December 2023 - 4

EDITOR'S LETTER
Celebrate the Fruit +
Vegetable 40 Under 40
Award recipients
This issue of the Vegetable Growers News
contains a feature that we're especially
proud of at Great American Media Services.
Our selection of the 2023 Fruit + Vegetable
40 Under 40 Award recipients (page 17)
represents future leaders in their chosen
fields, whether through the academic route
or on their way to owning and managing the
family farm or other segment of the industry.
By the time you read this, our reception
on the Great Lakes Fruit, Vegetable & Farm
Market EXPO floor will have happened, but
we hoped you dropped by - and that you took
advantage of what the GLEXPO had to offer,
from comprehensive fruit and vegetable
sessions on growing, to a new Thursday
schedule on AgTech.
This issue also looks at the proactive steps the Michigan Vegetable
Council (Page 30) is taking under the leadership of Matt McCallum,
owner of Great American Publishing Services, which publishes the
Fruit Growers News, Vegetable Growers News and other magazines.
The council and Michigan State Horticultural Society are responsible
for the GLEXPO programming, but so much more, to ensure growers
get the help they need.
That includes educational resources from Michigan State University
Extension, access to federal and state programs and grants, and public
outreach to help people understand the complicated nature of growing
specialty crops and agriculture in general these days.
Adequate labor is a hurdle to a successful farm. One of the solutions
to that problem increasingly seems to be automation of farm labor,
whether it's self-driving tractors, to implements that can weed,
cultivate or harvest: the Holy Grail of automation. Find a way to
efficiently harvest a myriad of leafy greens with one person, or no one,
and that will be a major breakthrough.
Doug Ohlemeier's coverage of the FIRA USA conference in Salinas,
California, shows the dynamics that growers and AgTech companies
are dealing with while they try to find a happy medium: A real solution
that makes sense to growers and is affordable, yet is possible on the
production side and not too costly to make and sell (pages 68-78).
Meanwhile, technology continues to bring those two sides closer to
reality. That's where the magic really happens.
SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER
ASSOCIATE CREATIVE
DIRECTOR
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
EDITORIAL
MANAGING EDITOR
ASSISTANT EDITOR
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Chris Koger, 616-520-2156
ckoger@greatamericanpublish.com
Doug Ohlemeier, 616-520-2162
dohlemeier@greatamericanpublish.com
Debbie Eisele, 616-520-2160
deisele@greatamericanpublish.com
ADVERTISING SALES
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
ACCOUNT SPECIALIST
Greg Sebel, 616-520-2146
vgnads@vegetablegrowersnews.com
Kim Meyers, 616-520-2137
kmeyers@greatamericanpublish.com
PRODUCTION
Greg Ryan, 616-520-2145
vgnproduction@vegetablegrowersnews.com
Amanda Mackey, 616-520-2157
amackey@greatamericanpublish.com
Allison McKenzie, 616-520-2142
amckenzie@greatamericanpublish.com
CIRCULATION
AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT
Becky Stovall, 616-520-2138
circulation@vegetablegrowersnews.com
CORPORATE
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
COO & CHIEF
MARKETING OFFICER
PUBLISHER/CEO
Deb Carnes, 616-520-2169
dcarnes@greatamericanpublish.com
Kim Baker, 616-520-2135
kbaker@greatamericanpublish.com
Matt McCallum, 616-520-2133
mmccallum@greatamericanpublish.com
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD
Frank Gasperini
Kevin Hosey
Simon Huntley
Bob Jones
William Lamont
Carolyn O'Donnell
Chris Pawelski
Rick Snyder
Tim Waters
Ben Werling
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DECEMBER 2023 | VOLUME 57 | ISSUE 9
The opinions and views expressed by authors, contributors and
advertisers in Vegetable Growers News do not necessarily reflect those
of the editors and publisher. Appearance in Vegetable Growers News
does not constitute endorsement by Great American Media Services
or Vegetable Growers News of the advertiser, its products, or services.
Great American Media Services and Vegetable Growers News accepts no
Chris Koger, Managing Editor
responsibility of liability for the validity or accuracy of information supplied
by contributors, vendors, advertisers, or advertising agencies. Great
American Media Services and Vegetable Growers News do not make any
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Copyright 2023
VEGETABLE GROWERS NEWS is a publication of
4 | DECEMBER 2023
a division of Great American Publishing
December 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of December 2023
