Last Chance to Register for Ag 2.0 and Water 2.0

This is your last chance to register for next week’s groundbreaking Agriculture 2.0 Global Investments and Water 2.0 Investment Summit in Toronto. 

Click here to view the newly updated list of expert speakers.

The investor community is coming out in force for Ag 2.0!

Rub elbows with investment officers and real assets managers from CPPIB, OMERS, IFC, TIAA-CREF, Eastern Illinois University Foundation, University of California Regents, Wake Forest University Endowment, Allstate, Adveq, Farm Credit Canada, and ATB Financial, representing a total of over $928B AUM. At the conference, you will have the opportunity to break bread and have an intimate conversation with some of the great minds in the responsible real assets and sustainable innovations space today.

 Sign up to sit down to lunch with these experts: 


Fred Luckey, EVP Sustainability & Innovation, Bunge North America
Michel Orloff, President, The Ambika Group 
Garth Hodges, Global Head of M&A, Bayer CropScience
Mary Law, Senior Investment Officer, Wake Forest University Endowment
Mark White, Head of Real Assets, Albourne Partners
Jud Hill, Managing Director, NGP Global Adaptation Partners
Lukas Casey, Principal Investment Officer, International Finance Corporation
Nicholas Parker, Founder, Cleantech Group
Steve Yuzpe, CFO, Sprott Resource Corp.
Bruce Kahn, Director, Senior Investment Analyst, Deutsche Bank
Ralf Oberbannscheidt, CEO, Lead Portfolio Manager, Global Thematic Partners
Klaus Deininger, Lead Economist, Development Economics Group, The World Bank
Dominic D’Amours, Director, Sustainable Development, Pineridge Group
Disque Deane, Co-Founder & CIO, Water Asset Management

To see the full list of attendees for Agriculture 2.0 Global Investments and Water 2.0 Investment Summit click here.

Don’t miss your chance to add these seasoned veterans to your network.

Register now for three full days of unrivaled networking, intensive education, and concrete investment opportunities in global natural resources!

Ag Chat Spotlights Investing at the Intersection of Agriculture and Technology

Smart, Smaller Scale Plays Land Private Equity Fund Comfortably in the Catbird Seat

By Marc Dresner, IBC Life Sciences

Michael Curry, managing partner at Investeco Capital, has carved out a plum investment niche in Canada’s burgeoning “intelligent agriculture” market for his firm and its clients.

While big private equity funds tend to concentrate on big deals with big companies to the tune of tens of millions, Investeco frequently takes minority stakes ($2-3 million) in early-mid-stage, modest players ($7-10 million rev.) who turn a tidy profit on a promising product with substantial growth potential.

“We don’t have a lot of competition for deal flow,” Curry told Ag Chat. “There is so little capital looking into these areas in Canada that the door is open when we go to see these companies.”

“These entrepreneurs are doing very well; they’re not prepared to sell half the company at this stage,” Curry added. “We like people who think long-term and not in short cycles. These businesses have to have compelling reasons to be around for a long time.”

Investeco’s fund pours expansion capital into agricultural and environmentally sustainable interests in four main areas: water, energy, food and technology.

According to Curry, the sweet spot often rests at the intersection of agriculture and technology: GPS navigation for tractors, variable rate application for seeding and fertilizer, UV water filtration, etc.

“To grow in a sustainable, economical manner going forward, [agribusiness is] going to have to increase yields and crops. We are going to have to use less energy doing so. We are going to have to use less water,” said Curry. “So we see tremendous opportunity in the marriage of technology and agriculture production.”

In this edition of Ag Chat, we’ll also explore:


• The trend toward de-commoditized, value-add food production


• The resurgence of local, resilient supply chains


• Why Wal-Mart is now selling organic milk…

Listen to Part 1.

Listen to Part 2.

Download the transcript.

Editor’s note: Michael Curry will be featured on a distinguished panel titled “Making AG Investments Responsible for a Sustainable Future” at the AG 2.0 Global Investments Conference in Toronto, Canada November 7-8, 2011.

For more information or to register, please visit www.ibclifesciences.com/globalaginvesting

ABOUT AG CHAT
Ag Chat is an executive interview series featuring the business experts, investors and entrepreneurs at the forefront of sustainable agriculture. Each episode explores the trends, technologies and drivers shaping the world of sustainable agriculture today.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR/INTERVIEWER
Marc Dresner works closely with IBC Life Sciences as a communication lead. He is the former executive editor of Research Business Report, a confidential newsletter for the market research industry. He may be reached at mdresner@iirusa.com. Follow him @mdrezz.

Massively Underpriced Post-Soviet Agriculture Market Promises Huge Returns

“AG Chat” Explores Eastern Europe's Enormous Investment Potential

For nearly 20 years, George Rohr and his partners have been gradually, meticulously nudging a sleeping giant—and cultivating what may be the most fertile agriculture investment opportunity on the planet.

Shortly after the fall of the Soviet Union, NCH Capital (Rohr is co-founder and president) began investing in Russia, Ukraine and post-Soviet Eastern Europe, whose black-earth belt ranks among the world’s greatest—and least optimized—agricultural resources.

“There is a massive shortage of capital that prevails across asset classes, across the geography and across eleven time zones,” said Rohr, who noted NCH has concentrated on bringing “some of the most productive farmland in the world back into productive capacity.”

NCH is today one of the largest Western investors of institutional capital in farmland and agribusiness assets in the region. Rohr says the quality of these assets wasn't the only attraction; they’re also ridiculously undervalued.

Before the Bolsheviks, this land constituted the Old World’s breadbasket. And after being mismanaged and relatively neglected for the better part of the 20th Century under the Soviets, Rohr says the new, progressive governments under whose stewardship this agricultural treasure fell opened the door to Western investors.

But Western investors have been slow to throw in, in cases preferring to cast lots with other emerging markets like Brazil and China—in no small measure due to innacuracies perpetuated by Western media, according to Rohr.

Consequently, NCH has been able—by direct purchase or lease—to acquire, aggregate and operationalize roughly 700,000 hectares of prime farmland in Russia, Ukraine and other Eastern European countries at a fraction of their actual value.

In this candid “Ag Chat” interview, George Rohr will:

• Outline NCH's approach to agriculture investment in Russia, Ukraine and Eastern Europe

• Provide an overview of infrastructure and transport issues

• Address misconceptions with regard to property rights, transparency, governance, etc. facing prospective investors, and much more...

“You are going to see increasing diversification in [Russia and Ukraine] away from natural gas, oil and other harder natural resources as a source of foreign revenue toward agricultural commodities. This sector really is the sleeping giant for both countries,” said Rohr.

“There are great returns to be made from riding the elevator from the fourth subbasement to the ground floor,” he added, noting the market is maturing, and opportunities like this don't come often or last forever.

Listen to Part 1.

Download a transcript of Part 1.

Listen to Part 2.

Download a transcript of Part 2.

Editor’s note: “Ag Chat” is produced by the AG 2.0 Global Investments Conference scheduled November 7-8, 2011 in Toronto, Canada.

For more information or to register, please visit www.ibclifesciences.com/globalaginvesting.

If you would like to hear more from George Rohr, he will also be featured at the 20th Annual Public Fund Boards Forum December 11-13 in New Orleans. Click here for details.

ABOUT AG CHAT
Ag Chat is an executive interview series featuring the business experts, investors and entrepreneurs at the forefront of sustainable agriculture. Each episode explores the trends, technologies and drivers shaping the world of sustainable agriculture today.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR/INTERVIEWER
Marc Dresner works closely with IBC Life Sciences as a communication lead. He is the former executive editor of Research Business Report, a confidential newsletter for the marketing research industry. He may be reached at mdresner@iirusa.com. Follow him @mdrezz.

Last Chance to Save On the Agriculture 2.0 Global Investments & Water 2.0 Summit

We were just taking a look at the Agriculture 2.0 Global Investments conference and the Water 2.0 Investment Summit attendee list and we were surprised not to see your company represented. Just a reminder that this Friday, October 7, is your final chance to save up to $300 on your registration for both events.

Don’t miss out your chance to build your ag portfolio, strengthen your knowledge make real connections with individuals from the following companies:
 
Agrebon
Agri Neo
Agriculture & AgriFood Canada
Agriculture Financial Services
Albourne Partners
Ambika Group
Apsara Capital LLP
AquaSpy
Assiniboia Capital
Avac Limited
Avalon Capital Group
Avrio Ventures
Banyan Water
Bayer CropScience
Berwind Private Equity
Best Tech Brands LLC
Bioenterprise Corporation
Boenning Scattergood
Bonnefield Financial
Bunge Ltd
Burcon Canada Pension Plan Investment Board
Cirrus Partners
Cleantech Group Converted Organics
CPP Investment Board
Cultivian Ventures
Deutsche Bank
Dow Agrosciences
Dow Chemical Company
Eastern Illinois University Foundation
Ecomundi Ventures
Emerald Technology Ventures
Emergent Asset Management Ltd
Enterprise Saskatchean
Evergreen Bio ceuticals
Farm Credit Canada Sustainable
Food Lab Syngenta
Foreign Affairs Canada
General Mills
Global Finance GR
Global Thematic Partners
Greenrock Asset Management
groPartners Farm & Land Management
Growth5 Llc
GSF Capital Hendrick Agrifoods
IBM Big Green Innovations
Industrial Development Corporation
Investeco
Israel Cleantech Ventures
Joanne Moores
John Todd Ecological Design
Keynote
Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers
Land Masses
Marrone Bio Innovations
Meidlinger Partners, LLC
Mercer
Ned Goodman Investment Counsel
NGP Global Adaptation Partners
O2 Environmental
Oberon
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture
Oxfam
Parthenon Capital
Pineridge Foods
PlantForm Corporation
Proteak
RBC Capital Markets
Sail Ventures
Solaroof
Soy 20/20
Sprott Asset Management LP
Summit Global
TIAA CREF
True North Venture Partners
Truetrac Llc
UC Regents University of California
Virgin Green Fund
Vive Nano Inc
Wake Forest University
Water Asset Management LLC
Welcome Trust
Wellington west
World Bank
WWF Smartgear
XPV Capital  

To see the full agenda for Agriculture 2.0 Global Investments click here

To see the full agenda for Water 2.0 click here

Register today and gain critical insight into responsible real assets investments worldwide.

Mercer's Strategic Asset Allocation Report Available from Agriculture 2.0

Our year-round online community is currently sharing ideas and educating themselves on new strategies and hot-button issues surrounding global water and agriculture investments. Ag 2.0 followers have access to the #AgChat podcast series, as well as special speaker-driven content from reports and white papers and more.

This valuable content provides a preview of what you will experience at the Agriculture 2.0 Global Investments conference and the Water 2.0 Investment Summit in Toronto, November 7-9.


The Climate Change Report
 Mercer, together with 14 leading institutional investors and industry thought leaders around the world, has been working for over a year on this market-leading research into the implications of climate change for markets and investors.

Click here to download The Climate Change Report: The Impact of Climate Change on Strategic Asset Allocation 

Elisabeth Bourqui, Mercer’s Head of Responsible Investments for Canada, will be a speaker at the Agriculture 2.0 Global Investments Conference in Toronto.

AgConnect networking platform 

We are constantly building the preeminent group of investors, industry executives, policy makers, innovators, expert analysts and forward-thinkers with an interest in scarcity-driven investment opportunities including sustainable agriculture and water. Next week we will launch the first-ever AgConnect networking platform that will allow confirmed attendees of the conferences to schedule meetings onsite, exchange contact information and ideas, and more.

For a full list of speakers and confirmed attendees, visit our websites at www.ag20global.com and www.water20summit.com.

For more information, DOWNLOAD THE AGENDA 

Save up to $300 – CLICK HERE to register before October 10! 

* If you are interested in more visibility or sharing your perspective as a speaker, please contact Terri Sobol at +1-646-895-7473 or tsobol@agriculture20.com.

 We look forward to seeing you in November!

Back to School (& Back to Work) Special: Final Week to Save Up to $400 on Ag & Water 2.0!

Now that summer is coming to a close and harvest season is upon us, we want to make sure that your fall calendar includes a couple of important events. The Agriculture 2.0 Global Investments Conference and Water 2.0 Investment Summit will take place November 7-9 in Toronto, and this is the final week to take advantage of a savings of up to $400.

 By booking the three full days of 2.0, you can:
 • Vet investment opportunities in global farmland and commodities, agribusiness and agrifood, water equities and infrastructure, and jury-selected proprietary technologies.*
 • Strengthen your knowledge on ag strategy, water rights, technology adoption, mechanization, risk management, socially responsible investments, foreign investment protection and regulation, ESG reporting, and more.
 • Network with the major players in global agriculture and water investing with speaker-hosted roundtable discussions, cocktail receptions, regional wine tasting, lengthy breaks and luncheons

Water and Ag can also be booked separately.

Click here to register now. 

100+ Investors, Fund Managers, Agribusiness Executives, and International Game-Changers Already in Attendance, Including: 

 • Fred Luckey, EVP Responsible for Sustainability and Innovation, Bunge North America
 • Usha Rao-Monari, Global Head of Water, Global Infrastructure and Natural Resources, International Finance Corporation
 • Amol Deshpande, Partner, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers
 • Garth Hodges, Global Head of M&A, Bayer CropScience
 • Elisabeth Bourqui, Head of Responsible Investments for Canada, Mercer
 • Jigar Shah, CEO, Carbon War Room • Mary Law, Investment Officer, Wake Forest University Endowment
 • Biff Ourso, Director of Global Private Markets, TIAA-CREF
 • Steve Yuzpe, CFO, Sprott Resources Corp.
 • Larry Ruud, CEO, One Earth Farms
 • Jim Taylor, Partner, Avrio Ventures
 • Susan Payne, CEO, Emergent Asset Management
 • John O’Neill, Director, Investment Trade Policy, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
 • David Henderson, Managing Director, XPV Capital
 • Jack Levy, Partner, Israel Cleantech Ventures • Evan Lovell, Partner, Virgin Green Fund • Klaus Deininger, Lead Economist, Development Economics Group, The World Bank
 • Mikhail Orlov, President, The Ambika Group

Click here to download the full agenda and conference program. 

Visit our websites at www.ag20global.com and www.water20summit.com for the most up-to-date list of speakers.

Kate Westfall, our Conference Director for the 2.0 Conference Series is now on Twitter. You can follow her @agrikate!


 Get Involved: 

 Ag & Water 2.0 Venture Fairs: 
There are limited spots remaining in the venture fairs at Ag and Water 2.0! Click here to apply for the opportunity to present your business or proprietary technology to the most targeted group of like-minded investors and industry executives assembled in one room.

Speaking Opportunities: There are also limited speaking opportunities available. If you are interested in sharing your perspective or gaining more exposure at Ag 2.0 Global Investments or the Water 2.0 Summit, please contact Terri Sobol: +1-646-895-7473, tsobol@agriculture20.com.

Agricultural “Sustainability”: Buzzword or Metric for Investment?

AG Chat Interview Cleaves Fact From Fad in Sustainable Ag

By Marc Dresner

Question: Which one of these things is not like the other ones?

A. This summer, PepsiCo published its first sustainable agriculture brochure and subsequently announced plans for an initiative along similar lines.

BUT PepsiCo Director of Sustainable Development Dan Bena was quoted thus: “Comparatively, the environmental part is going to be easy to solve because there the technology exists to improve farming practices… The economic aspect will also be relatively easy because we already have examples of improvements we’ve made there. But the most difficult part will be tackling the social element, because there we will probably have to supersede what’s technically available locally.” (Source: eMoney Daily)

B. The USDA recently announced that in 2012 it will award grants to “farmers and ranchers with innovative ideas for improving operations through sustainable agriculture practices.” (Source: Drovers CattleNetwork)

C. Last week, former McDonald’s subsidiary Chipotle Mexican Grill in partnership with country music legend Willie Nelson released an animated short in support of sustainable agriculture suggestively titled “Back to the Start”—with Nelson covering Coldplay’s “The Scientist”—promoting free-range, “natural and organic” products. (33,000-plus views as of this post.)

Answer: D. All of the above...and....none of the above?

How is it possible that a trend the likes of sustainability, which has preoccupied climatologists, ecologists, biologists and evironmentalists, captured corporate imagination and venture capital attention, corralled the interests of regulators and politicians, alike, and attained international popular support in the hearts and even the wallets of average people, could still be subject to such a wide range of interpretation?

Clearly the concept of sustainability, while highly fashionable, isn’t as simple as it seems; it’s rife with misunderstanding and vulnerable to the whims of misguided good intention and ignorance as much as it is to profiteers and environmental poachers. (In cases, they are one and the same.)

In this edition of AG Chat, independent consultant, scientist and agribusiness expert Steve Savage dispels some common misconceptions with regard to sustainability and discusses the importance of removing uncertainty from the equation by quantifying sustainability. Getting the metrics right will be key!

Listen to this episode of Ag Chat here.

Download a transcript of our interview here.

Editor’s note: Steve Savage will be speaking on The Surprising Barriers to Agricultural Sustainability at the 2.0 Global Investments Conference taking place in Toronto, Canada, November 7-8, 2011.

For more information or to register, please visit www.ibclifesciences.com/globalaginvesting

ABOUT AG CHAT
Ag Chat is an executive interview series featuring the business experts, investors and entrepreneurs at the forefront of sustainable agriculture. Each episode explores the trends, technologies and drivers shaping the world of sustainable agriculture today.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR/INTERVIEWER
Marc Dresner works closely with IBC Life Sciences as a communication lead with a background in trade journalism and marketing. He is the former executive editor of Research Business Report, a confidential newsletter for the marketing research industry. He may be reached at mdresner@iirusa.com. Follow him @mdrezz.

USDA estimates 8,400 US Jobs for Every $1 billion raised from Agricultural Exports

With the economic hardships American’s are now facing, there are only so many financial solutions we can create. However, among the ever growing list of problems, we also have our ever growing population. As of this July, the estimated population for our planet has reached 7 billion. With that, comes a drastic growth in resources obtained. Consuming and maintaining these resources efficiently will be a challenge. Both farmers and consumers must develop a way to use these resources effectively in order to maintain a constant supply.

Researchers recently teamed up with Nourishing the Planet and traveled to countries all across Africa. Their results prove to be successful. “Nourishing the Planet's research in Africa has unveiled innovative and cost-effective approaches to agriculture where farmers are treating land as a resource rather than solely as a means for food production. Many of these solutions are scalable and can be adapted to farming systems around the world.”

Many people also overlook the fact that the demand for agriculture produces a lot of jobs. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsak estimates that the demand for exports will be historical in 2011. “USDA estimates show 8,400 jobs are created in the United States for every $1 billion raised through agricultural exports.” Farmer’s markets are an easy way to promote local products and also encourage healthier lifestyles. “A study of the Springfield Farmers’ Market by the Lane Coalition for Healthy Active Youth in 2010 found that during the three years of market operation, customers reported an increase in the consumption of fruits and vegetables due to enhanced accessibility.”

I think as we continue to look for answers to help consolidate and solve our national debt, we will start to discover all of the opportunities that our Agriculture Industry has to offer.

For more information or to register, please visit www.ibclifesciences.com/globalaginvesting

Comedian Paul Rodriguez, Water and Agriculture No Joking Matter

In this 2009 video, comedian Paul Rodriguez reflects on breaking bread with Cesar Chavez, being a farmer and having been a migrant worker, and puts a Latino perspective on the water shortage crisis and farming.

Definitely worth a view:

Agricultural Technology Sector Primed to Explode!

AG Chat Interview Series Explores Opportunities & Investment In The Fertile Technology Bioeconomy

Some of you may recall the high-tech boom that began in the late 80s/early 90s when the IBMs, Apples, Unisys’s and Honeywells of the world unleashed a torrent of major innovation.

Well, it appears the agricultural technology sector is on a similar trajectory and may be about to break out in spectacular fashion.

According to Dave Smardon, President and CEO of Bioenterprise Corporation, ag tech is in the “embryonic” stage—teeming with innovations that may revolutionize everything from fuel to pharmaceuticals—and the venture capital community is watching closely.

In this episode of AG Chat, Smardon takes us on an in-depth tour of the burgeoning bioeconomy: Which technologies to watch? Who’s investing? Exit strategies? Deal size?

Listen to this episode of Ag Chat here.



Download a transcript of our interview here.

Editor’s note: Meet Dave Smardon and his colleagues from Bioenterprise at the Ag 2.0 Global Investments Conference taking place in Toronto, Canada, November 7-8, 2011.

For more information or to register, please visit www.ibclifesciences.com/globalaginvesting

ABOUT AG CHAT
AG Chat is an executive interview series featuring the business experts, investors and entrepreneurs at the forefront of sustainable agriculture. Each episode explores the trends, technologies and drivers shaping the world of sustainable agriculture today.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR/INTERVIEWER
Marc Dresner works closely with IBC Life Sciences as a communication lead with a background in trade journalism and marketing. He is the former executive editor of Research Business Report, a confidential newsletter for the marketing research industry. He may be reached at mdresner@iirusa.com. Follow him @mdrezz.

What Countries Lead Investing in Agriculture?

According to Oxfam's new report:Growing a Better Future, these are the leading countries investing in Agriculture:

Growing a Better Future shows how the food system is at once a driver of this fragility and highly vulnerable to it, and why in the twenty-first century it leaves 925 million people hungry.

The report presents new research forecasting price rises for staple grains in the range of 120–180 per cent within the next two decades, as resource pressures mount and climate change takes hold.

How To Invest In A Changing Climate—Literally

AG Chat Interview Series Talks Global Warming Investment Strategy

Climate change has long been a controversial topic, despite consensus among the overwhelming majority of the world’s climatologists that this phenomenon is genuine.

But when investors begin creating strategies around climate change forecasts, you know the verdict is definitely in.

To wit: As part of Deutsche Bank’s Climate Change Advisory service, Director and Senior Investment Analyst Bruce Kahn maintains an investment horizon of one to two decades based on anticipated global warming trends.

Bruce Kahn

In this episode of AG Chat, Kahn discusses the potential impact of climate change on global agriculture markets and what investors need to consider when entering these markets.

We’ll also look at emerging markets, consumption trends and various macroeconomic factors that have conspired to create enormous opportunities in water, food, feed and fuel.

Listen to this episode of AG Chat here.

Download a transcript of our interview here.

Editor’s note: Bruce Kahn will deliver a keynote on Day One of the Ag 2.0 Global Investments Conference taking place in Toronto, Canada, November 7th through the 8th.

For more information or to register, please visit www.ibclifesciences.com/globalaginvesting.

And be sure to tune in next week, when AG Chat features Dave Smardon, President and CEO of Bioenterprise Corporation, who takes us on an in-depth tour of the agricultural technology sector—which appears poised to break out in spectacular fashion!

ABOUT AG Chat

AG Chat is an executive interview series featuring the business experts, investors and entrepreneurs at the forefront of sustainable agriculture. Each episode explores the trends, technologies and drivers shaping the world of sustainable agriculture today.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR/INTERVIEWER
Marc Dresner works closely with IBC Life Sciences as a communication lead with a background in trade journalism and marketing. He is the former executive editor of Research Business Report, a confidential newsletter for the marketing research and consumer insights industry. He may be reached at mdresner@iirusa.com. Follow him @mdrezz.

Prediction: Significant Global Water Shortage by 2030

Access to water is crucial. A constantly increasing global population and economy is increasing demand on a valuable resource that grows more scarce every year.

Last week's "declaration of famine confirms that the Horn of Africa emergency is the worst humanitarian crisis in the world now," according to C.A.R.E., this comes at the same time when food prices and rising fuel costs have skyrocketed and the global economy is riddled in crisis.

According to a 2010 report from McKinsey Quaterly, there will be a significant shortage of water by 2030, given the current rates of usage by agriculture.

You can click here to read the full report: The Water Imperative - McKinsey Quarterly

How will the water scarcity challenge be addressed? 
How will it affect the market? 
What new agricultural processes and technologies are available to remedy and decrease water usage?


Together we will pursue the answers to these questions and more at IBC's Water 2.0 Investment Summit and Agriculture 2.0 Global Investment Conference on November 7-8, 2011 in Ontario, Canada. We hope you can join us!

Valerie M. Russo is a Senior Social Media Strategist on the Ag 2.0 Global Investments and Water 2.0 Investment Summit team, with a technology, anthropology, marketing and publishing business acumen. She is a published poet and also maintains a literary blog. She may be reached at vrusso@iirusa.com. Follow her @Literanista.

Introducing Ag Chat Wednesdays

We're launching a new podcast interview series here at Agriculture 2.0 called Ag Chat!

We invite you to join us on Wednesdays throughout every month for podcasts featuring in-depth interviews with agribusiness experts, investors and entrepreneurs at the forefront of sustainable agriculture and the water sector, in association with our upcoming events, Agriculture 2.0 Global Investments Conference and Water 2.0 Investment Summit.

Back in March, we interviewed Ejnar Knudsen, co-portfolio manager of the Agriculture Fund at Passport Capital – one of the top hedge funds in the world, right before our Agriculture 2.0 conference in San Francisco.

Based on the success of that podcast, we've decided to launch a whole series dedicated to hearing what the experts have to say -- so stay tuned for more great interviews to take the conversation to new heights!

Since our blog is fairly new, we'd like to to kick off Ag Chat today with our first-ever podcast:

Ejnar Knudsen Talks Shop: An Ag Chat Podcast - Knudsen explains why we’re at the early stages of a massive agriculture market reset – in step with an iterative, 38-year cycle – and the impact of quantitative easing in the ag sector, as well as how a “silent tsunami” of global proportions poses new challenges and fresh opportunities to agriculture investors.

Click here to listen to the interview or download the transcript.

Valerie M. Russo is a Senior Social Media Strategist on the Ag 2.0 Global Investments and Water 2.0 Investment Summit team, with a technology, anthropology, marketing and publishing business acumen. She is a published poet and also maintains a literary blog. She may be reached at vrusso@iirusa.com. Follow her @Literanista.

AG Economics 101: Tom Eisenhauer of Bonnefield Financial

Tom Eisenhauer of Bonnefield Financial, a speaker at Ag 2.0 Global Investments 2011, provides an overview on how agricultural economics is different than other industries and the implications for investors.





Valerie M. Russo is a Senior Social Media Strategist on the Ag 2.0 Global Investments and Water 2.0 Investment Summit team, with a technology, anthropology, marketing and publishing business acumen. She is a published poet and also maintains a literary blog. She may be reached at vrusso@iirusa.com. Follow her @Literanista.

Welcome to Agriculture 2.0!

Hello, and welcome to the new Agriculture 2.0 blog! I am thrilled to have a place where people can come year-round to talk about the issues and stories that are important to all of us. I hope that this will evolve into a platform and sounding board for innovative ideas, strategies, success stories, connections, and as a call to action for the ag investment sector.

We will be sharing our own thoughts, and as we move forward each of the dedicated Ag 2.0 team members will be introducing themselves. We will also be producing podcasts and written interviews with some of our expert conference contributors as well as publishing original content from guest bloggers on the topics of climate change, farmland strategy, commodities analysis, new technologies and much more. If you are interested in contributing, feel free to give us a shout!

I want this to be a fun and informative space to talk about anything and everything that has an impact on the sustainable natural resources portfolio—from the riverbank to The World Bank. Let’s get started!

Kate Westfall is the director of the 2.0 investment conference series, which includes Agriculture 2.0 Global Investments, the Water 2.0 Investment Summit, Ag 2.0 San Francisco, AgReturn Latin America and the InfraReturn Investment Forum. Kate holds a Master’s Degree in Food Culture and Communications from La Università degli Studi di Scienze Gastronomiche in Italy’s Emilia Romagna region and currently resides in New York City.