Alltech:

Founded in 1980 by Irish entrepreneur and scientist Dr. Pearse Lyons, Alltech is a cutting-edge technology company in a traditional industry, agriculture. Our products improve the health and nutrition of plants and animals, resulting in more nutritious products for people as well as less impact on the environment. 

With expertise in yeast fermentation, solid state fermentation and the sciences of nutrigenomics and metabolomics, Alltech is a leading producer of yeast additives, organic trace minerals, feed ingredients, premix and feed.

Together, with our more than 5,000 talented team members worldwide, we believe in “Working Together for a Planet of Plenty™.” With the adoption of new technologies, the adaptation of better farm management practices and the ingenuity inherent in the human spirit, we believe a world of abundance could be ours.

Alltech is a private, family-owned company, which allows us to adapt quickly to our customers’ needs and stay focused on advanced innovation. Headquartered just outside of Lexington, Kentucky, USA, Alltech has a strong presence in all regions of the world. For further information, visit www.alltech.com/news. Join us in conversation on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.                

[DUNBOYNE, Ireland and OOSTERSINGEL, the Netherlands] – InTouch, the award-winning feed management platform, and UNIFORM-Agri, one of the world’s leading herd management software providers, are pleased to announce an exciting new data-sharing collaboration, empowering dairy farmers with cutting-edge insights and herd management tools.

Each day, InTouch manages the feeding of over 300,000 cows in 37 countries worldwide. As part of the animal health and nutrition company Alltech, InTouch puts particular focus on providing farmers and nutritionists with the most relevant insights and analytics for delivering optimum nutrition to the herd. Creating a link between InTouch and UNIFORM-Agri’s herd management platform to automatically share herd data will further enhance the value of insights that can be provided. This collaboration will also reduce the need for manual input of data and ultimately enable both farmers and nutritionists to work together to make more informed herd-management decisions.

“At InTouch, we continually strive to evolve and deliver the best service to our customers,” said Conan Condon, director of InTouch. “Collaboration is a key part of this, and we are delighted to now work with such a respected name like UNIFORM-Agri to enhance our user experience. Together, we can provide the most effective insights and ensure that the herd’s diet can be quickly adapted to any changes in milk output.”

This desire to provide the best service possible is shared by UNIFORM-Agri, which for decades has been working together with dairy farmers globally to improve management efficiency.

“With UNIFORM-Agri, we want to support dairy farmers and their suppliers worldwide with the best and most user-friendly software solutions that help to build a profitable and sustainable business,” said Harm-Jan van der Beek, managing director of UNIFORM-Agri. “Working together with a partner such as InTouch helps us to achieve the goal of making it easier for the dairy farmer to gain more insights into the herd, leading to better results.”

Tests of varying scientific nature and credibility are widely alleged to have the ability to differentiate between good and bad organic trace minerals (OTMs). The basic parameters that can be analyzed include mineral percentage, nitrogen-to-mineral ratio, percent of bound mineral, molecular weight, bioavailability and stability. While some of these analyses can provide meaningful and valuable information about defined or individual products, understanding the limitations of these tests is critical if they are to be successfully applied in the assessment of OTMs.

Mineral percentage

Accurate quantification of the total mineral content of OTMs is routinely used by all manufacturers, and cost comparisons between OTMs will consider this when calculating their relative value. Total mineral content, however, gives no information regarding OTM bioavailability and, as such, is limited in terms of calculating the true relative value of a product.

Nitrogen-to-metal ratio

Calculating the molar ratio of nitrogen to metal can be a useful way to assess glycine-based chelates. When assessing more complex products, such as proteinates, the nitrogen-to-mineral ratio will not give an accurate reflection of the true potential for mineral bonding. More complex amino acids can bind metal atoms through their side chains via sulfur and oxygen atoms. As there is no involvement of nitrogen in this side chain bonding, it is possible to underestimate the potential for binding by only considering the nitrogen-to mineral ratio. The nitrogen content of various products can also be artificially inflated, giving the false impression of a product with high nitrogen-to-mineral ratio.

Solubility

It is often asserted that an OTM must be soluble to be bioavailable, but many peer-reviewed publications have shown that insoluble OTMs have the potential to be more bioavailable than their soluble counterparts. An evaluation of OTM solubility will be of little benefit unless one considers the effects of the digestive processes and the changing pH environment within the GI tract.

Molecular weight

Numerous claims have been made about comparing OTMs based on size, and these claims erroneously indicate that a smaller-sized bonding group creates a more stable and more bioavailable OTM. Correlating the molecular weight of an OTM with its stability constant indicates quite clearly that, rather than size being of critical importance in generating a stable OTM, the type of bonding group is of far greater significance.  

Bioavailability

In vitro lab-based assays, which attempt to assess bioavailability, have been developed, making use of cell culture-based assay systems that can determine the transfer and uptake of minerals across cellular membranes. These techniques, however, can’t accurately reflect the influence of digestion on the OTM. As such, their value when comparing different products is limited.

Stability

When we talk about the stability of OTMs, we are referring to the bond strength that exists between the bonding group and the mineral; the greater the bond strength, the more stable the product. Polarography can be used to assess the bond strength of OTMs — but polarography is only suitable to test materials in solution and can only assess the soluble fraction of organic mineral products. OTMs are increasingly solubilised as a result of the in vivo conditions of the GI tract, so the results of the polarographic tests alone should be interpreted with caution.

Percent of bound mineral

Historically, determining the percent of bound mineral required utilizing filtration through a low-molecular-weight membrane. The mineral retained behind the filter was assumed to be bound, while the mineral in the filtrate (solution) was assumed to be unbound. Such methods, however, are subject to manipulation, as changing the pH of the buffer can cause precipitation and lead to false estimates of the true bound mineral percentage.

The only validated assays that fully quantitate the bound mineral level of an OTM utilize techniques known as ATR-FTIR (attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared) and PXRD (power X-ray diffraction) and were developed by researchers at Alltech’s European Bioscience Centre.

The first assay uses a form of infrared (IR) spectroscopy to measure the bound mineral percentage, whereas the second assay uses a form of crystallography to measure the unbound mineral level. These two assays are complementary to each other, and both are peer-reviewed and published. In the case of the IR assay, this was independently validated and verified by the Central Reference Laboratory (CRL), which reports directly to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

Conclusion

While simple tests based on mineral percentage, nitrogen-to-mineral ratio, molecular weight, bioavailability and stability are used by different manufacturers, these tests only provide limited information about individual products and are not suitable for comparing different classes of product. If products will continue to be compared through these tests, understanding their limitations is critical.

The only validated assays to assess mineral chelation are based on the use of techniques known as ATR-FTIR and PXRD and were developed and validated by researchers at Alltech’s European Bioscience Centre. 

Click here for more information on Alltech's Mineral Management program. 

References:

Byrne, L. A., Hynes, M.J., Connolly, C.D. and Murphy, R.A. (2011) 

Analytical determination of apparent stability constants using a copper ion selective electrode. Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry, 105(12):1656-1661.

Byrne, L.A. (2010) Analytical assessment of peptide-metal interactions and subsequent stability. Ph.D. Thesis. Dept. of Biology, National University of Ireland, Maynooth, Ireland.

Cantwell C, Byrne L, Connolly C, Hynes MJ, McArdle P, Murphy RA. (2017)

Quantitative assessment of copper proteinates used as animal feed additives using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) analysis. Food Addit Contam Part A Chem Anal Control Expo Risk Assess. 2017 Aug;34(8):1344-1352.

Murphy R.A. (2018) Organic Trace Minerals: Optimised Stability Enhances Bioavailability International Animal Health Journal Vol 5 (2) 28-32

Murphy, R.A. (2018) Minerals, Meals and Molecular Malnutrition: How Mineral Form Can Impact Feed Quality and Cellular Health. International Animal Health Journal Vol 5 (1) 42-46

Murphy R.A. (2015) OTM bond strength, relative stability

Feedstuffs July

Murphy, R.A. (2010) Drilling into mineral analysis – structure and stability explained. All about feed Vol 1 (4) 21-23

Murphy, R., (2009).  Chelates: Clarity in the confusion. Feed international January/February 22-24.

Call for nominations is open until July 31, 2019

Winners will be profiled and recognized on the mainstage of ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference (ONE2020)

[LEXINGTON, Ky.] – Today’s headlines seem dominated by doom, forecasting a future of inevitable and imminent disaster. At ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference (ONE19), however, Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech, shared Alltech’s new vision of “Working Together for a Planet of Plenty™.”

“We envision a world of abundance, made possible through new technologies and management practices and the world’s most valuable infinite resource — human ingenuity,” said Lyons. “This vision calls for a new era of collaboration. A Planet of Plenty is an invitation to work together, across industry sectors and geographical boundaries, to create a place where animals, plants and people thrive in harmony.”

Agriculture is uniquely positioned to address some of our world’s most challenging issues, including food insecurity, malnutrition, pollution of air, water and land, climate change, inequality and energy. No other industry has the potential to have a more positive impact on the planet.

To inspire a collaborative spirit and foster ingenuity, Alltech will be sharing the compelling stories of the people and technologies making a Planet of Plenty possible. Alltech has also created an award program to honor those who are already making positive contributions through their work, either in or with the agri-food sector.

The Planet of Plenty Awards will recognize those who are furthering a world of abundance through education, talent development, nutritional and digital technologies, new management practices, innovative ideas and human health within the agri-food sector. The eight award categories include:

• Farmer
• Student
• Educator
• Journalist
• Nonprofit
• Community
• Business
• Startup

“Our own journey may be unique, but if we work together, our destination can be the same: A Planet of Plenty in which there is enough nutritious food for all, the world’s resources are responsibly managed for future generations, and our people, animals and plants thrive,” said Lyons. “These Planet of Plenty Awards celebrate those who have courageously embarked on that journey and are blazing new trails.”   

Awards recipients will be profiled via video and blog or podcast. Each winner will also receive a trip for two to ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference (ONE2020), held in Lexington, Kentucky, on May 17–19, 2020, and will be honored on the conference mainstage.

The Planet of Plenty Awards nomination form is available online and is open until July 31, 2019. Join the conversation on social media using #PlanetofPlenty.  

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Contact: press@alltech.com

Susanna Elliott

Head of Communications

suelliott@alltech.com; 1-859-473-2696

Photo Caption (download by copying this link into your browser): https://photos.alltech.com/pf.tlx/tQytlCtIap5E

The Planet of Plenty Award nominations are open until July 31, 2019. The recipients of the awards will be profiled via video and blog or podcast and receive a trip for two to ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference (ONE2020), held in Lexington, Kentucky, on May 17–19, 2020.

About Alltech:

Founded in 1980 by Irish entrepreneur and scientist Dr. Pearse Lyons, Alltech is a cutting-edge technology company in a traditional industry, agriculture. Our products improve the health and nutrition of plants and animals, resulting in more nutritious products for people as well as less impact on the environment. 

With expertise in yeast fermentation, solid state fermentation and the sciences of nutrigenomics and metabolomics, Alltech is a leading producer of yeast additives, organic trace minerals, feed ingredients, premix and feed.

Together, with our more than 5,000 talented team members worldwide, we believe in “Working Together for a Planet of Plenty™.” With the adoption of new technologies, the adaptation of better farm management practices and the ingenuity inherent in the human spirit, we believe a world of abundance could be ours.

Alltech is a private, family-owned company, which allows us to adapt quickly to our customers’ needs and stay focused on advanced innovation. Headquartered just outside of Lexington, Kentucky, USA, Alltech has a strong presence in all regions of the world. For further information, visit www.alltech.com/news. Join us in conversation on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.                

Presentations include mainstage pitches from the 2019 cohort of The Pearse Lyons Accelerator

[LEXINGTON, Ky.] – ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference (ONE19) brought together more than 3,500 producers and industry experts from 68 countries to share insights and explore solutions for today’s most pressing issues in agriculture and beyond. The 35th annual symposium featured more than 100 speakers providing their unique perspectives on over 60 topics. Their presentations are now available on the Alltech Idea Lab.

Available ONE19 presentations include:

• Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech – Planet of PlentyTM: A Vision for the Future
• The Pearse Lyons Accelerator, featuring ag-tech startups from around the world
• Focus sessions on beef, dairy, poultry, pig, aquaculture, crop and equine topics, in addition to business, health and wellness, the future of food, and brewing and distilling

Empowering the next generation of ag-tech entrepreneurs to contribute to a Planet of Plenty™, The Pearse Lyons Accelerator was founded in 2016 to support the advancement of all aspects of ag-tech. This mentorship program was designed by Alltech’s founder, the late Dr. Pearse Lyons, as a launchpad for food and ag-tech

industry disruptors. It provides late-stage startups with opportunities to develop ideas related to agriculture, food and ag-tech.

The Pearse Lyons Accelerators who took to the mainstage at ONE19 include:

• SomaDetect (Canada): An in-line sensor that measures every critical indicator of dairy quality (i.e., fat, protein, somatic cell count, progesterone and antibiotics) from every cow at every milking.
• SwineTech (United States): The world’s leading solution for reducing piglet crushing and pre-weaning mortality, as well as for monitoring sow health.
• Breedr (United Kingdom): The world's first app for livestock farmers that uses shared data to optimize yield, quality and profitability.
• Biome Makers (United States): Measuring crop health and functional biodiversity by using DNA sequencing and intelligent computing.
• Colabriq (United Kingdom): Bringing real-time data from the entirety of the food supply chain directly into business systems.
• TERRA NutriTECH (Ireland): Adding precise amounts of feed supplements into the water systems on farms, reducing labor and improving returns.
• InTouchGo (Ireland): An online feed management solution for dairy farmers.

ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference (ONE2020) will return to Lexington, Kentucky, USA, on May 17–19, 2020, commemorating Alltech’s 40th anniversary. Visit one.alltech.com for more information and to register for the low rate of $595.

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Contact: press@alltech.com

Jenn Norrie

Communications Manager, North America

jnorrie@alltech.com; +1-403-863-8547

Maria Daly

Communications Manager, Europe

mdaly@alltech.com; +353 86 466 9554

CEO Dr. Mark Lyons invites collaboration across industries, geographies for new technologies and practices that will improve the well-being of our world and all of its inhabitants

[LEXINGTON, Ky.] – In closing ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference, Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech, shared his new vision for the company and invited the ONE conference’s more than 3,500 attendees to join in “Working Together for a Planet of Plenty™.”

Thirty years ago, his father, Alltech’s founder Dr. Pearse Lyons, took the stage at the same conference. He had committed Alltech to a guiding ACE principle, emphasizing the importance of delivering benefit to animals, consumers and the environment. He fervently believed that the well-being of each depended on maintaining harmony between all three. It was a radical idea at the time — so radical, that some customers walked out of the conference.

Yet, against a backdrop of diminishing natural resources, a changing climate and a growing population, sustainability is quickly becoming a non-negotiable for businesses and for agriculture. Every business and individual has a role to play, moving us closer to a planet of peril or of plenty.

“With the adoption of new technologies and management practices, and, most of all, human ingenuity, we believe a Planet of Plenty is possible,” said Lyons. “Our Planet of Plenty vision propels our founding ACE principle into a new world of possibility, where anyone and everyone can make a positive impact on our shared planet.”

Agriculture has frequently become the scapegoat for climate change. Yet, no other industry has the potential to have a more positive impact on the Earth than the original stewards of the land.

“Agriculture is the only industry that can sequester carbon through its primary mission,” said David Butler, Alltech sustainability manager. “There are several low-tech management practices and high-tech innovations that can put carbon back into soils and forests and produce more food in the process.”

A new website, PlanetofPlenty.com, provides examples of agricultural methods that can improve the environment as well as inspiring stories of the people and technologies making a planet of plenty possible.

“From the Israeli lawyer who is using CRISPR to solve one of poultry’s biggest challenges to the Irish entrepreneur reducing spray drift through magnetic technology, there are compelling stories of people who are discovering new approaches and developing technologies that shape a more positive future,” said Orla McAleer, chief marketing officer for Alltech. “As we tell their stories, we want to encourage greater adoption of sustainable practices, but, most of all, we hope to inspire more ingenuity and a collaborative spirit.”

Stories can be shared on the Planet of Plenty website or on social media with the hashtag #PlanetofPlenty. Alltech will also be recognizing farmers, students, entrepreneurs, businesses, nonprofits and communities that are putting the power of agriculture to work to create a Planet of Plenty.

“To create a more abundant world, we must collaborate across industries and geographies, and discover, test and apply new ideas,” said Dr. Lyons. “Our personal journeys will be unique and diverse, but if we work together, our destination can be the same: a Planet of Plenty in which there is enough nutritious food for all, the world’s resources are responsibly managed for future generations and the environment is safe for people, animals and plants to thrive in harmony.”

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Contact: Susanna Elliott, Alltech PR

press@alltech.com; +1-859-47-2696

About Alltech:

Founded in 1980 by Irish entrepreneur and scientist Dr. Pearse Lyons, Alltech is a cutting-edge technology company in a traditional industry, agriculture. Our products improve the health and nutrition of our plants and animals, resulting in more nutritious products for people as well as less impact on the environment. 

With expertise in yeast fermentation, solid state fermentation and the sciences of nutrigenomics and metabolomics, Alltech is a leading producer of yeast additives, organic trace minerals, feed ingredients, premix and feed.

Together, with our more than 5,000 talented team members worldwide, we believe in “Working Together for a Planet of Plenty™.” With the adoption of new technologies, the adaption of better farm management practices and the ingenuity inherent in the human spirit, we believe a world of abundance could be ours.

Alltech is a private, family-owned company, which allows us to adapt quickly to our customers’ needs and stay focused on advanced innovation. Headquartered just outside of Lexington, Kentucky, USA, Alltech has a strong presence in all regions of the world. For further information, visit www.alltech.com/news. Join us in conversation on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.                

The world is facing many sustainability challenges, including food insecurity, depleted water resources and natural disasters like increased flooding and wildfires. Additionally, as the middle class continues to grow, we will need to produce 60 to 80 percent more food, including more animal protein, by 2050 — and all with less water and land.

Despite these seemingly insurmountable odds, Ramez Naam, co-chair of Energy and Environment at Singularity University, believes that the Earth is actually on the path to becoming a Planet of Plenty™ and that agriculture has a critical role to play.

“What if we could go further than just limiting harm (to the planet)?” he asked during ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference (ONE19). “What if farmers could be heroes? What if agriculture could help us beat climate change?”

Winds of change: Exponential technologies on-farm

Agriculture has already made great strides with innovations like better seeds, smarter farming practices, more efficient animal nutrition, and increased monitoring and collection of data. The amount of land needed to feed each person has been dropping for decades, as farmers have discovered new ways to produce more with less. We are also currently using less water per person than at any point since World War II.

Naam said that exponential technologies are allowing for even more progress. As these technologies evolve, they become more prevalent, cheaper and democratized, allowing people around the world to utilize them. Wind and solar in particular have the potential to positively impact our energy consumption.

“Winds of change are coming, here comes the sun — however you want to say it, change is coming to the world of energy,” he said.

Importantly, producers around the world are finding ways to integrate these technologies into existing farming practices to create symbiotic relationships with plants and animals for more sustainable agriculture, including:

• Grazing cattle and other livestock alongside wind turbines and solar panels.
• Utilizing solar panels to shade vulnerable plants and to offer respite to animals.
• Adding these technologies to fallow land to create additional revenue streams on-farm, with the added bonus of revenue that is less volatile and can act as a buffer during difficult times.

These practices are complementary to others, such as regenerative agriculture and no tillage, tree intercropping and managed grazing.

Ripple effects, from the animal to the consumer to the environment

Naam pointed out that taking steps to improve agricultural sustainability is also critical for consumers, who are willing to pay more for a product that’s sustainable. What was once a preference is now a demand. There is a perception, he said, that “sustainable” also means “healthy.”

These conversations between different stakeholders and industries are essential for progress, especially as preferences and expectations evolve. Collaboration will be key to helping our planet flourish.

By utilizing our greatest resource, human innovation, Naam is optimistic that agriculture can help create a world of abundance “not by doing more — by doing smarter.”

“Ideas are the only natural resource that we always have more of over time, not less,” he said, “and that’s why I’m an optimist.”

I came across a quote recently that struck me as very powerful. It said, “The solutions to some of our most complicated problems are often too simple to believe. We either don’t carry the courage to implement them or we doubt the power of simplicity.”

Chris Zook, best-selling author and advisory partner at global management consulting firm Bain & Company, joined us at ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference (ONE19) to discuss the critical role of simplicity in business and the importance of embracing the founder’s mentality.

According to Zook, the Founder’s Mentality^® was created through the convergence of three factors:

1. The speed of change in the world, which can change business strategies and decisions in a plethora of ways. Interestingly, two-thirds of executives recently surveyed reported believing that their main competitor in five or six years will be a different company than the one they primarily compete against today.
2. Despite the widespread feeling that we are currently experiencing a period of high growth rates and low unemployment levels, in reality, only 9 percent of companies worldwide have achieved even a modest level of sustained and profitable growth over the last decade. While bursts of growth are common, sustaining growth is rare.
3. The results of five years of researching and studying thousands of companies showed that, right now, more than 80 percent of breakdowns in the marketplace (e.g., bad product launches, losing market share in key segments, failure to be as innovative as key competitors) can be traced back to pre-existing, internal conditions that, very likely, could have been easily remedied by the company itself.

The paradox of growth

Growth is a key factor to measuring the success of a business, but Zook pointed out that, ironically, “growth creates complexity, and complexity is the silent killer of profitable growth.” Along with co-contributor James Allen, Zook developed the concept of the founder’s mentality, which is based on the idea that companies can become global leaders without losing the principles that first led them to success.

It’s worth considering that successful companies are often considered revolutionary in their respective industries when they make their debuts. They are quick to adapt, make decisions and forge ahead. Their primary focus is their customers, and they deeply value simplicity. However, as many companies begin to grow and achieve scale, they lose sight of the core set of beliefs and values that originally helped them prosper, and this is generally when significant problems begin to arise. Zook and his colleagues’ research has shown that the majority of the handful of companies that have sustained 10 or more years of continued, profitable growth have either maintained or restored (as was the case with Starbucks) their founder’s mentality.

Success from the inside out

As Zook noted, “Strategic problems outside often reveal deeper challenges and the root causes of breakdown inside.” The Founder’s Mentality approach outlines three primary indicators of a business’ deep internal health and preparedness for the challenges of growth, with Zook stating that a company is 15 to 20 times more likely to be a top performer if they present and value these elements:

1. Front-line obsession: Every founder starts as an employee on the front line, as was true with our own Dr. Pearse Lyons. He was the first person in the office every morning, and he knew the company and the science behind our products better than anyone. He was Alltech’s first salesperson, and he never stopped thinking of himself as such. Many innovative ideas stem either from working directly with customers or through observations from front-line employees; it is exactly these employees, however, who often begin to feel the most alienated as companies grow. A company’s biggest advocates should be the people on the front line of the business.
2. A sense of insurgency: Many founders simply start with an innovative idea and a team of passionate people. Insurgency involves building for the long-term and establishing a mission that everyone in the company understands and finds inspirational. Unique capabilities are also instrumental. According to Zook, only 13 percent of American business employees report feeling very inspired in or by their workplace. Companies with a bigger percentage of employees who report feeling inspired are often well-rewarded, as motivated staff will generate far more energy and innovation for a company than their unmotivated counterparts.
3. The owner’s mindset: The founder is also typically the owner of the company and sees the business as their baby. As organizations grow, however, founders and their employees often begin to lose that sense of pride and ownership, which is critical because it translates into a willingness to take responsibility, rather than hiding from blame, which can happen often in large, bureaucratic organizations. The owner’s mindset involves a distaste for all types of politics that differ from the founders’, but which contaminate businesses. It also involves an obsession with speed — to act and make decisions with a sense of urgency. When organizations begin to neutralize these integral aspects, they become vulnerable to younger, more invested insurgents.

Four final thoughts

Zook concluded his presentation with the following recommendations:

1. Over-invest in your insurgency and what makes you unique and more than “just another company.” Create mini-founder experiences that allow you to empower and strengthen your workforce.
2. Use the Founder’s Mentality to assess the inner health of your company. Bake its elements into how you measure yourself.
3. Launch periodic assaults on excess complexity, which is the silent killer of profitable growth and employee energy.
4. Use micro-battles to create microcosms of the future. Accelerate the speed of focused innovation and scale across the organization.

He also shared the “Day 1” philosophy of Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos as a prime example of how to maintain a founder’s mentality: “Day 2 is stasis. Followed by irrelevance. Followed by excruciating, painful decline. Followed by death. And that is why it is always Day 1.”