The March Lunch & Learn event at the Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology attracted a record number of companies to hear insights from Andy Holtz, Director of Mechanized Equipment Development at D’Arrigo Brothers of California.

In his time at the Center, Holtz showcased some of the technologies currently being used by D’Arrigo. In the discussion emceed by Dennis Donohue, Holtz talked about automation and labor and how the value of those working the farm is a point of focus and seen as “labor conservation,” a term Holtz has coined. D’Arrigo Brothers wants to keep every employee they have, he said, but they might be assigned new jobs or trained on new posts.

Holtz shared an important message to the innovators in the audience: “We can’t always afford the dreaming on a farm─don’t downplay the intermediate steps though─the steps lead to the dream.”

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