Collaboration Focus of WGCIT
By Tim Linden W hen the Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology was launched in 2015, the concept had already been proven in several other industries: bring technology innovators together with industry users to create new solutions to age-old problems. But the fruit and vegetable industry did not have its own incubator until WGCIT was hatched. Today, WGCIT has 50+ residents working with many of the association’s members, and others in the ag space, to formulate solutions to real problems. Several years ago, WG Board Member and WGCIT Sponsor Vic Smith of JV Smith Companies told Western Grower & Shipper that technology geniuses are great, but they often find an answer and then look for a problem that it solves. WGCIT endeavors to get the horse before the cart. Here are a few examples of collaborations that are working in bringing solutions to problems by combining technology experts with produce-industry subject matter experts. Grace Mohan of HeavyConnect noted that the company started in 2014 and believes it recently has progressed beyond the “start-up phase” to that new world where a pat definition is elusive. “We no longer see ourselves as a startup. We have products and are selling them to customers.” But she said working with industry members during their development stage was crucial. She rattled off a number of companies that helped the firm develop its software, which is designed to make documentation compliance easy for a grower shipper. Mohan explained that in today’s environment a successful grower has to be more than just an accomplished farmer. She also has to have a detailed paper trail…and it’s better and more efficient if that paper trail isn’t on paper. In fact, HeavyConnect has digitized the paper trail. “We help the grower take what
he is doing in the field to the office without losing any of the data. The list of documents necessary to run a farming business are almost endless and are specific to what you are growing and where you are growing it. For example, HeavyConnect worked with Braga Farms in Soledad to develop the right documents for organic certification. Mohan said mobile devices and apps are utilized in the field by supervisors, foremen and workers who typically use a drop-down menu to document specific procedures, such as a pre-harvest checklist. That information is sent to the office and the proper documentation can then be created. Mohan said another application that is now ready-for-purchase as it has already gone through extensive testing, is its
time-keeping solution. This application interfaces with a grower’s payroll software automatically handling payroll activities. But it also creates time and productivity reports and keeps track of worker training protocols. She said food safety is another area in which documentation is critical and HeavyConnect has a solution after much testing with WG members. Concentric Power is another company that has gone through the start-up phase and is now in full sales mode with other customers who are benefiting for the collaboration with early users with customers that were not early adopters. Director of Project Development Amy Tomlinson listed Taylor Farms, Rava Ranches and Church Bros. as three companies that were instrumental in the early development state.
The Tasteful Selections groundbreaking featured Nathan Bender, Bob Bender and Brian Curtis (L to R).
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JULY | AUGUST 2021
Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com
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