SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2023 JULY | AUGUST 2024
CARBON ROBOTICS:
10 Billion Weeds Killed
GO
On your mark, get set, GO!
The race is on to get the next field operation done and it’s you against the clock. What you need is farm equipment that will not only save time, but also reduce labor requirements and costs. Look to Andros for the industry’s leading irrigation and crop protection equipment lines, custom equipment, and recycling programs to help you run more efficiently. Time to GO with Andros.
Install, retrieve, reuse, and recycle more efficiently.
www.andros-eng.com 805-227-2801
Ag Services • Equipment Manufacturing • Research & Development
WESTERN GROWER & SHIPPER Published Since 1929 Volume XCV | Number 4
To enhance the competitiveness and profitability of Western Growers members
The Agtech Issue
Dave Puglia President and CEO Western Growers davep@wga.com
Features
Editor Michelle Rivera 949.885.4778 | mrivera@wga.com Contributors Cory Lunde 949.885.2264 | clunde@wga.com Julia Nellis 949.885.2270 | jnellis@wga.com Ann Donahue 949.302.7600 | adonahue@wga.com Kara Timmins 949.885.4786 | kmtimmins@wga.com Circulation Marketing 949.885.2248 | communications@wga.com Advertising Sales Dana Davis 302.750.4662 | dana@tygermarketing.com
P. 15
CARBON ROBOTICS: 10 BILLION WEEDS KILLED
P. 20
AGROLOGY’S INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR CARBON SEQUESTRATION AND SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE
P. 27
FARM TO FORK FOR REAL WITH GARRETT NISHIMORI OF SAN MIGUEL PRODUCE
Articles
P. 30 2023 AgSharks Winner Climate Robotics: Transforming Agriculture for Climate Resilience
TOGETHER.
WGA.COM
Western Grower & Shipper ISSN 0043-3799, Copyright © 2024 by the Western Grower & Shipper is published bi-monthly by Western Grower & Shipper Publishing Company, a division of Western Growers Service Corp., 6501 Irvine Center Drive, Suite 100, Irvine California 92618. Business and Editorial Offices: 6501 Irvine Center Drive, Suite 100, Irvine California 92618. Accounting and Circulation Offices: Western Grower & Shipper, 6501 Irvine Center Drive, Suite 100, Irvine California 92618. Call (949) 863-1000 to subscribe. Subscription is $25 per year. Foreign subscription is $50 per year. Single copies of issues, $2. Periodicals postage is paid in Irvine, California and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Western Grower & Shipper, PO Box 2130, Newport Beach, California 92658.
Departments
4 President’s Notes 6 Agriculture & the Law 9 Advocacy | California 10 Science 13 Insurance 23 WG Member Welcome & Anniversaries
32 Updates from the WGCIT 36 WG News You Can Use 40 Connections 41 Contact Us 42 Farm Dogs and Barn Cats of Western Growers
3 Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com July | August 2024
A HOPEFUL MOMENT FOR CALIFORNIA’S RESERVOIR PROJECTS By Dave Puglia, President and CEO
Let’s pause from all our troubles for a moment to call out something that might be going right in California. Especially surprising is that it’s happening in water infrastructure. Caught your attention, didn’t I? Two long delayed water storage projects are moving forward: Sites Reservoir and the raising of the dam at San Luis Reservoir. It’s still too early for the ceremonial shovels photo, but that may be coming into view. For the Western Growers team, it’s hard to temper our excitement at the prospect of state and federal water investments that we fought so hard to secure finally turning into "wet water," though the price per acre foot remains concerning in both cases. We have long objected to the endless bureaucratic delays and hurdles the State of California erected after voters overwhelmingly approved Prop. 1 in 2014. That general obligation bond measure – originally passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2009 – dedicated $2.7 billion toward water storage projects. Gov. Jerry Brown campaigned for it with messaging that left no doubt in voters’ minds that California needed new water storage facilities, including new and enlarged dams, and that Prop. 1 was the answer. Then the state took over, and with the approval of environmental activists hellbent on blocking any new water storage, thickets of regulatory processes and requirements were put in place. Though a number of small water projects have since qualified for Prop. 1 funding, Sites Reservoir is the only large project that appeared viable to nearly everyone, except the you-know-who’s. Water users in the Sacramento Valley and south of the Delta who could benefit from the project pressed forward to secure funding to complement their own major financial commitments even as the red tape grew. Finally, a breakthrough: In July 2023, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a package of infrastructure streamlining bills aimed at accelerating critical projects, including for the electric grid, safe drinking water, water supply and transportation. Four months later, Newsom used the new law to fast-track the Sites process and avoid months or even years of environmental lawsuits. True to the intent of the legislation, in June 2024, Sites overcame an environmental permitting challenge and gained approval from the Yolo County Superior Court, a decision that occurred in just 148 days, even faster than the new law allows. Sites Reservoir, which will hold up to 1.5 million acre- feet of water, has received a total of $46.75 million in
initial funding from the state. In all, Sites is eligible for $875.4 million of Prop. 1 funding, a significant portion of the total project cost of $4 billion. Further south, the B.F. Sisk Dam is awaiting that ceremonial shovel photo opportunity, too. The 382-foot-high dam impounds San Luis Reservoir, which has a current total capacity of around two million acre-feet of water. San Luis – operated jointly by the State of California and the federal Bureau of Reclamation – is the largest off-stream water storage facility in the country. But it could hold more, and plans to raise the dam have been around a long time. In October 2023, the Department of the Interior and San Luis & Delta-Mendota Water Authority approved plans to implement the B.F. Sisk Dam Raise and Reservoir Expansion Project, the first major water storage project to be greenlit in California in more than a decade. The joint project will add an additional 130,000 acre-feet of storage space, producing additional water supply for cities, farmland and 135,000 acres of Pacific Flyway wetlands and critical wildlife habitat. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law approved by Congress and President Biden in 2021, together with the questionably titled Inflation Reduction Act, included more than $12 billion for water projects (somewhat loosely defined) in the western states. Now, we can see some of that funding coming to worthy projects like this one, with around $35 million flowing from those federal laws and another $60 million from the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation Act (which made it over the finish line thanks to the remarkable partnership of the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein and former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy), for a total of $95 million in federal contributions to a project that is expected to cost $1 billion. The Sisk Dam raise project is currently in design, which is projected to complete in early 2025, with construction awards in early 2026. With the continued maladministration of water in California’s very wet years (35 percent allocations before planning windows closed for the San Joaquin Valley following consecutive flood-producing years does not define “balance” in any reasonable person’s view), and the increasing impacts of California’s groundwater regulation regime (SGMA), this is no declaration of success. But it is progress, however slowly achieved. Let’s applaud these investments in two of the key water storage projects we’ve all been calling for, keep the pressure on to make them less costly for water users, and to expedite their completion.
4 Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com July | August 2024
WONDERFUL NURSERIES CHALLENGES AB 113 A Fight for Fair Union Representation By Jason Resnick, Senior Vice President and General Counsel
In a significant legal battle that could reshape the landscape of union representation in California’s agricultural sector, Wonderful Nurseries has filed a lawsuit challenging AB 113, the new card check law. This law, enacted in 2023, allows unions to bypass secret ballot elections, a cornerstone of the Agricultural Labor Relations Act (ALRA), and certify unions based on authorization cards alone. Wonderful Nurseries, supported by an amicus brief from Western Growers and a coalition of agricultural associations, is seeking a preliminary injunction to halt the implementation of this law. The Core Issues At the heart of the lawsuit are concerns about the constitutionality and fairness of the new card check law. The law eliminates the requirement for secret ballot elections, allowing unions to gather signatures on authorization cards to demonstrate majority support. Employers are not permitted to see these cards, raising significant due process concerns. The law also prevents workers from knowing whether their signatures were used to certify a union against their wishes. Constitutional Concerns Wonderful Nurseries argues that AB 113 infringes on both employers’ and employees’ fundamental rights. The company contends that the law’s “certify first, investigate later” approach violates due process by certifying unions without a meaningful opportunity for employers or employees to challenge the validity of the authorization cards. This lack of transparency and oversight can lead to arbitrary and unfair outcomes, undermining the rights of workers to freely choose their representation. The amicus brief filed by Western Growers and other agricultural associations highlights the importance of maintaining secret ballot elections to protect workers’ rights. Citing the Gerawan Farming v. ALRB case, the brief underscores that secret ballot elections are essential to ensuring that the workers’ choice is free from
Wonderful’s employees, UFW representatives misled workers into believing that signing the authorization cards was necessary to receive federal relief payments, specifically a one-time relief payment of $600 under the USDA Farm & Food Worker Program. Some workers testified in the administrative proceedings that they were told that the signatures were not a vote for the The outcome of this case has far-reaching implications for California’s agricultural sector. If the preliminary injunction is granted, it could halt the implementation of AB 113 and preserve the status quo ante of union certification through secret ballot elections. This would ensure that workers’ rights to a fair and transparent election process are protected, and that employers can adequately challenge union certifications. Conversely, if the law is upheld, it could lead to widespread use of card check certifications, potentially increasing union presence in the agricultural sector. However, this could also result in increased disputes and legal challenges, as employers and workers navigate the new landscape of union representation without the protections afforded by secret ballot elections. union but merely for obtaining funds. Implications for the Industry
coercion and accurately reflects their will. Misrepresentation Allegations
An alarming aspect of the case involves allegations of misrepresentation by the United Farm Workers (UFW) in obtaining signatures for the card check process. According to nearly 150 sworn declarations from
6 Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com July | August 2024
Western Growers’ Position Western Growers and its coalition argue that the public interest is best served by maintaining a fair and transparent union certification process. We assert that AB 113’s procedures are deeply flawed and pose a significant risk of erroneous and coerced union certifications. The coalition believes that a judicial review is essential to address these constitutional concerns and to prevent potential disruptions in the agricultural industry. Conclusion The lawsuit filed by Wonderful Nurseries against AB 113 is a critical juncture for California’s agricultural labor relations. The court’s decision on the preliminary injunction will not only impact Wonderful Nurseries but also set a precedent for the future of union certifications in the state. As this case unfolds, it will be crucial for all stakeholders in the agricultural sector to stay informed and engaged in the legal proceedings to ensure that the rights of both workers and employers are upheld. Stay tuned for updates on this important case and its implications for California agriculture.
Counsel for Wonderful Nurseries • Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP
• David A. Schwarz • Barbara E. Taylor
• Barsamian & Moody
• Ronald H. Barsamian • Seth G. Mehrten
• Roll Law Group P.C.
• Kristina M. Diaz Organizations Signing onto the Amicus Brief • Western Growers Association • Agricultural Council of California • California Citrus Mutual • California Farm Bureau Federation • Grower-Shipper Association of Central California • Grower-Shipper Association of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties • Ventura County Agricultural Association • The California Cotton Ginners and Growers Association • Western Agricultural Processors Association • California Association of Winegrape Growers
Amicus Counsel • Irell & Manella LLP • Bruce A. Wessel
7 Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com July | August 2024
THE CONFLUENCE OF LABOR ACTIVISM AND RISK AVOIDANCE By Matthew Allen, Vice President, State Government Affairs
I have written many times about union and labor activism in California and how their advocacy efforts have a very strong impact on legislative and regulatory activity.
Likewise, I have also called out the tendency of our state government, especially at the agency level, to default to a risk avoidance strategy when dealing with everyday activities that play a critical role in helping us all live within a productive, safe and healthy environment. The most common examples tend to occur within the California Environmental Protection Agency and the evaluations for new pesticide registrations as well as the routine reevaluations that are required by law. Another key example is the strict air emissions mandates that are promulgated by the California Air Resources Board. Too often, economic realities and other practical effects are ignored for the sake of some arbitrarily defined safety factor. Overly aggressive labor activism that both treats and assumes the employer as the bad guy is terrible enough on its own. However, when you couple that sentiment with a strategy of strict avoidance, you end up with a recipe for lopsided decision-making that often disregards important data and facts. Nowhere is this philosophical confluence more pronounced than at the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (Board). This board is charged with maintaining and adopting regulations to ensure the safety of California’s workplaces. Western Growers doesn’t have any beef with the goal. We do, however, raise concerns with how the Board views employers and how they ignore scientific facts and data if that data in any way supports an employer’s claim. They almost always side with labor activists, even when the science and data warrant otherwise. A case in point is the ongoing conversations at the Board regarding the use of autonomous tractors in farm fields. Under existing law, this equipment is not able to be operated unless you have a human operator stationed at the vehicular controls. This essentially bars the use of new driverless technology in California’s farm fields. There have been two unsuccessful attempts to change this law via a petition process to the Board. In both instances, the petitions were summarily denied and even the creation of an advisory committee to review the regulation and identify options to potentially move forward was also denied. Why? Because labor requested that the petition not be approved and that safety of this equipment cannot be guaranteed. More unsettling, the safety data provided by a tractor manufacturer was
called into question by one Board member claiming it to be essentially insufficient because it wasn’t collected at the site of a unionized employer. If you are stupefied by the logic, you should be.
"Too often, economic realities and other practical effects are ignored for the sake of some arbitrarily defined safety factor." That said, I firmly believe that the use of fully autonomous tractors will be made lawful for operation in California’s farm fields in the future. The real question is how long this should take in reaching a successful outcome. While the technology we are discussing is highly complex, amending the regulation needn’t be. Western Growers will continue to work with our allied organizations to determine the best pathways forward. I’m optimistic that we’ll get there sooner rather than later. California is known as a technology leader. We should continue to live up to that name. Risk avoidance gets nothing done. Progress doesn’t happen and you get left behind. We cannot afford that to happen to California agriculture. The more we can encourage the usefulness of risk mitigation and trusting data, the better off we’ll be.
Image Provided as Courtesy of John Deere
9 Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com July | August 2024
THREE RESOURCES FOR MEMBERS FOR AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD SAFEY DATA By Gustavo Reyes, Food Safety Manager
fruits, tree nuts and berries and 41 percent of the value of vegetables. In 2022, 74.6 percent of the lettuce area harvested was in California and 17.7 percent of the lettuce area harvested was in Arizona, totaling 92.3 percent of lettuce area harvested in the U.S. Similarly, area harvested from multiple Census reports can be used to look at production trends of cantaloupes per state. See Figure 1 as an example as a plot for the top 10 states by cantaloupe area harvested, where California and Arizona have consistently been the top two producing states. USDA ERS Yearbook Tables: Production and Trade Data The USDA Economic Research Service develops yearbook tables for fruits, tree nuts, vegetables and pulses. These yearbook tables can be used to develop timeseries of annual production, prices, trade use and more for all these different commodities. Analysis of this data can allow growers to understand trends and help assess production plans for upcoming years.
Staying informed about production trends, economic information and food safety is extremely important for grower operations. Data analysis helps in making informed decisions regarding farm management, production and food safety. This article highlights three resources that provide valuable insights into trends in the produce world and food safety: the Census of Agriculture, along with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service (ERS) Yearbook Tables and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Data Dashboard. Census of Agriculture: Comprehensive Agricultural Data Every five years, the USDA conducts The Census of Agriculture. The Census of Agriculture offers extensive data and statistics related to land use, production practices, income and expenditures. The 2022 Census of Agriculture was released in March of this year (2024). Some key takeaways from this year’s census include California accounting for 68 percent of the value of
Figure 1: To access the data: https://www.nass.usda.gov/AgCensus.
10 Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com July | August 2024
For fruit and tree nuts: (https://www.ers. usda.gov/data-products/fruit-and-tree- nuts-data/fruit-and-tree-nuts-yearbook- tables/) For vegetables and pulses: (https://www. ers.usda.gov/data-products/vegetables- and-pulses-data/vegetables-and-pulses- yearbook-tables/) We can use this data to see production trends of multiple leafy green commodities. See example in Figure 2. We can see that Leaf and Romaine lettuce production has taken off since the 1990s, while head lettuce production has seen a decline since the 2000s. FDA-Data Dashboard – Recall Data: The FDA Recalls Data Dashboard is a valuable resource for staying updated on food safety issues. This dashboard provides detailed information on recent recalls, including the reasons for the recall, affected products and the steps being taken to address the issue. By monitoring recall information, growers can proactively address potential safety issues, implement corrective actions and enhance their food safety protocols. The dashboard offers a historical perspective on food safety recalls, allowing growers to analyze trends and identify common safety issues. This information is critical for understanding the potential risks associated with specific crops or production practices. Staying informed about recalls helps protect consumers and maintain the integrity of produce, ensuring that only safe and high-quality products reach the market. You can access the dashboard and recall data at: https://datadashboard.fda.gov/ora/ cd/recalls.htm. Access to reliable data is essential to understand production trends and ensure food safety. While there are thousands of other resources, The Census of Agriculture, the USDA ERS Specialty Crops Table and the FDA Recalls Data Dashboard are resources that can provide data, answers and guide data-based decisions.
Figure 2
The all new Fendt ® 200 Vario features unparalleled comfort, innovation, and technology in a highly capable package. Whether vineyards, orchards, hop fields, greenhouses, horticulture and landscaping, or in local municipalities, the 200 Vario is the right partner for any situation. BECAUSE PERFORMANCE COMES IN ALL SIZES.
Bakersfield (661) 393-5800 Fresno (559) 896-4040 Murrieta (951) 696-1063 Santa Maria (805) 925-8611
Indio (760) 342-1597 Corcoran (559) 992-2193 Oxnard (805) 485-2171 Victorville (760) 947-0967
Lancaster (661) 942-1177 Firebaugh (559) 659-3444 Riverside (951) 686-4560
Foothill Ranch (949) 768-1777 Los Angeles (562) 463-4000 Salinas (831) 758-8461
QuinnAg.com
Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com July | August 2024 11 March_April 2024 Ad.indd 1
2/1/2024 2:06:33 PM
IS YOUR COMPANY COVERED IN CASE OF CYBERATTACK? By Ken Cooper, Director, Operations & Risk Strategy
In today’s digital age, the threat of cyberattacks looms large over businesses of all sizes. From data breaches to ransomware attacks, the potential for economic loss and reputational damage is real and growing by the day. Today, cyber risk involves much more than protecting personal information – it has evolved and can lead to business interruption or, in many cases, complete business shutdown. Take United Healthcare (UHC), for example. One of their subsidiaries, Change Healthcare, was hacked Feb 21, 2024. According to reports, data obtained by the ransomware group during the breach was posted to the dark web on April 15, 2024, compromising the personal and protected health information of millions of patients; the compromised data also include contracts and agreements between Change and its clients. Change took their IT systems offline after the cyberattack, leading to widespread claims processing delays across the U.S. Preliminary estimates are that the breach will cost UHC up to $1.6 billion. In part due to these types of prominent cyberattacks, many organizations across virtually every industry sector, including agriculture, now recognize cyber insurance as a crucial part of their risk management strategy. However, the market is still evolving, and rapidly at that, with insurers continually refining their offerings to keep pace with emerging cyber threats and regulatory changes. Types of Events Covered by Cyber Insurance While cyber insurance policies vary, typical covered events may include: • Data breaches involving sensitive customer information • Ransomware attacks and other forms of malware • Denial-of-service (DoS) attacks that disrupt network access • Business email compromise (BEC) and social engineering scams • Insider threats and employee negligence leading to data breaches • Legal and regulatory fines resulting from non-compliance with data protection laws Types of Cyber Insurance Coverage Cyber insurance policies vary widely in terms of coverage, limits and exclusions. However, they typically fall into one of several broad categories: • First-Party Coverage : This covers direct costs incurred by the policyholder because of a cyber incident.
This may include expenses related to data breach response, such as forensic investigations, notification of affected individuals, credit monitoring services and public relations efforts. Additionally, first-party coverage may reimburse businesses for lost income and extra expenses resulting from a cyberattack, as well as the costs of restoring data and systems. • Third-Party Coverage: This protects the policyholder against claims and lawsuits filed by third parties, such as customers, vendors or regulatory bodies, alleging harm or damage resulting from a cyber incident. Third-party coverage typically includes liability for privacy breaches, network security failures, and media liability arising from defamation, copyright infringement or other content- related issues. • Cyber Extortion Coverage: With the rise of ransomware attacks, many cyber insurance policies now include coverage for extortion payments and related expenses. This can help businesses negotiate with cybercriminals and mitigate the financial impact of ransom demands. • Business Interruption Coverage: This compensates policyholders for income lost due to a cyber incident that disrupts their operations. Business interruption coverage may also include reimbursement for extra expenses incurred to minimize the disruption and expedite the restoration of normal business operations. • Cybercrime Coverage: Some policies offer coverage for financial losses resulting from fraudulent electronic transfers, social engineering scams or other forms of cybercrime. As cyber threats continue to evolve in sophistication and frequency, cyber insurance has become an essential tool for businesses to mitigate the financial and reputational risks associated with cyber incidents. However, navigating the complexities of the cyber insurance market requires careful consideration of coverage options, policy terms and exclusions. Businesses should work closely with experienced insurance brokers and cybersecurity professionals to assess their risk exposure, identify appropriate coverage needs and select cyber insurance policies that align with their risk management objectives. By investing in robust cyber insurance coverage, organizations can better protect themselves against the potentially devastating consequences of cyberattacks in an increasingly digital world. Western Growers Insurance Services is a full-service insurance brokerage offering a suite of insurance products and tailored risk management solutions to agribusiness and related industry members. For more information or assistance, please contact Ken Cooper, Director of Risk Strategy for Western Growers Insurance Services, at kcooper@wgis.com.
13 Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com July | August 2024
14 Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com July | August 2024
Cover Story CARBON ROBOTICS:
10 BILLION WEEDS KILLED Founder and CEO Paul Mikesell on Why AI Is the Next Frontier for Agtech By Michelle Rivera, Senior Manager, Communications
The idea of artificial intelligence (AI) is extremely polarizing - for some, the possibilities of AI are exciting and endless; others worry about the profound effects AI could have on society, the economy and, well, humanity. Paul Mikesell, Founder and CEO of Carbon Robotics, best known for the LaserWeeder, says his company exemplifies how AI can be harnessed to make a positive impact. “We’re in one of the areas in AI where it’s completely non- controversial,” he said. “We’re not influencing people, and we’re not generating, you know, deepfake videos. We’re just finding weeds and killing them.” Carbon Robotics’ intentions and groundbreaking achievements haven’t gone unnoticed. In May the Seattle-based company secured an investment from NVentures, the venture capital arm of NVIDIA—a world leader in accelerated computing and AI. Mikesell said the two companies came together at FIRA USA in Salinas, Calif. last year, where the NVentures team met with Carbon Robotics’ grower clients and observed robots in the field.
“The NVIDIA name is exciting. The fact that the heads of the NVentures group were willing to take a whole day, get actively engaged and come visit robots with us impressed me,” Mikesell said. Carbon Robotics launched its Autonomous LaserWeeder in the spring of 2021, which combines computer vision, AI deep learning technology, robotics and lasers to identify and eliminate weeds. The LaserWeeder uses 24 NVIDIA graphics processing units (GPUs) to process 4.7 million high-resolution images per hour, offering rapid plant detection and identification. The lasers can target and destroy up to 5,000 weeds per minute, according to the company. “In the last few years, AI has exploded, and NVIDIA GPUs are essential for building AI models,” said Mikesell. “Our robots are full of AI systems, and we use a lot of NVIDIA GPUs. NVentures is always looking for areas in which their GPUs can be put to good use.” The investment money will help Carbon Robotics in a number of ways, one of which will go toward continued
Photo by Amy Wellenkamp
15 Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com July | August 2024
Photo by Amy Wellenkamp
eliminated by the LaserWeeder. To put that achievement in perspective, that number was at 100 million in November 2022. “Growers are continuing to see a huge amount of benefit from our LaserWeeder,” he said. “We were originally selling on a value proposition of just straight money saving dollars per acre, but we’ve now discovered a huge amount of yield improvement as well because the LaserWeeder doesn’t touch soil or the crops.” The CIT released its first of an ongoing series of case studies on the financial impact of agtech earlier this year. In the case study, the CIT collaborated with two grower operations to share quantifiable data of the financial value of Carbon Robotics’ LaserWeeder after one year. The case study found that in a span of eight months, growers not only reduced weeding expenses with the LaserWeeder, but also improved yield. One grower’s yields with several crops were improved by an estimated 10 to 15 percent - and up to 50 percent, in some cases. The increased yield came in the form of recoverable product and less crop damage from hand-weeding.
geographic expansion of the LaserWeeder product. A number of Western Growers members are already using the LaserWeeder, including Sábor Farms, Taylor Farms, Braga Fresh, Grimmway Farms, D’Arrigo Bros. of California and JV Smith Companies. Additionally, Mikesell said the company has plans to launch several products—completely independent from the LaserWeeder—later this year. As a Western Growers Center for Innovation and Technology (CIT) resident, Mikesell was interviewed by Western Growers at the end of 2022. And much like the evolution of technology, since then it has been full steam ahead for Carbon Robotics. The company has spent the last year continuing to build out its LaserWeeder units, even expanding internationally. “We have machines going to Europe now and Australia, and we’re already shipping across the United States,” Mikesell said. While Carbon Robotics doesn’t disclose the number of units it sells, Mikesell shared that at the time of this interview, the company had exceeded the milestone of 10 billion weeds
Photo by Amy Wellenkamp
16 Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com July | August 2024
“We have our laser weeders, and through a collaboration with our managers and Carbon Robotics, we have them weeding and thinning at the same time,” said Kristen Smith Eshaya, President of JV Smith Companies, to Western Growers last summer. “In the early days, we had engineers basically living out of trailers in the middle of these farm fields because we were actively developing and changing and editing things,” he said. “Our earliest growers and customers were in Salinas and are all part of Western Growers, and we’re very happy to continue to participate.” Mikesell said he makes it a point to visit with his customers as often as possible, stating that the growers are the ones who really hold all the knowledge. “The only way you can make a good product for growers is by building that relationship and having conversations,” he said. “A lot of tech companies have made the mistake of feeling like they’re experts in one field and thinking they’re just going to show up and give farmers a piece of equipment to solve all of their problems. It doesn’t work like that.” Mikesell’s familiarity and experience in the tech startup space has served him well. For more than 20 years, he’s contributed largely to robotics and advanced techniques for AI-driven computer vision systems for notable companies in Silicon Valley, including Uber—and he has no plans for Carbon Robotics to slow down any time soon. “I have a long background of making venture capitalists a ton of money through my inventions, and I hope to continue doing that with Carbon Robotics,” he said. “I’m very proud to have NVIDIA invested in us, and if you think that’s exciting, just wait until you see what we do next.” The third annual FIRA USA event is set to take place Oct. 22-24, 2024 in Woodland, Calif., and will showcase more than 35 robots demonstrating advancements in agricultural automation solutions in several demonstration zones. The exhibition hall will include more than 70 indoor booths. This year, for the first time, growers will be able to attend the three-day event for free.
The study also found that the LaserWeeder can reduce weed seedbank. “It was important for us to not only weed at a relatively low cost, but that we would improve our weed-to-plant ratio over time by reducing the weed seed count in the soil,” said Josh Roberts, former President of Triangle Farms, who participated in the case study. Carbon Robotics’ customers range from farms as small as 300 acres to farms that are hundreds of thousands of acres. Mikesell said his goal is to have a product for growers that will pay for itself in less than three years. “We’ve saved farmers a lot of money. Most of our farmers are seeing that payback period between one to three years…sure, there are growers who are more conservative in nature and are conscientious of how they spend their money, but we have enough machines out there in the field now that most people know somebody, or are two or three steps removed from somebody, who has a LaserWeeder and can get some questions answered firsthand,” Mikesell said. And while the LaserWeeder is getting a lot of attention by word of mouth, Mikesell said another big reason for his company’s success is that his team makes a concerted effort to get to know farmers and uses their feedback to optimize his products. “A lot of tech companies have made the mistake of feeling like they’re experts in one field and thinking they’re just going to show up and give farmers a piece of equipment to solve all of their problems. It doesn’t work like that.”
17 Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com July | August 2024
WESTERN GROWERS OFFICERS – 2024 Stuart Woolf, Chair Rob Yraceburu, Vice Chair Neill Callis,Treasurer Don Cameron, Executive Secretary Dave Puglia, President & CEO DIRECTORS – 2024 GEORGE ADAM Innovative Produce, Santa Maria, California CRAIG ALAMEDA Topflavor Farms Inc, Salinas, California ALEXANDRA ALLEN Main Street Produce, Santa Maria, California CHAD AMARAL D’Arrigo Bros Co of Calif., Salinas, Calif. KEVIN ANDREW Illume Agriculture, Bakersfield, California ROBERT BARKLEY Barkley Ag Enterprises LLP, Yuma, Arizona STEPHEN BARNARD Mission Produce, Inc., Oxnard, California BARDIN BENGARD Bengard Ranch, Salinas, California BRIAN BERTELSEN Cove Ranch Management, Reedley, California GEORGE BOSKOVICH III Boskovich Farms, Oxnard, California RODNEY BRAGA Braga Ranch, Soledad, California NEILL CALLIS Turlock Fruit Company, Turlock, California DON CAMERON Terranova Ranch, Inc., Helm, California EDWIN CAMP D. M. Camp & Sons, Bakersfield, California CAROL CHANDLER Chandler Farms LP, Selma, California LARRY COX Lawrence Cox Ranches, Brawley, California STEPHEN DANNA Danna Farms, Inc., Yuba City, California THOMAS DEARDORFF II Deardorff Family Farms, Oxnard, California TIMOTHY ESCAMILLA Bolthouse Fresh Foods, Bakersfield, California CATHERINE FANUCCHI Tri-Fanucchi Farms Inc., Bakersfield, California DAVID GILL Rio Farms, King City, California
ROBERT GIRAGOSIAN Kern Ridge Growers, LLC, Arvin, California BRANDON GRIMM Grimmway Farms, Arvin, California JOHN JACKSON Beachside Produce, LLC, Nipomo, California TRACY JONES Booth Ranches, Orange Cove, California A. G. KAWAMURA Orange County Produce, LLC, Fullerton, California ALBERT KECK Hadley Date Gardens, Thermal, California J.P. LABRUCHERIE LaBrucherie Produce, El Centro, California STEPHEN MARTORI III Martori Farms, Scottsdale, Arizona HAROLD MCCLARTY HMC Farms, Kingsburg, California DOMINIC MUZZI, JR. Muzzi Family Farms, LLC, Moss Landing, California THOMAS NUNES The Nunes Company, Inc., Salinas, California STEPHEN PATRICIO Westside Produce, Firebaugh, California JOHN POWELL, JR. Peter Rabbit Farms, Coachella, California RON RATTO Ratto Bros. Inc., Modesto, California CRAIG READE Bonipak Produce, Inc., Santa Maria, California ERIC REITER Reiter Affiliated Companies, Oxnard, California KYLE RICHARDSON Garry Richardson Farms, Bakersfield, California SONNY RODRIGUEZ The Growers Company, Inc., Somerton, Arizona BRUCE TALBOTT Talbott’s Mountain Gold, LLP, Palisade, Colorado RYAN TALLEY Talley Farms, Arroyo Grande, California BRUCE TAYLOR Taylor Farms Calif., Salinas, California JACK VESSEY Vessey and Company Inc, Holtville, California MIKE WAY Prime Time International, Coachella, California STUART WOOLF Woolf Farming & Processing, Fresno, California ROB YRACEBURU Wonderful Orchards, Shafter, California
THE LATEST GENERATION OF AI SORTING TECHNOLOGY
SORT 16 PRODUCT CHARACTERISTICS SIMULTANEOUSLY!
SHAPE ROUNDNESS OVALITY RATIOS SIZE LENGTH WIDTH CIRCUMFERENCE QUALITY GREEN SPOTS BRUISES MULTIPLE VARIETIES QUALITY, GREEN SPOTS, CRACKS, ROT & FOREIGN OBJECTS ROT FOREIGN OBJECTS CRACKS SHAPE, OVALITY & RATIOS
SIZE LENGTH WIDTH CIRCUMFERENCE QUALITY GREEN SPOTS BRUISES
SHAPE ROUNDNESS OVALITY RATIOS
SIZE LENGTH WIDTH CIRCUMFERENCE QUALITY GREEN SPOTS BRUISES SHAPE ROUNDNESS OVALITY RATIOS SIZE, LENGTH, WIDTH & CIRCUMFERENCE
SHAPE ROUNDNESS OVALITY RATIOS
SIZE LENGTH WIDTH CIRCUMFERENCE QUALITY GREEN SPOTS BRUISES
Manufacturing & Distributing Comprehensive Packaging Equipment
MULTIPLE VARIETIES
ROT FOREIGN OBJECTS CRACKS MULTIPLE VARIETIES
ROT FOREIGN OBJECTS CRACKS
MULTIPLE VARIETIES
MULTIPLE VARIETIES
ROT FOREIGN OBJECTS CRACKS
This latest model boasts a 20% improvement in grading and sorting efficiency , slashing labor costs and waste by eliminating the need for pre-grading and manual inspection.
OPTICAL POTATO SORTING MACHINE CELOX-P-DUAL-UHD
Phone: 965.682.6176 2200 Fox Drive | McAllen, TX 78504 info@foxbag.com | www.foxbag.com
CONNECT WITH SALES TO LEARN MORE, EMAIL OR SCAN
Current installations can be upgraded with the latest programming.
18 Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com July | August 2024
SOIL HEALTH MADE EASY
BENEFITS OF IMPROVED SOIL HEALTH
LEARN MORE
• Greater production & reduced plant stress • Consistent high-quality crops • Reduce soil compaction • Optimize critical nutrient availability to plants • Reduce salinity levels in the root zone • Improve water storage & increase water holding capacity
Discover the power of live, native microalgae with MyLand’s Soil as a Service.
A Soil Health Company | myland.ag
Feature Story AGROLOGY’S INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR CARBON SEQUESTRATION AND SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE By Julia Nellis, Social Media Manager
The topic of carbon capture is increasingly important as the carbon dioxide (CO₂) levels in our atmosphere reach record highs. The Paris Agreement, enacted on Nov. 4, 2016, saw nearly 200 countries commit to limiting global temperature increases to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels, with an aim to cap the rise at 1.5°C. Achieving this requires significant efforts to limit global warming to 1.5°C by the end of the century to prevent severe climate impacts, such as droughts, heatwaves and unprecedented rainfall. Data indicates that greenhouse gas emissions must peak by 2025 and decrease by 45 percent by 2030. The agriculture industry is uniquely positioned to combat climate change. Farmers, as stewards of the land, are driven to maintain healthy soil, native vegetation and water bodies. Approximately 10% of the Earth’s land is used for farming, and soil-based carbon sequestration is seen as a promising “negative emissions” technology to remove excess CO₂ from the air. Regenerative Agriculture: A Key Solution Regenerative agriculture focuses on restoring and enhancing soil and ecosystem health. This approach goes beyond sustainability, actively improving soil organic matter and biodiversity. Techniques like cover cropping, reduced tillage and crop rotation help sequester carbon dioxide, turning fields into “carbon sinks.” However, the carbon markets often undervalue farmers’ contributions, offering low prices for agriculture-related carbon credits. Many farmers are eager to adopt regenerative practices but face high costs for new technology, soil amendments and crop management. These financial barriers particularly impact small and mid-sized farms in the U.S. and may serve as a deterrent. Farmers currently receive little financial incentive to offset the costs of transitioning to regenerative agriculture, despite their interest and understanding of its long-term benefits. Agrology: Empowering Farmers with Technology Emerging technologies are making carbon capture and sequestration more accessible for growers. In 2019, Agrology co- founders Tyler Locke, Adam Koeppel and Kevin Kelly developed a solution using sensors and machine learning to guide farmers in this process. Their goal was to create an affordable, robust system that withstands seasonal changes and provides predictive services to assist growers in staying ahead of potential problems in the field. Agrology, a public benefit corporation, equips growers with affordable tools to enhance sustainability and address urgent agricultural challenges. The company’s IoT system offers a
user-friendly approach to agtech, providing real-time monitoring and insights into a field’s carbon sequestration, soil health and GHG emissions. This predictive platform also helps farmers measure and manage soil moisture, nano-climates, air quality and many other agronomic conditions in real time. “Building soil biology can be complex, time-consuming and disruptive to current operations. Agrology helps derisk the transition to climate-smart practices through education and support, as well as our ground truth carbon flux data to help guide the way. We are proud to help growers navigate these changes and challenges with our partners like Western Growers. It’s inspiring to see growers use Agrology data to close the feedback loop between their soil and management practices, enabling them to grow one of their most valuable assets: their soil,” said Charlie Dubbe, Head of Regenerative Partnerships at Agrology. Innovative Technology and Principles Agrology’s platform is built on several key tech and design principles: 1. Consumer Approach: By applying consumer technology principles, Agrology’s sensors are rugged, affordable and easily replaceable at no cost to the growers. 2. Ground-Truth Data: Real time in-field data to close the feedback loop between farming practices and their impact on ecosystem health, soil health and carbon sequestration. 3. Machine Learning and AI: Leverages real-time forecast and historical data to predict trends and alert growers to potential issues, allowing them to stay ahead.
20 Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com July | August 2024
4. Mobile App: Synthesizes data and delivers actionable insights and predictions, providing growers with the most up-to-date information and alerts for critical thresholds. Agrology is dedicated to supporting growers with the tools they need to succeed while protecting the planet’s sustainability. Its predictive platform offers real-time monitoring and insights, helping farmers address challenges efficiently. Agrology and its partners received approximately $5 million in U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) grants for climate-smart agriculture, recognizing their ability to quantify regenerative practices and monitor greenhouse gases and soil carbon respiration in real time. The Bigger Picture: Carbon Capture and Soil Intelligence Removing CO₂ from the atmosphere primarily depends on two things: plants and soil biology. Plants absorb atmospheric CO₂ via photosynthesis and transport that carbon into the soil as the root exudates through the liquid carbon pathway. From there, the soil microbiology digests and processes that carbon into forms that are increasingly difficult to decompose. Eventually, the carbon reaches a state of recalcitrance, meaning that it has entered into long-term storage in the soil. Increasing soil organic matter also increases the labile, and subsequently the recalcitrant carbon fraction. Additionally, increasing the soil carbon content also enhances the productivity and water retention of the soil. Our understanding of soil is crucial. Cutting-edge science and technology are needed to measure and interpret soil properties, known as soil intelligence. This information helps farmers make cost-saving decisions about soil treatments and crop management, maximizing efficiency and sustainability. “Carbon sequestration is a key focus of climate-smart agriculture, but soils that are rich in microbiology and life offer so much more to farmers than just carbon. Healthy, biologically active soils fuel increased nutrient availability, better water infiltration and holding capacity, which help increase profitability by reducing input costs. Just as importantly, a healthy soil microbiome improves crop quality and resilience,” Dubbe explains. "The agriculture industry is uniquely positioned to combat climate change. Farmers, as stewards of the land, are driven to maintain healthy soil, native vegetation and water bodies."
Introducing Nitrous Oxide Sensors: A New Milestone So, what’s next? Agrology has introduced the first-ever Nitrous Oxide (N₂O) sensors for the agriculture industry, marking a significant advancement in greenhouse gas monitoring. Nitrous Oxide is a potent greenhouse gas, and its accurate measurement is crucial for understanding and mitigating agricultural GHG emissions. The Agrology N₂O sensors provide real-time data, enabling growers to track and reduce their emissions effectively. Koeppel explains, “Until now, accurately measuring N₂O emissions at scale has been a formidable challenge, limiting the adoption of practices that can significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Our new Nitrous Oxide sensors are set to change this, enabling precise nitrogen application without sacrificing yield, as well as empowering growers to scale agricultural practices that are proven to lower greenhouse gas emissions.” This new sensor technology is integrated into Agrology’s existing platform, combining the power of IoT, machine learning and AI to offer comprehensive environmental monitoring. By providing precise measurements of N₂O levels, Agrology empowers farmers with the tools needed to implement more sustainable practices and contribute to global climate goals. Agrology continues to innovate and expand its offerings, reinforcing its commitment to supporting farmers and promoting sustainable agriculture. The introduction of N₂O sensors is a testament to its dedication to addressing the challenges of climate change and enhancing the agricultural sector’s resilience and sustainability.
Soil is the brain and stomach of the farm. With this new technology, we can unlock valuable insights, enabling farmers to lead the way in sequestering carbon and combating climate change.
21 Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com July | August 2024
Improve Cultivating Consistency with Industry-leading Accuracy and Automation
Mantis ™ is where technology and practical farming experience meet. We combine innovative visual recognition and automation technology with the common sense that comes from a team rooted in growing fresh produce. Our smart products reduce fieldwork uncertainty and deliver the promise of tomorrow to the farm today. We can’t widen the fieldwork window, but we can give you more control of what happens inside that window. Putting Mantis in your fields makes farming a little easier. And that’s just smart.
TURNING INTELLIGENCE INTO REAL, SMART SOLUTIONS The automated Smart Cultivator addresses e ciency concerns and delivers unmatched performance compared to traditional cultivation with features and benefits like:
Cultivate closer. Mantis Field Sight detection keeps tools perfectly in line ™
Add-ons include precision side dressing and smart spraying
Collects real-time data like plant size, spacing, stand percentage and more
The quick change tool bar bracket makes changing bed configurations easy
Seedline tracking allows planter passes, saving operators to cultivate o time and labor
functionality
CHOOSE CONTROL AND CONFIDENCE WITH A TRUSTED TECHNOLOGY PARTNER
Contact your Mantis representative or visit mantisag-tech.com
Intelligence applied
Phone: (831) 269-5500 Email: info@mantisag-tech.com mantisag-tech.com
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker