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“Data is the next currency of modern agriculture,” Adam Greenberg, CEO of IUNU, emphasizes. “But while it holds immense value, many growers are unknowingly trading their autonomy for tools that commoditize their data. The result? They lose control over their intellectual property, while third-party AI providers profit at their expense. It’s time for a change: Growers deserve ownership of their data.”
The exploitation of growers’ data
Adam outlines the current landscape: “Here’s the status quo: Companies take your data. They extract years of your hard-earned knowledge—climate, irrigation, and production data—without fair compensation. They apply commoditized AI. Generic algorithms process this data, often without introducing anything innovative or unique. Then, they sell it back to you. Growers end up paying to access insights derived from their own data, while competitors benefit from the same shared information. If you take all your historical data, upload it to ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, etc, and ask it questions, it will often give you the same result as any of the app companies.”
He warns that this cycle not only erodes trust but also limits the potential for individual growers to differentiate themselves.
Many companies offer a misleading value proposition: “These companies often promise future value in exchange for growers’ data. But this promise is hollow. AI without new data is merely a repackaging of what growers already know. Growers lose ownership and control, effectively subsidizing their competitors. The closed ecosystems created by these platforms stifle innovation by locking growers into a single system.”
The case for data ownership
Adam strongly advocates for growers to take full control of their data. “Growers should demand nothing less than ownership of their data,” he asserts, giving empowerment as the first argument to do so. “Owning your data means making informed, independent decisions tailored to your operation—not decisions dictated by a commoditized third-party AI.” Then there’s the collaboration. “Data ownership fosters partnerships with trusted advisors (e.g., breeders, agronomists) on your terms. Demand that the APIs you use, that you can push and pull data, many companies offer APIs that only take your data, but make it hard to pull your data out. Being able to pull your data keeps your options open to switch AI providers.” Finally, he refers to privacy and protection. “Keeping control ensures your intellectual property and growing practices remain confidential. You should own your own growing recipes.”
Adam underscores IUNU’s dedication to grower autonomy, emphasizing that growers should retain access and ownership of their data. “They should have the freedom to choose their tools—whether fully automated systems or simpler solutions—without fear that their data will be exploited, shared with competitors, or locked behind a paywall. Our systems are designed to facilitate—not control—grower success.”
He envisions a more equitable industry, where data is freely exchanged with trusted partners to drive innovation, tools remain interoperable to prevent vendor lock-in, and insights lead to higher yields and lower costs. “Data ownership is a fundamental right—not a privilege,” Adam states. “The future of greenhouse agriculture depends on empowering growers to control their data and innovate without fear. Without change, the industry is heading towards giving all their data away to a few companies, removing agency of these greenhouse growers long term. At IUNU, we’re not just advocating for change—we’re leading it. Because when growers succeed, we all succeed.”
For more information:
IUNU
Alex Franco
Marketing Manager
[email protected]
