James Ryall’s Post

My job is so cool. Today, along with my World Business Chicago colleagues, CEO Phil Clement and VP, Innovation & Venture Nicole McCarthy, as well as City of Chicago Deputy Mayor Kenya K. Merritt and Project Manager Maranda R., I got to tour Clever Carnivore's lab testing facility in #chicago. This startup is taking off like a rocket, having developed a process to grow cultivated meat products from animal cells. We got to be among less than 500 people in the whole country to taste the pork meatballs and brats, and I would put them up against the "real" thing any day. When I think of the massive global issues being addressed by their work, like lessening the environmental impact of meat production and increasing food security, I'm even more impressed. #chicagofoodinnovation #chicagobiotech

𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐲 In 2019, I stood at a critical juncture, faced with a life-altering decision. A prestigious scholarship to study nursing at a renowned university lay before me, shining like a golden ticket. But, something within me whispered, "This isn't your path." With a mix of uncertainty and conviction, I turned down the offer. The reason? My passion for agriculture. 𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐝𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲: Friends and family thought I was crazy. "Why give up a 'secure' future in nursing?" they asked. But I knew that agriculture wasn't just a backup plan; it was my calling. As I delved deeper into the world of agriculture, I discovered a realm of endless possibilities. From sustainable farming practices to innovative ag-tech solutions, the industry pulsed with life. 𝐍𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐭 Today, I'm grateful for that pivotal decision. Agriculture has unveiled opportunities I never imagined: - Empowering communities through sustainable farming practices - Driving innovation in ag-tech and research - Fostering environmental stewardship - Building a network of like-minded changemakers 𝐀𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞: 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐠𝐞𝐦 If I had taken the nursing scholarship, I would have missed out on: - Cultivating food security and sustainability - Exploring cutting-edge agricultural technologies - Connecting with fellow agriculture enthusiasts - Shaping the future of food systems 𝐓𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐝𝐬 If you're facing a similar dilemma, remember: - Listen to your inner voice - Trust your instincts - Explore the unconventional - Embrace the unknown You never know what hidden gems await.

Are you up to date with the latest in agtech and innovation? 🚀 Our latest opportunity update is out tomorrow. Featuring: 👉 4 new research & acceleration opportunities (Department of Primary Industries and Regions, CarbonScribe, AgriFutures Australia and Farmers2Founders). 👉 2 new investment opportunities (The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited) 👉 5 closing opportunities in the next fortnight (AgriBusiness Connect, Global DX Ltd, LaunchVic, DataFarming (Australia) and Fleecegrow). ✍ Sign up and be the first notified. Link in the comments below. ✨ Coming Soon ✨ 7 NEW commercialisation opportunities, from our outstanding catalyst cohort. We can't wait to share these with you soon 💡 Pictured: Fiona Turner, Founder and CEO of Bitwise Agronomy. One of our 7 amazing females founders in the Catalyst Cohort. #agtech #innovation #femalefounders

Thrilled to share this exciting news! 🚀 We are honored to welcome Hartmut van Lengerich to the Agryco family as a Board Advisor for Nexio Research. His deep industry knowledge and strategic vision will be key to driving innovation and growth at PALAM, our real-time agri-benchmarking platform. 🌱 Looking forward to what’s next! #Agriculture #Innovation #SaaS #Growth"

Who should be named the #Agbioscience Innovator of the Year? Now is the time to nominate the leader, executive or entrepreneur who should earn this recognition at the 2025 Mira Awards. AgriNovus Indiana is working with our partners at TechPoint to recognize and celebrate the person who is driving innovation and fueling economic growth by solving some of the world’s biggest challenges in #food, #animalhealth, #plantscience, #AgTech and #agriculture. Nominate the Agbioscience Innovator of the Year before Oct. 15 @ https://lnkd.in/gfEBd-f4

Yesterday, I attended a thought-provoking seminar led by Pat Brown, the brilliant mind behind Impossible Foods. Pat's message resonated deeply with me, reminding us that many climate challenges may seem daunting but are actually solvable puzzles waiting for our collective innovation. Pat's journey is nothing short of inspiring. Long before pioneering Impossible Foods, he carved out a remarkable scientific career, challenging conventions and reshaping paradigms. A prime example is his creation of PLoS, which propelled open-source science into the mainstream, demonstrating his unwavering commitment to driving change. During a transformative sabbatical from his 'dream job,' Pat delved into identifying key climate-associated issues and their potential solutions. It became evident to him that industrial meat production, particularly cattle farming, stood as a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Recognizing the urgency, he shifted focus to developing alternatives, understanding that persuading individuals to embrace change necessitates providing enticing options. What truly struck me was Pat's holistic approach. He not only identifies problems but also explores innovative pathways to resolution that benefit all stakeholders. He's now focusing on how ranchers could financially benefit from transitioning away from cattle farming and towards biodiversity regeneration through carbon credits, showcasing a model for inclusive problem-solving. Pat's insights extend far beyond meat production. He underscores the importance of applying similar strategies across various sectors within the food industry. From dairy products to fish, there are ripe opportunities to replicate these tactics and drive meaningful change. As we navigate the complexities of climate change, Pat's approach serves as a beacon of hope. It reminds us that by aligning incentives, leveraging innovation, and embracing collaboration, we can tackle even the most daunting challenges. I'm eagerly anticipating the transformative solutions that lie ahead. Let's continue the conversation and explore how we can all contribute to a sustainable future. 🌱 #ClimateAction #Sustainability #Innovation #ImpossibleFoods

It’s now been six weeks since I joined CropLife UK, and I've had a great time meeting our members, getting to grips with the policy area and getting to know the brilliant CropLife team! Back in the heady days of April, my priority was to get to grips with the National Action Plan (NAP) and make sure we were prepared to respond to its imminent publication. As of last Wednesday, that work is almost certainly less urgent. We're now thinking about how best to keep the momentum going behind topics we were hoping to see resolved before Parliament’s summer recess once a new government comes in. Of particular interest to me, given my bioscience background, is the Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill, which presents us with opportunities to develop more productive, more sustainable, climate resilient varieties and we don’t want to see it getting lost in the next governments agenda. Thinking beyond the political weather, and toward the political climate, we’re in a very exciting time. In the UK, we’ve not actually *made* policy on PPPs for a generation; we’ve simply implemented EU policy and we're now learning how to regulate effectively on a very different scale, with a different economic and social context. I'm leading our work with policy makers to ensure that all growers have access to the tools they need to produce quality crops, bringing together questions of food security, farm sustainability and land use. Looking further ahead, the effect of technological advances on the sector will be a focus. Precision agriculture and gene editing are moving beyond the “hype” phase and becoming a reality. How do we ensure regulation of these technologies encourages responsible innovation? How do we support growers in their application of new technology? And how do we integrate these into a well established industry ecosystem? There’s lots to think about, and I’m very grateful to everyone who’s taken the time to meet with me and talk through their work. I hope to use the next six weeks to get out on some site visits (wellies at the ready!) and to meet more of our members. If any of the above catches your eye and you have time for a Teams call, or the opportunity for an in person meeting, I’d love to learn more about the sector and your priorities. Please do get in touch!

#lovemyjob I actually can’t wait to have Max Elder over here, in person, talking about #futuresignals in food and fibre. Max is super high energy, knows New Zealand and is a brilliant futurist. The programme for E Tipu: The New Zealand Future Food and Fibre Summit provides space for Max to also run an interactive workshop (which everyone gets to join) on how to interpret future signals: demystifying how to consider the future when developing your business plans. #innovation

In the past two weeks, I had the opportunity to attend two inspiring conferences: one focused on regenerative healthcare from the Rodale Institute (U.S.) and another on produce prescriptions from National Produce Prescription Collaborative. 🌱👩⚕️ The intersection of agriculture and healthcare offers a powerful pathway to systemic change. Here’s why: 1️⃣ How we treat and feed our soil directly impacts the quality of our food. 2️⃣ Nutrient-dense food is best grown in low-till farming systems and sourced locally to prevent nutrient loss during distribution. 3️⃣ Farmers should be recognized and incentivized for caring for the soil and providing nutrient-rich food. By acknowledging food as medicine, we can reverse the many diet-related diseases affecting our society while promoting organic growers. 4️⃣ Food prescriptions, combined with cooking classes, health workshops, and dietitian support, foster real behavioral change. This approach is far more healing in the long run than simply treating symptoms with pills. 5️⃣ With outcome-based payment systems and measurable results, we could link healthy soil to economically viable farming, nutrient-dense local food, and ultimately healthy people. 🧑🌾🥕 Isn't that the future we want? So, why are we hesitant to view food as medicine but comfortable relying on pills? 🤔 Our choices shape the world we live in and the practices we reward. This isn’t a fairytale—it’s already happening in the U.S.! 🇺🇸 I had the pleasure of meeting Erin W. Martin from FreshRx Oklahoma, who has achieved incredible results with their food-as-medicine program. 🌟 Inspired by this, I’m excited to team up with Zuzanna Zielińska from HarvestCare in the Netherlands. 🇳🇱 With her expertise as a dietician and food-as-medicine advocate, and my background in economics and agriculture, we’re launching a living lab to explore outcome-based payments for food prescriptions. The pieces are coming together, and I can’t wait to get this ball rolling! 🚀

  We launched SHRMP.bio in early 2024, inspired by the potential of cellular agriculture and lab-grown meat. Despite initial feedback from industry experts leaning towards short-term goals, we believe in tackling the long-term challenges in food production.   This is why we spend most of our #LaunchClub & The National Agriculture & Food Incubator NAFI time on conducting research on the future of seafood over the next 25 years, work that has mostly been undercover for now - but we presented our findings at the AquaFarm Industry Conference - and more importantly, we realised the opportunity in aquaculture may be even greater than we initially thought.   With a team of international interns and consultants, we developed a high-level development plan over the winter, and with the beginning of Q4 2024, we joined Startmate’s #Buildmate program - with the goal to:  Plan a first prototype for a SHRMPReactor grow-out system - and depending on the outcome, either build it... or start raising money to build it.   Read a bit more about the initial journey here: https://lnkd.in/gcpMs_G9