Technology doesn't build itself. Behind every model, every prediction, and every quality assessment is a team working to teach computers how to understand grain.

When grain leaves the farm, its journey is far from over.  What happens next depends heavily on quality. 

Let's take a closer look at how grain quality impacts some of the products we rely on every day. 

When grading grain, not every quality issue can be captured by a single defect. A sample may not have significant levels of sprouting, disease, or foreign material, yet still show signs that overall grain quality has been affected. 

This is where Degree of Soundness comes in. 

As grain volumes increase, maintaining both speed and consistency becomes increasingly important. That's where our benchtop MV/NIRs comes in.

Automated grain grading is a new approach for many people in the grain industry. Whether we are speaking with farmers, grain buyers, processors, or grading teams, many of the same questions come up. 

Here are some of the most common questions we receive about our benchtop MV/NIRs. 

When we talk about grain quality, it is easy to focus on what happens at harvest or at delivery. But grain does not arrive at harvest as a blank slate

Atul’s path to Ground Truth Ag is rooted in a strong foundation in agriculture. With a background in agricultural engineering and further studies in agribusiness management and food processing in Canada, he has spent years building hands-on experience across the grain industry. 

Grain grading sits at the centre of grain movement, connecting what is harvested in the field to how it is stored, sold, and processed. 

Moisture is one of the most important factors when it comes to soybeans. 

Our grain development work continues to move forward as we expand datasets, test across varying conditions, and refine performance against real world samples.

Here is a look at what we have been working on.

Today, we are introducing Joseph Aldred, one of our Grain Data Collectors, whose background in chemistry and passion for learning adds a unique layer to our grain models.

With more data, closer collaboration with partners, and ongoing refinement, both our soybean and corn models are evolving quickly, and improving performance against real world samples. 

Heat damage is a grading factor that can affect several crops and have a significant impact on grade, value, and end use. It most often develops during drying or storage, when grain or oilseeds are exposed to elevated temperatures for extended periods of time. 

As we look ahead to 2026, Ground Truth Ag enters the year from a position of confidence. Our systems are deployed. Manufacturing is in place. Operational processes are established. The focus now is refinement and scale. 

The focus for us at Ground Truth Ag was making sure the product worked to our level of precision, reliability, and performance, and that it met and exceeded the high standards we hold ourselves to.

With years of grain grading experience and a Level 3 certification, Roy brings deep knowledge to a field that’s rapidly evolving. When he first heard about Ground Truth Ag, he wasn’t sure what to expect. But once he learned more about the work, the people, and the vision, he knew it was something he wanted to be part of. 

But even in a well-functioning grading environment, small inconsistencies can create challenges downstream. Grain grading is being asked to support a supply chain that is faster, more complex, and more quality-sensitive than ever before. 

Grain grading has always been important, but rapid changes in farming, logistics, and food processing are exposing the limits of a system designed for a different era. 

What does it look like to dive headfirst into hands-on learning, expand your technical skillset across disciplines, and contribute meaningfully to a fast-moving agtech company, all while finishing your Master’s degree? That’s the path Vatsal Patel is paving at Ground Truth Ag as a Data Science Intern. 

Once grain is graded, it’s easy to think the process is over. But in reality, grading is the beginning of a much bigger story—one that determines how grain moves through the supply chain, how it’s priced, and how it’s eventually used in food, feed, or processing.