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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Leadership, workforce development strategies and agricultural technology education were some of the topics discussed Tuesday at Bakersfield College’s Ag Tech X Ed Summit, and panelists said their overall goal is to help retain ag workers. Stay up-to-date with new technologies that can benefit their businesses and the industry.
Bakersfield College partnered with the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the Western Growers Center for Innovation and Technology to host the event.
Lindsay Mebane, performance analyst for Taste Choices, says the goal of the Ag Tech Summit is to develop the next generation of tech-savvy agribusiness leaders.
“The goal is the same,” Mebane said. “We’re all trying to learn and grow better, faster, stronger with less. You’ve got this orchard and with half the water you’ve got to double it now. Because it’s not getting anything, we’ve got us all moving. Egg easy.”
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Mebane says that as taste preferences transitioned into a way of analyzing and reporting, they really saw that data became available to the company to help them make better decisions.
According to Mebane, although various aspects of the technology may not be easy for some ag workers to understand at first, the change is okay.
“It’s a constant change, but it’s always a good thing. Yes, you can fall flat on your face on a project, but someone is going to pick you up and move you to the next thing,” Mebane said. . “Change is okay because it means progress. You’re always making yourself better, faster and stronger.”
In addition to technology implementation, a good team of ag workers is part of what makes a good leader, says Brad Abraham, director of field operations for Verdant Robotics.
Abraham is the quality many companies in the industry are looking for.
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“There’s a ‘why’ to why we use this machine instead of that machine. There’s a ‘why’ to why we use this tractor or this equipment. There’s a lot to that, the biggest thing is leadership.” “We need to teach our young generation how to be not only a good worker but also a leader in the future.”
Logan August, California sales manager for Fieldcloak LLC, said his message to America’s young farmers is that time will only get better.
“As I put myself in situations with certain growers, certain questions were asked, and the knowledge base grew. It just takes time and experience to continue that process,” August said. “Calm yourself, relax a little and take a deep breath because you’ll know more in 6 months than you do now.”
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The panelists agreed that the future of technology will play a big role in the ag industry, and current software and technology strategies may not be the same in the next 5 years. That’s why team collaboration and timeliness are critical to future success.
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