Western_Grower_Shipper2020JulyAug

UPDATE from the

A bout five years ago, Western Growers launched its Center for Innovation and Technology (WGCIT), housed in the Taylor Farms building in downtown Salinas. WGCIT brings together the ag industry and firms operating in the technology space to actively work on some of agriculture’s most vexing problems. At any one time, there are about 50 firms operating in the Center. Following is a self-generated update on some of the firms in the Center designed to keep the produce industry abreast of the work being done by the resident companies. You can reach any of the residents for more information through WGCIT at wginnovation.com (This issue, we present the updates in reverse alphabetical order.) In early June, WaterBit installed its pump control solution which enables growers to control irrigation from the water source to the drip line in a precise, targeted fashion. Features include the ability to remotely start and stop irrigation pumps, monitor soil moisture and irrigation line health, and open and close valves from a mobile phone or computer. This solution is currently being field tested and will be generally available later this summer. We also released a video the WaterBit MicroBlock Valve which enables irrigation at a site-specific, sub-block level—on youtube. com. Tailwater Systems is in full production with its nitrate removal systems in 2020 (US patents pending). Its systems are the highest performance and lowest cost solution for removing nitrate from any kind of water. Unlike filtration, Tailwater’s solution uses biology to convert nitrate into nitrogen gas and carbon dioxide and produces no costly waste by-product. New systems are integrating on-site catchment basins and zero discharge strategies. The company is also prototyping two new proprietary product lines this year—one to up-cycle high strength organic waste into a salable product and another biological systems approach to

desalting agricultural run off. Both systems are expected to go into production in 2021. SWIIM is continuing to make advancements to its reporting and user dashboard features, including enhanced alerts which notify growers as soon as they appear to be under- or over- irrigating. Another exciting development, which has evolved from conversations with our growers, is a sustainable water certification program. SWIIM will provide qualifying clients with stickers and/ or labels that can be applied to product, as well as allow them to use the certification logo in their marketing materials, designed to showcase their commitment to sustainable water and innovative irrigation management, which literally is what SWIIM stands for! Sapphire Automation has led efficiency optimization in high tech and is now utilizing its sensing and predictive analytics platforms to focus on ag and food. Its software and hardware solutions collect real time production data, machine status, events, cycle time and send alarms. The system works as a stand-alone solution or can sit on-top of existing equipment in a manufacturing or processing facility. Using Sapphire’s Dashboards, users can onsite or remotely monitor the performance of the factory and availability of the assets. Using Machine Learning, IIoT, Cloud and Big Data technology help to improve production efficiencies that will increase volume, quality, profitability and competitive advantage while reducing downtime. ripe.io: The company has announced a collaborative effort with FoodLogiQ, IBM Food Trust, and SAP to achieve blockchain network interoperability in food supply chains. The announcement: “GS1 US, in collaboration with four leading solution providers, has confirmed that multiple traceability systems can interoperate to transmit and exchange information about a product’s journey throughout the supply chain to support end-to-end food traceability. The first phase of a multi-phase

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JULY | AUGUST 2020

Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com

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