Robert Yaman
@robertyaman.bsky.social
Techno-optimist for animals. Founder Innovate Animal Ag, blog at http://optimistsbarn.substack.com. Not vegan. Oh, and I make music: http://spoti.fi/3EwyXa7
At Innovate Animal Ag, we're trying to build the "DARPA for chickens."
Technological progress is doesn’t happen by default, especially in a sector like animal agriculture. Progress requires a community of dedicated evangelists obsessed with pushing forward the frontier.
Technological progress is doesn’t happen by default, especially in a sector like animal agriculture. Progress requires a community of dedicated evangelists obsessed with pushing forward the frontier.
November 12, 2025 at 7:47 PM
At Innovate Animal Ag, we're trying to build the "DARPA for chickens."
Technological progress is doesn’t happen by default, especially in a sector like animal agriculture. Progress requires a community of dedicated evangelists obsessed with pushing forward the frontier.
Technological progress is doesn’t happen by default, especially in a sector like animal agriculture. Progress requires a community of dedicated evangelists obsessed with pushing forward the frontier.
One of the ways we've mitigated higher egg prices from bird flu is by ramping up egg imports - up over 600% since last year.
If the Trump admin is worried about trade deficits, this is the wrong direction to go!
If the Trump admin is worried about trade deficits, this is the wrong direction to go!
October 23, 2025 at 5:20 PM
One of the ways we've mitigated higher egg prices from bird flu is by ramping up egg imports - up over 600% since last year.
If the Trump admin is worried about trade deficits, this is the wrong direction to go!
If the Trump admin is worried about trade deficits, this is the wrong direction to go!
Egg prices will probably spike this winter because of bird flu.
If that's giving you deja vu, there's good reason. It’s because every year we decide to do nothing about this entirely fixable problem—one that's killed tens of millions of birds and costs consumers billions.
If that's giving you deja vu, there's good reason. It’s because every year we decide to do nothing about this entirely fixable problem—one that's killed tens of millions of birds and costs consumers billions.
October 22, 2025 at 4:36 PM
Egg prices will probably spike this winter because of bird flu.
If that's giving you deja vu, there's good reason. It’s because every year we decide to do nothing about this entirely fixable problem—one that's killed tens of millions of birds and costs consumers billions.
If that's giving you deja vu, there's good reason. It’s because every year we decide to do nothing about this entirely fixable problem—one that's killed tens of millions of birds and costs consumers billions.
In my new post, I chat with Dr. Yuval Cinnamon, who IMO is one of the foremost innovators in the poultry industry.
We discuss his Layers Laying Broilers technology, a way to use layer genetics for broiler production, making breeders that are more efficient and higher welfare.
We discuss his Layers Laying Broilers technology, a way to use layer genetics for broiler production, making breeders that are more efficient and higher welfare.
September 21, 2025 at 5:56 PM
In my new post, I chat with Dr. Yuval Cinnamon, who IMO is one of the foremost innovators in the poultry industry.
We discuss his Layers Laying Broilers technology, a way to use layer genetics for broiler production, making breeders that are more efficient and higher welfare.
We discuss his Layers Laying Broilers technology, a way to use layer genetics for broiler production, making breeders that are more efficient and higher welfare.
Every time a livestock animal gets sick and dies before slaughter, all the corn and soy it consumed is wasted. Every year 4.4 million tons of feed is wasted from livestock mortality, mostly from the chicken and pork industries.
August 20, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Every time a livestock animal gets sick and dies before slaughter, all the corn and soy it consumed is wasted. Every year 4.4 million tons of feed is wasted from livestock mortality, mostly from the chicken and pork industries.
If you're like me and prefer to listen rather than read, you can now listen to The Optimist's Barn in podcast form!
In true techno-optimist fashion, I used @elevenlabs.io to create an AI voice clone and was super impressed by how well it worked and how easy it made the process.
In true techno-optimist fashion, I used @elevenlabs.io to create an AI voice clone and was super impressed by how well it worked and how easy it made the process.
August 13, 2025 at 3:12 PM
If you're like me and prefer to listen rather than read, you can now listen to The Optimist's Barn in podcast form!
In true techno-optimist fashion, I used @elevenlabs.io to create an AI voice clone and was super impressed by how well it worked and how easy it made the process.
In true techno-optimist fashion, I used @elevenlabs.io to create an AI voice clone and was super impressed by how well it worked and how easy it made the process.
We're climbing up on Hacker News, let's get to the front page!
July 21, 2025 at 7:30 PM
We're climbing up on Hacker News, let's get to the front page!
In-ovo sexing is officially available to American consumers!
This is a particularly high-leverage time for the technology since many other companies will be looking to see how these first eggs perform with consumers before deciding whether to adopt the tech themselves.
This is a particularly high-leverage time for the technology since many other companies will be looking to see how these first eggs perform with consumers before deciding whether to adopt the tech themselves.
July 21, 2025 at 7:29 PM
In-ovo sexing is officially available to American consumers!
This is a particularly high-leverage time for the technology since many other companies will be looking to see how these first eggs perform with consumers before deciding whether to adopt the tech themselves.
This is a particularly high-leverage time for the technology since many other companies will be looking to see how these first eggs perform with consumers before deciding whether to adopt the tech themselves.
New post about how humane farming for small animals will need to rely on technology, automation, and economies of scale to succeed. We can't just apply the pastoral models used for cows.
May 25, 2025 at 3:56 PM
New post about how humane farming for small animals will need to rely on technology, automation, and economies of scale to succeed. We can't just apply the pastoral models used for cows.
New post on how to apply the principles of Progress Studies to animal welfare!
May 4, 2025 at 2:43 PM
New post on how to apply the principles of Progress Studies to animal welfare!
The Optimist's Barn 3x'ed it's subscriber growth rate last week. We're about to blow up!
April 9, 2025 at 8:40 PM
The Optimist's Barn 3x'ed it's subscriber growth rate last week. We're about to blow up!
We need more chickens to produce the same amount of meat than we did just a decade ago—why?
This is one of the big unsolved mysteries in animal agriculture. I investigate a few hypotheses in my most recent post on The Optimist's Barn:
This is one of the big unsolved mysteries in animal agriculture. I investigate a few hypotheses in my most recent post on The Optimist's Barn:
March 30, 2025 at 8:18 PM
We need more chickens to produce the same amount of meat than we did just a decade ago—why?
This is one of the big unsolved mysteries in animal agriculture. I investigate a few hypotheses in my most recent post on The Optimist's Barn:
This is one of the big unsolved mysteries in animal agriculture. I investigate a few hypotheses in my most recent post on The Optimist's Barn:
Read about what the escalating trade wars and a new Dutch vaccine trial might mean for a potential US bird flu vaccination campaign:
March 12, 2025 at 1:57 AM
Read about what the escalating trade wars and a new Dutch vaccine trial might mean for a potential US bird flu vaccination campaign:
In which I use PETA controversy as clickbait so I can talk about business theory and vertical integration in animal product supply chain.
February 9, 2025 at 5:02 PM
In which I use PETA controversy as clickbait so I can talk about business theory and vertical integration in animal product supply chain.
Great to see @worksinprogress.bsky.social call out in-ovo sexing as one of the most important things happening in biotechnology right now!
February 3, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Great to see @worksinprogress.bsky.social call out in-ovo sexing as one of the most important things happening in biotechnology right now!
The costs of poultry vaccination against H5N1 largely fall on the chicken meat industry, but benefits mainly go to the egg industry.
So why not vaccinate chickens in the egg industry and not the meat industry?
More discussion on The Optimist's Barn:
So why not vaccinate chickens in the egg industry and not the meat industry?
More discussion on The Optimist's Barn:
January 23, 2025 at 6:08 PM
The costs of poultry vaccination against H5N1 largely fall on the chicken meat industry, but benefits mainly go to the egg industry.
So why not vaccinate chickens in the egg industry and not the meat industry?
More discussion on The Optimist's Barn:
So why not vaccinate chickens in the egg industry and not the meat industry?
More discussion on The Optimist's Barn:
As societies get richer, two things happen: the absolute cost of animal welfare goes down, and our ability to pay for it goes up.
This is why economic growth will be critical to building a food system that's both abundance and humane.
Link to my newest post below!
This is why economic growth will be critical to building a food system that's both abundance and humane.
Link to my newest post below!
January 19, 2025 at 4:41 PM
As societies get richer, two things happen: the absolute cost of animal welfare goes down, and our ability to pay for it goes up.
This is why economic growth will be critical to building a food system that's both abundance and humane.
Link to my newest post below!
This is why economic growth will be critical to building a food system that's both abundance and humane.
Link to my newest post below!
I recently asked a donor why they give, and there response made my heart sing.
Proof that you don't have to be vegan to help animals. I think many feel this way!
Proof that you don't have to be vegan to help animals. I think many feel this way!
January 14, 2025 at 3:45 AM
I recently asked a donor why they give, and there response made my heart sing.
Proof that you don't have to be vegan to help animals. I think many feel this way!
Proof that you don't have to be vegan to help animals. I think many feel this way!
New post responding to @mikegrunwald.bsky.social's oped in @nytimes.com
Grunwald may be right that industrial farming is necessary. But his clear-eyed realism about environmental challenges should extend to animal welfare too - both need pragmatic solutions consistent with food abundance.
Grunwald may be right that industrial farming is necessary. But his clear-eyed realism about environmental challenges should extend to animal welfare too - both need pragmatic solutions consistent with food abundance.
January 7, 2025 at 2:43 AM
New post responding to @mikegrunwald.bsky.social's oped in @nytimes.com
Grunwald may be right that industrial farming is necessary. But his clear-eyed realism about environmental challenges should extend to animal welfare too - both need pragmatic solutions consistent with food abundance.
Grunwald may be right that industrial farming is necessary. But his clear-eyed realism about environmental challenges should extend to animal welfare too - both need pragmatic solutions consistent with food abundance.
Why did Whole Foods say "animal welfare standards" and not "quality standards" or "sustainability standards"?
It's because know that when it comes to animal products, welfare is the #1 thing consumers care about.
It's because know that when it comes to animal products, welfare is the #1 thing consumers care about.
January 1, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Why did Whole Foods say "animal welfare standards" and not "quality standards" or "sustainability standards"?
It's because know that when it comes to animal products, welfare is the #1 thing consumers care about.
It's because know that when it comes to animal products, welfare is the #1 thing consumers care about.
Farm animal welfare is a serious moral challenge, but current solutions lack realism.
Check out my Substack The Optimist's Barn for the techno-optimist lens on farm animal welfare (link in bio!)
Check out my Substack The Optimist's Barn for the techno-optimist lens on farm animal welfare (link in bio!)
January 1, 2025 at 2:57 AM
Farm animal welfare is a serious moral challenge, but current solutions lack realism.
Check out my Substack The Optimist's Barn for the techno-optimist lens on farm animal welfare (link in bio!)
Check out my Substack The Optimist's Barn for the techno-optimist lens on farm animal welfare (link in bio!)