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WG Contributes to Strengthening California-Dutch Relationship to Accelerate AgTech

Posted on November 08, 2019 14:59 PM by WGCIT

On November 7, 2019, the Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology (WGCIT) played a major role during the California-Dutch Collaboration Opportunities for AgFoodTech Summit. Throughout the event, government officials, agricultural leaders, universities and other stakeholders came together to discuss how the Netherlands and California can further align on a global vision for agriculture. The goal of the collaboration is to accelerate AgriFoodTech innovations and solutions and bring them to market faster – which ultimately will create a more sustainable planet and encourage prosperous economies.

Attendees had the opportunity to hear about topics including developing a global open platform to accelerate digital agriculture; an outline of the California-Dutch collaboration on AgFoodTech; future fruit cultivation systems; and digital and precision farming. Additionally, Secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture Karen Ross (pictured) and Deputy Director General of Foreign Economic Relations at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs Guido Landheer spoke to the group about the commitment towards an international innovation collaboration to accelerate a future proof food system.

Dennis Donohue, director of the WGCIT, guided the event as moderator; he also participated in a panel that discussed how to grow the orchard of the future using technology. Participating in the California-Dutch Collaboration Opportunities for AgFoodTech Summit is a great example of how Western Growers is tightening bonds overseas in an effort to accelerate agtech. Working with the Netherlands and New Zealand is keeping the Center on the pulse of agtech advances. In addition to helping guide this event, Western Growers has also been working with the Dutch to bolster our Automation Initiative.

The California-Dutch Collaboration Opportunities for AgFoodTech Summit took place in Fresno, California, and ran concurrently with the Governor’s Economic Summit. Participants included the University of California, Western Growers, Washington Tree Fruit Research, California Department of Food and Agriculture, FME, TNO and the Dutch Government.