to read the October 2015 Newsletter.

Ag Ventures Alliance
2023 S Federal Ave.
Mason City, IA 50401
PRSRT STD
U.S. Postage
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Belmond, IA
Permit No. 54
Meet Your Board of Directors
Sterling Young has been involved with Ag
Ventures Alliance from the beginning of its
existence. He and Gary Loos, representing
Hertz Farm Management, Inc., were at the
initial meeting, where the formation of Ag
Ventures Alliance was first discussed and he
has been active ever since. Sterling currently
serves on AgVA’s Grants Committee and the
Investment Committee.
Sterling grew up on a grain and livestock
farm near Rippey, Iowa in Greene County.
He graduated from Iowa State University
in 1971 and began working for Hertz Farm
Management the same year. He moved to the Mason City office of Hertz
Farm Management in 1977 where he has worked ever since as a Professional
Farm Manager and in Farm Real Estate Sales.
Sterling and his wife Vicki have three grown children Nicole, Brandon and Travis
and two grandchildren, Blake and Norah. They have two daughters-in-law Steph
and Laura and a son-in-law Brett.
Sterling is on the Cerro Gordo County, ISU Extension Council, serves on the
board of the Cerro Gordo County Community Foundation Board and is on the
Agri Business Committee of the Mason City Chamber of Commerce. He is also a
member of the Mason City Noon Rotary and Clear Lake United Methodist Church.
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Upcoming Events
Third Quarter Grants/Sponsorships Awarded
Farm-City Week Event, Mason City, IA - $1,000
Iowa Biotechnology Association, Des Moines, IA - $2,500
Cerro Gordo County Crop Clinic, Mason City, IA - $500
Worth County Crop Clinic, Northwood, IA - $500
ISU Outreach Greenhouse & Community Gardens, Mason City, IA - $10,000
Farm Rescue, Horace, ND - $1,000
MISSION To be recognized as a key entry point for its own members, rural communities, strategic partners and other
investors to explore new agricultural businesses and nurture them to success.
psi2go.net
November 6-7, 2015
Annual WFAN (Women, Food
& Ag Network) Conference
Davenport, IA
November 13, 2015
AgVA Board Meeting
Mason City, IA
November 18, 2015
Farm-City Week Event
Mason City, IA
November 26-27, 2015
AgVA Offices Closed Thanksgiving
December 5, 2015
AgVA Feast Bus Trip
Rochester, MN
December 11, 2015
AgVA Board Meeting
Mason City, IA
December 11, 2015
Cerro Gordo & Worth County
Crop Clinics
Mason City & Northwood, IA
December 24-25, 2015
AgVA Offices Closed Christmas
March 23, 2016
AgVA’s Annual Meeting
VISION Play a vital role in creating a vibrant rural economy, driven by vision,
knowledge, technology and novel business opportunities in the agricultural sector.
Creating Wealth in Rural America
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Meet Your Board of Directors
Upcoming Events
AgVA Investment Portfolio
AgVA’s Bus Trip to the Feast!
Fall Conferences
Third Quarter Grants/
Sponsorships Awarded
CONTACT AgVA for general
questions or feedback at:
Ag Ventures Alliance
2023 S Federal Avenue
Mason City, IA 50401
Phone:
641-494-2368
or 866-260-5775
Email:
[email protected]
Website:
www.agventuresalliance.com
OCTOBER 2015
AgVA Investment Portfolio
FloMetrix is an Ames, Iowa company
founded in 2009 by the founders of the
technology Dr. Manjit Misra and Dr.
Yuh-Yaun Shyy both engineers at Iowa
State University’s Seed Science Center.
They realized that current flowmeters
were either inaccurate or were bulky,
complicated and expensive. They
set out to design a continuous flow
metering device using load cells inside
a pipe through which the grain would
flow. Other devices either weigh,
sample, use force or voltage to meter
grain and other granular material. The
FloMetrix “Dynamic Scale’s” key
attributes are a simple, low cost
design that uses real time data and
can measure ancillary flows within
a process, such as coatings and
ingredient mixes. This reduces material
used, provides a higher quality product
and reduces labor cost.
Ag Ventures Alliance first invested
in FloMetrix in 2012 as a match for a
state of Iowa Demonstration Grant.
Since then the company has completed
design of its commercial product,
launched the product into the market
and hired sales and marketing staff
to penetrate the market. In the past
eighteen months the company has
brought in additional investors that
has allowed it ramp up sales and as
a result have sold multiple monitors
to a number of the major U.S. seed
companies including Syngenta,
Monsanto and Pioneer.
AgVA’s Bus Trip to The Feast!
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Ag Ventures Alliance has scheduled their next bus trip
for Saturday, December 5th, 2015 to The Feast Festival in
Rochester, MN. The bus will leave the Sears parking lot in
Mason City at 7:15 am and head towards the Mayo Civic
Center in Rochester, MN arriving at the Festival by 9:15 am.
The festival runs from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm and we will depart
from the festival at 4:00 pm and we will return to Mason City
by 6:00 pm, weather dependent.
What is The Feast? Simple it is a local food network with
many different organizations, businesses, and individuals
committed to growing a sustainable, local and regional food
system encouraging innovation in Southern Minnesota,
Northeastern Iowa and Southwestern Wisconsin. The Feast
brings together products grown and made locally—from
raw honey to artisan cheeses, from premium chocolates
to grass-fed and charcuterie meats, specialty seasonings,
cereals, medicinal teas and more. This year some of the
exhibitors include; Clara’s Comfort Foods serving German
sausages using a family recipe dating back to the early
1800s, Sara’s Tipsy Pies these pies have a secret ingredient
(alcohol) and a “Pies with a Purpose” campaign to give
back to the Down Syndrome Association of MN, Kakookies a
gluten free nut and oat based cookies perfect for travelers,
athletes, and anyone who wants a healthy snack, Curly Girlz
Candy, and many other exhibitors. Throughout the day there
www.AgVenturesAlliance.com
will be cooking demonstrations held by chefs, opportunities
to taste different food, beer & wine, a children’s activity
area, live music, and different workshops. This event offers
the opportunity to try a variety of local goods and bring
home purchases which make good Christmas gifts.
The cost is $10 for members and $20 for non-members; this
includes transportation to and from the event, admission,
beer & wine tasting wrist bands. You can register by filling
out the registration form you received in the mail or by
going to our website www.agventuresalliance.com and
registering/paying there. If you have additional questions
please contact Natalie Witschorik at 641-494-2368.
Remember registration is due by Friday, November 20th,
2015. We hope to see you there.
Fall Conferences
In September and October of 2015, AgVA staff and board
member Tom Hurd attended different agriculture related
conferences in the Midwest. They attended the Ag
Innovation Showcase in St. Louis, The NH3 Fuel Conference
in Chicago, IL and the Clean Tech Open Showcase in
Minneapolis, MN.
September 14-16, 2015: AG INNOVATION SHOWCASE
The Ag Innovation Showcase was established six years
ago, it was formed to respond to the need of establishing a
gathering of innovators, investors, and others in the ag-tech
space. The showcase features panels and presentations
that addressed important topics such as; the development
of biofuels and biomaterials, advances in biotechnology,
progress in animal health, and, more recently the great
changes facing the future of agriculture and the role
of biotechnology in agriculture. This year’s showcase
featured speakers who addressed; bridging the GMO divide
in agriculture, bringing Ag tech into new markets, and
overcoming challenges in nextgen agriculture.
While at the showcase AgVA staff attended the graduation
of the 2015 Yield Lab accelerator class. The Yield Lab’s
mission is to accelerate, mentor and cultivate Ag tech
innovation that builds a sustainable, food secure future
for all. In 2015, there were six different companies that
participated in the nine month long accelerator. During
this time the participants were introduced to different
resources and connections that helped them in launching
their new business. The Yield Lab has now started to accept
applications for their 2016 accelerator class.
September 20-23, 2015: NH3 FUEL CONFERENCE
The NH3 Fuel Association hopes to promote the
implementation of NH3 as an affordable, sustainable,
carbon-free fuel for transportation and stationary power
applications, thereby enhancing economic security,
reducing dependence on fossil-fuels, and helping to save
the environment. The NH3 Fuel Conference held in Chicago,
IL was a three day event and featured a NH3 Fuel Vehicle
demonstration. The NH3 tractor is a John Deere 7810 tractor
running on a fuel mix of hydrogen and ammonia, which is
then synthesized from air and water using solar power. It
demonstrates the ability to provide a renewable sourced
hydrogen energy system while also producing fertilizer.
Along with the NH3 tractor demonstration the conference
had speakers presenting on; the comparison of hydrogen
fueled power sources, the advances in ammonia production
from combustion of fuel rich hydrogen in air, and a keynote
presentation given by the former Under Secretary of Energy
David Garman.
October 5-6, 2015: CLEAN TECH OPEN
Clean Tech Open is an accelerator for cleantech startups,
with the mission to find, fund and foster entrepreneurs
with big ideas that address today’s most urgent energy,
environmental and economic challenges. AgVA staff
attended the innovation showcase featuring companies
from the surrounding Midwest region. During the showcase,
current and past participants of the accelerator gave
updates on where their company is currently and future
plans for their operation.
In attendance was
Rowbot, one of AgVA’s
investments. Rowbot
is a 2013 graduate
from the accelerator
program. Kent, the CEO,
gave attendees an
informational overview
of Rowbot and an update
of the progress the
company has made since
leaving the Clean Tech
accelerator.
[email protected]
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