The Reservoir

The Reservoir is hiring a Ranch Manager for our Reservoir Farms Salinas location—a key role as we launch the facility. As our Ranch Manager, you’ll play a central role in shaping what we’re building: ?? Driving rural innovation by collaborating with students, growers, farmworkers, and startups ?? Managing daily operations on our one-of-a-kind innovation farm ?? Leading the charge to integrate and test advanced automation, robotics, precision tools, and AI We’ve brought together an incredible interview panel, including local leaders from Western Growers, Tanimura & Antle, Driscoll's, Naturipe Berry Growers, Inc., and Taylor Farms—with more to be announced. If you or someone you know is passionate about shaping the future of AgTech and specialty crop farming, we’d love to hear from you. ?? Applications are open all month –?apply today! https://lnkd.in/d9eqf_Jp cc Walt Duflock Ben Palone AgTech Alchemy AgTech Advisory Collective Josh Roberts Jason Sedano Matthew Hoffman Nishan Moutafian Hillary Q. Thomas-Sanchez, Ph.D. Aaron Magenheim Bartley Walker

?? Celebrating the Women of The Reservoir! ?? This International Women’s Day, we’re honoring the incredible women who have shaped The Reservoir into what it is today. From education to venture capital to agricultural sciences, their expertise, leadership, and vision drive our success and inspire us every day. A special shoutout to: Jillian H. (COO), Grace Wodecki (Brand Manager), Jackie Cruz, Ed. D. (Executive in Residence), Michelle Reimers (Strategic Advisor), Naomi S.hisaike (Business Development Advisor, Japan), Phoenix Skeahan (Growth), Tracy Proietti (Nonprofit Board of Directors), Naida Lacevic, PhD, PMP (Nonprofit Board of Directors), Melanie Wong (Nonprofit Board of Directors), Gloriamar Gamez (Nonprofit Board of Directors), Connie Bowen (Nonprofit Board of Directors), Karen Warner (Advisor) Jennifer Kuan (Advisor), and Hillary Q. Thomas-Sanchez, Ph.D. (Advisor). Thank you for your dedication, innovation, and impact.?

The Reservoir is hiring a Ranch Manager for our Salinas location—our first on-farm leadership hire as we bring Reservoir Farms to life. This is a chance to help shape a 24/7/365 agtech community in the Salinas Valley. This role will be at the center of everything we’re building: ?? Driving rural innovation that includes students, growers, farmworkers, and startups ?? Managing day-to-day operations on a first-of-its-kind innovation farm ?? Helping integrate and test cutting-edge automation, robotics, precision tools, and AI We’ve assembled a top-tier interview panel from Western Growers, Tanimura & Antle, Driscoll's, Naturipe Berry Growers, Inc., and Taylor Farms—with more leaders to be announced. Let's talk if you or someone in your network can help build the future of AgTech and specialty crop farming. ?? We'll accept applications throughout the month. Apply below. cc Walt Duflock Ben Palone AgTech Alchemy AgTech Advisory Collective Josh Roberts Jason Sedano Matthew Hoffman Nishan Moutafian Hillary Q. Thomas-Sanchez, Ph.D. Aaron Magenheim Bartley Walker

Thank you AgFunder for featuring The Reservoir so prominently in the 2025 Global AgriFoodTech Investment Report. We're humbled to be included, and greatly appreciate the support and collaboration from established leaders in the AgTech ecosystem. ?? https://lnkd.in/gWEjFbwR cc Western Growers Walt Duflock Ben Palone Jillian H. Arlen Frew Eric Jackson Michelle Reimers Grace Wodecki Patrick Flynn Gonzalo Perez-Taiman Naomi S. AgTech Alchemy AgTech Advisory Collective Daniel Emilio Sabzehzar Phoenix Skeahan

“It’s really about social and economic mobility and community vibrancy,” Hartnell Superintendent Michael Gutierrez says. “When you have these ag tech startups, they’re either going to hire people from the outside or they’re going to hire people from within.” Check out this piece on the collaborative initiative to build up well-paying jobs in the AgTech industry, to power the workforce directly their community. ??

Excited to see The Reservoir, Hartnell College, and our partners featured in the Monterey County Weekly today. This piece highlights our collaborative effort to build high-road job pathways in AgTech—ensuring that innovation isn’t just happening for agriculture but with local residents and within communities that power it. This kind of progress takes hours and hours of collaboration across industries, institutions, and individuals who see the potential for something greater. A heartfelt thank you to Hartnell College President Michael Gutierrez for his visionary leadership and commitment to student outcomes. We learn from his team every day. Thank you to our partners at California Governor's Office of Business and Economic Development (GO-Biz), California Jobs First, Uplift Central Coast, Monterey Bay Economic Partnership (MBEP), DART, Quinn Brady, David Mancera, MS, Maria Elena Manzo, Barbara Meister, Western Growers, and UCANR. Read more about our initiative here: https://lnkd.in/gs9Khdsa #Agriculture #Technology #WorkforceDevelopment #Collaboration #Innovation

The latest USDA Census reveals a powerful truth: farms under 180 acres make up nearly 70% of all farms in the U.S. This underscores the vital role small and medium-sized farms play in feeding our communities. While AgTech offers transformative solutions to challenges like labor shortages and rising costs, many of these innovations remain out of reach for smaller growers. Across all markets, large farms—more than 5,000 acres—are the most willing to adopt agtech solutions (81 percent), with 76 percent of medium farms (2,000 to 5,000 acres) and 36 percent of small farms (fewer than 2,000 acres) using or planning to use at least one technology in the next two years. (McKinsey & Company) At The Reservoir and Reservoir Farms, we’re committed to changing that. Here’s how we’re breaking down barriers to ensure every farmer can thrive: 1. Local Outreach & Education: The Reservoir will host local demonstrations at Reservoir Farms facilities and partner with community organizations, like F3Local, The VINE and Community Alliance with Family Farmers, to build trust and show the real-world impact of AgTech innovations. 2. Affordable Access: AgTech doesn’t have to be $1M+ mega machines. Reservoir Farms actively seeks affordable smart implements and related solutions to bring big-farm technology into small-farm prices. ? 3. Solving Real Challenges: We engage local farmers in crop-specific advisories to address their most pressing needs (e.g., harvesting efficiency, soil health, and post-harvest handling). By tapping into crop-specific feedback, we can deliver tech solutions that make a difference. 4. Scalable Solutions for Every Farm: From small family farms to large operations, we back modular and scalable technologies designed to meet growers where they are. Take Farm-ng, for example—a Reservoir Ventures portfolio company that developed a versatile, modular robot that handles various farming tasks tailored to fit any operation. When small farms succeed, the entire industry benefits. At Reservoir Farms, we aim to make AgTech affordable, approachable, and impactful. ?? Karen Ross Glenda Humiston Gabriel Youtsey Helle Petersen Hannah Tikalsky Connie Bowen Adam Bergman Josh Metz Andrea Pesce David Mancera, MS Jose Corona Kristin Coates Eric Morgan Steve Mantle Matthew Hoffman Stavros Vougioukas AgTech Alchemy AgTech Advisory Collective AgTech Nation Grand Farm #AgTech #SustainableFarming #SmallFarms #InnovationInAgriculture #ReservoirFarms

A big month ahead for The Reservoir. We’re on the move in March, with a packed schedule of conversations, collaborations, and significant steps forward: ?? San Francisco (Week of March 10): Our first time at World Agri-Tech—excited to connect with partners driving the future of ag innovation. ?? Arizona (Week of March 17): Meeting with Western Growers to gather insights on how Reservoir Farms can best serve growers and agtech startups. ?? Monterey (Week of March 24): Speaking at DART's LIFT Summit on how drone technology shapes agriculture and sustainability. And we’re just getting started. Big news coming soon—including juicy details on our Salinas location and an upcoming groundbreaking that marks a significant step forward for early-stage agtech R&D and commercialization. If you’ll be at any of these events, let’s connect.

The declining birth rate—often referred to as the "Baby Bust"—is reshaping industries worldwide, and agriculture is no exception. Don Close and?Matt Woolf explain in their article, “The Big Shrink,” (published by the?Terrain team of at economists) that with a shrinking workforce, labor-intensive sectors like farming face unprecedented challenges. At The Reservoir,? we view this demographic shift as a call to action for AgTech. Here’s why: 1?? Labor Shortages Demand Innovation: As the workforce shrinks, the need for automation, robotics, and AI in agriculture increases. These technologies become essential for maintaining productivity and feeding the global population. 2?? Sustainability Meets Efficiency: The Baby Bust pushes us to rethink how we use resources. Precision agriculture helps farmers do more with less—reducing waste, optimizing inputs, and ensuring long-term sustainability. 3?? A New Generation of AgTech Talent: While the Baby Bust may reduce the traditional labor pool, it also opens the door for a new wave of talent. By investing in education and training, we can attract tech-savvy professionals to the agriculture sector, creating a workforce ready to tackle tomorrow’s challenges. 4?? Collaboration is Key: Solving these challenges requires collaboration across industries, governments, and communities. The Reservoir invests in innovators developing solutions to navigate this demographic shift. The Baby Bust is an opportunity to reimagine the future of agriculture. By embracing innovation, sustainability, and collaboration, we can build a stronger, more resilient food system for future generations. To read the full article: https://lnkd.in/gYEbvAaS cc Walt Duflock Adam Bergman Ben Palone AgTech Alchemy AgTech Advisory Collective Sachi Desai Rhishi Pethe Steve Mantle Matthew Hoffman Connie Bowen #AgTech #Agriculture #PrecisionAgriculture #SustainableFarming #FutureOfFarming #FoodSecurity #AgInnovation #FarmTech #Agribusiness #BabyBust #DemographicShift #LaborShortage #WorkforceDevelopment #NextGenFarmers #AIinAgriculture #AgriRobotics #SmartFarming #AgriTechSolutions #TechForGood #InnovationInAg #SustainableAgriculture #EfficientFarming #ResourceOptimization #GreenTech #AgriCollaboration #FarmToFuture #AgriCommunity #GlobalAgri #AgriLeadership #AgriThoughts #FutureOfFood #LetsTalkAg #AgriConversation #AgriInsights #Sustainability #Innovation #TechTrends #GlobalChallenges #ResilientFuture #ReservoirFarms #TheReservoir

40%+ of U.S. agricultural land is owned by people 65+, setting the stage for a massive transfer of 370 million acres in the next two decades (American Farmland Trust). “The next generation is stepping forward as farmland transitions hands and Western societies embrace a ‘back to the land’ movement, driven by a desire for sustainable lifestyles, regenerative practices, and a commitment to biodiversity.” – Mark Durno, Rockstart Since 2017, the number of new farmers has increased by 11% (AgFunder, USDA). Across the globe, a new generation of farmers is rising, fueled by a passion for sustainability, innovation, and a deep connection to the land. New farmers embrace technology and sustainable practices at unprecedented rates. 73% of U.S. farms use computers or smartphones for farm business, with younger farmers leading the adoption of precision agriculture tools (USDA, 2019). Multi-generational farms—where older and younger generations collaborate—are often more tech-forward, combining financial resources with fresh perspectives (Terry Griffin, Kansas State University). What’s Next? TL;DR These demographic trends are game-changers for the future of AgTech and sustainable agriculture. #AgTech #SustainableAgriculture #FarmlandTransition #NextGenFarmers #RegenerativeAgriculture #PrecisionFarming #FarmTech #SustainableLiving #Biodiversity #FarmInnovation #LandTransfer #YoungFarmers #FutureOfFarming #AgInnovation #BackToTheLand #ClimateSmartAg #FarmSustainability #AgriTechTrends #FarmToFuture #GenerationalFarming #ReservoirFarms