Voices of the Valley

Latest Episodes:

Using Social Media to Educate the Masses about Agriculture Mar 22, 2022

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Haden Coleman, who recently wrote an award-winning essay on the power of technology in advancing agriculture, speaks about the importance of using social media for consumer education. Haden is a 17-year-old cattle farmer who has witnessed first-hand how technology has caused a chain reaction in the efficiency of farming and ranching. Over the years, he has become an advocate for using TikTok and Instagram to educate consumers about agriculture to garner more industry support. Listen as he shares tips on helping the public better understand where their food comes from.

Navigating Climate Change: A Guide on How to Use Technology to Foster Climate-Resilient Agriculture Mar 16, 2022

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Mariana Vasconcelos, an agtech prodigy who started her ag data company Agrosmart when she was 23 years old, provides a look into how the digital revolution is accelerating a cultural shift in agriculture globally. As climate change leads to increased periods of drought and farmers have lower margins for error, she shares the steps needed for adopting more tech on the farm to create a more productive and sustainable agriculture. She also speaks about how the development of agtech is a powerful solution to succession in farming – especially in a world where the industry is facing increasing regulations and is being asked to produce more food with less natural resources.

Are Farm Robots Making a Dent in the Agriculture Labor Gap? Mar 09, 2022

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As the labor shortage in agriculture worsens and farmers struggle to get their crops harvested, are today’s harvest robots making a dent in the ag labor gap? Listen as Walt Duflock, Western Growers VP of Innovation, discusses the progress on automation around harvest (helping out in the field) and automation to harvest (actual harvest robots). Walt, who has played a key role in building the agtech industry to what it is today, also speaks about tactics to speed up automation (like making plug-and-play robot parts widely available). During the interview, he also discusses how best to create a 4-year and 2-year university model that graduates students who are equipped to both build effective tech AND navigate the tech on the farm.

To Advance Food Safety, Get Out of the Box Mar 01, 2022

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Barbara Cassens has been a warrior in the fight to protect the health of the American people for the past forty years. In this episode, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration veteran shares several “out of the box” methods for advancing food safety, preventing outbreaks/contaminations and minimizing the exposure of risk to consumers. This includes ways to effectively use innovation and technology…because you can’t test your way toward a food safety solution!

AG Kawamura [Part 2]: Forging Uncommon Collaborations to Solve World Hunger Feb 22, 2022

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How do we create a more resilient food supply for the planet and address both food and nutrition insecurity? By implementing new programs that bring urban communities closer to agriculture. In part 2 of A.G. Kawamura’s podcast interview, he speaks about the steps for creating successful farm programs where 1 + 1 = 3. These include programs where residents in urban areas work hand-in-hand with farm crews to better understand their food supply as well as initiatives that allow you to be part of the environment, rather than apart from it.

AG Kawamura [Part 1]: Dissecting the 21st Century Ag Renaissance Feb 16, 2022

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With 44 seasons of farming under his belt, A.G. Kawamura shares his unique perspective about the future of agriculture and provides an analysis of the lessons learned from agriculture’s past. Some of the topics he covers? Stepping away from “think tanks” and moving toward an era of “do tanks.” The importance of disruption in sustaining a state of abundance vs a state of survival. How to accelerate change by streamlining the path for environmentally-friendly technology. The transformation of urban agriculture. And more! Listen to part 1 of 2 of Orange County Produce Owner and Former Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture A.G. Kawamura’s Voices of the Valley Podcast episode.

How to Establish Trust When it Comes to Food Safety Feb 08, 2022

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This episode is all about how to establish trust – and move away from a regulatory “gotcha” mentality! Bonnie Fernandez-Fenaroli, Executive Director of the Center for Produce Safety, shares the steps needed to 1) build a safe space to speak about food safety experiences; 2) be a resource for the industry when it comes to sensitive topics; and 3) battle the biggest issues in food safety using science and tech.

Lemons and Oranges and Limes, Oh My! Feb 02, 2022

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How do you bridge the gap between government, consumers and farmers? Casey Creamer, a cotton expert who has now jumped to advocate on behalf of citrus growers as the President of California Citrus Mutual, shares the tactics he has implemented to bring stakeholders together to sort through the issues facing agriculture and create a path forward. This includes everything from revolutionizing citrus packing houses with technology and automation to bringing science to the forefront to educate on the importance of crop protection.

Inside the Brave New World of Pest Management Jan 25, 2022

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With all the mounting issues surrounding pest management (increasing restrictions, buyer pressure to stop using products, ineffectiveness of certain chemicals), how do you protect soil and plant health? Biologicals Queen Pam Marrone reveals the answer. Marrone—who has built numerous thriving bio-ag companies from scratch and discovered countless biological solutions for agricultural pest management—speaks about how to stay ahead of the game as the world moves toward a biologicals-based future. This includes ways to invent new solutions based off unmet needs and the steps necessary for successfully integrating products into farmers’ program. She also provides an easy-to-understand roadmap of how to effectively use biologicals and microbes to ward off unwanted pests.

How to Make Tech Adoption Go from Revolution to Evolution Jan 18, 2022

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In a country like Brazil where extraordinarily-resistant pests run rampant on crops, how are agtech venture capitalists saving the day? By providing young economies and companies an opportunity to thrive. Francisco Jardim, founding partner at SP Ventures (Latin America’s largest agtech venture firm), explains how investment in biologicals, agriculture financing (aka AgFinTech) and e-commerce platforms has paved the way for a tech evolution in the country’s farming community. He also explores the potential of a dual hemisphere strategy to accelerate solution in key areas and outlines the exact steps of how biologics in Brazil became went beyond a revolution to become an evolution.

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