In this episode of The Intentional Agribusiness Leader Podcast, host Mark Jewell sits down with Bob Starke, Agronomy Lead at InnerPlant, a cutting-edge biotech company pioneering plant communication technology. Bob shares insights into how InnerPlant’s biotech soybeans use fluorescent proteins to signal stress from fungal attacks—before symptoms even appear. This game-changing advancement has the potential to revolutionize crop protection strategies by allowing farmers to take action up to two weeks earlier than traditional scouting methods.
Beyond the science, Mark and Bob discuss the challenges of leadership in a rapidly evolving agribusiness landscape, the importance of intentional culture-building, and strategies for attracting and retaining top talent in a competitive industry.
🔬 Biotech Innovations in Agriculture – InnerPlant’s genetically modified soybeans signal fungal attacks, helping farmers optimize fungicide applications and improve yield potential.
🛰️ Precision Agriculture from Space – The technology is so advanced that satellite imagery can detect plant stress signals from space.
⏳ The Power of Long-Term Planning – The best agronomy leaders are planning 12+ months ahead, not just scrambling for the next season.
🤝 Building Strong Workplace Cultures – Employees don’t leave companies, they leave bad managers—creating trust and intentional leadership is key to retention.
🛠️ Managing Burnout in Agribusiness – Industry expectations and seasonal workloads have expanded, making work-life balance more critical than ever.
💬 “If you only get 40 planting seasons in your career, you better make every one of them count.” – Bob Starke
💬 “Culture isn’t what’s written on a wall. It’s what happens when your people get squeezed.” – Mark Jewell
💬 “The distractions in our industry have increased, but the number of hours in the day has not.” – Bob Starke
📍 Learn more about InnerPlant:www.innerplant.com
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