NASA Has a Role in Supporting Ag Tech
It was 1972 when NASA launched Landsat 1, the first satellite designed to study our planet, and with it came a revolution in remote sensing technology for agriculture.
Dr. Alyssa Whitcraft has a lead role in NASA’s two major agricultural programs today and she was keynote speaker for the 2023 Tech Hub LIVE opening general session to a standing room only crowd. She is the co-founder and deputy director of NASA Harvest, an international program, and Executive Director of NASA Acres, which is focused on the U.S., and she has high hopes for the NASA Harvest Consortium to support a new revolution in ag technology.
“I think public science builds a bigger pie, it’s a public good that hopefully enriches our collective ability to provide on-farm solutions,” said Whitcraft. “It’s really about addressing the solutions that we all know are needed.”
Whitcraft believes that NASA’s role in helping build ag tech is for the public good, “If our objectives are to fight climate change, build a resilient agriculture system that feeds us today and into the future, and maintain the U.S. standing as the largest food exporter in the world.”
Listen to Whitcraft’s presentation here:
2023 Tech Hub LIVE presentation - Alyssa Whitcraft, NASA (41:39)
Women in Ag Tech Hold First Meeting
A new organization was born in Des Moines this week at the 2023 Tech Hub LIVE Conference and Expo – Women in Ag Tech or WiAT (pronounced wyatt).
It was a year ago at the 2022 Tech Hub LIVE in Indianapolis that Meister Media Worldwide CEO Gary Fitzgerald mentioned the idea to new CropLive Media Group Editor Lara Sowinski and after a few phone calls it became evident that there was a definite need for such an organization. A group of ambassadors was formed and many virtual meetings were held and the end result was a packed room for the first in-person meeting held on Monday afternoon prior to the welcome party for Tech Hub LIVE.
Organizers initially hoped for 60 women to attend, but registration was topped 80 and the actual turnout was closer to 100. Guest speaker Dr. Karen St. Germain, Earth Science Division Director for NASA, provided a fascinating glimpse into how space technology helps agriculture and also set the stage for a broader discussion on the role of women in the technology space as a whole.
“Women bring a different perspective, they bring different questions, they bring different experience and expertise,” she said. “The quality of the science is all about the quality of the questions you ask.”
St. Germain called the WiAT meeting “energizing” and that was almost an understatement. There was tremendous enthusiasm and participation in the short breakout brainstorming sessions where the women discussed how to promote and grow the group, design mentorship and networking opportunities, and just keep the momentum going. Women who are interested are urged to get in touch with the group through their Women in Ag Tech LinkedIn group.
Listen to this interview with Dr. St. Germain to learn more about what NASA does for agriculture and women in technology.
2023 Tech Hub LIVE interview Dr. Karen St. Germain, NASA (4:26)
Greater Des Moines Welcomes Tech Hub LIVE
Greater Des Moines welcomes Tech Hub LIVE
The biggest crowd for the event yet gathered for fun and games, great food and fellowship with a ’90s theme at Ricochet in downtown Des Moines just a stroll down the sky walk from the conference hotel. The Greater Des Moines Partnership was thrilled to be the Tech Hub LIVE Destination partner and host this growing event.
“Iowa is such a hub for ag technology,” said Melissa Moyer, Economic Development Coordination Manager. “Whether it’s bioscience, whether it’s biotechnology, whether it’s molecular…we have technology to feed and fuel the world and there’s no bveretter place.”
GDMP Executive Director Mike Swesey says they are very happy that Tech Hub LIVE has chosen Des Moines for next year as well. “We’re happy that Tech Hub LIVE has chosen us for three of the first four years and we want to keep this partnership going.”
Listen to an interview with Moyer and Swesey here.
2023 Tech Hub LIVE interview Mike Swesey and Melissa Moyer, Greater Des Moines Partnership (2:46)
Animal Ag News 7/24
Locus Ag Expands Rhizolizer® Biologicals Product Line
Locus Agriculture (Locus AG) has expanded its award-winning Rhizolizer® product line to feature crop-specific formulas that ensure broader availability for farmers looking to boost return on investment by up to $4,000 per acre.
Rhizolizer is a line of agricultural biologicals composed of carefully selected strains of endophytic microbes tailored to specific crops which are designed to colonize roots, promote early root development and boost productivity.
The line expansion includes:
–Rhizolizer Duo for Berries & Melons
–Rhizolizer Duo for Fruits & Vegetables
–Rhizolizer Duo for Vineyards & Orchards
Third-party trials performed through Contract Research Organizations (CROs) confirmed an increase in yield and a return on investment for all crops studied using the new crop-specific Rhizolizer Duo biologicals, including:
Strawberries: up to 1,523 more pounds per acre and $4,190 return on investment
Tomatoes: up to 3,993 more pounds per acre and $2,021 return on investment
Peppers: up to 2,238 more pounds per acre and $880 return on investment
Grapes: up to 1,939 more pounds per acre and $2,277 return on investment
This expansion joins the Rhizolizer row crop line which includes Rhizolizer Duo, Rhizolizer Prime and Rhizolizer Organic for row crops.
Industry Ag News 7/21
ZimmCast 715 – Preview of the 2023 Ag Media Summit
After getting a break from the agriblogging highway the ZimmComm Team has used the time for some needed work on headquarters. Fortunately it has been indoors as the temperatures are high and a lot of rain has fallen until the last couple days. So now it’s time to look ahead to some events we will be attending.
The first one is the 2023 Tech Hub Live with a preview from Scott Cogdill, Proagrica. This is the third annual event and will have over 88 speakers, 19 tech talks, 19 fireside chats, 17 roundtable discussion groups and 10 breakout sessions. You can see who is exhibiting here.
Following Tech Hub Live I will be at the Southern Peanut Growers Conference in Destin, FL. I’ll be creating content for the conference blog and there will be lots of photos and interviews.
Then it’s on to the 2023 Ag Media Summit in Palm Springs, CA, and the Renaissance Palm Springs Hotel. I haven’t been able to attend them all but most of them. The AMS started in 1999. To get a preview of this year’s event I spoke with Shelia Grobosky, Public Relations Coordinator at BioZyme Inc. who is the AMS Steering Committee Chair and a member of the Livestock Publications Council. She says there are a number of things that have been changed in the schedule but the basics all all there. It’s not too late to register. You can do that here.
Here is my interview with Shelia:ZimmCast 715 - Preview Interview of Ag Media Summit (21:07)
Hope you are staying cool if you are in an area with significant heat but, hey, it is summer. So that’s the ZimmCast for this week. I hope you enjoy it and thank you for listening.
Subscribe to the ZimmCast in:
Registration Open for ASTA Field Crop Seed Conference
The event formally known as CSS & Seed Expo has a whole new look and registration is now open for the debut in December. The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) Field Crop Seed Convention will be held for the first time this December 5-8 at the new venue, the Hyatt Regency Orlando.
Gathering over 2,000 attendees from 36 countries, the Field Crop Seed Convention (formerly known as the CSS & Seed Expo) is THE place to see and be seen amongst the global community of companies working in all field crops, from corn and soybean, to wheat, rice, cotton, sorghum and so much more. Now in Orlando, after 77 years in Chicago, our new venue offers any and all seed industry stakeholders a wealth of new opportunities, in a central hub of exhibits, sessions and private meeting rooms all in one combined meeting space area.
Precision Ag News 7/19