PODCAST · business
Brash Ag
by Raymond King and Kit Franklin
Brash Ag will be lifting the lid on everything agricultural technology and agtech. Your hosts Raymond King and Kit Franklin are both Chartered Agricultural Engineers and experienced innovators and technologists. Through a mixture of commentary, insights and interviews, Ray and Kit will be using their experience to explore and explain the concepts, ideas, technology and business models that make agtech one of the most exciting and engaging industries to be involved in. Email us: [email protected] first season and launch of the podcast was supported by the Douglas Bomford Trust www.dbt.org.ukRaymond King https://www.linkedin.com/in/flynt-technology/Kit Franklin https://www.linkedin.com/in/kit-franklin-33649a51/
Episodes
-
104. British Design Fund – How hard cash meets hardware
What does it take to build an investment fund from scratch? Can a fund focused on hardware hold its own against rivals investing in software and AI? And why are agritech firms so attractive to the British Design Fund? This week, Kit and Ray sit down with Damon Bonser, CEO of the British Design...
-
103. Harper Hits 125, Oxbury Goes Global & Robotti Rides Again
Can Oxbury take their pioneering farm finance global? Who saved Robotti and can they build a home for the hardware in the UK? How is Harper Adams celebrating 125 years of educating the farmers of the future? This week Ray and Kit open the news bag and rifle around for some quick fire news nuggets...
-
102. Is the perfect fence, No Fence?
Can managing livestock really be as easy as a few taps on a smart phone? How can a tech career go from Silicon Valley to a Nordic fjord? Can a virtual fence be safer than a real one? This week Ray and Kit get the chance to talk to Fabien Lepoutre, VP of Engineering at No Fence. Fabien shares his...
-
101. How a Teenage Founder Got 200 Farms Using His App in 90 days
How do you grow a brand new farming app from zero to over 200 farms in 3 months?! Could anyone vibe code an app for farmers? How do you scale and sell a business before your 16th Birthday? This week Kit and Ray sit down to chat with Ben O’Connor, a farmer, innovator and serial entrepreneur. Ben...
-
100. The Brains Trust
The podcast has hit 100 episodes, to celebrate this milestone, Kit and Ray sat down with a formidable Brainstrust panel, with a collective 100 YEARS of experience. Each panel member has been a part of the Brash Ag journey to 100 episodes, some as guests, some as instigators and even an apprentice...
-
99. Control Technologies UK – Speaking the language of machines
This week, Kit and Ray speak to Mark Wood, CEO of Control Technologies UK. Mark shares his unconventional journey from rowing coach to controls engineer and the proactive, feet-first approach that helped him build a multimillion-pound engineering business. Drawing on his knowledge of embedded...
-
98. Economad – Where There’s Muck, There’s Gas!
Could anaerobic digestion power the future of small farms? How small is too small when it comes to herd size and viable energy production? This week, Kit and Ray sit down with EcoNomad Solutions founder Ilan Adler to explore his vision for making anaerobic digestion accessible to smaller farms....
-
97. We F**ked Up and We’re Sorry—Plus Robots, Crop-Sap Scanning and Bespoke Fertilisers
This week, Ray and Kit issue a sombre apology for some of the mistakes they made in Episode 94. Did they get too giddy about receiving the podcast’s first press release? Or were they so excited by the potential collaboration between TAFE and Deutz Engines that they forgot to check the facts?…
more -
96. RootWave – Can electricity kill off herbicides?
What inspired Andrew Diprose to swap a career in the City for reviving a weed-control technology first explored in the 1980s? What makes RootWave different from other approaches to electrical weeding? And how can partnering with established machinery manufacturers unlock entirely new markets for…
more -
95. Warwick Agri-Tech – Can robotics solve farming's toughest bottlenecks?
How can we bring industry and academia together to solve some of farming's biggest challenges? What can agriculture learn from the automotive sector? And where should robotics be deployed first to deliver real value? This week, Kit and Ray head up the Fosse Way to visit Warwick Agri-Tech at the...
-
94. TAFE Builds DEUTZ – Plus AI Dystopia, 3D Printing Nirvana & are we now at ‘Peak Subscription’
What can we learn from DEUTZ's new manufacturing partnership with TAFE? Could 3D printing turn customers into your best R&D team? And are subscriptions and AI giving manufacturers too much control over the products we buy? In this week's News Feed, Ray and Kit unpack: TAFE's newly announced...
-
93. Could lasers be for losers? - The Earth Rover Story
What is concentrated light and how can it beat lasers at annihilating weeds? How can autonomous weeding help fill in resource gaps? Who actually grows the trees that get planted for every new conservation project and hedgerow in the UK? This week Kit and Ray are on the road (Up the Fosse Way...
-
92. Roger Robson-Williams – Electrifying Farming
Are electric tractors the future workhorses of agriculture? What can life in New Zealand teach us about the fragility of global oil supply chains? And could electrification completely redefine how farm machinery is designed and used? This week Roger Robson-Williams joins Kit and Ray around Kit's...
-
91. Groundswell - Stuart Oates: No diesel, no problem?
Can sunrise yoga cure a hangover? What new technologies are needed to remove fossil fuels from farming? And has Ray really been replaced by Brash Ag's number one fan, Kieran Walsh? This week Kit and Ray head to the Sustainable Food Trust Podcast Tent at Groundswell Festival 2026, where they were...
-
90. Jamie Hutchinson of Cordon technologies and the £1 million bet on smarter spraying.
What if the biggest opportunity in precision spraying isn't a new sprayer at all? This week Kit and Ray are joined by Jamie Hutchinson, founder and CEO of Cordon Technologies. Jamie's career has taken him from venture capital to founding a successful wine retailer, running a regenerative vineyard...
-
89. AI, Automation & Agricultural Paradoxes
Are start-ups changing agriculture for the better? Has Clarkson's Farm improved the public's understanding of ag-tech? Can robots stay lightweight as they scale? And is AI making engineers better—or just lazier? This week Kit and Ray are back in their respective studios to take a break from...
-
88. Cereals Special - Chapter 3 - Spotting
Is 6 cylinders still better than 4? Have Smith Robotics really got a Balespike product on their hands? Is the UK back on track when it comes to funding for agri-tech? This week Kit and Ray bring you Chapter 2 of their expedition to Cereals 2026 with five more interviews from around the show. They...
-
87. Cereals Special - Chapter 2- Networking
Is there really a market for a €90000 blackgrass detecting drone? Are German manufacturers taking the UK market seriously? Is a farmer built RTK network a UK agritech (secret) success story? Is there really a market for a €90,000 blackgrass-detecting drone? Are German manufacturers taking the UK...
-
86. Cereals Special - Chapter 1 - Brashing
Was the Cotswold Brash kind to the co-hosts? Were they knee deep in mud or was the show a roaring success? What new tech is worth keeping an eye out for? This week Kit and Ray travel to Clarkson's Diddly Squat farm and Cereals 2026. They catch up with number 1 super fan, Kieran Walsh as he kindly...
-
85. Can Technology Outperform Traditional Agronomy?
Can robots really farm better than humans? Where have machines got an edge? Does the real value come from humans and machines working in harmony? This week Ray and Kit catch up again with Jonathan Trotter from Agrii. Jonathan tells the co-hosts about the exciting ongoing trial of promising new...
-
84. Paul Mikesell: Carbon Robotics and the $1million laser weeder
Can farmers really justify investing $1million in a new machine? How can AI be leveraged to solve physical problems in ag? Why did Nvidia, one of the world's most valuable companies, invest in laser weeding agtech? This week Kit and Ray are joined by a pioneer, innovator and entrepreneur Paul...
-
83. Connie Bowen: Why Agtech needs more chickens, more cows and fewer unicorns
Where do VCs get the money from? Is the power-law dead for farm tech funding? What is a $100 million chicken? This week Kit and Ray are joined by General Partner of Farmhand Ventures and member of the Agricultural Autonomy Institute steering group, Connie Bowen. Connie brings her candid approach...
-
82. Jonathan Trotter: “Keeping up with the Droneses” Technology Trials Manager at Agrii
How do agronomy businesses stay at the forefront of technology development? What happens at the interface of robotics and farming? How can farming experience help to mould and shape new technologies? This week Ray and Kit speak to Jonanthan Trotter, technology trials manager at agronomy company...
-
81. Luke Breedon: Biochar - Smoke, Fire and Black gold
How did charcoal support entire ancient civilisations? What is biochar and can it support and improve today's soils and modern farming techniques? This week Ray and Kit talk to farmer turned charcoal maker and now Nuffield Scholar, Luke Breedon. Luke runs the successful, sustainable charcoal...
-
80. Jonathan Gill: The future is now, the future is robots
Is it unusual to see robots working in a field? Do ag robots have to look “roboty”? Do Dutch farmers embrace technology more than the rest of the world? What special cafes has Jonthan been to recently? This week Kit and Ray catch up with friend of the pod and former guest, Jonathan Gill. Jonathan...
-
79. Charlie Nicklin: IAgrE and the Fastrac to success
How do you stand out in a big organisation like JCB? How do you transition from a technical role to management? In light of Kit taking over as President of Institution of Agricultural Engineers (IAgrE) the Ray and Kit welcome Charlie Nicklin CEO of IAgrE on to the podcast. Charlie shares his…
more -
78. S.W.O.T Team - USA Agritech plus *Breaking News*
What are the biggest strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing agri-tech in the USA? Is the US ahead of the rest of the world and what could the UK agri-tech sector learn from the USA? This week Kit says farewell (for now at least) to the United States of America and Mississippi…
more -
77. Patent battles, startup downfalls, Indian tractor sales explode and AI grinds gears
Who will win in the Bobcat vs Caterpillar patent showdown? Is this the end for Monarch tractors? Is Tafe at the top of its game? Has AI ruined Linkedin content? This week Ray and Kit catch up to talk about the sad demise of the struggling pioneering tractor brand Monarch. With nearly a quarter of…
more -
76. 100 Years of the 3-Point Linkage - The legacy of Harry Ferguson
Why was the future of the tractor anything but secure at the start of the 20th Century? Why were tractors in the early 1900s so dangerous? How did one man transform farm mechanisation forever? With over half a million tractors sold, the TE 20 or “Little Grey Fergie” is an iconic piece of classic...
-
75. Will Brown on Vertical Farming: Hype, Hard Truths, and What Actually Works.
Can vertical farming become a viable option for supplying fresh produce during a crisis? How do the markets for vertically farmed produce change between cultures? What does the future look like for vertical farming? This week Kit and Ray speak to farmer, entrepreneur and Nuffield Scholar Will...
-
74. Maialen Cazenave: Co-Director of Global Organization for Agricultural Robotics
How did pioneering agtech manufacturer Niao take a need for a demo day and end up launching a global accelerator for farm robotics? How has a rebrand from FIRA to Gofar opened up new opportunities to expand the organisation? This week Ray and Kit speak to Maialen Cazenave Co-Director at the Gofar…
more -
73. Emergency Pod - Ag robot meltdown!
Is it the end of the road for Agrointelli and their Robotti autonomous gantry platform? In the spirit of “The Rest is Politics”, Kit and Ray take to the airwaves to discuss the breaking news of Agrointelli’s bankruptcy. While the company is currently still producing robots and fulfilling orders...
-
72. News Feed: Can vertical farming solve food security?
Can a war lead to more investment in vertical farming? How can a tractor help you iron your trousers? What new tech can farmers buy with the latest grant funding in the UK? This Week Ray and Kit catch up for a much overdue news feed episode. With recent developments in the Middle East and…
more -
71. Sam Scales: Scaling autonomous farming down under
How do you sell a brand new concept to some of the sharpest farmers and business people in Australia? What is the killer sales strategy? Is autonomy a barrier to adoption or do farmers need to think about things at a system level? This week Kit and Ray are joined by Sam Scales, product specialist...
-
70. Kit's on the pull for AgriTech at the National Farm Machinery Show
How much horse power is too much for a stock tractor? 300hp? 500? How about 5000hp? Does subscription free AI exist? and why are small bales King in the USA? This week Kit brings us four of his top picks from the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville Kentucky. But before we hear about the...
-
69. Ezekiel McReynolds: Cyber security lessons; from the frontline of warfare to the bottom line of farming
Could farm machinery be the new frontline for the war on cyber crime? How will cyber threats shape the future of autonomy on farms and what can farmers and engineers do to protect themselves and each other? In this episode Kit and Ray are joined by Ezekiel (Zeke) McReynolds to talk all things…
more -
68. Maddison Dixon: From Blues clubs to blue skies, how drones and the Mississippi Delta changed the world
How did the Mississippi delta change the world of music, aviation and agriculture? This week Ray and Kit are joined by Maddison Dixon, Associate director at Agricultural Autonomy Institute at Mississippi State University. Maddison explains how growing up watching crop dusters perform feats of...
-
67. LAMMA Show Pt2 - Cows can’t use toilets…can they?
In this second episode from Ray's adventure to LAMMA Show 2026. Ray brings another three of his top picks from his day. Did Ray manage to complete his side quest? We find out when we hear from: Jeremy Clark at Smaxtec, the smart bolas company that promises to turn biometric data into actionable...
-
66. LAMMA Show Pt1 - V8s & Mullets, 1980’s fashion but state of the art Tech
LAMMA Show Special Part 1. This week Ray brings three of his top picks from his recent trip to LAMMA 2026 show at the NEC. Ray spent a day at the show and brings the Brash Ag listeners his highlights of the tech and innovations that were on display, we hear from: Eoin Clarke, Marketing Executive...
-
65. From Wiltshire to Japan: What January’s Ag News Tells Us About the Future
In this episode of Brash Ag, hosts Raymond King and Kit Franklin dive into a packed January news round-up covering UK agricultural engineering, global farming challenges, and where the next generation of ag talent will come from. 🔧 We start with UK machinery shake-ups, including: • Chafer...
-
64. Prof Simon Pearson MBE - An Honour Earned Engineering in the Field
In this episode of the Brash Ag Podcast, Raymond King and Kit Franklin are joined by Simon Pearson — farmer’s son, ag-engineer, academic, commercial operator, and now MBE for services to agri-engineering after receiving a nomination by DEFRA. Simon’s career cuts across every part of the ag-tech...
-
63. New Year, New Realities for UK Farming & AgTech
In this news-led episode, Raymond King and Kit Franklin dig into what really matters as UK agriculture heads into a turbulent new year. We unpack: 🚜 What the Farm Profitability Review actually means for ag-tech, machinery, and engineers 📉 Why policy uncertainty is freezing on-farm investment...
-
62. Myles Reay -End of Year Special | From Workshops to World Stages
In this end-of-year Brash Ag episode, Raymond King and Kit Franklin sit down with Myles Ray, a mechanical engineering student on placement at Holbrook Engineering, to talk about what actually makes a good engineer — and why hands-on experience still matters in ag-tech. We cover: 🔧 From Harper...
-
61. Trivikram Kumar ~ Micro-Tractors vs Sharks, how XMachines was Built
Can micro-tractors replace an aging workforce in rural India? Can micro-entrepreneurs help finance the “robots as a service” dream? This week Kit and Ray go transcontinental to interview entrepreneur Trivikram Kumar, founder of Xmachines a robotics start-up focused on providing solutions for...
-
60. Andy Newbold - Building a bridge to safety
What do we want from autonomy? Are farm robots the answer to on farm safety or are they an accident waiting to happen? This week Kit and Ray catch up with seasoned agricultural engineer and entrepreneur, Andy Newbold. We hear about how Andy carved out a niche in agricultural compliance and safety...
-
59. News Feed - Has Monarch tractors lost its crown?
Have Monarch Tractors over-promised on ag autonomy and electrification? With a pending lawsuit one dealership in the US seems to think so… This week Kit and Ray catch up after a few weeks of travelling to take stock on the current state of agtech? What trends are defining agtech? Will the next...
-
58. Agritechnica 2025 - “East meets West”
Are we seeing a quiet shift in the world order of farm machinery? Can EV tractors provide a foot hold for Chinese tractor makers or will the sheer volume of the domestic Indian tractor prove the real game changer for Tafe? This week Kit continues grilling Ray about his recent trip to…
more -
57. Agritechnica 2025 - “We found the farmers, but what are they buying?”
Will Chinese manufacturers steal a march on the big tractor makers? Are all agricultural robots just marketing fluff? Can the Germans run a train timetable as well as the British? This week Kit grills Ray on his recent trip to Hannover and the world's largest Agricultural Machinery event. We hear...
-
56. FIRA USA 2025 - “Hot oil and silicon chips”
FIRA USA 2025; The robots have taken over FIRA — but where are the farmers? This week we hear part two of Kit's tour of FIRA USA in California and catch up with some of the hottest new developments in agritech. We hear from: Taylor Wetil of Soflintec on their solar powered, autonomous spot…
more -
55. FIRA USA 2025 - “Let the engineers speak”
FIRA USA 2025; What does the future of agtech look like through the eyes of Silicon Valley tech nerds, venture capitalists and Californian farmers? Our man in the US, Kit, headed West for FIRA USA in California to check out the latest developments in agricultural robotics. We hear from; Andrew...
We're indexing this podcast's transcripts for the first time — this can take a minute or two. We'll show results as soon as they're ready.
No matches for "" in this podcast's transcripts.
No topics indexed yet for this podcast.
Loading reviews...
ABOUT THIS SHOW
Brash Ag will be lifting the lid on everything agricultural technology and agtech. Your hosts Raymond King and Kit Franklin are both Chartered Agricultural Engineers and experienced innovators and technologists. Through a mixture of commentary, insights and interviews, Ray and Kit will be using their experience to explore and explain the concepts, ideas, technology and business models that make agtech one of the most exciting and engaging industries to be involved in. Email us: [email protected] first season and launch of the podcast was supported by the Douglas Bomford Trust www.dbt.org.ukRaymond King https://www.linkedin.com/in/flynt-technology/Kit Franklin https://www.linkedin.com/in/kit-franklin-33649a51/
HOSTED BY
Raymond King and Kit Franklin
CATEGORIES
Loading similar podcasts...
Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Brash Ag have?
Brash Ag currently has 103 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Brash Ag about?
Brash Ag will be lifting the lid on everything agricultural technology and agtech. Your hosts Raymond King and Kit Franklin are both Chartered Agricultural Engineers and experienced innovators and technologists. Through a mixture of commentary, insights and interviews, Ray and Kit will be using...
How often does Brash Ag release new episodes?
Brash Ag publishes regularly with 103 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Brash Ag?
You can listen to Brash Ag on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Brash Ag?
Brash Ag is created and hosted by Raymond King and Kit Franklin.
URL copied to clipboard!