March 2021 - 37

INDUSTRY NEWS
Syngenta, Insilico
join on AI project
Syngenta Crop Protection is
collaborating with artificial
intelligence (AI) and deep
learning
company
Insilico
Medicine to accelerate the
invention and development
of new, more effective crop
protection solutions that protect
crops from diseases, weeds and
pests, while also protecting
ecosystems.
Camilla Corsi, head crop
protection research at Syngenta,
said in a news release that the
collaboration, with Syngenta's
investments in sustainability
and innovation, " will further
transform agriculture by
providing farmers around the
world with the tools they need
to produce healthy, nutritious,
affordable and sustainably
grown food in the most efficient
way, while also minimizing the
environmental impact. "
Insilico Medicine has a
proven track record and has
delivered significant advances
in pharmaceutical research,
using AI and deep learning to
design, synthesize and validate
new ingredients. The same
approach also has the potential
to transform the development
of new crop protection solutions
that help keep plants safe,
from planting to harvesting.
Working closely with Syngenta,
Insilico Medicine will use its
AI-powered small molecule
generative chemistry technology
not only to invent molecules for
active ingredients faster, but
also actively design molecules
that are more sustainable and
environmentally friendly.
Extension IPM advisor
set for Imperial County
Apurba Barman joined the
University of California (UC)
Cooperative
Extension as
a low-desert
integrated pest
management
advisor on Jan.
11. He will be
headquartered
at the UCCE
Imperial County
office, which adjoins the UC
Desert Research and Extension
Center in Holtville.
APURBA
BARMAN
" The diversity and intensity of
crop production in this region
demand targeted research
to solve pest management
issues and effective Extension
programs to reach a diverse
clientele, " Barman said in a news
release.
Barman earned a bachelor's
degree at Assam Agricultural
University in India, and master's
degrees in Indiana and at Texas
Tech University, Lubbock. In
2011, he completed a doctorate
degree at Texas A&M University
in College Station, where he
developed a research program
to understand the extent of
damage and management of
thrips in the Texas High Plains
region.
Barman comes to UCCE from
the University of Georgia, where
he led a whitefly monitoring and
management progress across
cropping systems in the southern
region of the state.
Colorado growers
honor Wendy White
Wendy White, who worked
for the Colorado Department
of Agriculture for more than 20
years promoting
local food and
agricultural
products
through the
award-winning
Colorado Proud
program, has
been named
the Colorado
Fruit & Vegetable
WENDY
WHITE
Growers Association (CFVGA)
Robert Sakata 2020 Member of
the Year.
She was recognized Feb.
18 during the second day of
the CFVGA seventh annual
conference, which was presented
virtually.
Under White's management,
awareness of the Colorado Proud
brand reached 80% familiarity
among Colorado consumers,
and membership grew from 65
members in 1999 to 3,000 in
2020.
White's active engagement
with CFVGA since the
organization's inception in 2014
helped strengthen the positive
message of Colorado produce
with consumers. She helped get
the word out about the new
organization, assisted with news
media communication and also
served as an active member of
the CFVGA conference planning
committee for seven years.
" Wendy has been a faithful
partner in promoting Colorado
produce growers throughout this
state, " CFVGA President Robert
Sakata said in a news release.
Brighter Bites, food
bank distribute goods
Brighter Bites, a nonprofit
organization delivering fresh
produce to
families, will
continue
partnering
with the
Houston Food
Bank.
Throughout the fall of 2020
and into 2021, Brighter Bites and
the Houston Food Bank ensured
local families received the fresh
produce and nutrition education
on schedule, even as the area
experienced the uncertainty of
the pandemic.
When COVID-19 halted Brighter
Bites' model utilizing parent
volunteers to pack donated bulk
produce, the Houston Food Bank
stepped in to help with continued
donations of a variety of fresh
produce items, warehouse space
and volunteer support to pack
produce boxes in their facility.
" The Houston Food Bank's
ability to adapt its food supply
chain, grant us warehouse space
within its facilities and operate
so nimbly allowed us to continue
our work to distribute fresh
produce to students, their families
and teachers in Houston, " said
Brighter Bites CEO Rich Dachman.
Since Brighter Bites 2020-2021
school year programming began
in September, the Houston Food
Bank has donated over 1.2 million
pounds of fresh produce to 11,000
families.
Oppy chases two
strawberry efforts
Building on its 163-year
tradition of innovation, Oppy is
set to conduct two independent
trials exploring the viability
of new technologies that aim
to further advance strawberry
production practices by offering
solutions to persistent issues faced
by the industry.
According to a news release, the
grower, marketer
and distributor
of fresh produce
from around
the world will
work with the
University of
California, Santa
Cruz on the first
of the trials,
a USDA-funded
JASON
FUNG
research project that aims to
test a systems-based approach
to pest and disease mitigation.
The study will explore alternative
treatments to mitigate pervasive
and detrimental soil-borne
pathogens during strawberry
cultivation, including Fusarium
oxysporum and Macrophomina
phaseolina.
" Oppy's participation in this
research project has the potential
to be truly transformative, as
most soilborne pathogens are
lethal to strawberry crops, so any
improvements in reducing this
will have a tremendous impact
on our business on multiple
fronts, " Oppy's Vice President
of Categories, Berries and
Greenhouse Jason Fung said.
The second trial aims to improve
operational efficiencies in
strawberry cultivation through a
state-of-the-art robotic harvester.
Washington growers
sue due to edicts
Leading agriculture groups in
Washington state said Feb. 2 they
are taking legal action against
the state of Washington over
recently renewed emergency
COVID-19 regulations they say
are ill-conceived, increase health
risks to essential farm workers
and are pushing farmers out of
business.
" After nearly a year of asking
the state to work with the farm
community to make needed
adjustments to the COVID-19
emergency regulations, they
were renewed once again largely
wholesale, " John Stuhlmiller,
chief executive officer of
Washington Farm Bureau,
said in a news release. " We're
disappointed we had to take
this step, but our farms are on
the line and we had no other
choice. "
The farm groups' appeals were
earlier rejected by Gov. Jay Inslee,
according to the news release.
Farm leaders say many of the
state's emergency regulations
for farmers are unworkable.
The state has adjusted for other
sectors, including schools and
construction, that incorporate
an improved understanding
of COVID-19 transmission and
best practices. One key point
of contention in the suit is the
state requirement for farmers to
provide twice-daily medical visits
to isolated farmworkers with
COVID-19 symptoms.
VGN | MARCH 2021 | 35
March 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of March 2021
