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Organic Seed and Ag Tech Ed Sessions Announced for Organic Grower Summit 2023
An educational session on the ever-changing landscape of ag technology for organic growers and a panel discussion on the challenges of organic seed production complete the extensive educational program of the upcoming Organic Grower Summit (OGS) 2023 presented by Western Growers and OPN, slated for November 29-30 in Monterey, California.
As technology and innovation continue to help organic growers produce crops in the most cost-effective and efficient manner possible, OGS 2023 will highlight the companies at the forefront of ag tech and how growers decide which technologies to use. An ed session entitled “How Organic Growers Are Using Ag Tech: Obstacles & Opportunities” will explore how growers are using ag technology to improve production while showcasing one of the leading ag technology companies and its work in displacing traditional farming methods.
The session will be moderated by Bart Walker, President of Pacific Ag Rentals, with a panel that includes Tom Nunes V, President of The Nunes Company; Kristen Smith Eshaya, President of JV Smith Companies; and Paul Mikesell, CEO and Founder of Carbon Robotics.
“Technology and data management continue to evolve for organic growers, and a wide array of new tools are being designed for greater efficiency in the production of crops," said Walker. "This exclusive ed session will highlight some of the newest technologies, equipment, and programs available for growers and how they can best be utilized in the ever-changing landscape of organic fresh produce production."
An ed session entitled “Challenges of Organic Seed Production” will provide OGS attendees an overview of how organic seed production has declined over the past few years and how this has been impacting the organic produce industry.
Moderated by Tom Willey, owner of T & D Willey Farms, the session will include panelists Theojary Crisantes, CEO of Wholesum; Zea Sonnabend, owner of Fruitilicious Farm; Jared Zystro, research & education director at the Organic Seed Alliance; and Michael Willey, North American Production Lead for Bayer Crop Science.
The announcement of these two sessions completes a robust educational program for OGS 2023, which includes eight different educational sessions and a pair of keynote presentations. As part of the keynotes, the annual Grower of the Year award will be presented to this year’s recipient, Rod Braga, President and CEO of Braga Fresh. The other keynote presentation at OGS 2023 will be Grower Roundtable: The State of Organic Growing, which will include leadership from three prominent organic companies who will be announced next week.
The other educational sessions at OGS 2023 include:
- SOE Deadline Looms—Are You Ready?
- Understanding Evolving Production Challenges for Organic Growers
- Regenerative—What Does it Mean for Organic?
- Unlocking the Value of AI on the Digital Farming Journey
- Meet the Ag Sharks
- Roadmap to a Sustainable Pest Management Future for Organics
OGS 2023 will be held November 29-30 at the Hyatt Regency Monterey Hotel & Spa in Monterey, California. The sixth annual Organic Grower Summit is designed to provide information vital to organic growers and producers, including an overview of the opportunities and challenges in the production of organic fresh food.
"In partnership with Western Growers, this year’s OGS will provide up-to-date resources and information to support the continued success of organic producers, with an emphasis on the changing organic production landscape as well as the role of ag technology," said Matt Seeley, Co-founder and CEO of Organic Produce Network. "From seed to soil to harvest, our goal is to present the most relevant and timely information on the most important subjects and issues facing organic production."
The sold-out OGS trade show floor will feature soil amendment, ag tech, food safety, packaging, and equipment exhibitors who will have the opportunity to connect with organic field production staff, supply chain managers, pest management advisors, and food safety experts. OGS 2023 general registration is currently open.