AgCulture Podcast

Farmers around the world are being asked to become more sustainable—but who pays for it, and how do we decide what "sustainable" actually means?
In this episode of the AgCulture Podcast, Paul sits down with fellow dairy farmer and Nuffield Scholar Wilco Brouwer de Koning to explore what he's learned studying biodiversity across dairy systems around the world. From the Netherlands' intense regulatory environment to New Zealand, Japan, Brazil, Canada, and the United States, Wilco has discovered that sustainability priorities can look dramatically different depending on where you farm.
The conversation digs into the tradeoffs between climate, biodiversity, water quality, food production, animal welfare, and farm profitability—and why improving one metric can sometimes make another worse. Wilco also explains how the Netherlands is using standardized farm data and KPIs to reward farmers through milk premiums and lower interest rates, offering a glimpse of what a market for biodiversity and sustainability could eventually look like globally.
If farmers are going to be asked to produce more than food, Wilco argues they also need a system that recognizes—and rewards—the additional value they create.

MEET THE GUEST
Wilco Brouwer de Koning is a third-generation dairy farmer from Heiloo in the western Netherlands, where he operates Farm Ter Coulster with his family. The farm milks approximately 180 cows across 125 hectares in one of the most densely populated areas of the country, creating a unique intersection between commercial dairy farming, nature, and the surrounding community.
Wilco's approach to farming centers around three pillars: grazing, working alongside nature, and connecting agriculture with society. The farm includes 35 hectares dedicated to nature, while Wilco and his family actively engage their local community through direct sales, social media, farm events, and their well-known spring "dancing cows" celebration.
Beyond the farm, Wilco is active with LTO Netherlands and represents dairy farmers within the International Dairy Federation. He has been particularly involved in developing Key Performance Indicators that can measure—and ultimately reward—farmers for improvements in biodiversity and sustainability.
As a Nuffield Scholar, Wilco is traveling globally to study how different dairy industries measure and reward biodiversity. His goal is to help develop systems where farmers aren't only recognized for the milk they produce, but also for the environmental and societal value their farms provide.ABOUT THE PODCASTDiscover the world of agriculture with the "Ag Culture Podcast".This podcast will be a gateway for those passionate about agriculture to explore its global perspectives and innovative practices.Join Paul as he shares his experiences in the agricultural industry, his travels, and encounters with important figures around the world.Available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.Subscribe at http://www.agculturepodcast.com and keep an eye out for future episodes, bringing insights and stories from the vibrant world of agriculture.

Artificial intelligence is everywhere. New software, sensors, robots, and dashboards promise to revolutionize dairy farming. Yet for many producers, the day-to-day reality hasn't changed nearly as much as the headlines suggest.
Recorded live at the MilkPro Summit 2026 in Brazil, Paul shares one of his most requested keynote presentations, drawing on his experience as a dairy farmer and his research visiting hundreds of farms around the world. He explains why AI isn't fundamentally a technology story—it's a management story.
Through practical farm examples and real-world frameworks, Paul introduces the concepts of the AI Profit Gap and the Four Levels of Farm Data Value, showing why many farms have invested heavily in technology but still struggle to make better decisions. More importantly, he lays out a practical roadmap for how producers can move from collecting data to creating measurable improvements in profitability, leadership, and farm performance.
Whether you're just beginning your AI journey or already have robots, sensors, and software across your operation, this keynote offers a practical way to think about what comes next.

MEET THE HOST
Paul Windemuller is a dairy farmer, entrepreneur, Nuffield International Farming Scholar, and host of the AgCulture Podcast. Over the past three years, he has traveled across five continents researching how artificial intelligence is transforming livestock agriculture, visiting hundreds of farms and interviewing producers, researchers, and technology leaders.
His work focuses on helping farmers move beyond simply collecting more data to building management systems that improve decision-making, profitability, and long-term resilience. Through his speaking, consulting, and research, Paul challenges agriculture to rethink the relationship between AI, data, leadership, and farm management.

ABOUT THE PODCAST

Discover the world of agriculture with the "Ag Culture Podcast".This podcast will be a gateway for those passionate about agriculture to explore its global perspectives and innovative practices.Join Paul as he shares his experiences in the agricultural industry, his travels, and encounters with important figures around the world.
Available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
Subscribe at http://www.agculturepodcast.com and keep an eye out for future episodes, bringing insights and stories from the vibrant world of agriculture.

Originally aired as one of our most popular conversations, we're bringing this episode back for a replay.

Farmland has become one of the world's most sought-after investment assets—but what actually drives land values, and where is agricultural real estate headed next?
In this episode, Paul sits down with Steve Bruere, President of Peoples Company, to discuss the forces reshaping agricultural land ownership, capital markets, and investment. Steve shares his perspective on how institutional investors view farmland, why technology is changing the economics of agriculture, and how farmers can think strategically about one of their most valuable assets.
Whether you're actively buying land, planning for the next generation, or simply interested in where agricultural investment is heading, this conversation remains just as relevant today as when it first aired.

MEET THE GUEST
Steve Bruere
Steve Bruere is one of agriculture's leading authorities on farmland real estate and serves as President of Peoples Company. With a background in real estate finance from the University of Northern Iowa, Steve has helped grow Peoples Company into a nationally recognized firm specializing in farmland brokerage, management, investment, and appraisal services.
He is also the founder of the Land Investment Expo, one of the premier educational events focused on agricultural land ownership, investment, and management, bringing together producers, investors, economists, and industry leaders from across North America.

ABOUT THE PODCAST
Discover the world of agriculture with the "Ag Culture Podcast". This podcast will be a gateway for those passionate about agriculture to explore its global perspectives and innovative practices.
Join Paul as he shares his experiences in the agricultural industry, his travels, and encounters with important figures around the world.
Available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts. Subscribe at http://www.agculturepodcast.com and keep an eye out for future episodes, bringing insights and stories from the vibrant world of agriculture.

Artificial intelligence is changing agriculture at an incredible pace—but is it changing AgTech investing?
In this episode of the AgCulture Podcast, Paul welcomes back Aidan Connolly, one of agriculture's leading technology investors and thought leaders, to discuss what has changed since their last conversation nearly two years ago. As the founder of AgriTech Capital and former executive at Alltech, Aidan brings a unique perspective from both building agricultural businesses and investing in the next generation of AgTech companies.
Together, they explore why many startups are struggling to survive despite the AI boom, what investors are really looking for today, and why having great technology is no longer enough. The conversation also dives into competitive moats, data ownership, AI's impact on advisors and nutritionists, and how founders can build companies that actually create lasting value.
Whether you're a farmer, startup founder, investor, or simply interested in where agricultural technology is headed, this episode offers an inside look at one of the biggest shifts happening in AgTech today.

MEET THE GUEST
Aidan Connolly
Aidan Connolly is one of agriculture's leading voices on technology, artificial intelligence, and innovation. He is the founder of AgriTech Capital, where he advises investors and AgTech companies on strategy, growth, and emerging technologies.
Prior to launching AgriTech Capital, Aidan spent more than two decades at Alltech, helping grow the company from roughly $20 million in annual revenue to more than $2 billion while leading global innovation and corporate development initiatives.
Today, Aidan works with startups, venture capital firms, multinational agribusinesses, and producers around the world to identify technologies that will shape the future of food and agriculture. He is a frequent Forbes contributor, international keynote speaker, and one of the industry's most recognized thought leaders on AI, digital agriculture, and innovation.
ABOUT THE PODCAST
Discover the world of agriculture with the "Ag Culture Podcast".This podcast will be a gateway for those passionate about agriculture to explore its global perspectives and innovative practices.
Join Paul as he shares his experiences in the agricultural industry, his travels, and encounters with important figures around the world.
Available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.Subscribe at http://www.agculturepodcast.com and keep an eye out for future episodes, bringing insights and stories from the vibrant world of agriculture.

Why do farmers—some of the most independent people you'll ever meet—continue to build organizations they own together?
In this solo episode of the AgCulture Podcast, Paul explores one of agriculture's oldest and most misunderstood business models: collective enterprises. Inspired by conversations at a recent conference in New Zealand featuring leaders from Fonterra and several of the country's largest farmer-owned organizations, Paul argues that we've spent too much time asking what a cooperative is, and not enough time asking why farmers keep creating them.
The episode unpacks the economic problems that cooperatives were originally designed to solve, why marketing and supply cooperatives exist for fundamentally different reasons, and why successful farmer-owned organizations remain disciplined around a single mission. Paul also introduces a third concept—farmer-owned data infrastructure—and explains why the next generation of collective action in agriculture may not revolve around milk, grain, or fertilizer, but around data.
Whether you're a member of a cooperative or simply interested in the future of agriculture, this episode offers a fresh way to think about ownership, strategy, and why some challenges are simply too big for farmers to solve alone.

MEET THE HOST
Paul Windemuller is a dairy farmer, entrepreneur, Nuffield International Farming Scholar, and host of the AgCulture Podcast. His work focuses on the future of agriculture through the lenses of artificial intelligence, business strategy, farmer ownership, and global innovation.Having studied agricultural systems around the world, Paul is passionate about helping farmers better understand the economic forces shaping their businesses. His mission is to connect technology, people, and practical farming to build a more profitable, resilient, and farmer-led future for agriculture.

ABOUT THE PODCAST
Discover the world of agriculture with the "Ag Culture Podcast".This podcast will be a gateway for those passionate about agriculture to explore its global perspectives and innovative practices.Join Paul as he shares his experiences in the agricultural industry, his travels, and encounters with important figures around the world.Available on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

Subscribe at http://www.agculturepodcast.com and keep an eye out for future episodes, bringing insights and stories from the vibrant world of agriculture.