Trip Report: Hort Automation Market Immersion itinerary

Kevin O'Reilly

Last updated October 2, 2023 1:44am

Trip Summary & Relfections

Google Photos album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/Vh78WEpKLDGzxY4Z6
Agtech Toolkit (from Ines and Walt) - https://agtechtoolkit.com/
Nectaron Hop Pallets: link
Matson Fruit Leads Industry In Automated Cold Storage Technology: link
Yakima Valley Produce Schedule: link
Producer Costs and Prices Report: link
Recommended Reading from Gwen: Diffusion of Innovations, Everett Rogers (Amazon)
Western Growers Association: Growers Spend $500,000 Per Year on Automation

Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission tour - Day 1
Host: Ines Hanrahan | hanrahan@treefruitresearch.com

11:00 - 12:30 | 🍏 Apple Processor Warehouse Tour at Valicoff Fruit Company

📍 300 Frontage Rd, Wapato, WA 98951
Host: Brett Valicoff
https://valicoff-fruit.business.site/
Valicoff Fruit Company, Inc. is one of Washington State’s premier suppliers of apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, apricots and cherries. Here we will see their modern packing facility exploring the role of automation in the packhouse.

14:00 - 17:00 | 🍏 + 🍐 Entomology: Visit USDA-ARS in Wapato

📍 5230 Konnowac Pass Rd, Wapato, WA 98951
Temperate Tree Fruit and Vegetable Research Unit provides growers with effective and sustainable tools for integrated pest and disease management, and consumers with safe and healthy produce. This includes approaches like sterile insect release via drones.
Host 1: Rebecca Schmidt Jeffris (Rebecca.Schmidt@usda.gov)
Natural enemy management: earwigs, identifying non-target effects of herbicides on natural enemies, natural enemy releases with drones

Host 2: Jacqueline Serrano ( Jacqueline.Serrano@usda.gov)
Lures to better monitor introduction and spread of Northern Giant Horton (Asian Giant Hornet, or murder hornet). Also work on other hornets relevant to NZ.

Jacqueline Serrano 2.01 MB View full-size Download
Host 3: Rob Curtiss (rcurtiss@wsu.edu)
Sterile insect release for codling moth control in apples and pears via drones / areawide

Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission tour - Day 2
Host: Ines Hanrahan | hanrahan@treefruitresearch.com

08:00 - 10:00 | 🍎 Advanced.Farm Robotic Apple Harvester

📍 1443 Sunset Way, Cowiche, WA 98923, USA
Host: Kyle Cobb | | kyle@advanced.farm | link
Cell # (530) 564-8444 or +1 530 228 2771
Observe prototype in orchard and discuss challenges related to apple picking robot
Advanced Farm bring high-tech, humane innovations to farming’s unsolved problems. Building robots for the next frontier in farming. In Washington we will see their robotic apple harvester in action.

10:15 - 12:00 | 🍏 Agritech in Action on Orchard - Columbia Reach

12:10 - 13:30 | Matsons Fruit Logistics Centre visit

14:00 - 15:30 | 🍎 Hectre Technology Demonstration @ Monson Fruit

📍 252 N Rushmore Rd, Selah, WA 98942
Host: Omar Gomez (omar@hectre.com) joined by Monson QC team
Technology demonstration of Hectre bin scanning software
Hectre is a world-leader in post-harvest Mobile Fruit Sizing technologies and a leading name in Orchard Management Software. Now serving some of the largest fruit growers and packers around the world including in Washington state.
Hectre is a proudly New Zealand company

16:00 - 17:30 | 🍒 Cherry grower visit

19:00 - 20:30 | 🍺 Hop Harvest and Processing

📍 Secret Location
Host: Mark Hanrahan, 509 949-5988
Overview of WA hop industry farm to fork
The Yakima Valley area in Washington is one of the biggest producers of hops in the world and provides about 75 percent of the USA hop crop each year. Given we will be in the region during the harvest period, we will be given an overview of the Washington hop industry from farm to fork by our host Mark Hanrahan.

Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission tour - Day 3
Host: Ines Hanrahan | hanrahan@treefruitresearch.com

09:00 - 10:45 | 🍇WSU Prosser

📍 24106 N Bunn Rd, Prosser, WA 99350
Host: Gwen Hoheisel 509 788-5459
Precision spraying and solid set canopy delivery system (tree fruit, grapes, wine)

11:00 - 12:00 | 🔬 Clean Plant Center Northwest

14:00 - 17:00 | 📏 Center for Precision & Automated Agricultural Systems (CPAAS)

📍 24106 N Bunn Rd, Prosser, WA 99350
Host: Matt Whiting (mdwhiting@wsu.edu)
Host: by Manoj Karkee (TBC)
Introduction to work of the center and highlight of several relevant ongoing projects