{"id":7028359,"date":"2026-08-05T10:04:28","date_gmt":"2026-08-05T10:04:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/agriculture\/lettuce-leafy-greens-focus-of-ag-tech-demonstrations-on-salinas-valley-farm-aug-6\/"},"modified":"2026-08-05T10:04:28","modified_gmt":"2026-08-05T10:04:28","slug":"lettuce-leafy-greens-focus-of-ag-tech-demonstrations-on-salinas-valley-farm-aug-6","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=7028359","title":{"rendered":"Lettuce, leafy greens focus of ag tech demonstrations on Salinas Valley farm Aug. 6"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Lettuce, leafy greens focus of ag tech demonstrations on Salinas Valley farm Aug. 6<\/span>
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Hanif R Houston<\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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Eight companies to showcase tools for weeding, thinning, harvesting, drone application, irrigation management<\/em><\/h2>\n

Growers, pest control advisers, researchers, commodity group representatives and other agricultural professionals are invited to attend the UC ANR Connect Field Day on Thursday, Aug. 6<\/a> for a morning of live farm technology demonstrations.<\/p>\n

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\"Machine-vision<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>
Mantis Ag Technology: Machine-vision lettuce thinning targets individual plants with precision applications while reducing manual labor. Photo courtesy of Mantis Ag Technology<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The free event is hosted by UC ANR Innovate, in partnership with the California Leafy Greens Research Board and California Association of Pest Control Advisers (CAPCA), Monterey Bay. It will take place from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Sabor Farms, located off Highway 156 between San Juan Bautista and Hollister.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is a growing recognition that successful agricultural innovation depends on close collaboration between technology developers and the people who will ultimately use these tools,\u201d said Helle Petersen, director of UC ANR Innovate. \u201cField demonstrations give growers, advisers and researchers an opportunity to evaluate technologies under real production conditions, while giving companies the practical feedback they need to refine their products for California agriculture.\u201d<\/p>\n

UC ANR Innovate, part of University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, is dedicated to driving agriculture, food and biotechnology innovation in California. <\/p>\n

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\"AI-enabled<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>
SkySense: AI-enabled drones deter birds and turn aerial imagery into stand counts, weed maps and field intelligence. Photo courtesy of SkySense<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cCalifornia\u2019s leafy greens industry has a long history of investing in research that responds to practical production needs,\u201d said Jennifer Clarke, executive director of the California Leafy Greens Research Board. \u201cBy supporting this field day, the board is helping create an environment where growers can assess new tools early, ask hard questions and help shape how these technologies develop for the industry.\u201d<\/p>\n

The field day will bring eight agricultural technology providers into an active vegetable production setting to demonstrate tools related to weeding, thinning, harvesting, drone application, irrigation management and more. Attendees will be able to observe technologies operating in the field, speak directly with company and technical teams, and provide feedback based on their own production experience.<\/p>\n

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\"AI-guided<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>
Carbon Robotics: AI-guided lasers eliminate weeds in specialty row crops without herbicides or soil disturbance. Photo courtesy of Carbon Robotics<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Participants are part of UC ANR Connect, a program of UC ANR Innovate and venture firm Farmhand Ventures, designed to connect growers with technical tools that address their biggest pain points. <\/p>\n

This is the only program of its kind in California. <\/strong>It starts with priorities identified by growers and University of California Cooperative Extension farm advisors, then works with the UC ANR Innovate Industry Advisory Board to research and recruit companies whose tools may help address those needs.<\/p>\n

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\"A<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>
High Degree: A pre-plant steam-treatment service controls weeds and soilborne pathogens without chemical fumigants. Photo courtesy of High Degree<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Selected companies \u2013 vetted for both business solvency and efficacy \u2013 receive support preparing for field demonstrations, customer discovery opportunities, and feedback from California producers and industry experts.<\/p>\n

The eight companies scheduled to demonstrate technologies are:<\/p>\n