Satellite crop intelligence

Billions of dollars swing on a few key questions: How big is the crop, where is it thriving, and where is it under stress right now? We sit down with Gabby Nizri and David Shoaf of SatYield to unpack how satellite crop monitoring is changing commodity market intelligence for corn, soybeans, wheat, and more and why timing can matter as much as accuracy. We talk about what SatYield actually delivers: independent crop and physical supply intelligence built from satellite imagery, weather and soil data, and biophysical crop models that estimate planted area and yield as the season evolves. Nizri explains the idea of a “crop digital twin” a virtual crop that updates as new satellite feeds arrive every three to five days. Shoaf breaks down the practical difference between a monthly reporting cycle and a weekly view, especially for grain traders, merchandisers, procurement teams, and risk managers who need to make decisions before the market fully prices in a change. From basis and transportation costs to sourcing radius decisions for ethanol plants, poultry operations, and cattle feeders, we explore how granular, near-real-time signals can help teams prepare for the best and plan for the worst. We also dig into coverage and expansion plans across North America and South America, and how data can be delivered through APIs, files, dashboards, and even query-driven tools that fit into existing workflows. If you care about crop forecasting, commodity trading, or feed supply risk, subscribe, share this episode with a colleague, and leave a review so more people can find the show.