10 Teams Seeking Top Prize in Ag Innovation Challenge

Ten innovative startups focused on solving agriculture's greatest challenges are seeking the top prize of $100,000 in the 2027 Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge. The American Farm Bureau Federation, in partnership with Farm Credit, is proud to promote rural entrepreneurship and agriculture innovation through the Challenge.

"Farmers and ranchers count on innovation to produce the safe and sustainable food, fuel and fiber our country relies on," said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. "Farm Bureau takes great pride in offering outstanding entrepreneurs an opportunity to showcase their technology and services that will help sow the seeds of a better, brighter future for all of agriculture."

The Ag Innovation Challenge, now in its 13^th year, is an opportunity for entrepreneurs to showcase their solutions to the dynamic challenges facing American agriculture. Farm Bureau is offering a total of $145,000 in start-up funds throughout the course of the competition.

The 10 semi-finalist teams encompass the breadth of American agriculture, spanning across different sectors and states. The semi-finalist teams are:

• Animal Deterrent Solutions - Texas
• Clean Label Solution - New York
• Clear Grain Co. - Kentucky
• Gilly - California
• Good Agriculture - Georgia
• Nave Analytics - Nebraska
• Rootline Robotics - New York
• Seismi - Nebraska
• Swinergy - Minnesota
• URMRKT - Oklahoma

This fall, the competing semi-finalist teams will pitch their companies virtually as they look to advance to the final round held at the AFBF Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina. The top four teams that advance from the virtual round will each receive $10,000. The final pitch competition will be held on Sunday, January 10^th in front of a live audience of Farm Bureau members and industry representatives. The winning team will walk away with a $90,000 prize (total of $100,000), and runner-up will receive a prize of $15,000 (total of $25,000).

Farm Bureau recognizes and supports these cutting-edge businesses with generous funding provided by sponsors Farm Credit, Bayer, John Deere, Farm Bureau Bank, Farm Bureau Financial Services, Google, T-Mobile, and ClearPath.

To learn more about the Challenge, visit fb.org/challenge.

Press Contacts

Mike Tomko
Director, Communications
(202) 406-3642
[email protected]

Bailey Corwine
Communications Manager
(202) 406-3643
[email protected]