How This 4th-Generation Family Farmer Used Agtech To Help His Farm

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Scroll through the news and it’s obvious that now is not an easy time to be a farmer. The rising cost of fertilizers is narrowing profit margins, unexpected frost events are putting orchard yields at risk, and parts of the Western US are experiencing the worst drought in 1,200 years.?

But so much of what we hear is second-hand information and removed from the people with their boots on the ground. I wanted to share some perspective from a farmer in the field about what challenges he’s facing and where agtech can (and can’t) help.?

Today we’re speaking with Leon Etchepare. He’s the partner and general manager of Emerald Farms in Maxwell, Northern California, and a fourth-generation farmer. He took over his family’s farm when his dad started thinking about retirement. Now, he’s in charge of 4,500 acres of almond and walnut trees and 500 acres of irrigated row-cropping. He’s also the co-founder of Wellnut Farms walnut butter company and runs his own co-packer, Nutopia Foods, which helps small businesses make their own nut butters. (All that responsibility would drive anyone nuts … but not Leon!)?

With all that ground to cover, and so much to keep track of, Leon wanted to make sure things were running as efficiently as possible –– and he enlisted technology to help. He recently took some time to share his thoughts and experiences on the realities of farming in 2022. Here’s what he said:??

What’s the hardest part of being a farmer right now? Currently this would be water, or lack thereof. Watching our leaders send 10 years worth of water out to the ocean in three years is disheartening. It is something that we have no control of and we are at the mercy of our leaders.

After running an outdoor living company, you decided to come back and take over your family farm in 2011. What drew you back? It was a time where my dad was looking at preparing for “retirement” and I was transitioning out of the landscape business. It really was just good timing and we both felt that the knowledge I had gained being away from the farm would help us move our operation into the future.

Can you share a recent moment when you thought to yourself, “I really love my job”? There are many times I feel that way, unfortunately lately those times are rare. I am a problem-solver and farming is always throwing you curveballs, so I enjoy challenges that I can find solutions for and implement.?

What does a typical day on (or off) the farm look like for you? Usually it starts at the gym, then heading around to check on projects and do most of my field walking in the morning and the office work in the afternoon. Most of my daily tasks are managing people and processes, which unfortunately takes me away from most of the “hands on” tasks.?

What’s the single most important trait a contemporary farmer needs to succeed? ?Visionary.

As a farmer, what have you done differently that’s helped you to thrive and find a way forward??Embraced technology in order to save time, inputs … inevitably money. Some tech doesn’t pay and others pays off greatly, so in the end I feel we are leaps ahead using forward-thinking tech in all aspects of our operation.

What’s the number one misperception most people have about farmers? That we are not taking care of Mother Nature.

Farmers everywhere are being asked to “do more with less” these days. Can you share how you have felt those pressures? This is everyday … currently water is the primary object that we are trying to stretch. But we have to do that with employees, fertilizer, chemicals, equipment, etc. The expense of everything has reached a point that we have to squeak every possible efficiency out in order to remain profitable … which these days is still very hard to make happen.

What’s your recipe for thriving as a farmer in the current challenging landscape (inflation, drought, etc.)? Perseverance! Farmers who make it through situations like our current “climate” find ways to make it through. We lean on our neighbors, our friends, staff, and, well, anyone that has an idea. We are better together than separate, and in many cases we all can come up with new ideas that help us plow through the problems.

If a company doesn’t stand behind the product with amazing service, the tech will fail and you will have a very bad taste in your mouth.

Did you have an “a-ha moment” with agtech? Was there a moment early on when you truly realized its potential? I found this early on in my tech implementation. If a company doesn’t stand behind the product with amazing service, the tech will fail and you will have a very bad taste in your mouth.

What does your “agtech stack” look like on the farm (i.e. what tools and platforms are vital to your work)? Mating disruption, pump control, soil monitoring, equipment tracking, electrostatic sprayers, yield monitoring, maintenance software, cloud-based file sharing, group task software are among the top successes.

How has social media been a valuable tool on your farm? I feel it is a great way to get our message out to the masses. Farmers are really bad at telling their stories, and social media is a platform that we can get it out there. However, it has to be done very carefully.

What’s your biggest frustration with agtech? A lot of tech is a one-size-fits-all solution. Every farmer does things differently, so there needs to be a focus on customization per customer.

Can you share an example of how agtech makes your life easier today? Having data at my fingertips is key to making timely decisions.

Wish list: What new technology or innovation would you love to see developed? What would truly take your farm to the next level or solve a pressing pain point? A way to make it rain! LOL.?

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Thank you Leon Etchepare for sharing your thoughts on farming. If you want to hear more from farmers and other perspectives in agriculture, please subscribe or share with someone you know!?