September 2023 - 30

GREAT LAKES EXPO
EMERGING
TECHNOLOGY
in the Ag Industry
How Great Lakes EXPO 2023 brings new, educational sessions to growers
BY MADI SCHAFER
W
ith several challenges facing growers, such
as climate change, rising input costs and
more, it's important to stay updated with
the latest and greatest technology. During the 2023 Great
Lakes Fruit, Vegetable and Farm Market EXPO, growers and
attendees will learn the importance of emerging technology
in the agriculture industry, hear from Spartan Innovations,
have educational opportunities through Emerging Tech
Innovation sessions, an Ag Tech Symposium, plus watch
an entertaining and informative performance from the
Peterson Farm Bros.
A few notable emerging technologies that will have the
biggest impact on growers include plant replicators, robotic
fruit and vegetable pickers, digital farm management
and record-keeping platforms, remote plant disease
management systems, single plant moisture detection and
irrigation systems and more.
Steve Kluemper is president of AgriStategies LLC and a
Mentor-in-Residence with Spartan Innovations. At Great
Lakes EXPO, Kluemper, along with Spartan Innovations, will
feature various technologies and their innovator partners.
Growers can benefit from
interacting with innovators
at these Great Lakes EXPO
sessions by learning from
them, collaborating with them
and helping them with local
and industry knowledge.
30
- Steve Kluemper, AgriStategies LLC
SEPTEMBER 2023 GPNMAG.COM
Discussions will take place with industry participants
and resources at the Michigan State University (MSU)
Research Foundation will be available. In addition, EXPO
attendees will hear from a number of innovators during an
ag tech forum. This discussion will feature projects that
enhance the successful development of solutions to the
industry's challenges.
" Growers can benefit from interacting with innovators at
these Great Lakes EXPO sessions by learning from them,
collaborating with them and helping them with local and
industry knowledge, " Kluemper said.
Spartan Innovations is a part of the MSU Research
Foundation with a goal to " enhance research, encourage
innovation, support entrepreneurship and facilitate
economic development through modern commercialization
practices, venture creation activity and innovation
partnerships at Michigan State University and across
Michigan, " Kluemper added.
Spartan Innovations partners with the Michigan
Translational Research and Commercialization (MTRAC)
Innovation Hub for AgBio, which is funded by MSU and
the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)
through the Michigan Strategic Fund to bring resources to
the ag tech ecosystem in Michigan.
EMERGING TECH INNOVATION SESSIONS
During Great Lakes EXPO, Emerging Tech Innovation
sessions will " feature technologies that hold promise for
addressing challenges to the specialty crop industry related
to crop inputs, precision monitoring, irrigation, harvesting,
sorting, waste reduction, labor, downstream processing
and farm-level decision-making. "
With over 1 million acres of vegetables in the Great
Lakes region, growers need to take the opportunity to
see new and innovative technology. Great Lakes EXPO is
bringing more labor-saving technology in 2023 with an
aisle exclusively dedicated to innovation and agriculture
http://www.GPNMAG.COM
September 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of September 2023
