During the course of The AgTech Summit, two Western Growers members were honored with awards from Forbes.  Salinas Mayor Joe Gunter was on hand to present Bruce Taylor, founder and CEO of Taylor Farms, with the Forbes Impact Award in Leadership.  Gunter described Taylor’s passionate representation of the produce industry and faithful stewardship of the Salinas community as the basis for his award.

WG Chairman Vic Smith of J.V. Smith Company had the honor of presenting the Forbes Impact Award in Innovation to Brian Antle, harvest manager for Tanimura & Antle.  Smith praised Antle and Tanimura & Antle for its long history of leadership in the agriculture industry, and the company’s continued commitment to innovation and adoption of cutting-edge technologies.  Antle and his firm were specifically honored for the adoption and development of a better and more efficient way to plant vegetables using plant tape.  T&A has used this innovation in its own operations and is currently testing it further to bring it to the commercial market by 2017.