www.montereycountyweekly.com september 28-october 4, 2023 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 13 Over three days in September, the Salinas Sports Complex was transformed into an expansive expo floor displaying autonomous tractors, AI-powered weeders and unmanned spray drones. Dozens of exhibitors set up booths along the dirt-covered rodeo floor, as thousands of attendees perused the stands, shaking hands and hearing sales pitches. The occasion was FIRA USA 2023, an agricultural technology conference organized by the Western Growers Association, University of California’s Agriculture and Natural Resources research arm, and the Global Organization For Agricultural Robotics (GOFAR). An American offshoot of GOFAR’s annual World FIRA event in France, FIRA USA launched last year in Fresno but this year made its way to Salinas—where local organizers and industry stakeholders believe the region’s powerhouse ag sector, coupled with its proximity to Silicon Valley and a budding ag tech workforce, makes the area primed to become a hub for agricultural technology. “The shift to intelligent automation, on top of mechanization, is taking place—and Salinas has been in the middle of it for some time,” says Dennis Donohue, the former Salinas mayor who’s now director of Western Growers’ Center for Innovation & Technology. Exhibitors from 11 countries, as well as 1,700-plus attendees from more than 30 countries, showed up to FIRA USA—including global companies that are establishing a permanent presence in the Salinas Valley to better serve customers, like Francebased farming robot manufacturer Naïo Technologies. Those companies are not only drawn by the opportunity to serve the Salinas Valley’s year-round fields of leafy greens, berries and other crops. Regional educational institutions have also invested heavily in recent years to develop ag tech programs, training a workforce skilled in both traditional ag and tech realms like engineering, computer science and mechatronics. Hartnell College is among those institutions, parlaying millions of dollars in grants and donations from local giants like Taylor Farms and Rio Farms to train the next generation of ag tech workers. Clint Cowden, Hartnell’s dean of career technical education and workforce development, says around 100 of his students attended FIRA USA—including one who “walked away with 15 different business cards of companies that are looking for our style of students.” “Our students come with agriculture in their DNA—their families are working in it, they’re working in it, and they’re excited to be a part of this new economy,” Cowden says. He notes that Hartnell’s ag tech programs offer companies a pool of trained employees who “speak English and Spanish, understand Python [programming] and soil texture by feel.” While next year’s FIRA USA conference will be held in Davis, Donahue says Salinas is already set to host the event again in 2025. The expo’s continued presence should further his goal of “connecting the Salinas Valley with Silicon Valley,” he adds. Farming the Future An ag tech conference sets the stage for Salinas as a hub for farming’s tech-enabled future. By Rey Mashayekhi Salinas-based Stout Industrial Technology’s Smart Cultivator, which uses machine vision and AI to cultivate and weed farm fields, was among the technology on display at FIRA USA 2023. NEWS “They’re excited to be a part of this new economy.” RICHARD GREEN PHOTOGRAPHY MONTEREY PENINSULA MANAGEMENT DISTRICT MPWMD.NET Take control of Smart flow meters can monitor both indoor and outdoor water use. They measure water down to a fraction of a gallon and can send notifications to you through a web portal or mobile app that tracks usage and alerts you to leaks or plumbing malfunctions. Most smart flow meters can be installed with no modification to existing plumbing. Some strap to your existing water meter. Inline flow meters require minor plumbing and are a good choice for those who travel or have a second home. Smart flow meters can be purchased online or from your local hardware store. To receive a Smart Flow Meter Rebate, purchase a qualifying device and submit the receipt and rebate application to MPWMD, P.O. Box 85, Monterey CA, 93940 or email the documents to conserve@mpwmd.net. See montereywaterinfo.org for details and application form. Learn more about the following brands: Bluebot: bluebot.com Flume: flumewater.com Phyn: phyn.com Flo by Moen: moen.com/flo Alert Labs: alertlabs.com Get a $200 Rebate* your water use. *Rebate up to $200 or actual cost if less. Available to water users within the MPWMD.
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