Online Event Zooms in on Produce Growers’ Unique Challenges
December 29, 2020 Not even the COVID-19 pandemic could stop growers and suppliers from meeting Nov. 10-13 at the 2020 Fruit and Vegetable Grower ConnectSM Online. With in-person gatherings not an option, we used Zoom videoconferencing to bring together 26 of the largest and most progressive vegetable, fruit, and nut growers from around the country with leading industry suppliers for face-to-face, high-level meetings.
Unlike a trade show or conference, Connect — online or in person — provides suppliers and growers with a distraction-free setting to discuss growers’ unique challenges and interact in one-on-one, 50-minute meetings, decision maker to decision maker.
Prior to the start of the online event, growers were inter-viewed to uncover areas of interest or need, and suppliers were recruited based on those needs. Both parties determined who they wanted to meet with before the start of Connect.
Just like the in-person Connect, the online event provided vendors with an opportunity to open a dialog with each grower they met with. Kevin Hannigan, Vice President of Sales at AgSquared, LLC, a farm management software company, said the online event was a great way to reach potential customers.
“I was surprised at the level of interest in my company and how many good grower operations were interested in meeting with us,” he said.
Hannigan also had advice for industry suppliers who haven’t considered Connect. He encouraged those companies to look at the grower operations participating to determine if the event will be a good fit.
An Opportunity to Learn
Growers agreed conducting meetings online was a good fit.
Jeff Leonardini, IPM Manager at Washington Fruit & Produce Co., said Connect is a great way to begin new business relationships and grow present connections.
“[Connect] is a golden opportunity for suppliers to get involved and introduce themselves and their products,” he said. “For me, it’s a great educational experience and introduces me to businesses that may offer new opportunities to help increase our overall fruit quality and yields.”
Todd Brendlin, Ranch Unit Director at Grimmway Farms in California, said conducting meetings via Zoom was as close as you can get to the in-person event.
“I like speaking with the decision makers from these (supply) companies,” he said. “You not only get their knowledge base regarding the company’s products, but you also learn about what they are working on that is in the pipeline.”
On Nov. 9, growers also had a chance to learn from each other during the growers’ only forum. In addition to sharing success stories, topics discussed during the two-hour forum included labor, crop protection concerns, and COVID-19.
The next Fruit and Vegetable Grower Connect will be held at the Village at Squaw Valley in Lake Tahoe, CA, Nov. 16-19, 2021. For more information, contact Rosemary Gordon at [email protected].
We would like to thank the following growers and suppliers for making the 2020 Fruit and Vegetable Grower ConnectSM virtual event a huge success.
GROWERS:
- Allan Brothers Fruit /Yakima Valley Orchards
- Apple King LLC
- Betteravia Farms
- Bosma Ag Enterprises /Henry Bosma Orchards
- DiMare
- Empey Orchards, Inc. /Sheffield Cider
- Grimmway Farms
- Harry & David, Inc. /Bear Creek Orchards
- Hart Farms
- J&D Produce, Inc.
- Kautz Farms
- Keyawa Orchards, Inc.
- Mercer Ranches, Inc.
- Orange County Produce LLC
- Parker Farms
- Petrocco Farms, Inc.
- Prima Wawona
- R.C. Hatton Farms, Inc.
- REASON Farms
- Sheppard Farms, Inc.
- Simonian Fruit Company
- SunWest Fruit Company
- Tasteful Selections LLC
- Torrey Farms, Inc.
- Washington Fruit & Produce Co.
- Winters Farming, Inc.
SUPPLIERS:
- Airtec Sprayers, Inc.
- AgSquared LLC
- Apical Crop Science LLC
- Aqua-Yield
- Bird Gard
- Ceres Imaging
- Conservis Corp.
- Cultiva LLC
- MASLabor
- Nutrient Technologies, Inc.
- Pace 49, Inc.
- Redox
- Rogitex Inc.
- Semios
- Smart Guided Systems LLC
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