The Western Growers Center for Innovation and Technology held its first Resident Programming event of the season on Aug. 24 with a virtual information session entitled “Ag in the Desert.”

Grower guests at the event represented the three main desert growing regions: Matt Maguire, Chief Agricultural Officer of J.V. Smith in Yuma, Ariz.; Scott Howington, Owner of Oasis Farming in El Centro, Calif.; and Garett Cardilino, Director of Field Operations of PrimeTime in Coachella, Calif. The event was moderated by Dennis Donohue, Director of the WGCIT.

More than 25 WGCIT entrepreneurs attended the event, which covered topics ranging from when the best time is to contact growers to pitch technologies to labor needs to irrigation innovations.

The next WGCIT event will be an in-person Lunch & Learn on Sept. 7 with Dr. Hillary Thomas, Research and Technical Director for Naturipe Berry Growers. At Naturipe, she focuses on the development of applied agricultural research programs and technology transfer to growers. To attend, WGCIT agtech residents should email Emily Lyons.

To learn more about how to join the WGCIT, please contact Dennis Donohue.