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AgTech Summit Addresses Pathways And Profitability
MJC

The Second Annual “Adapt or Die” AgTech Summit will take place at the Modesto Junior College ACE Pavilion Center on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2020, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Building on the success of last year’s event, this year’s summit, “Sowing the Seeds of an Innovative Ag Tech Ecosystem,” expects to draw more than 250 attendees, and ultimately, attract growers, innovators and high-growth companies to the Central Valley.

The one-day event will heighten awareness about the latest technology available for both growers and food producers to optimize their operations, and how educators are focusing on improving workforce readiness and career pathways for the next-generation workforce. Featured guest speakers include industry experts from companies such as Foster Farms, Save Mart, Almond Board of California, FieldIn, Wiseconn, Olam Spices, AgTools and Belkorp Ag.

According to California Assemblymember Heath Flora, “Our valley’s economy depends on the ag community adapting the latest technologies to advance operations in our Central Valley.”

Comprised of two panels, the first is “Don’t Get Left Behind,” during which industry experts will examine agriculture’s in-field technology – from irrigation and pest management to sustainability reporting. The second panel, “Farm-to-Fork-to-Farm,” will examine how digitalization is shaping the entire food supply chain. Each panel will be followed by three break-out sessions on Sustainability, Pathways and Profitability.

Sustainability: Challenges and opportunities for sustainable production; streamlining reporting strategies for fertility (ILRP), water (SGMA) and energy (EE programs); learn about SWEEP grants for technology investment.

Pathways: How to incorporate ag and technology skills into educational pipelines; how to encourage STEM students to pursue ag and technology careers; hiring an industry-ready workforce.

Profitability: Market-ready tech that works for your operation; optimizing logistics; how to leverage tech and big data to make your business more agile and profitable; using IoT sensors and monitoring in the field and in the production line.

The Central Valley’s ag community is uniquely positioned to leverage a huge concentration of food and agriculture knowledge and assets to attract innovators and high-growth companies by creating sharing opportunities like the AgTech Summit, preparing an industry-ready workforce, actively engaging all segments in productive dialogue, and digging into the real challenges in food and agriculture.