Vertical Farming Podcast: CEOs & Founders in AgTech and CEA11 Syys 2020

S1E12: David Farquhar - Leveraging Science and Scale

Join Harry Duran, host of Vertical Farming Podcast, as he welcomes back to the show CEO of Intelligent Growth Solutions, David Farquhar. In this episode, Harry and David talk all about the resounding economic and societal impact that Covid-19 has had on the AgTech industry and our daily lives. David shares the amount of science and scale that goes into every aspect of what IGS does as well as some of the latest projects they’re working on, including developing technologies to replicate the weather.

Special thanks to our Season 1 Sponsor

IGS – https://intelligentgrowthsolutions.com/

Vertical Farming Congress

Key Takeaways

02:50 – Harry welcomes David Farquhar back to the show to discuss how Covid-19 has altered the AgTech industry and his business strategy specifically

10:26 – David speaks to the initiatives and innovations that his organization, Intelligent Growth Solutions, has been working on lately

15:42 – David breaks down the amount of science, development, processing power and scale that goes into AgTech

20:42 – What Intelligent Growth Solutions is doing to give back to the community amidst Covid-19

24:54 – David talks about promoting awareness among the next generation about the opportunities that vertical farming provides

32:53 – New models in AgTech that are likely to manifest over the next few years

38:46 – David speculates on the future of technology development at IGS and shares the work IGS is doing with weather and climate technologies

47:56 – A tough question David has had to ask himself lately

Tweetables:

“I am not a fan of the phrase, ‘a new normal.’ I do think that we need to be flexible though. And I think that we’ve probably learned to do several things in a different way, and that’s good. But I am keen to see people actually socially get back together as soon as it’s safe.” (08:16)

“I think if people put their hand on their hearts and were honest with you in this sector, they would probably admit that once you’ve cracked the lighting, the power, the automation and handling, and the irrigation, the thing that is left on the table that is the toughest nut to crack is around the area of ventilation.” (11:14)

“And I have to say we also borrowed a couple of people’s garages. A couple of guys did some amazing work from home. I’d love to think of this as the AgriTech Garage Band.” (13:47)

“You know from our last conversation that we’ve made this promise to the market that we will never grow crops for commercial sale. Our covenant is that we’re a tech vendor, you guys are the farmers, you’re the growers, you know how to do this stuff. We’ll just give you a better set of tools.” (19:52)

“I think that governments have to make a choice between a societal focus or an economic focus and one or the other is going to suffer…I just hope that humanity comes to the fore because, at the end of the day, it’s people that make things happen. We need to look after people.” (24:17)

“Everybody loves everything as a service, whether it’s software, or razor blades or ink cartridges. How about farming as a service?” (34:57

“If there’s something that just works, then why not use it?” (40:06)

“The ability to manage that – the ability to replicate a certain type of weather because that’s the weather that this crop needs – that is the thing that we’ve been working incredibly hard on.” (43:23)

Links Mentioned:

David’s Website

David’s LinkedIn

Intelligent Growth Solutions

Website | Twitter | YouTube

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mentioned in this episode:

2025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews

2025 Precision Ag Report

2025 Precision Ag Report by iGrowNews

2025 Precision Ag Report

Tämä jakso on lisätty Podme-palveluun avoimen RSS-syötteen kautta eikä se ole Podmen omaa tuotantoa. Siksi jakso saattaa sisältää mainontaa.

Jaksot(187)

182: The Importance of Smart Controls in Transforming Greenhouse Operations

Ever wondered if your greenhouse control system is actually helping—or if it’s leaving you in the dark about your energy bills? I’ve been there, and that’s exactly what we dig into in this episode.Joi...

31 Heinä 53min

181: Why Mastering Vapor Pressure Control Holds the Key to Exceptional Crop Quality with David Sandelman

Ever wonder why your plants aren’t thriving—or why your post-harvest yields and terpene profiles just don’t stack up? I’ve been there, and this episode is your shortcut out of the guesswork.This week,...

9 Touko 43min

Precision Agriculture Report 2025: Surprising Patent & Funding Trends - AgTech Digest: Weekly Agriculture Technology News & Deals

📺 Watch on YouTube and SpotifyiGrow News - 2025 Precision Ag Intelligence Report - https://igrownews.com/precisionEpisode DescriptionWhat shook up the world of precision agriculture in 2025? In this ...

20 Huhti 37min

180: Why Focusing on Farming Holds the Key to Real Success in Vertical Agriculture

Ever wonder if vertical farming is more about mastering plant care than chasing the latest tech trend? I do—and in this episode, you'll find out why that's the reality.Join me as I sit down with Andre...

20 Maalis 41min

179: How Eleusis Helps Feed Security and Builds Rancher Resilience During Droughts with Joaquin Gonzalez

Ever feel like droughts, rising costs, or feed shortages are always threatening your ranch’s future? I get it—and so does this week’s guest, who’s engineering innovative solutions for resilient, susta...

5 Joulu 202554min

178: Why Modular Vertical Farming Holds the Key to Scalable Food Security with Fischer Farm's Tristan Fischer

Ever wondered how to scale your vertical farm without breaking the bank—or your nerves?In this episode of the Vertical Farming Podcast, I sit down with Tristan Fischer, CEO of Fisher Farms, one of the...

21 Marras 20251h 1min

177: How Mary Wetherill Discovered the Business Model Shift That Makes Urban Farming Profitable

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve watched passionate urban farmers burn out because their business model wasn’t sustainable—what if there were a better way?This week on Vertical Farming, I sit do...

31 Loka 202556min

176: From Panic to Prevention: Pathogen Management Strategies for Indoor Growers

Are you worried about potential pathogens lurking in your indoor farm's water system or substrate? I've got you covered with insights from an expert in agricultural analytics.I sat down with Taylor Ro...

10 Loka 202546min