{"href":"http://player.captivate.fm/services/oembed?url=http%3A%2F%2Fplayer.captivate.fm%2Fepisode%2Faef0061a-b5ae-4535-80c8-69eb1e413147","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Captivate.FM","provider_url":"https://www.captivate.fm","width":600,"height":200,"type":"rich","html":"","title":"S2E14: Tobias Peggs - Discovering a More Resilient Food System through Vertical Farming","description":"Join Harry Duran, host of Vertical Farming Podcast, as he welcomes to the show co-founder and CEO of Square Roots, Tobias Peggs. Square Roots is an indoor urban farming company that connects people in cities to local, real food. In this episode, Harry and Tobias discuss the growing demand for a more efficient global food system. Tobias speaks to the importance his organization places on transparency and visionary thinking as well as future initiatives he and his team are currently planning. \r\n\r\nSpecial thanks to our Season 2 Sponsor\r\n\r\nCeres Greenhouse Solutions\r\n\r\nKey Takeaways\r\n\r\n01:34 \u2013 Harry welcomes Tobias Peggs to the show to share his background as a data scientist, the genesis of his company Square Roots, and the impact Covid-19 has had on the industry\r\n\r\n08:17 \u2013 Tobias recalls the vertical farming landscape back in 2016 when he initially launched Square Roots and how his past experience helped him to scale his business\r\n\r\n16:24 \u2013 The value Tobias and Square Roots place on transparency and forward-thinking\r\n\r\n22:21 \u2013 Trends Tobias has observed from the overall AgTech industry, including collaboration between organizations and the role of technology and software\r\n\r\n32:18 \u2013 The evolution of Square Roots\u2019 Farmer Training program\r\n\r\n36:52 \u2013 How Tobias has grown personally and professionally during his tenure at Square Roots and mentors who have influenced him throughout his career\r\n\r\n43:38 \u2013 Tobias speaks to the differences in how Americans and Europeans receive and consume their food\r\n\r\n47:27 \u2013 What is something Tobias has changed his mind about recently and a tough question Tobias has had to ask himself recently\r\n\r\n50:33 \u2013 What excites Tobias most about the future of vertical farming and where listeners can learn more about Square Roots \r\n\r\nTweetables:\r\n\r\n\u201cIt became very obvious quite early that the world really needs this [vertical farming]. And that has acted as a very galvanizing and energizing focus through what, to your point, has been the craziest year any of us could ever possibly imagine.\u201d(03:43) \r\n\r\n\u201cPlants are not just widgets; they don\u2019t just grow on demand. You need a person in there willing these plants to come to life.\u201d(06:58)\r\n\r\n\u201cThe average age of a farmer in the U.S. is fifty-eight. The average age of a farmer in countries like Japan is sixty-eight. You\u2019ve got this demographic time bomb that is about to detonate on the food system. We need to find pathways for young people to enter the agriculture industry and that\u2019s what we decided to tackle first at Square Roots.\u201d(07:26)\r\n\r\n\u201cThe wonderful thing is when you\u2019re stressed in the software company, you stay stressed. When you\u2019re stressed in the farming company, you just go wander around the farm for a half an hour.\u201d(13:07)\r\n\r\n\u201cThere are probably lots of parallels with the sort of green or alternative energy industry. We are all in it to solve a massive problem for the planet.\u201d(23:14)\r\n\r\n\u201cSome days I do have to kind of stop myself because we are running at 150 miles per hour figuring all this stuff out.\u201d(33:58)\r\n\r\n\u201cYou don\u2019t have to be a bloody nutritionist to figure this shit out. If it smells great, and it tastes great and it looks great, it\u2019s gonna be good for you.\u201d(46:39)\r\n\r\n\u201cThere is a desperate need to figure out a more resilient food system where people are eating healthier food and doing it all year round. And indoor farming can be a big part of that solution.\u201d(51:06)\r\n\r\nLinks Mentioned:\r\n\r\nTobias\u2019 Website\r\n\r\nTobias\u2019 LinkedIn\r\n\r\nSquare Roots Twitter\r\n\r\nSquare Roots Instagram\r\n\r\nCeres Greenhouse Solutions\r\n\r\nWebsite | Facebok | Pinterest | Instagram | YouTube\r\n\r\nSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300,"thumbnail_url":"https://artwork.captivate.fm/8d97ba39-1877-4395-b9d7-c995425f2319/image.jpg"}