AgNet News Hour, Monday, 12-23-24

In this episode of the AgNet News Hour, hosts Sabrina Halvorson and Lorrie Boyer discuss an intriguing development in California: squirrels turning carnivorous and preying on voles. They explore the implications of this behavior and its potential as an evolutionary adaptation. The show then transitions to Christmas-themed content, where Sabrina shares agricultural Christmas traditions from around the world, such as the Slavic tradition of placing straw under the tablecloth and the English practice of wassailing apple trees.

Lorrie talks with James Walker, CEO of Nano Nuclear Energy, who discusses his background in nuclear physics and engineering, leading to the establishment of Nano Nuclear Energy four years ago. The company focuses on microreactors for remote areas, which offer continuous power for 10-15 years, contrasting with the daily diesel needs of traditional generators. Nano Nuclear Energy aims to address the U.S. fuel supply chain issues by building a unique fuel fabrication facility and partnering with the DOE and other companies. They also partnered with Vert to Grow Energy Solutions to integrate vertical farming in remote areas, enhancing food security and reducing dependence on imports. He specifically talks about a new partnership with a vertical farming company and how they will grow more food for food insecure areas and how this can help expand humanity in areas that have not been accessible in the past in terms of farming.

Sabrina talks with Arthur Erickson, CEO and co-founder of Helio, a company that designs and provides autonomous crop treatment drones. They discuss the company's origin, the capabilities of their large agricultural drones, and the impact of legislative actions, such as the Countering CCP Drones Act, on the drone industry. Arthur explains the potential national security concerns surrounding Chinese drone manufacturers DJI and Autel, and how the proposed regulations could affect the industry and Helio. Additionally, the conversation touches on the various applications of drones in agriculture, including pesticide spraying, cover crop seeding, and crop scouting.