Posts By: Emily Lyons
The Annual Salinas Biological Summit is Almost Here
Next week marks the fourth annual Salinas Biological Summit (SBS). The Summit has quickly become a cornerstone for innovation in agriculture. What started as a focused gathering has grown so rapidly in both attendance and impact that organizers have officially outgrown the original venue. For 2026, the SBS is moving to the Rodeo Grounds in North Salinas, offering significantly expanded…
Growth and Change After Ten Years with WGCIT
Saturday, May 23, 2026, marks my 10-year anniversary at Western Growers. Reaching this milestone has given me the chance to reflect on how much has changed over the past decade—both for me personally and for the Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology in Salinas. Over those 10 years, the Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology has experienced remarkable growth.…
The Salinas Growing Season Is Back in Full Swing
The Salinas growing season is officially back, and this year’s transition arrived earlier than expected. Rapid warming across key desert growing regions prompted many growers to shift their operations back to Salinas several weeks ahead of the traditional schedule. Instead of the usual late-April migration, the transition began in late March, accelerating the seasonal handoff and reshaping…
Do You Know WGCIT Startup KipTraq?
KipTraq Introduces “Brandi,” a Powerful New AI Assistant KipTraq is excited to announce the launch of Brandi, our new AI assistant built directly into the KipTraq platform. Designed to simplify complex workflows, Brandi can instantly summarize thousands of inspections—data, comments, and observations—and deliver a concise, easy‑to‑read briefing in English or Spanish. These…
Preparing for a Big Week in AgTech
Next week is shaping up to be a milestone moment for the AgTech community, with major events unfolding across the Central Coast and the Bay Area. From the launch of a new farming venture in Salinas to one of the industry’s most influential global summits, stakeholders across the agricultural innovation ecosystem will have a full and meaningful week of connection, collaboration, and…
Do You Know our WGCIT Resident, HeavyConnect?
In an industry where tradition often meets innovation, HeavyConnect is showing what’s possible when technology is built inside agriculture rather than imposed from the outside. Leading this charge is Roberto De Leon, Head of Growth, who brings more than two decades of experience in customer focused technology—and a firsthand understanding of the challenges growers face. “When I moved…
Updates from the CIT: Week of February 16, 2026
The Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology (WGCIT) in Salinas is experiencing an exceptionally active week as industry, government and regional partners converge for key conversations on agricultural technology, policy and innovation. With the AgSafe Conference taking place in Monterey, the WGCIT will host a visit from the U.S. Department of Labor, including Deputy Assistant…
Updates from the CIT: Week of February 2, 2026
The Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology (WGCIT) continues to support resident startups by creating meaningful connections, strengthening our facility and maintaining an environment that fosters innovation. Below is a brief update on recent activities across our innovation, information systems and facility operations. Startup Progress & Industry Engagement Agtech…
What Happened at Western Growers CIT This Week?
Western Growers continues to advance its leadership in agricultural innovation through strategic collaboration, field engagement and relationship‑building with growers and technology partners. Below is a recap of key activities driving this momentum across our innovation centers and growing regions. Last week, Walt Duflock and Ben Palone hosted a delegation of academics from Mississippi…
How HeavyConnect is Digitizing Agriculture
In an industry where tradition often meets innovation with cautious optimism, HeavyConnect is proving that technology built from within agriculture can transform how farms operate. At the helm of this transformation is Roberto De Leon, Head of Growth for HeavyConnect, who brings over two decades of experience in customer-facing technology and a deep understanding of the agricultural…
Do You Know WGCIT Company Inteligistics?
For growers, packers and shippers, getting field heat out fast and monitoring temperature throughout is essential for preserving quality and reducing shrink. Inteligistics solutions makes that easier than ever with an affordable, automated pre‑cooling system that works with the equipment you already have. Why Growers Choose Inteligistics Better quality, longer shelf…
Do You Know Our WGCIT Resident, Adaviv?
Adaviv, a resident of the Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology, is developing mobile-based tools designed to help growers, packers and shippers monitor plant health, evaluate harvest quality and track labor performance. The system operates on standard smartphones, reducing the need for additional equipment. Following work with partners including Driscoll’s and NatureSweet…
Provision Analytics: Reshaping Food Safety in Fresh Produce
Over the past two decades, the fresh produce industry has made significant strides in food safety and quality assurance. Central California’s grower-packers were among the first to embrace digital recordkeeping, often building their own tools or repurposing manufacturing software to meet audit requirements. These early efforts laid the groundwork for a more data-driven approach to…
Verdant Robotics: Revolutionizing Agriculture with Precision Technology
Founded in 2018 by Gabe Sibley and Curtis Garner, Verdant Robotics brings together deep expertise in robotics, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and commercial agriculture to address critical challenges in farming, including labor shortages, rising input costs and sustainability. Verdant Robotics’ flagship product, the SharpShooter, is the only precision application system that aims before it…
Ecorobotix: Pioneering Precision Agriculture
Founded in 2011 by Steve Tanner and Aurélien Demaurex in Switzerland, Ecorobotix has been at the forefront of developing and deploying precision agricultural robots. Over the years, the company has made significant strides in revolutionizing the agricultural sector with its innovative solutions. Ecorobotix’s journey began with a vision to create sustainable and efficient farming practices.…
Empowering Growers Through Regenerative Farming
WGCIT Resident: Carbon Friendly Carbon Friendly (CF) is dedicated to supporting growers in being recognized and rewarded for adopting regenerative farming practices under the principle that “sustainability must pay to be sustainable.” CF establishes value pathways for growers, either through carbon income to fund regenerative practices or by positioning them as differentiated suppliers…
Desert Control Looks to Boost Yields and Cut Water Use in American West
Desert Control, an international company headquartered in Norway, has been making waves in the agricultural sector with its groundbreaking Liquid Natural Clay (LNC) technology. Inspired by the fertile region around the Nile River Valley in Egypt that lost its water control capability over time, Desert Control has developed a solution that is now in high demand in the Western U.S., particularly…
Thomas Nunes V from The Nunes Company Joins WGCIT for Lunch and Learn
Thomas Nunes V (known in the industry as “T5”) visited the Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology (WGCIT) to address agtech startups for our first ‘Lunch & Learn’ of the year. He spoke about his connection to farming and family, joking about finally “using his Ivy League education.” T5 played football while studying at Cornell University. He was especially close…
FARMX: Revolutionizing Agriculture
Founded in 2014, FarmX emerged with a mission to tackle the pressing issues of irrigation, fertilization and water management in California’s agricultural sector. What began with an innovative soil moisture probe has evolved into a comprehensive suite of technological tools, thanks to a series of groundbreaking innovations and strategic mergers. A Trusted Advisor for Growers Today,…
Organic Grower Summit 2024 Highlights
Western Growers members and staff played a pivotal role at the 2024 Organic Grower Summit in Monterey, Calif. last week. The event commenced with a panel discussion titled “Will Agtech Make Organic Farms More Profitable?” Moderated by Walt Duflock, SVP of Innovation for Western Growers, the panel featured insights from Bartley Walker, Daniel Bernstein and Larry Jacobs. Another notable…