The Emerging Leaders from the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association visited the Western Growers Center for Innovation and Technology in Salinas on June 27, and seven of the Center’s startups pitched the group their agtech solutions.

Lead by Director Sonia Tighe and Communications Manager Veronica Figueroa, the FFVA Emerging Leaders include: Thomas Addison of H&A Farms; Renee L. Buxton of the Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative; David Dyer of Corteva Agriscience; Russ Fraleigh of Florida Coast Equipment; Josh Hancock of R.C. Hatton; Brett Helvey of Diamond R. Fertilizer; Lamar Jahna of Seminis Vegetable Seeds; Hernan Martinez of Duda Farm Fresh Foods; Mac Metcalf of Syngenta Crop Protection; Jeremy Nipper of Everglades Equipment Group; Todd Pirtle of Syngenta Vegetable Seeds; Matt Reichenbach of Ferris Farms, Inc.; Erin Parke Watson of Parkesdale Farms and Joel Whitehead of Wish Farms.

The WGCIT startups that presented were: FarmWise; Boost Biomes; Solare Inc.; FieldClock; GVA; Verdant and Ganaz.

In addition, the class spoke with WGCIT Executive Director Dennis Donohue and WG’s VP of Innovation Walt Duflock.

To learn more about the WGCIT, please visit wginnovation.com.