Fresh Takes On Tech

The IFPA’s Fresh Field Catalyst is a six-month tech accelerator has brought together startups and global corporations to create innovative solutions for the challenges currently facing the produce industry. 

My guests today are current Fresh Field participants, Julie Escobar, Chief Commercial Officer at DiMuto, and her invaluable mentor in the program, Judy Clark, CEO at Fresh Texas. 

Traceability is critical to consumer confidence, supply chain success, and fostering sustainable growing practices. It also encourages more much-needed global investment in agriculture.  

Join us as we discuss: 

• Managing farm-to-table data through apps and QR codes for speed and accuracy

In the latest season of Fresh Takes on Tech, we explore companies from International Fresh Produce Association’s Fresh Field Catalyst Accelerator and start things off by talking with Elad Mardix, CEO & Co- Founder at Clarifruit & Barbara Guerpillon, Global Head of Ventures at Dole Sunshine Company about how they’re working together for sustainability in produce.  

Join us as we discuss:

• How Clarifuit is helping the Dole Sunshine Company with their six sustainability commitments 

In the last 30 years, food production has changed dramatically thanks to technological advances. 

Technology has made it so we have a deeper insight into everything from what’s being grown on every square foot of land, to responding quickly to the ever shifting needs of the consumer. 

In the last episode of the season, I’m joined by John Purcell, CEO & President at Unfold, as we reflect on the conversations from previous episodes and talk how technology plays a role in every facet of growing produce. 

Join us as we discuss:

• How technology is being used and adapted in different production methods

The food systems supply chain is a vast network of people and products that is ever evolving. 

If you’re working with more than 4,500 supplies, working together to create a more sustainable future that’s good for the planet and for the people, becomes that much more of a challenge. 

Walmart depends on each step working together to build the future for their consumers. 

In this episode, I’m joined by Walmart’s Marco Reyes, Sr. Director Industry Initiatives and Portfolio Management, Michael Yates, Sr. Director Innovations Agricultural Strategy, and Laura Himes, Senior Merchandising Director, to talk about how the retailer is working across the food systems to provide good food from soil to shopping cart. 

Join us as we discuss:

• How the supply chain is working to build a healthy supply chain 

Pesticide free, locally grown and certified food safe controlled environmental agriculture. 

Is this the future of farming? Should we switch to an efficient method of farming that preserves water?  

In this episode, I’m joined by Katie Seawell, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) at Bowery Farming, to talk about vertical farming, its efficiency, sustainability and quality. 

Join us as we discuss:

•  The logistics behind controlled environment agriculture

Some weeds produce 250,000 viable seeds per plant. When you’re an organic farmer caring for your soil and crops by hand, one weed can cause a huge problem!

So why do farmers go organic if it’s so difficult? 

In this episode I talked to Russell Hamlin, General Manager at Grimmway Farms, about organic agriculture, the challenges of organic farming and why it’s so important. George Szczepanski, Director, Production, Supply Chain & Environmental Policy at International Fresh Produce Association joins us at the end of the episode to talk about the association and why organic farming is important to the industry, the environment and the consumer. 

Join us as we discuss:

• Why Grimmway Farms believes strongly in organic farming

Often we don’t see it until it’s been packaged and placed on the shelves, but the fruits and vegetables we consume on a daily basis are grown from an ever-changing set of practices concerning environmental, social and governance factors. 

But how is that system sorted, refined and defined? That’s where Shelby comes in. 

In this episode of Fresh Takes on Tech, I’m joined by Shelby Layne, Director, ESG Hub at Bolthouse Farms, to talk about how she’s taking on the complicated ecosystem of regenerative agriculture. 

Join us as we discuss:

•  The ESG Hub and it’s connection to regenerative agriculture

The organic ecosystem is as varied and complex as the U.S landscape. The industry faces a number of challenges including consumer confusion around what organic means, input and product shortages in organic supply chains, competition from new environmental labels, and the concern that some NOP rules are limiting further growth and innovation that has been achieved in other markets. 

In this episode, I’m joined by Kathleen Merrigan, Executive Director and Professor at the Swette Center for Sustainable Food Systems Arizona State University and the Former Deputy Secretary of USDA, to talk about the complexity of organic and the potential for its future.  

Join us as we discuss:

• The definition and standards of organic, 

Resources:

• Organic Trade Association 

Sustainability and its practices are constantly changing. Companies are seeing the value of having a dedicated team member to help navigate and speak to these changes.  

In a special episode of Fresh Takes on Tech, I’m joined by Tamara Muruetagoiena, our new ​​Director of Sustainability at International Fresh Produce Association, to talk about her new role at IFPA and sustainability.  

Join us as we discuss:

• What Tamara is excited to accomplish at IFPA

It makes sense why we use so much plastic in the food supply chain: It’s versatile, predictable, and sterile. But with so much of it ending up in landfills, does the positive outweigh the negative? 

In this episode, I’m joined by William Orts, Research L eader at USDA-ARS, to tal k about solutions to the plastic problem, differences between degradability, and plans for the future. 

Join us as we discuss:

• 3 most important mandates & plastic’s role in the food supply chain

More information about guest William Ort:

• USDA-ARS Company Website: https://www.ars.usda.gov/