Ag Innovation Challenge Bringing the Future to Our Farms

Sep 26, 2025

By Zippy Duvall

Agriculture is about the future. Farmers are always looking ahead for how we can do better from one season to the next. We are looking for ways to leave the land better than we found it. We are looking for innovative ideas to strengthen our communities and bring the next generation to the farm to ensure our nation continues to have a safe, healthy food supply. We rely on forward-thinkers, researchers and entrepreneurs who will help us create a brighter future for agriculture. That’s why the Ag Innovation Challenge is a hallmark competition for the American Farm Bureau.

Innovation Drives Agriculture

Like most farmers, I love getting to check out the latest equipment and technology at a farm show. Sometimes, I think about how amazed my grandfather would be at how far we have come from the days that it was just him, his mule and his plow. Thanks to advances in technology and innovation, farmers are growing more with less. We are able to be more precise when we’re using critical tools and valuable resources on the farm—from water to fertilizer and pesticides. Technology is also changing the way we do business on the farm, from how we monitor our crop and livestock health to how we streamline our businesses, saving time and money.

Farm Bureau’s Ag Innovation Challenge, in partnership with Farm Credit, is elevating and spurring on businesses that are helping farmers solve on-the-ground challenges. We are now in our 12th year of this competition, which was the first national business competition of its kind focused exclusively on rural entrepreneurs, by the way.

Over the years, we have invested more than $1 million in innovative businesses that are focused on strengthening our farms and rural communities. This year, the Ag Innovation Challenge will award a total of $145,000 in startup funds throughout the entire competition, thanks to the support of our generous sponsors: Farm Credit, Bayer Crop Science, John Deere, Farm Bureau Bank, Farm Bureau Financial Services and T-Mobile.

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