Latest news with #Piggott
Business Wire
23-06-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Halter Raises $100M in Funding to Increase Productivity on Cattle Ranches
BOULDER, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Halter, a technology company increasing productivity on US cattle ranches with its virtual fencing and animal management system, has raised $100M in a Series D fundraising round, valuing the company at $1 billion. The round was led by BOND, a global technology investment firm, with new investment from NewView and continued support from early investors Bessemer Venture Partners, DCVC, Blackbird, Icehouse Ventures and Promus Ventures. Craig Piggott, CEO and Founder of Halter, says 'Halter was built with our early ranchers and farmers – we wouldn't be here without them. We're deeply grateful for their trust. This capital will help unlock productivity gains for even more ranchers.' Halter is the leading system to run a cattle ranch. The Halter system includes a smart collar for each cow, towers for connectivity, and an app that lets ranchers manage their cattle and pasture from their phone. Cattle are guided by the collar's sound and vibration cues. Ranchers can virtually fence, move, and monitor their cattle 24/7. 'Halter ranchers are more profitable and get better outcomes for the environment and their animals. Halter ranchers increase productivity through rotational grazing, increased carrying capacity, and reduced workload – while improving soil health and regenerative land management,' says Piggott. Piggott says the milestone highlights the importance of ranching in society. 'Ranchers are the backbone of rural communities. They feed society and play a key role in building sustainable food systems. Halter ranchers are pioneering a more productive and sustainable way to ranch.' 'We're delighted to partner with BOND and to welcome NewView, and we're grateful for continued support from our investors who backed us early – we're all aligned on our mission to support ranchers.' 'Cattle-based products generate over $1 trillion annually,' says Daegwon Chae, General Partner at BOND. 'Ranches feed billions of people but are constrained by traditional bottlenecks of the offline economy – labor, time, and limited automation. Halter's vision is ambitious and impactful, to build the digital operating system for farms and ranches globally, leveraging the cutting-edge of physically-enabled technology. We're thrilled to partner with them.' US expansion is a major focus for Halter following this raise. Halter supports ~150 ranchers across 18 states, with a rapidly-growing US team. The capital will help thousands more ranchers increase productivity and deepen their enjoyment of ranching, in turn driving growth in the economy. 'Over half of US ranchers and farmers are over 55, and rural labor shortages are severe,' says Piggott. 'Halter enables smaller teams to manage herds more efficiently, without constant physical presence.' Halter was named the fastest growing company in New Zealand by the Deloitte Fast50 index, and is well positioned to continue expanding to meet demand across its markets. 'I'm really proud of our team – we're passionate about supporting ranchers and we're excited about the journey ahead,' says Piggott. About Halter Founded in 2016, Halter is the world's leading technology to run a beef ranch or dairy farm. Halter has thousands of customers across New Zealand, Australia and the US, with new cattle ranches and dairy farms going live daily. Halter employs over 200 people, is headquartered in Auckland (New Zealand), with a US office in Boulder, Colorado. About BOND BOND is a global technology investment firm that supports visionary founders throughout their entire life cycle of innovation and growth. BOND's founding partners have backed industry pioneers such as Airbnb, Canva, Docusign, DoorDash, Facebook, Instacart, Peloton, Plaid, Revolut, Ring, Slack, Snap, Spotify, Square, Stripe, Twitter, Uber, and Waze.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
‘MAGA junkie' fired from government job now regrets voting for Trump
A self-described 'MAGA junkie' says she regrets voting for Donald Trump after she was fired from her job in the federal government. Jennifer Piggott of West Virginia told CNN she was one of 125 probationary employees fired from the Treasury Department's Bureau of Fiscal Service last month as part of Trump's efforts to downsize the federal government. Piggott is a self-described 'MAGA junkie' who voted for Trump three times — but has since lost faith in the Republican. 'I cried. It's scary, it's a really scary thing,' she said. 'I was embarrassed.' When CNN asked if she regretted voting for the president, Piggott responded: 'Yes, I do.' 'To cut the knees off the working-class Americans just doesn't make sense to me,' she continued. 'I expected more from President Donald Trump.' According to recent court filings, Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency has fired at least 24,000 federal probationary employees. A federal judge has ruled that DOGE fired at least 16,000 of these employees illegally, but the Trump administration is appealing the decision to the Supreme Court. Piggott said she was fired over poor performance, despite getting the 'highest rating' on a performance review less than three weeks before she was let go. She told Reuters that other voters she knows also didn't expect this level of 'devastation.' "Nobody that I've talked to understood the devastation that having this administration in office would do to our lives," Piggott said. "As much as I think that President Trump is doing wonderful things for the country in some regards, I don't understand this at all.' White House spokesperson Harrison Fields defended the firings to Reuters, claiming Trump has been given a popular mandate to carry out the mass layoffs. "The personal financial situation of every American is top of mind for the president, which is why he's working to cut regulations, reshore jobs, lower taxes, and make government more efficient," Fields said. CNN spoke to another Bureau of Fiscal Service employee who recently retired over fears she would lose her benefits if she were fired as part of the Trump administration's downsizing efforts. The unnamed employee also voted for the president. When CNN asked if she would have supported Trump knowing what he would do, she responded: 'I'm not sure I would have.' 'The way that it's been done — I'm for balancing the budget, that type of thing, but not in this context,' she said. 'It's just not right.' Piggott says Trump is 'creating a disaster,' and she doesn't know 'what America is going to look like if this continues.' 'I expected that you would do what was right and cut waste and fraud and all of those things that you promised us before we elected you in office,' she told CNN. 'But you're not doing that.' The Independent has contacted the Bureau of Fiscal Service for comment.
Buzz Feed
28-03-2025
- Business
- Buzz Feed
A Woman Who Called Herself A "MAGA Junkie" Now Regrets Voting For Trump After Getting Fired During The Government Purge
A self-described 'MAGA junkie' who voted for President Donald Trump last year told CNN she now regrets her decision after losing her job at the Treasury Department as part of the DOGE purge orchestrated by Elon Musk. 'I cried,' Jennifer Piggott told the network. 'It's a really scary thing, and I was embarrassed.' She said targeting working-class Americans for layoffs 'just doesn't make sense' to her. 'I expected more from President Donald Trump,' she told CNN. Another worker at the same facility who did not want to be identified retired rather than face a layoff to keep her health insurance. Like Piggott, she voted for Trump. And like Piggott, she also seems to have some regrets. 'I'm for balancing the budget, that type of thing, but not in this context,' she said. 'It's just not right.' Piggott and many others who were initially fired are now on paid administrative leave as the layoffs are challenged in court. She was asked if she had a message for Trump himself. 'I expected better from you,' she said. 'I really did. I expected that you would do what was right and cut waste and fraud and all of those things that you promised us before we elected you in office, but you're not doing that. You're creating a disaster, and I don't know what America is gonna look like if this continues.'
The Independent
28-03-2025
- Business
- The Independent
‘MAGA junkie' fired from government job now regrets voting for Trump
A self-described 'MAGA junkie' says she regrets voting for Donald Trump after she was fired from her job in the federal government. Jennifer Piggott of West Virginia told CNN she was one of 125 probationary employees fired from the Treasury Department 's Bureau of Fiscal Service last month as part of Trump's efforts to downsize the federal government. Piggott is a self-described 'MAGA junkie' who voted for Trump three times — but has since lost faith in the Republican. 'I cried. It's scary, it's a really scary thing,' she said. 'I was embarrassed.' When CNN asked if she regretted voting for the president, Piggott responded: 'Yes, I do.' 'To cut the knees off the working-class Americans just doesn't make sense to me,' she continued. 'I expected more from President Donald Trump.' According to recent court filings, Elon Musk 's Department of Government Efficiency has fired at least 24,000 federal probationary employees. A federal judge has ruled that DOGE fired at least 16,000 of these employees illegally, but the Trump administration is appealing the decision to the Supreme Court. Piggott said she was fired over poor performance, despite getting the 'highest rating' on a performance review less than three weeks before she was let go. She told Reuters that other voters she knows also didn't expect this level of 'devastation.' "Nobody that I've talked to understood the devastation that having this administration in office would do to our lives," Piggott said. "As much as I think that President Trump is doing wonderful things for the country in some regards, I don't understand this at all.' White House spokesperson Harrison Fields defended the firings to Reuters, claiming Trump has been given a popular mandate to carry out the mass layoffs. "The personal financial situation of every American is top of mind for the president, which is why he's working to cut regulations, reshore jobs, lower taxes, and make government more efficient," Fields said. CNN spoke to another Bureau of Fiscal Service employee who recently retired over fears she would lose her benefits if she were fired as part of the Trump administration's downsizing efforts. The unnamed employee also voted for the president. When CNN asked if she would have supported Trump knowing what he would do, she responded: 'I'm not sure I would have.' 'The way that it's been done — I'm for balancing the budget, that type of thing, but not in this context,' she said. 'It's just not right.' Piggott says Trump is 'creating a disaster,' and she doesn't know 'what America is going to look like if this continues.' 'I expected that you would do what was right and cut waste and fraud and all of those things that you promised us before we elected you in office,' she told CNN. 'But you're not doing that.'
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
'MAGA Junkie' Trump Voter Has Big Regrets After Losing Government Job In DOGE Purge
A self-described 'MAGA junkie' who voted for President Donald Trump last year told CNN she now regrets her decision after losing her job at the Treasury Department as part of the DOGE purge orchestrated by Elon Musk. 'I cried,' Jennifer Piggott told the network. 'It's a really scary thing, and I was embarrassed.' She said targeting working-class Americans for layoffs 'just doesn't make sense' to her. 'I expected more from President Donald Trump,' she told CNN. Another worker at the same facility who did not want to be identified retired rather than face a layoff to keep her health insurance. Like Piggott, she voted for Trump. And like Piggott, she also seems to have some regrets. 'I'm for balancing the budget, that type of thing, but not in this context,' she said. 'It's just not right.' Piggott and many others who were initially fired are now on paid administrative leave as the layoffs are challenged in court. She was asked if she had a message for Trump himself. 'I expected better from you,' she said. 'I really did. I expected that you would do what was right and cut waste and fraud and all of those things that you promised us before we elected you in office but you're not doing that. You're creating a disaster and I don't know what America is gonna look like if this continues.' See the full segment below.
