Pivot Bio Brings the Year of One Million Thanks Buddy Seat Tour to North and South Dakota, Highlighting Innovation, Farmer Leadership and the Future of Agriculture

27 July 2026, Minneapolis: Following a successful national kickoff in Missouri  and Iowa, Pivot Bio’s Year of One Million Thanks Buddy Seat Tour is heading to the Great Plains region for a week of conversations celebrating the people, partnerships and innovations driving the future of agriculture. The tour, spanning more than 1,500 miles across America, brings together farmers, researchers, entrepreneurs, policymakers and industry innovators with Pivot Bio leaders to elevate farmer voices and encourage greater investment in one of America’s most important industries.  

During the week of July 27, the tour will stop at Elevate: AI in Agriculture Summit, Grand Farm Field Day, and Ag PhD Field Day.  

“The conversations we’ll have during the week are exactly what the Year of One Million Thanks is about, listening to farmers, celebrating and thanking them for their hard work feeding, fueling and clothing the world, while exploring the ideas, partnerships and solutions that will help agriculture thrive for generations to come,” said Chris Abbott, chief executive officer at Pivot Bio. “The Dakotas have a proud agricultural heritage and a strong vision for the future. It’s the perfect place to bring together the people who are shaping what’s next for farming.” 

Buddy Seat Conversations at Grand Farm 

The North Dakota portion of the tour begins at Grand Farm on Monday, July 27, where Abbott and Travis Frey, Ph.D., chief technology officer at Pivot Bio, will host a series of Buddy Seat conversations featuring leaders from agriculture, technology and business. These discussions will explore the future of farming, scientific innovation and the partnerships needed to help American agriculture remain the world’s most productive and resilient. 

The Buddy Seat Tour tractor (dubbed Grati-tractor One) will also be featured during Grand Farm Field Day on Tuesday, allowing visitors to learn more about the company, the Year of One Million Thanks Buddy Seat Tour, and to write a thank you message to farmers. 

Science Takes the TEDx Stage 

On Wednesday, Frey will take the TEDxFargo stage to present “The Smallest Factory in the World,” a talk exploring how microbes are transforming nitrogen production and reshaping crop nutrition. 

“Technology and innovation are driving great progress in agriculture, with some of the world’s most important biological processes happening at a scale we can’t even see,” Frey said. “Nature has spent millions of years developing microbial systems that support plant growth. We’re learning how to harness and turbocharge those systems to help farmers produce crops more efficiently.”  

Continuing the Journey to South Dakota 

Following the North Dakota events, the Year of One Million Thanks Buddy Seat Tour will continue immediately to Ag PhD Field Day in Baltic, South Dakota, on Thursday, July 30, where Pivot Bio experts and Founding Farmer Ambassador Tom Boedeker will be on hand with the tractor that is on loan for the One Million Thanks tour.  

Visitors will have opportunities to meet with Dr. Chad Kimmelshue, director of product management at Pivot Bio, and attend the educational session “Building the Foundation with Weather-Proof Nitrogen,” featuring Kimmelshue, Joe Olson, commercial agronomy lead at Pivot Bio and Matt Thompson of Hefty Naturals. The session will explore how biological nitrogen is helping farmers build more resilient nitrogen programs while improving operational flexibility. 

The Year of One Million Thanks Buddy Seat Tour will continue across America throughout the coming year, bringing together farmers and leaders from business, government, academia and agriculture to celebrate the people who feed the world and encourage greater investment in the future of farming.  

Also Read: Bayer Launches New Insecticide Trance for Cotton in India

Global Agriculture is an independent international media platform covering agri-business, policy, technology, and sustainability. For editorial collaborations, thought leadership, and strategic communications, write to pr@global-agriculture.com