Shows
Brash AgPod 40: Chewing the Cud: Bill O’Neill of Agwise.ioThis week Kit and Ray go transatlantic and chew the cud with Bill O’Neill of Agwise.io. The pair hear all about how Bill’s career and how he started and scaled businesses in the meat industry and how he took what he learned from the UK meat industry back to the USA to help him on his journey. Bill also tells the co-hosts all about his latest venture, Agwise.io, how he and his co-founder got started and the problems the business is looking to solve for small and mid-sized farmers in the US. Bill also gives some fasc...2025-07-2237 min
Brash AgPod 39 - News Feed: July 25 round up - TAFE v AGCO Resolution??This week sees the return of the news feed. Ray and Kit get caught up on the latest developments in agtech, ag machinery and farming including:
🚜 TAFE vs AGCO - Have the two tractor manufacturing giants managed to resolve their differences, without legal intervention? And what does it mean for the future of the Massey Ferguson Brand?
🧑⚖️ L&Aser vs Carbon Robotics - Why is L&Aser open sourcing its technology by sharing the IP on Github? Who are Carbon Robotics big financial backers? and critically did Kit carryout similar research at Harper Adams University over 10 years ago?
🌱 USDA - Is agriculture...2025-07-1743 min
Brash AgPod 38 - News Feed: Groundswell Festival 25This week the co-hosts discuss what Ray found during his visit to Groundswell Agriculture Festival. We hear from:
Jonathan Goodacre from Keltie LLP, Patent Attorneys, and why they have chosen to attend the festival. Jonathan also explains the importance of IP and patents for start-ups and innovators and some of the big benefits for businesses could be missing out on.
Andrew Baker from Soil acoustics tells us about their soil health monitoring tech, how it works and why it could be a game changer in the re-gen farming game. Andrew also talks about some of the exciting future applications for...2025-07-0755 min
Brash AgPod 37 - News Feed: Cereals Event 2025 pt2Welcome back to Brash Ag – the farm innovation podcast with your hosts Ray King and Kit Franklin. This week, we’re still roaming the Cereals 2025 show – diving into some of the most exciting tech on display.
In Part Two, we explore:
🛩️ AutoSpray Systems – the drone company promising , 20-hectare/hour slug pellet coverage, 30-second pit stops and flight training through Harper Adams University to get farmers flying XAG drones in under a week.
🌿 Crop Angel – flying the flag for DJI spray drones, driven by a desire to have eyes in the sky and the ability to establish cover crops before harvest has even started.
...2025-06-2753 min
Brash AgPod 36 - News Feed: Cereals Event 2025 pt1Welcome back to Brash Ag – the farm innovation podcast with your hosts Ray King and Kit Franklin. This week, we’re back on the road (the Fosse way to be precise) – as we reflect on a packed day at the Cereals 2025 show.
From V8-stickered balers to autonomous spot sprayers, we covered a lot of ground (literally and figuratively) and caught up with a diverse mix of exhibitors. In this first instalment, you’ll hear about:
Ceres Engineering – born from barn pushers, now building a whole range of bold, bright-orange, built-to-last implements.
Autonomous Agri Solutions – bringing Austrian AI-powered spot-spraying to UK fields, w...2025-06-1947 min
Brash AgPod 35 - Cash Cow: Bale-SpikeologyThis week the co-hosts are on the road heading to Cereals show. Kit and Ray take some time (while travelling the Fosse Way) to talk about Kit’s new business theory “Bale-spikeology” and how start-up agtech companies need to be able to produce products that can sell as quickly as possible to farmers without the need for loans or financing. The pair also take some time to think about the UK agtech and manufacturing sector.2025-06-1230 min
Brash AgPod 34 - News Feed: Emerging Technologies SummitThis week the pair talk through Kit's trip to London to attend the New Scientist Emerging Technologies Summit. Kit talks through some of the emerging tech that was showcased and discussed at the Summit. The co-hosts grapple with how quantum computing, AI and fusion energy might begin to change the face of agriculture and make predictions for when the humans can put their feet up and have rest while the machines do all the work.2025-06-0343 min
Brash AgPod 33 - Chewing the Cud: Belinda Clarke OBE Agri-TechEThis week Ray and Kit snapped up the opportunity to chew the cud with Belinda Clarke OBE Director at Agri -TechE. Belinda shared how her early career in Natural sciences and science liaison took her on to build Agri-TechE as a membership organisation from the ground up. 12 years after starting Agri-TechE, Belinda shares some of the lessons she has learned, what the future holds for Agri-TechE and the agtech sector as a whole.
The trio also try to answer one of life's big questions…”What is even is Agritech?”2025-05-2257 min
Brash AgPod 32 - Where have we beenWhere have they been? The pair catch up after a short hiatus and share the exciting work that has been keeping them so busy. The co-hosts also take a few minutes to catch up on some recent government funding updates for the agriculture and agtech sector as well talk about some cool tech in the construction sector and the parallels that it has for farming automation.
Contact@brash-ag.com2025-05-1420 min
Brash AgPod 31 - Chewing the Cud: Chris Chavasse CEO Muddy MachinesWARNING: this episode contains the distilled value and wisdom from an agtech pioneer…do not miss this one.
This week Ray and Kit have bagged an exclusive interview with Chris Chavasse, CEO of company Muddy Machines. Chris shares his personal journey and how he founded a UK based pioneering horticultural robotics company. Chris shares some of the trials and tribulations of running an agtech start-up and the way Muddy Machines has evolved, both its products and business model to deliver value to farmers in ever changing economic conditions. Chris explains the strategy behind the acquisition of Fox Robotics in 2024, how ha...2025-04-141h 20
Brash AgPod 30 - News Feed: April 25 "90 year tech adoption reflection" & much moreA jam packed episode this week. Kit Franklin takes us on a trip down memory lane with his musings on the evolution of farming in the 1930s. Ray talks about some good news in the UK Agtech funding scene with Crowdfunding announcements from Muddy Machines and Foamstream and their current funding rounds on Crowdcube. We discuss a viral Tesla crash video and the implications it could have in agtech automation and sensor fusion. We discuss the sad demise of FarmWise in the USA and what it could tell us about start-ups in Agtech and what the future could hold for...2025-04-0651 min
Brash AgPod 29 - Chewing the Cud: Greg Stewart and Devin Kirk of Geco Strategic Weed ManagementChewing the cud with Greg Stewart and Devin Kirk of Geco Strategic Weed Management. This week Kit and Ray get the opportunity to talk to Greg and Devin from Canadian based Geco Strategic weed management about their predictive weed management tool. Devin and Greg share their backgrounds and how they found themselves building a start-up in the weed management space. The pair also share more about the underlying technology, the business case, go to market strategy and what sets Geco apart from other precision ag companies and products. Greg and Devin also share their feelings about market and investor sentiment...2025-03-271h 05
Brash AgPod 28 - News Feed: John Deere, DEFRA, Kubota, IterraIn this News feed episode, Ray and Kit dive into the latest in agricultural engineering and technology news. They reflect on an inspiring talk from industry veteran Paul Baskerville, exploring how past global careers in ag engineering might be mirrored in the rise of AgTech today.
Also on the docket:
🔧 Latest development with John Deere's Right to Repair – Is it a win for farmers or just another revenue stream?
🤖 AgroIntelli x Kubota x Autonomous Agri Solutions – The robotic farming revolution gains a powerful ally and maintains a strong foothold in the UK.
🌱 UK Ag Policy Shake-Up – The sudden cut to the Sustainable...2025-03-1730 min
Brash AgPod 27 - Digging Deep: Was Kit Talking Rubbish?In this episode hosts Ray and Kit, dig deep into the world of agricultural robotics in 2025. Did Kit’s predictions from a decade ago about farm robots come true, or was he just talking rubbish? From hands-free farming to the reality of autonomous machines in fields, the hosts debate whether robotics have truly revolutionized agriculture—or if we're still waiting for the future to arrive. Buckle up for a lively discussion filled with insights, bold claims, and maybe even a touch of friendly rivalry!
Tune in now and decide for yourself! 🎧🔥
contact@brashag.com
https://waymo.com/
Hands Free Hectare Strip crop...2025-03-1054 min
Brash AgPod 26 - Chewing the Cud: Matt Ryan CCO at Oxbury BankIn this week's episode the pair hear from Matt Ryan, Chief Commercial Officer at Oxbury Bank. Matt shares his background and experiences of agriculture in New Zealand offering a fascinating glimpse into the changing economic landscape that faced New Zealand’s farmers in a post subsidy world. Matt also shares his journey through the agricultural banking sector in New Zealand and explains how he now finds himself as CCO at the UK's only dedicated agricultural bank. Ray and Kit learn more about Oxbury bank and how this new banking business is embracing technology to help its customers with carbon auditing as...2025-02-271h 06
Brash AgPod 25 - News feed: AGCO, SDF and TAFE. Is three a crowd?...In this mid-February 2025 news update, Ray and Kit dive into the latest in farm innovation. They kick things off with a discussion about the R550 Spray Hawk bi-rotor, a retrofitted autonomous helicopter for spraying, and debate its hefty price tag and potential applications. Next, they explore JCB's new cabbed version of the 403 electric loading shovel and an articulated electric tractor with swappable batteries, highlighting the growing trend of electrification in agriculture. The hosts then delve into the Agco/Tafe conundrum, discussing recent deals with SDF and the complexities of the global agricultural manufacturing industry. Soil Essentials' sky spraying technology is...2025-02-1842 min
Brash AgPod 24 - News Feed: LAMMA “Bumper” Episode… Part 2The second “bumper” episode from Kit’s recent trip to LAMMA show. This episode focuses on the latest thoughts, opinions and technology in the crop protection space. Ray and Kit hear from manufacturers such as Knight sprayers and Garford Farm Machinery as well as crop protection supplier Syngenta among others. The co-hosts also get into some of the details of how sprayer technology works and how to solve the problem of energy consumption for non-chemical weeding.
PWM spraying resource: https://sprayers101.com/pwm/
contact@brash-ag.com2025-02-091h 11
Brash AgPod 23 - News Feed: LAMMA “Bumper” Episode… Part 1The first of two “bumper” LAMMA show special episodes. Kit and Ray listen back to a selection of the interviews that Kit recorded from his day at the event. The pair get a feel of sentiment for the ag machinery market in the UK right now as well as some of the latest products and developments in the Agtech space. The co-hosts hear from the likes of Fendt, Tafe, Trimble, Ontrack, Autonomous Agri Solutions, AgXeed and Te Pari. Ray also grills Kit to find out how he got on with his “Simple Agtech” side quest…
contact@brash-ag.com2025-01-241h 31
Brash AgPod 22 - News Feed: LAMMA Show ReactionIn this news feed Kit's talks Ray through his visit to LAMMA 2025 show. The pair discuss the thoughts and feelings of manufacturers at the show and what this means for the state of the UK market right now and importantly what the future could hold. Ray and Kit also take some time to discuss their side quest to find the most basic machinery at the show and whether these machines really are catching the eye of customers…
contact@brash-ag.com2025-01-1621 min
Brash AgPod 21 - Season Launch: Wallace and Gromit and the future of farmingThe first episode of 2025 and the start of the second series for Brash Ag! Join Kit and Ray for some big personal and professional announcements for the New Year. Ray talks through some of his thoughts and musings from the festive period and explains what Wallace and Gromit have to do with the future of farming. The co-hosts also dig into the Brash Ag inbox to answer some listener questions about the future of service and support for ag machinery and whether what farmers say they want is actually what they buy?
contact@brash-ag.com2025-01-0951 min
Brash AgPod 20 - Podcast 2024 Round OffJoin Ray and Kit back on the chilly terrace of the Farmers club to round off 2024 and the first 20 episodes of Brash Ag! The co-hosts explain in more detail about the support they have received from the Douglas Bomford Trust and say a massive thank you to the trust for helping them get the podcast off the ground. The pair also reflect on the journey they have been on with Brash Ag so far, sharing some behind the scenes history about the conception of the podcast and most importantly where they would like to take the podcast in 2025!
As ever...2024-12-2425 min
Brash AgPod 19 - Chewing the Cud: Brian Mathew MPIn this extra special interview the Co-hosts made the journey to Westminster and the Houses of Parliament to catch up with Brian Mathew, Member of Parliament for Melksham and Devises. Brian shares his journey from a post graduate degree in Agricultural Engineering to working for aid organisations as a water, sanitation and hygiene specialist working all around the globe. Brian talks about his experience so far as a Liberal Democrat MP and explains with infectious enthusiasm, how seeing the world through the eyes of an engineer can be enormously beneficial to the role of a politician.
https://www.melkshamanddevizeslibdems.org...2024-12-1839 min
Brash AgPod 18 - Digging Deep: What is Precision Farming?In this episode the co-hosts brave the slightly noisy and very chilly terrace at the Farmers Club in London to record this dig deep into Precision Farming. Kit and Ray explore the definition of precision farming, their own experiences working on technologies enabling precision farming and how big data and AI tech is starting to become a part of the precision farming picture.
Official ISPA Precision Ag definition: https://www.ispag.org/about/definition
contact@brash-ag.com2024-12-1256 min
Brash AgPod 17 - Chewing the cud: Penny Atkins of IFEAAIn this chewing the cud episode the co-hosts chat with Professor Penny Atkins, CEO of IFEAA. Penny explains what it was like starting out as an engineer at Jaguar Landrover working on the V6 power plant for the S Type. Penny also gives some insights on her journey up through the ranks at Ricardo to become Head of Technology Strategy and how this role helped her think about engineering in a wider context and ultimately lead on to her work on the abatement of fugitive greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture. Penny gives a fascinating insight into the technologies being deployed...2024-12-051h 01
Brash AgPod 16 - News Feed: TAFE, Muddy Machines, Starlink and more…In this news feed episode the pair have a busy docket of news to discuss; from the ongoing legal dispute between TAFE and Agco, new developments in robotic tractors from Duetz, how starlink could be set to reshape farming as we know it, Muddy Machine’s recent acquisition of the liquidated assets of Fox robotics and finally a Brash Ag scoop on the latest weed control tech from Farmdroid…This is a new episode not to be missed!
Ray’s Starlink post: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/flynt-technology_the-recent-announcement-of-john-deere-tractors-activity-7153132162718810112-XE48?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop
contact@brash-ag.com2024-11-2743 min
Brash AgPod 15 - News Feed: Farmers Rally in LondonIn this news feed episode Kit gives his report from the day and shares some of the conversations he had with fellow attendees. The co-hosts discuss their personal feelings and emotions regarding the proposed tax changes that sparked the rally and discuss how investment in new technology and agricultural engineers could be affected in the future.2024-11-2038 min
Brash AgPod 14 - Cash Cow: What’s the big deal about big data?In this cash cow episode Ray and Kit talk about the origins of data gathering in farming and how simple statistical analysis of data has evolved into the processing of vast amounts of information from farms into insights and data driven decisions making. The pair discuss if there is such a thing as a data utopia and whether farmers are the only beneficiaries from the data captured on farms. Finally the pair grapple with the question of whether the promise of big data has lived up to the reality and what obstacles still stand between farmers, data and better decision...2024-11-151h 19
Brash AgPod 13 - News Feed: Landwards Conference 2024 Round UpThis news feed episode finds the pair fresh off the back of the Institution of Agricultural Engineers 2024 Landwards conference. With the topic of “What we want from agricultural engineers?” and a range of insightful speakers from across the agriculture and food supply chain, Ray and Kit have plenty to digest and discuss while considering where engineers fit into the food production puzzle. The co-hosts explore the opportunities that exist for engineers to be part of solving the big challenges facing the farming and food sector and how engineers can have a seat at the table in discussions at all levels.
Bras...2024-11-081h 20
Brash AgPod 12 - News Feed: Kubota X Agrointelli and the UK budgetIn this news feed episode the Co-hosts talk about the recent agreement between Kubota and Agrointelli and what it means for the two companies and the agtech ecosystem as a whole. The pair also give some thoughts on the impact of the recent UK budget and what implications the various changes to taxes and spending might have for farmers, innovators and agricultural engineers.
Kubota Automation Demo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UoddIBMbNSQ
BBC News on UK Budget and agriculture: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1ml5zm9lz5o
UK Budget technology breakdown: https://www.computerweekly.com...2024-10-3131 min
Brash AgPod 11 - Chewing the Cud: Callum Chalmers MD of Farmscan AgIn this first ever interview episode the Co-hosts welcome Callum Chalmers to the Podcast to hear more about his background, the business of Farmscan Ag and its origins. Ray and Kit also get Callums' take on the future of agricultural technology and the opportunities he sees starting to appear in agriculture for autonomy and robotics. Callum also shares his experiences about starting and running a business and why the UK was so attractive as a home for him and FarmScanAg.
Farmscan Ag website: https://farmscanag.co.uk/
FT Article - GPS Jamming and spoofing: https://www.ft.com/content/be9393...2024-10-241h 04
Brash AgPod 10 - Digging Deep: Where Am I?In this digging deep episode the Co-hosts try not to lose their way while meandering through the topic of navigation in agriculture. Kit explains how GPS works, the reason that accurate navigation is so important and how tractors are now able to get such repeatable results while working in a field. The pair explore the important distinction between navigation and localisation. Ray explains the history of GPS and its origins in the space race of the 1960s as well as asking if perhaps tractors were a huge step backwards for autonomy in agriculture.
Horse vs Car and levels of autonomy...2024-10-181h 02
Brash AgPod 9 - News Feed: TAFE vs AGCOIn this news feed episode the co-hosts talk about recent developments in the ongoing legal battle between AGCO and TAFE. Kit explains some of the history between the two companies and talks about some of his personal experiences working with TAFE. Ray explains some of the ongoing legal battle and what it might mean for each of the firms. The pair also talk about the recent layoffs at JCB and what this might tell us about the ag sector.2024-10-1029 min
Brash AgPod 8 - Cash Cow: Start up or sell out?In this cash cow episode the co-hosts go head to head to debate the value of startups in agricultural technology. Ray explains the origins of startup businesses and how the venture capital industry evolved and talks about his experience working in multiple UK based startups. Kit talks about his interactions with startup companies through the Hands Free Hectare project and how he thinks maybe it's all “trendy glass corner offices” in Shoreditch. Ray explains how startups present engineers with some of the most exciting and engaging problems to solve and how startups are vital to revolutionising industries. Maybe there is spac...2024-10-091h 04
Brash AgPod 7 - Digging Deep: Could autonomy be the silver bullet for farming’s problems?In this digging deep episode Kit unearths the history and ethos behind the hands free hectare. Ray explains how the research work of Professor Simon Blackmore inspired the founders of Small Robot Company to get started. The co-hosts discuss some of the huge opportunities that autonomy can offer soil heath, input precision, energy consumption, economics and time and how self driving farm machinery could be the silver bullet for some of farming's biggest challenges.
Link to HFHa autonomous farming paper https://www.researchgate.net/publication/351914854_Economics_of_autonomous_equipment_for_arable_farms
Link to IAgrE Robotics SIG - A tribute...2024-09-301h 28
Brash AgPod 6 - Digging Deep: How you gonna power that?In this Digging deep episode, Kit and Ray discuss how the farming operations of the future might be powered from electricity and batteries to methane and hydrogen. Ray explains how farming of the past was powered and how there could be some unexpected parallels with the farming of the future and Kit discusses the role that automation can play in enabling new fuels and power sources in agriculture along with some of the reasons that diesel has been the go to fuel for so long.
BioFactory: https://biofactory.energy/
Ray’s article about the potential for remote battery energy storage fo...2024-09-231h 01
Brash AgPod 5 - Cash Cow: Farming as a ServiceIn this ‘Cash cow’ episode, Ray and Kit discuss service based business models in agriculture, explaining what Farming as a Service means for both farmers and technology manufacturers and where the pitfalls and benefits can be found for both sides of the deal. Ray draws on his experiences in a robotics start-up and Kit explains his thoughts about the rise of ‘as a Service’ models in farming and how the concept may be much older than everyone thinks…
Ray’s FaaS LinkedIn Post:
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/flynt-technology_raas-robotics-agtech-activity-7160202919034634242-ihoY?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop2024-09-0555 min
Brash AgPod 4 - Digging Deep: Non chemical crop protectionIn this Digging Deep episode, Kit and Ray discuss non-chemical crop protection, from what farmers did before agrochemicals to the way in which agrochemicals proliferated into agriculture during the ‘Green revolution’ and how consumers are starting to put pressure on farmers to move away from agrochemicals. Kit and Ray explore some of the challenges and opportunities that agricultural engineers and technologists are being faced with to help farmers cut down their chemical inputs and the different technologies that are making it all possible.
Ray’s LinkedIn article on non-chemical weed control
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/future-non-chemical-weeding-technology-raymond-king-ceng-miagre-ivjpe/?trackingId=zfLqtcAETgeuJPe7mxqglw%3D%3D
...2024-09-041h 18
Brash AgPod 3 - Who is Kit Franklin?Kit takes the hot seat and Ray interviews Kit. Kit talks about how his background and experiences on the family farm lead him to pursue a masters in agricultural engineering and how he saw the chance to make a difference in the world through academia and the role he played in launching the Hands Free Hectare project at Harper Adams.2024-08-291h 01
Brash AgPod 2 - Who is Raymond King?Kit takes the reins and interviews Ray about his career, all the way from school to today. Ray shares some of his motivations behind becoming an engineer and how his career has taken him around the world. Ray talks about what drew him back to agricultural engineering after working in aerospace engineering and what it was like working for the robotics start-up Small Robot Company.2024-08-291h 00
Brash AgPod 1 - What its all about?Ray and Kit introduce themselves and the Brash Ag podcast, and give a flavour for 'What its all about'. In coming episodes Kit and Ray will be getting their hands dirty, "Digging deep" into the technology of new agtech, "Chewing the cud" with guests, and exploring "Cash cow" business models.2024-08-2910 min