Show Notes
In this episode of Humans of Agriculture, Oli Le Lievre sits down with Nathan Potter, CEO of Pavilion Farms, to unpack the future of precision agriculture and why Pavilion Farms is now searching for an AgTech Lead to help shape the next chapter of the business.
From growing up on chicken farms in Victoria to building a career in management consulting with PwC across Australia and London, Nathan shares the journey that brought him back to the family business and how Pavilion Farms has grown into a large-scale operation focused on innovation, efficiency, and continuous improvement.
Nathan explains why he sees poultry farming as “the Formula 1 of agriculture” and how emerging technologies, AI, and real-time monitoring are creating new opportunities to improve animal welfare, farm performance, and operational consistency at scale.
The conversation also dives into Pavilion Farms’ newly created AgTech Lead role, the mindset they are looking for in candidates, and why curiosity, systems thinking, and a willingness to solve problems matter more than coming from a traditional farming background.
This episode is designed to give candidates and listeners a genuine insight into the business, the people, the opportunity, and Nathan’s vision for the future of agriculture.
If you’d like to learn more about Pavilion Farms or the AgTech Lead opportunity, head to https://humansofagriculture.com/careers/job-board/agtech-lead-precision--cgk9 The role is live now, and we’d love to hear from anyone interested in the future of agriculture and technology.
Key insights from the conversation: How Pavilion Farms grew from a family farm into a large-scale poultry business Why Nathan left consulting in London to return to agriculture The role AI and technology could play in poultry farming Why poultry is one of the most data-driven sectors in agriculture What the AgTech Lead role will focus on day to day The importance of curiosity, innovation, and continuous improvement How technology can improve consistency, welfare, and efficiency at scale Why Nathan believes agriculture offers endless opportunities to solve problems
Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Pavilion Farms and AgTech Lead Role 04:57 Evolution of Pavilion Farms and Industry Changes 10:10 Dynamic Between Nathan and His Father in Business 12:58 Balancing Family and Business Responsibilities 17:14 Precision Agriculture: The Formula 1 of Farming 21:07 Team Structure and Operations at Pavilion Farms 21:45 Future Opportunities and Technological Evolution in Poultry Farming 23:24 Harnessing Technology for Poultry Management 25:01 The Role of Ag Tech Lead 26:28 Fast Tracking Innovation in Poultry 28:15 Understanding the Current Technology Landscape 30:46 Incremental Improvements in Poultry Farming 32:14 Consistency and Efficiency in Production 34:30 The Ideal Candidate for Ag Tech 36:06 Passion for Agriculture and Family Legacy 37:53 Building Relationships and Change Management 38:59 Early Wins and Data-Driven Decisions 41:00 Balancing On-Farm and Desk Work 43:01 The Importance of Location in Poultry Farming 44:08 Recruitment Process and Future Opportunities
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