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Twelve years ago, rice breeders with Lundberg Family Farms crossed two rice plant parents in hopes of cultivating a better black pearl rice plant. After growing generations and generations of offspringearly yields produce all sorts of different traits in one harvest, and subsequent growing seasons help refine that into a consistent cropthe result is just now ready for consumers. The new black pearl rice can thrive under regenerative organic practices (a way of farming that focuses on soil health and less environmental impact) and has a higher crop yield than previous Lundberg iterations, with 25% more rice produced per acre. With that higher yield, the farm can use fewer resources like water; this is especially important when it comes to growing rice, as fields are flooded to drown out weeds. [Photo: Lundberg Family Farms] Its the latest cultivation to come out of the Lundberg Family Farms rice breeding nursery, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. Its also a sign that the farms investment in rice breeding, and in finding varieties that are compatible with regenerative organic farming, is paying off. Varieties that it began cultivating over a decade ago are now starting to be ready for consumers; along with the black pearl rice, the brand will soon have new red jasmine and arborio varieties. What we’ve done over 50 years now is really gaining momentum, says Bryce Lundberg, vice president of agriculture at Lundberg Family Farms. And our commitment to accelerating this work reflects the urgency we feel around this [mission] . . . to grow the highest-quality rice using organic and regenerative farming practices, because we believe the health of our bodies and our planet depend on that. [Photo: Lundberg Family Farms] The importance of regenerative organic farming Lundberg Family Farms was founded in 1937 in Californias Sacramento Valley. Before moving out West, Bryces grandparents were farmers in Nebraska and experienced the Dust Bowl, an ecological disaster in which poor practices caused the soil to erode, so that it just blew away, he says. They saw how negative farming practices cause such problems to soil. They responded by changing up their farming methods, like keeping the straw in the fields after harvest instead of burning it. The common practice of burning is a way to get rid of all the old agricultural material in a field and get it ready for a new harvest, but it has serious environmental impacts, worsening air quality and degrading soil. (Just this year, a California bill went into effect banning nearly all agricultural burning as a way to limit air pollution.) Instead, the Lundbergs let the soil reabsorb that organic matter. A lot of people said it couldn’t be done, that the soil wouldn’t take this straw in, Bryce says. And I would say, if you have healthy soil, its going to take it in. If you have soil thats alive, its going to take it in. [Photo: Lundberg Family Farms] That became the crux of Lundberg farming: to leave the land better than they found it. Soil health is a crucial aspect of both organic and regenerative farming; regenerative organic farming includes practices like cover crop rotation, low or no tilling, and avoiding chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Though Lundberg Family Farms had that ethos since its founding, it officially began farming organically in the 1960s, and launched its first Regenerative Organic Certified products in 2023though the Lundbergs didnt have to change their practices to become certified. (That certification program was created by the Rodale Institute, which recently received funding from Patagonias nonprofit Holdfast Collective). Lundberg Family Farms focuses on rice (though it also sells quinoa, and products like rice cakes and syrup), setting a goal of having its organic rice certified as regenerative organic by 2027. Already more than 99% meets that goal. [Photo: Lundberg Family Farms] Rice without herbicides Still, the farm continues to innovate with its nursery to cultivate rice that can withstand the changing climate and contribute less environmental harm. Instead of using herbicides, the farm floods its fields with water to drown weeds, then dries them for 30 days to kill aquatic weeds. It’s this twofold approach that is unique, because most conventional rice farms continuously flood their fields. But this method also poses some challenges: It necessitates using rice varieties that can grow fast in water to outcompete the weeds, but that can also withstand the dry, hot phase, plus have a high enough yield to meet consumer demand. [Photo: Lundberg Family Farms] This twofold approach has multiple benefits. Flooded fields become a habitat for waterbirds and fish, while the dry period conserves water and produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions than a continuous flood. Suzanne Sengelmann, Lundbergs chief growth officer, says its farms are home to more than 200 species. We flood the fields in the winter for the Pacific Flyway, and billions of birds come [there to] rest. It’s a symbiotic relationship, too, she adds, because the birds help fertilize the ground. If you let nature do what it’s supposed to do, you wind up with healthier soil. Researchers at the University of California, Davis, studied the Lundberg Family Farms practices and found that its method of weed control reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 49%, compared to continuously flooding rice fields. Regenerative organic advocates say implementing these practicesand transitioning away from the harms of conventional farmingis crucial for the health of our planet. [Photo: Lundberg Family Farms] Cultivating better rice Regenerative organic farming has another benefit too: Food grown with these soil-friendly practices is also healthier for humans, research says. And nutrient density is something the farms nursery pursues as well. Black rice in particular is full of antioxidants, and the companys new variety has some of the darkest bran weve seen, Bryce Lundberg says, meaning it’s especially high in antioxidants. If customers arent enticed by the environmental benefits of this rice, the company hopes the nutritional benefit will be worth paying a slight premium for. (The regenerative organic black pearl rice is $5.99 a pound). Were constantly upgrading . . . because at the end of the day, from a consumer standpoint, we all care about the planet, but its personal what youre putting in your body, Sengelmann says. In terms of the nutrient density and the lack of herbicides, that tends to be the thing that really makes consumers want to pay the extra dollar or two. Even with this new release, and more rice varieties forthcoming, Lundberg still plans to innovate to breed better rice; it invests half a million dollars into its nursery every year. In 2024, it was awarded a $3 million matching grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to build out its regenerative organic products. Though those grants are now on holdand the fate of government grants at large is unclear under the Trump administration (especially ones that mention climate terms)Sengelmann says the farm is still moving forward to invest its own $3 million into that goal. Were going to keep doing it, she says, because its what weve always done.”
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Even if you’re a regular Alexa user, there’s a good chance you haven’t discovered some of its most efficient features. Actually, strike that: Theres a good chance youre only using your Alexa device to set timers and play music. But Alexa does so much more! Here are five commands to add to your vernacular that could save you tons of time with regular use. “Alexa, check traffic” Once you link your home and work addresses in the Alexa app, simply asking to check traffic will give the time between your home and office by defaultalways handy when youre heading out the door. You also can ask for traffic conditions to a certain destination. Alexa just told me that traffic from my house to the nearest Whole Foods is sluggishitd take me a whole six minutes to get there. Good thing I saved so much time asking for traffic conditions, eh? Alexa, add jelly to my shopping list Writing a shopping list by hand? A fools errand. Opening an app and typing a list by hand? A suckers gambit. As you notice ingredients running low, just say “Alexa, add [blank] to my shopping list.” The items will appear in your Alexa app’s shopping list, ready for your next grocery run. You can even check what’s on your list by asking, “Alexa, what’s on my shopping list?” before running to the store. “Alexa, announce that its time for lunch” Its 2025enough shouting up and down the stairs. Instead, say, “Alexa, announce that its time for lunch.” Your message will immediately be broadcast to all Alexa devices in your home at the same time, just like a fancy-schmancy intercom system. “Alexa, find my phone” My wife never reads these articles, so Im safe telling you that while she was frantically searching for her phone the other day, it turned out that it was in her hand. Not all lost phones are so easy to find! For the tougher tests, Alexa can call your wayward device and you can follow the ringtone. There are a couple slight catches: Youll need to do a one-time setup so Alexa knows which number to call, and you only get three free calls each month. If youre asked whether you want to sign up for a free trial of the premium phone-finding service, just say no and Alexa will place the call. Alexa, remind me . . . Just as a glorified note-to-self, Alexa is a lifesaver. There are a few ways you can ask it to remember things for you. First, just ask Alexa to remember something. Itll store it in the notes section of the Alexa app on your phone. Second, ask it to remind you of something at a certain time. Itll . . . well, you get the idea. And the best one is asking Alexa to remind you of something when youre at a certain place. If youve enabled location in the phone app, it can remind you to get Band-Aids the next time youre at Walgreens. Its almost too easy.
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The Fast Company Impact Council is a private membership community of influential leaders, experts, executives, and entrepreneurs who share their insights with our audience. Members pay annual membership dues for access to peer learning and thought leadership opportunities, events and more. Most ordinary people know little about the calculus, statistics, linear algebra, logic, and programming languages required to design projects and products to leverage artificial intelligence. However, we are not exempt from using products and services that rely on AI. If we do not learn how to maximize these tools, our organizationsbusinesses, schools, and governmentswill have less ability to generate income and a lower quality of life compared to those who do. What is most unsettling is the general lack of knowledge about logic, mathematics, and grammatical syntax that may affect AIs creation and usage. Set theory Consider set theory in mathematics, introduced indirectly in elementary school. Basic concepts like classification, grouping, and counting objects, form its foundation. During middle school, students learn set definitions, notation, and representations (listing elements, Venn diagrams), set operations (union, intersection, difference, and complements), and relationships between sets (subsets, empty sets, disjointed sets, universal sets). By high school, students face set theory with greater complexity. Applications are presented in discrete mathematics, relationships between sets and probabilities, numerical sets and related algebraic operations, and advanced concepts to introduce mathematical logic. You might be wondering where this is going. Logical reasoning Set theory feeds into logic: the science and art of reasoning correctly. Logic studies the principles of valid thought, structuring rules and methods that help evaluate the consistency and validity of arguments, deductions, and propositions. Modern mathematics is built on set theory, itself a logical system. Logic provides the structure and principles underpinning mathematical reasoning. Concepts such as implication, equivalence, negation, and quantification are fundamental logical tools used in mathematics. Logical reasoning uses symbols and formulas to represent propositions and inferences. It is essential for solving mathematical problems. In mathematics, logic explores topics like set theory and computability theory. Were circling back to the topic again. Logic helps children (and adults) break problems into smaller, more manageable parts and tackle them systematically. When solving a puzzle, logical reasoning helps them identify patterns, rules, or constraints. Chess, Sudoku, mazes, and building blocks simultaneously develop logical thinking and problem-solving skills. In math and science, solving problems logically is intrinsic to solving equations, understanding patterns, and conducting experiments. Grammar And what about grammar? Although the proposition might seem counterintuitive, grammatical syntax has a direct relationship with mathematics, particularly set theory and logic. In traditional grammar, syntax refers to the set of rules dictating how words and phrases are organized to form sentences. Grammatical classes (nouns, verbs, adjectives) combine according to rules, and sentences have hierarchical structures (clauses, phrases). Syntax rules determine whether a sentence is grammatically correct, and in linguistic analysis (parsing), understanding sentences involves breaking them into parts. Noam Chomsky’s generative grammar theory describes the implicit rules and principles underlying natural language structure. It demonstrates how sentences are generated from a finite set of rules to create infinite possible expressions in a language. Programming languages also have syntaxrules determining the correct structure of commands and expressions. Code elements (variables, functions, loops) combine using the specific rules of the language to form programs, which also have hierarchical structures (functions, blocks, modules). Like linguistic analysis, compilers and interpreters analyze code by breaking it into tokens (parts) and examining its structure. Algorithms and AI You might think this article was supposed to be about using artificial intelligence, not creating computational models. And you’re right. One important concept for using AI’s capabilities is the notion of intervals. Defining intervals enable users to separate, structure, search, and manipulate information in databases or directly within documents. This concept, widely used in set theory, is fundamental to logic, and connects logic to computer science, artificial intelligence, and dynamic systems. It also plays a critical role in syntax, particularly in structural analysis, grammatical hierarchy, and even natural language processing. Ultimately, mathematics, logic, and grammatical syntax are fundamental to structuring algorithms. It’s worth emphasizing the classical definition of an algorithm, originating in the 9th century: a finite set of well-defined, step-by-step instructions for completing a task or solving a problem. Develop natural algorithms The brain has specialized areas for numerical and logical processing (parietal lobe) and specific regions dedicated to grammar and syntax (Brocas and Wernickes areas). These regions integrate their functions to create dynamic problem-solving strategies that mimic algorithmic thinking, unconsciously generating “natural algorithms” to tackle everyday challenges, such as planning a route or making decisions based on available data, evaluating options, and predicting outcomes. The correlation between mathematics, grammar, and the brains ability to create natural algorithms for solving daily problems reveals a shared reliance on structured logical thinking and generative creativity. This interconnectedness highlights the brains remarkable ability to abstract rules, recognize patterns, and develop natural algorithms to navigate the complexities of daily life. A logical proposition is that our young people must be well-versed in fundamental mathematics and written language proficiency for a single purpose: to train their cognitive engines to develop natural algorithms, and then artificial ones, which increasingly mimic the human brain. This way they can keep up with the times, which are being radically reshaped by humanitys computational capabilities. For parents, a logical takeaway is the idea of increasing their childrens instructional time in this cognitive set. What skills are most important? Calibrating the educational curriculum and workload has been a persistent challenge for educators. The current technological revolution makes this challenge even more pronounced. What is the correct workload for each subject to keep young people in step with evolution? Will mathematics, logic, and grammar gain more importance than subjects like history, geography, or chemistry? A realistic perspective considers these skills as foundational as others, which are also taught in knowledge blockslessons, sections, chapters, umbered exercises, and, ultimately, structured intervals. Indeed, this structure is what students use globally, with tools like Google and now ChatGPT to support their studies (in best-case scenario). Value creation We are not looking for passive users if we aim for a better world. Technologies based on set theory, grammar, and logic were the foundation for social media and other revolutionary applications in recent years. Billions around the world improved their cultural awareness and their daily life, but we cant exactly say that these applications created value for all of them. The common usability of AI, such as addressing everyday inquiries, solving household essentials, drafting texts, creating videos, or using preset tools in the workplace, will certainly deliver significant benefits to the general population, much like its predecessor technologies did. However, this time, technology should go further by driving value creation that is more equally distributed, enhancing economic output for people around the world. Rodrigo Magnago is the director of rere.eco.
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