Grounded in Legacy, Wired for the Future: James Clement on Soil Health, AgTech, and Long-Term Stewardship
How do 400 years of ranching legacy, a career as a Marine, and cutting-edge agricultural technology converge? For James Clement, a rancher, Marine reservist, and tech executive leading soil strategy at Earth Optics, these worlds collide daily, shaping his unique perspective on land stewardship and the future of agriculture.
In a recent episode of Your Ag Empire, Jonathon Haralson sits down with Clement to "dig into soil health, carbon credits, remote monitoring, and how AgTech can serve the land, not the other way around." Clement's insights reveal a path forward where tradition meets innovation, creating a more sustainable and profitable future for ranchers.
A Legacy Measured in Centuries
Clement's family boasts an astonishing 400-year ranching legacy. His mother's family is celebrating their 150th year in ranching next year, and his father's family has roots with the King Ranch.
This deep history has instilled a profound philosophy: "Every decision I make is a hundred-year decision." He emphasizes, "We're not in any of this for the short term. We're in it for the long term." This mindset guides every choice, prioritizing long-term health and sustainability over immediate gains.
When discussing the age-old question of owning versus leasing land, Clement's simplest answer is clear: "Leave something better than you found it." He critiques the "tradition of people that leased country and pillaged the place and left it barren." His family's operations aim for longer lease terms to encourage sustainable practices that benefit the land over time.
James Clement, a rancher, Marine reservist, and tech executive leading soil strategy at Earth Optics
AgTech: The Cowboy's New Tool
Clement's journey into AgTech was a natural extension of his ranching roots and his quest to understand and improve land management. His experience as a landman, a "catchall for everything that's not animal related," opened his eyes to the potential of technology.
At Earth Optics, his team is focused on empowering ranchers with data. "We're the ones that are actually pulling the data," he explains. This means measuring soil health, carbon fluctuations, and other metrics to help ranchers make informed decisions. He envisions a future where technology can "save that mileage," reduce labor costs, and help automate mundane tasks. "How can we get a guy out of a truck for a couple of hours a day and maybe get him on a horse or get him to check cows? Or get him to do something that's gonna improve him as an operator or improve the ranch that's outside of just something that could be automated."
He also highlighted the work of Frontiers Market, an AI company focused on livestock data. By using phones and GoPros, they aim to replicate the "steady 30- or 40-year employee" who deeply understands the animals and the land. This technology can provide "facial and body recognition" and "understand if there's a health issue based on their gate or how they're moving around." Clement believes this data can transform the phone from "the death of good ranching observations" into a powerful tool.
Carbon Credits: More Than Just a Buzzword
Carbon credits, for many ranchers, remain shrouded in mystery or dismissed as too complicated. Clement aims to demystify them, presenting them as a tangible revenue stream. He notes that many ranchers feel carbon credit efforts aren't "paying me enough."
However, he shares a different perspective. "The credit price doubled. And so now it went from, ‘oh, I don't know if it's worth it’... to now it's so significant that you can't look away." He emphasizes that the current market for carbon credits is demand-driven, with Fortune 200 and 300 companies committing hundreds of millions of dollars.
Clement challenges ranchers to see these credits not as a political statement but as a viable revenue stream that can keep an operator ranching and potentially generate life-changing money for an operation.
This income stream, he argues, can also serve as a buffer. "Something is going to keep that ranch as a cash flow positive operation, no matter the cattle market. And that's where we need to get to if we're going to recruit people to be in ranching."
The Land Board: A Plug-and-Play Solution
For ranchers looking to implement strategic planning without the overhead of traditional consulting, Clement introduces "The Land Board." This is a "plug and play board" of experienced professionals — landmen, real estate experts, financial planners, and ranchers — who can provide guidance and help identify operational gaps. These are individuals with "40 to 60 years of experience in agriculture and business," offering a wealth of knowledge to help producers improve their operations.
Unfiltered Truths and a Vision for the Future
Clement tackles common misconceptions head-on. He challenges the idea that agriculture is "just a quality of life thing," arguing that it must be profitable.
"If people keep treating agriculture like it's their lake house, then we're going to keep killing the culture."
He also points out where agriculture might be "getting in its own way," specifically when too much money is being poured into things that don't work well enough. He encourages producers to focus on practical, scalable solutions rather than chasing unproven technologies.
Clement's vision for the future of production agriculture is one where real-time data and AI-driven insights empower ranchers to adapt and thrive. He believes that by embracing these tools, ranchers can make "the best and most significant change" to ensure their operations remain productive and sustainable for generations to come.
As Jonathon Haralson concludes, "If you're listening and curious about what Earth Optics is doing—or thinking about how soil strategy plays into the long game for your operation—check out their work and don't be afraid to ask questions."
