The Livestack Podcast

Welcome to Episode 20 of the LiveStack Podcast!
As we wrap up Cybersecurity Month, we’re bringing you key insights and actionable tips to strengthen your digital defenses on the farm. This month, Daniel is joined by Dr. Lucas Alcantara, an expert in agricultural data management and security. Lucas holds a Ph.D. in Animal Breeding and Genetics and serves as Research Centre Data Manager at the University of Guelph's, where he leads data architecture initiatives under the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance. With years of experience in designing secure, data-driven systems, Dr. Alcantara specializes in streamlining research data integration, deploying customized systems, and building secure applications for research data access.
In this episode, we’ll cover:
Basic steps farmers can take to protect their operations from cyber threats.
How the 80/20 Rule applies to cybersecurity efforts.
A real-life phishing scenario relevant to agricultural settings.
Practical response strategies for handling cybersecurity incidents.
Key tips for data managers in agriculture to ensure ongoing data security.
Stay informed and prepared by tuning in to this essential episode on the LiveStack Podcast, available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Welcome to Episode 19 of the LiveStack Podcast! In this episode, we dive into the intriguing world of agricultural data with a discussion titled “The Three Seasons of Agriculture Data: Shall We Talk About the Fourth One? The Value of Data.” Joining us are three exceptional doctoral candidates from the EnTrust Doctoral Network, who bring fresh perspectives on the value of data in agriculture. These guests participated in the Innovation Value Institute (IVI) Summit at Maynooth University in June 2024.
Our guests today include:
Erica Tegolo, currently pursuing her Ph.D. at the School of Business, National University of Ireland Maynooth (NUIM). Erica’s research focuses on developing fair data exploitation principles and frameworks, as part of the EnTrust Doctoral Network. Her host organization is Teagasc, the Agriculture and Food Authority of Ireland, where she is based in the Rural Economy and Development Program (REDP).
Leidiane da Silva, who holds a B.Sc. in business administration from the Universidade Paulista, Brazil, and an M.Sc. in business analytics from NUIM. Leidiane is part of the EnTrust Ph.D. program and works at Airfield Estate’s education and research office. Her research interests include data quality, trustworthiness, machine learning techniques, and agri-data.
Fjolla Berisha, who completed her Bachelor’s and Master’s in Computer Engineering at the University of Prishtina and worked as a teaching assistant in computer science. She’s currently pursuing her Ph.D. at NUIM, focusing on digital data ownership and is the author of a scientific paper on neural network algorithms in recommender systems.
Together, we explore how their research and experiences intersect with the evolving landscape of agricultural data, the challenges surrounding its ownership, and the value that can be unlocked through innovation in this space.
Tune in to discover how these data experts are shaping the future of agricultural data—and what the mysterious “fourth season” might hold!
Don’t miss out on this insightful discussion! Tune in online or subscribe to the LiveStack Podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Welcome to Episode 18 of the LiveStack Podcast! In this special episode, we’re thrilled to introduce AgNotate, our cutting-edge machine-learning software designed to revolutionize the way researchers and companies annotate animal behavior, events, and welfare indicators. 
AgNotate streamlines the data annotation process, saving valuable time while enhancing the welfare and health of food animals in complex agricultural settings. This innovative tool is a game-changer for the industry, and we're excited to dive into its development and potential impact. 
Joining us in this episode are key members of the AgriGates engineering team who were instrumental in bringing AgNotate to life: 
Forest Valentine – System Integration Engineer 
Matthew Brause – Mathematician, ML, and Backend Engineer 
Eric Sobczak – Embedded Systems Engineer 
They are accompanied by Daniel Foy, Co-Founder and CEO of AgriGates, to discuss the challenges, innovations, and future impact of AgNotate on food animal agriculture. 
If you're eager to learn more about AgNotate, please visit the contact section of the AgriGates website or email us at info@agrigates.io. We’ll be sharing updates on when and how you can access AgNotate once it launches to the general public in September. 
Don’t miss out on this insightful discussion! Tune in online or subscribe to the LiveStack Podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. 

Welcome to Episode 17 of the LiveStack podcast.  
Alana Lee joins Daniel (Co-founder and CEO of AgriGates) in this month's episode. Alana is a student at Texas A&M University, where she is completing her bachelor's degree in animal science. With a background in beef production, Alana discovered her passion for dairy cattle as a freshman at TAMU. During her time as an undergraduate, she has participated in numerous research opportunities, including projects related to Mastitis treatment, nutrition trials, and, of course, her research internship with AgriGates on Mapping AgriTech Software and Hardware in Food Animal Agriculture.
During her time at AgriGates, Alana has deeply expanded her knowledge and experience of precision technology by researching the global landscape of AgriTech products and understanding the value of technology within agriculture. To cap off her internship project and use collected data, Alana developed and presented a poster at the High Plains Dairy 2024 conference in Texas that is discussed in this month's podcast.
You can also find out more about the High Plains Dairy Conference poster here
Upon graduation in May 2024, Alana will enter her master’s program at Penn State University under Dr. Melissa Cantor to continue researching Precision Dairy Technology. She hopes to pursue a career in research and development of AgriTech products.
Tune in on Spotify and Apple Podcasts for an insightful discussion on the future of AgriTech in food animal agriculture.
 

Welcome to Episode 16 of the Livestock podcast, where in this episode, we explore “The Kipster Journey: Welfare and AgriTech in Poultry Farming."
Our guest joining us for this episode is Ruud Zanders, the founding partner at Kiptster. Kipster is a Revolutionary Vision for Modern Farming. Building the most animal-friendly and environmentally-friendly poultry farm in the world.  This is an important issue people face, in how we will feed the growing world’s population in a fair way—without overexploiting nature and excluding people. 
He is joined by Dr. Jim Reynolds, an AgriGates team member and Professor of large animal medicine and Welfare at Western University, College of Veterinary Medicine in Pomona, California, and Daniel Foy, Co-Founder and CEO of AgriGates.
Don't miss out on this discussion! You can now tune in online or subscribe to the LiveStack podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Welcome to Episode 15 of the Livestock podcast, where we will discuss Data awareness in Dairy and at the Farm Level.
Joining this Episode with Daniel is Dr Liliana Fadul. Dr Fadul is an animal scientist currently working as a Data analyst for Lactanet, Montreal, Canada. Liliana completed her Ph.D. at Université Laval (Quebec, Canada). There, she recognized the potential use of data science techniques to help identify problems and offer solutions in the Animal Science field. Learning and exploring these applied techniques, particularly in dairy farms, became her true passion.
Liliana was part of the Dairy Brain project team, led by Dr Victor Cabrera (Department of Animal and Dairy Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison), where she started exploring data governance in the dairy farm industry and encountered that there is a need to raise awareness among farmers and create an environment that enhances sharing ensuring data governance and transparency. At Lactanet Liliana uses different types of data to develop tools using advanced analytics (i.e., artificial intelligence) that can help the holistic management of dairy farms.
Daniel Foy, Co-Founder & CEO at AgriGates, and Dr. Liliana Fadul from Lactanet, have collaborated for over five years on various projects, starting at the Dairy Brain at UW Madison and continuing with podcasts and group sessions on data ownership, infrastructure, and quality on dairy farms. Their shared goal is to raise awareness and bring value to producers and their farm-level data in North America.
Don't miss out on this discussion! You can now tune in or subscribe to the LiveStack podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Welcome to Episode 14 of the LiveStack podcast, where we discuss the International Committee for Animal Recording (ICAR) and Data Standards in Food Animal Agriculture.
Joining Daniel in this episode by Marie-Agnes Mourot de Lathyle, who has taken up the role of ICAR Executive Director in the last five months. She has almost 15 years as CFO/COO for a membership global organization of market, social, opinion, data analytics professionals and researchers that was founded in 1947.
This global trade association enabled Marie-Agnès to hone her competencies further whilst working for the general interests of an entire industry. Before this, Marie-Agnès worked for reputed global companies, representing innovative market leaders characterized by strong corporate cultures privileging customer excellence and 360° solutions delivery.
She specializes in understanding people and inspiring growth and has a high level of expertise in Transformational Change Leadership, Strategy and its implementation, short-mid-long term, insights and analytics mindset, and Tech-Driven Automation.
Her biggest passion is helping businesses transform and grow in profitable and purposeful ways by creating more inclusive and diverse environments, where personal choice and professional competence are the only barriers to success.
Find more out about ICAR here – https://www.icar.org/
Don’t miss out on this discussion! 

Welcome to Episode 13 of the LiveStack podcast, where we dive deep into the world of "Food Animal AgriTech in the Keystone State."
In this engaging conversation, we are thrilled to have Dr. Melissa Cantor, Assistant Professor of Precision Dairy Science at Pennsylvania State University, as our guest. Agriculture in Pennsylvania holds a significant place, contributing substantially to tax receipts. The state boasts a rich diversity of farms, and remarkably, 90% of their income is generated within a mere 20 miles of the farm. This presents a promising opportunity for Pennsylvania's producers in the digital age and in achieving sustainability.
However, as we navigate the digital landscape, we must comprehend the distinct types and styles of farms while also delving into the intricacies of data aggregation, data quality, and its application for informed decision support. Beyond the farm, data ownership and data security have become paramount concerns In the interconnected world and farms today.
To learn more about Dr. Cantor's groundbreaking work in this field, visit her profile here: https://animalscience.psu.edu/directory/mmc7081
Don't miss out on this enlightening discussion! Tune in now on Spotify and Apple Podcasts to gain valuable insights into the exciting realm of Food Animal AgriTech in Pennsylvania.

Welcome to Episode 12 of the LiveStack podcast, where we will discuss “Food Animal Welfare Audits and AgriTech.” In this episode, we are delighted to be joined by Matt Jones Vice President of Operations for Validus.
In this episode of the LiveStack Podcast, Matt, Jim, and Daniel explore Food Animal welfare audits, and expectations from different parts of the supply chain and consumers, while finally discussing farm-level agritech and data in aiding in improved food animal welfare.
Validus conducts audits for animal welfare, environment, feed mills, food safety, and worker care. Validus is also a certifying body for Safe Quality Foods (SQF) audits and completes audits for milk, meat, eggs, and feed mills. Matt is a certified auditor and instructor for Validus programs and is a certified auditor for the SQF program. He is responsible for working with the Senior Program Manager and Program Managers in the Audit Department to ensure clients’ needs are met, and that the division is meeting their goals. He is also responsible for the training and background of the auditors who conduct audits for Validus throughout the United States. As of March 2016, Validus is now a division of “Where Food Comes From”.
Prior to becoming Vice President of Operations, Jones was the Senior Director of Audits. He started with Validus working on the On-Farm Assessment and Environmental Review (OFAER) Program as a Program Manager. Jones has been with Validus since 2003. Jones is a graduate of Iowa State University, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Animal Science. Matt and his family live on a small acreage near Lynnville, Iowa.
Read more about Validus here –https://www.validusservices.com/
Don’t miss out on this enriching discussion! You can now tune in on Spotify and Apple Podcasts

Welcome to Episode 11 of the LiveStack podcast, where we discuss all things Precision Livestock Farming and AgriTech research from the European Federation of Animal Science (EAAP) 2023 conference in Lyon France. In this episode, Daniel Foy is delighted to be joined by Dr. Michael Odintsov Vaintrub, COO and Co-founder at Regrowth, Italy, and Adrien Lebreton, PLF project manager at the Institut de l'Élevage France.
In this episode of the LiveStack Podcast, collectively, we discuss the presentation and research at this year’s EAAP conference that is based on AgriTech, what we liked and what stood out to us while contemplating next year’s topics and some of the research we would like to see.
Find more out about the EAAP PLF commission here - https://www.eaap.org/study-commissions/precision-livestock-farming/#:~:text=The%20PLF%20study%20commission%20will%20explore%20pathways%20to,world%20and%20will%20help%20to%20keep%20this%20level.
Don't miss out on this discussion! You can now tune in on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.