Pivot Bio Takes Year of One Million Thanks Buddy Seat Tour to Nebraska

University of Nebraska–Lincoln stop will bring farmers, students, researchers and agricultural leaders together for conversations about the future of Nebraska agriculture

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Pivot Bio, one of the world’s leading agtech companies, announced today that its Year of One Million Thanks Buddy Seat Tour will make a stop at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s East Campus on Thursday, Nov. 5, bringing the Grati-Tractor to the heart of one of the nation’s leading agricultural states.

The latest stop in Nebraska for the company’s year-long tour will create a space for farmers, university leaders, students and government leaders to share their perspectives on the challenges and opportunities shaping agriculture. The tractor tour has stretched over 3,500 miles across rural America, creating opportunities to listen to farmers, recognize their contributions and bring together people from across agriculture around the issues and ideas shaping its future.

Throughout the day, Pivot Bio CEO Chris Abbott will host a series of Buddy Seat conversations focused on the future agricultural workforce, innovation and technology adoption, agricultural literacy, natural resource stewardship and rural economic growth.

Nebraska agriculture is built on the ingenuity of farmers and the strength of the communities, institutions and businesses that support them. By bringing the tour to Lincoln during harvest, Pivot Bio aims to recognize those contributions while connecting the people putting them into practice.

“Nebraska has a long history as a place where agricultural leadership, research and practical experience come together,” said Chris Abbott, chief executive officer of Pivot Bio. “The Year of One Million Thanks Buddy Seat Tour is about listening to the people who know agriculture best, recognizing what farmers contribute every day and creating connections that can help good ideas move forward. I’m looking forward to my discussions with the farmers, students and leaders who join us in Lincoln.”

“Agricultural and natural resources literacy is more important than ever as we navigate the challenges and opportunities shaping our world,” said Tiffany Heng-Moss, NU Vice President and Harlan Vice Chancellor for UNL’s Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. "We are pleased to welcome Pivot Bio’s Chris Abbott to campus for this important event and to help foster meaningful conversations about the role of agriculture and natural resources in our lives, the challenges we face and the opportunities ahead.”

The Grati-Tractor will be located in front of Chase Hall on the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s East Campus on Nov. 5. Visitors will be invited to see the tractor, write a message of thanks to farmers and learn more about the tour. Buddy Seat conversations and student programming will take place throughout the day.

After stopping in the Cornhukser State, the Grati-Tractor will make its way south to Little Rock, Arkansas, for a farmer appreciation event.

About A Year of One Million Thanks

The Year of One Million Thanks Buddy Seat Tour is visiting rural communities and farms around the country to celebrate and thank farmers.

The tour kicked off on July 20 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, and over the course of this year, Pivot Bio CEO Chris Abbott is traveling across America’s rural communities with a working family tractor, meeting with farmers in their fields and communities to listen to their experiences, to celebrate their contributions and explore the ideas that will shape the next generation of agriculture.

The tour is built around a simple belief: the best ideas for agriculture begin with the people who live it every day. Just as importantly, the tour is intended to spark action. By bringing together farmers with leaders from business, government, academia and the broader agricultural community, Pivot Bio hopes the conversations will identify practical partnerships and solutions that can help farmers address today’s challenges while preparing for tomorrow’s opportunities.

Every journey needs the right vehicle. For a journey as impactful as the Year of One Million Thanks Buddy Seat Tour, that meant finding more than simply a tractor to make the trip. It meant finding one that represents the resilience and spirit of American agriculture. The search led to 69-year-old Missouri farmer Tom Boedeker of Boedeker Brothers Farm, a fourth-generation family operation near Elsberry, Missouri, whose roots date back to 1936. The Grati-Tractor is a real working tractor from Boedeker Brothers Farm, and Tom serves as an honorary farm ambassador as part of the tour.

About Pivot Bio

Pivot Bio, one of the world’s leading agtech companies, delivers patented crop nutrition technologies that harness the power of nature to help farmers reliably and productively grow the food the world needs in the face of increasing volatility. Currently available in North America and soon in Brazil, the company’s products represent a breakthrough innovation and one of the agriculture industry’s most promising solutions. Pivot Bio has been recognized three times by TIME magazine on its annual list of Best Inventions, by Fast Company on its World Changing Ideas and World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies lists, by CNBC on its Disruptor 50 list, by Fortune on its Impact 20 list, and by MIT Technology Review as one of 15 climate tech companies to watch. For more information, visit PivotBio.com.