Try Acres for free: https://www.acres.co/
IFPA's Fresh Field Catalyst Accelerator: https://www.freshproduce.com/resources/technology/fresh-field-catalyst/
"Taste is King" on the Fresh Takes on Tech podcast: https://www.freshproduce.com/resources/technology/takes-on-tech-podcast/episode-56-taste-is-king/
"Locally Grown Through Vertical Farming on the Fresh Takes on Tech podcast: https://www.freshproduce.com/resources/technology/takes-on-tech-podcast/episode-59-locally-grown-through-vertical-farming/
"Traceability is Crucial to the World Produce Industry" on the Fresh Takes on Tech podcast: https://www.freshproduce.com/resources/technology/takes-on-tech-podcast/episode-55-traceability-is-crucial-to-the-world-produce-industry/
"New Innovations are Improving All Aspects of Our Produce Supply Chain" on the Fresh Takes on Tech podcast: https://www.freshproduce.com/resources/technology/takes-on-tech-podcast/episode-68-live-from-the-global-show-2022-part-four/
"The Future of Automation is in the Fields" on the Fresh Takes on Tech podcast: https://www.freshproduce.com/resources/technology/takes-on-tech-podcast/episode-57-the-future-of-automation--is-in-the-fields/
Today’s episode features Vonnie Estes, vice president of innovation at the International Fresh Produce Association or IFPA. You probably noticed in our opening segment more than just Vonnie’s voice. That’s because we will be playing clips of some of the entrepreneurs and mentors that participated in IFPA’s Fresh Field Catalyst this past year.
You see, Vonnie reached out about coming back onto the podcast to talk about how applications are open for their second cohort. After talking to Vonnie and hearing about how the first cohort went, I realized this would be a great chance to talk about tech and innovation in the produce industry in general. Our conversation today covers some of the challenges facing this industry, including water, labor, food safety, traceability, quality, compliance and more. And you’ll hear from entrepreneurs and industry leaders about differentiation, consumer preferences, indoor ag, traceability, and automation and robotics.
Before we dive in, I want to make it clear that the intention of the accelerator is to attract companies that already have a product in the market somewhere. That could be a market outside of agriculture, or perhaps in row crops, or maybe in produce but in another geography. So they’re looking for companies that already have some traction, but maybe haven’t directed much focus to produce yet but think that there might be value in that market. If that sounds like you or someone you know, applications close soon: March 20 of 2023. I’ll link to the application in the show notes.
You may remember hearing from Vonnie back in episode 270 of this podcast. To refresh your memory, she has held leadership positions at prominent companies including DuPont, Monsanto, and Syngenta along with start-ups including DNAP, Emergent Genetics, and Caribou Biosciences. She has a BS in Horticulture from New Mexico State and a Masters in Plant Pathology from UC Davis.
In addition to Vonnie, you’re going to hear clips from some of the entrepreneurs and mentors in the program’s first cohort. These clips came from Vonnie’s podcast called Fresh Takes on Tech. You definitely want to go check that out. I’ll link to it in the show notes as well.
FOA 169: Investing in Farmland with Carter Malloy of AcreTrader
FOA 168: Special Episode: Introducing the Soil Sense Podcast
FOA 167: Farming in Space with Dr Ray Wheeler of NASA
FOA 166: Food 5.0 with Serial Ag Entrepreneur Robert Saik
Future of Agriculture 165: Irrigating Confidently with Lee Addams of CropMetrics
Future of Agriculture 164: Helping Farmers Sell Direct to Food Service with Chris Damico of Farm'd
Future of Agriculture 163: Irrigation Technology with Leif Chastaine of Waterbit
Future of Agriculture 162: Cannabis Inputs with Dr Colin Bell of Mammoth Microbes
Future of Agriculture 161: California Water Law with Adam Borchard of ACWA
Future of Agriculture 160: Moonshot Ag Innovations via Corporate Joint Venture with Mike Miille of Joyn Bio
Future of Agriculture 159: Water Economics with Dr David Zetland
Future of Agriculture 158: New Zealand Ag Innovation with Stu Bradbury of Sprout Agritech Accelerator
Future of Agriculture 157: Tackling Tough Questions about AgTech with Renee Vassilos
Future of Agriculture 156: From Law to Corporate to Investor to Startup Strategist with Dan Cosgrove
Future of Agriculture 155: Behind Wine: An Inside Look Into the Modern Vineyard with Richard Hoff of Mercer Ranches
Future of Agriculture 154: Saving Bees Via IoT with Dr. Fiona Edwards Murphy of ApisProtect
Future of Agriculture 153: Today's Farm Economy vs the 1980s with Glen & Jason Newcomer
Future of Agriculture 152: Online Engagement and Bringing Ag to SXSW with Janice Person
Future of Agriculture 151: Computer Vision for Herd Management at the 2-1-4-3 Approach with Aidan Connolly
Future of Agriculture 150: Upcycling and the Value of Ruminant Agriculture with Dr Sara Place
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