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Agriculture 2017

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• Well drilling • Development • Testing • New Pumps • Turbine and Domestic Pumps • Full Service Machine Shop • Repairs • Welding and Electrical Service AGRICULTURAL • INDUSTRIAL • RESIDENTIAL Three GeneraTions and over 50 Years of LocaL WeLL & PumP KnoWLedGe Expertise Experience From Lic. #515945 www.SalinasPump.com 21935 Rosehart Way - Salinas For estimates call: 831-422-4522 Community A word from 1st Capital Bank about... MONTEREY • SALINAS • KING CITY • SAN LUIS OBISPO www.1stcapital.bank (831) 264-4000 Your 1st Choice in Community Banking "Our local bankers have years of community banking experience and are dedicated to building long-term client relationships. We get to know our customers on a very personal level and provide an exceptional level of service, local decision making and customized banking solutions." "1st Capital Bank was founded as a true 'community bank'. Community banks serve a very important role in our local communities." Member FDIC Kurt Gollnick Chairman of the Board Forbes AgTech Summit Seeking Solutions Through Innovations Salinas hosts event for third year, attracts participants from around the world By James Herrera The 2017 Forbes AgTech Summit is an event that allows experts in agriculture and technology to meet and discuss challenges and view the latest innovations in the global food system. The recent event, held in Oldtown Salinas was a big success. "Coming out here three years ago it was more of a concept," said Paul No- glows, executive producer of the Forbes summit. "We're at the intersection of the Salinas and Silicon valleys where it has established itself as the epicenter of agtech innovation." The two-day AgTech Sum- mit has been held in Salinas for three straight years, attracting participants from around the world interested in addressing the obstacles and presenting solutions in the agriculture and food production industries. "Salinas is the best possible place to have this event," said Noglows. "Feeding the world is why we're out here." About 150 of the estimated 700 registered participants of the summit participat- ed in tours of the Taylor Farms processing plant, Grupo Flor's cannabis cultivation facility and the grower-owned processing plant of True Leaf Farms. The tours were capped off with a series of field demos at Hartnell College's Alisal Campus.Plenary sessions were held to encourage discussion around topics such as growing diversity in agtech, supporting true innovation, overcoming go- to-market challenges, how labor is shaping the farm of tomorrow, robotic technolo- gy and water wars. Labor generated much discussion in the forum that centered around the rising cost of minimum wage, an aging work population, automation and the question of whether its replacing labor, immigration crack- downs, and maintaining and optimizing current labor resources. "People have a fear of just moving around," said Javier Zamora, owner of JSM organics. "Things are really scary for them." Zamora's organic farming operation is based out of Watsonville with a labor force of about 20 people. "I pay them well so the ones I hire stay, instead of going to another farmer," said Zamora. But raising wages will not be economically feasible and does not solve the labor issue, he said. Dan Steere, CEO of Abun- dant Robotics, said that labor concerns have been around for years and con- tinuing to develop auto- mation will help to address those issues. "It is a balance between labor and technology," said Brian Antle, harvest manager, Tanimura & Antle. "You have to look at what's feasible and what's needed." Antle said automation in planting and cutting is easy, but deciding what head of lettuce goes where based on its condition, the look and feel of the leaves, takes a process with a human touch, and "it's not quite there yet." Right now it is not about la- bor being replaced with au- tomation, it is finding people who have the skill and will to do things like thin lettuce or hoe weeds, Antle said. Moderator, David Mancera, business advisor from Kitchen Table Advisors, asked about the effects of technology being created in a vacuum. Steere described it as "tech in search of a problem" and said in his experience it is the collaboration between researchers and growers that fosters good technol- ogy. Zamora grows strawberries and other crops but said the Continued on page 5 Vern Fisher — Monterey Herald The Forbes AgTech Summit in Salinas featured several panel discussions. photos by Vern Fisher — Monterey Herald The Forbes AgTech Summit was held in Salinas for the third straight year.

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