Four start-up companies have advanced to the final round of the 2025 Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge, competing for a top prize of $100,000. The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF), in partnership with Farm Credit, hosts the annual contest to highlight entrepreneurship in agriculture.
“This competition helps entrepreneurs grow their ideas into products that support farmers and ranchers in their mission to provide the food, fuel, and fiber we all rely on,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall.
The Ag Innovation Challenge, now in its 11th year, is the first national competition focused on rural entrepreneurs launching agriculture- and food-related businesses. Throughout the event, Farm Bureau is offering a total of $145,000 in start-up funding.
Earlier this week, ten semi-finalists pitched their ideas to a panel of three judges representing different parts of the agricultural supply chain. Each of the four finalists received $10,000 and will compete in the final round on January 26 at the AFBF Convention.
The finalist teams are:
- Gripp, Indiana
- Halio, Utah
- Labby, New York
- RhizeBio, North Carolina
The winner will take home $100,000, while the runner-up will earn $25,000. The competition is supported by Farm Credit, Bayer, John Deere, Farm Bureau Bank, Farm Bureau Financial Services, and T-Mobile.
Sabrina Halvorson
National Correspondent / AgNet Media, Inc.
Sabrina Halvorson is an award-winning journalist, broadcaster, and public speaker who specializes in agriculture. She primarily reports on legislative issues and hosts The AgNet Weekly podcast. Sabrina is a native of California’s agriculture-rich Central Valley.