Jul 15, 2020

PMA Takes on Tech Podcast available for download

Produce Marketing Association has released the third episode of the PMA Takes on Tech Podcast and the fourth is slotted to drop this week.

The podcast series, hosted by Vonnie Estes, vice president of technology at PMA, explores how technology supports professionals and businesses across the fresh produce supply chain. Each episode examines how experts are using technology to further the industry.

Estes knows that technology transforms the way food is grown, harvested, packaged, delivered and consumed.  During her time at the Produce Marketing Association (PMA) she has been a critical voice for the industry, highlighting the innovations coming out of the industry and identifying technology that will benefit the different segments of the supply chain.  Earlier this year, she presented on 5G and the digitization of farms at the Consumer Electronics Show and was scheduled to lead a series of sessions on technology in the produce industry at SXSW in Austin. 

“Sometimes we think about technology as a cost, or we think about it as a pipe dream, or something that may exist down the line,” said PMA’s Estes.  “I believe that technology is the solution to a multitude of our industry’s greatest challenges.  The podcast is about navigating the world as it is right now, with the tools and tech that are available to us and laying the groundwork to ensure we’re prepared for what’s next.”

The third episode, “PMA Takes on Tech: Can technology solve the produce labor shortage?” features Dr. Phil Martin, Professor Emeritus at the Department of Ag and Resource Economics at UC Davis, John Purcell, head of vegetable seed R&D at Bayer Crop Science, and James Terry of CloudFarming in Australia. Estes led interviews with each guest to discuss the state of farm labor in the US and globally as well as innovative breeding and labor solutions in development now. 

All episodes are available now and listeners can catch up on previously release episodes if they have missed them. In the first episode, “PMA Takes on Tech:  What do we do with all these onions?,” Estes introduced the podcast, and welcomed Shay Myers, CEO of Owyhee Produce and Michael Helmstetter, the founder, president and CEO at TechAccel.  Myers, who was recently named The Packer’s 2020 Produce Man of the Year,  and Helmstetter discussed the impact that COVID-19 has had on the industry and identified solutions that have been created and utilized in wake of the pandemic. 

In the second episode, “PMA Takes on Tech: What food and agtech venture capitalists are thinking now,” Estes leads a discussion with Sanjeev Krishnan with S2G and Rob Leclerc of Agfunder about the state of the ag and food tech venture capitalist sectors today. 

The fourth episode will drop later this week and will be foodservice focused, aligning with PMA’s virtual event Foodservice: Delivered.  The episode, “The Realities of Foodservice” features Jin Ju Wilder, of Vesta Foodservice, Martha Montoya, CEO of Agtools, Inc., Aidan Moaut, CEO of Hazel Technologies, and Patrick Cortes, of Mission Produce Inc. The conversation tackles the challenges in foodservice posed by COVID-19 and how new and existing technology will help the industry plan for the future.

“The conversations about technology have often been about what we ‘could do’,” said Estes. “But in the wake of COVID-19 and the changes to the industry, the economy, and simply the ways we work, the conversations have shifted to be about what we ‘must do.’ We must invest in solutions that will solve our industries biggest challenges.  We must be a part of the discussion on how and what solutions we invest in and how they are implemented.  The podcast is one way to start that dialogue.” 

All episodes for the PMA Takes on Tech podcast can be found here.

Produce Marketing Association (PMA) is a trade association representing companies from every segment of the global produce and floral supply chain. PMA helps members grow by providing connections that expand business opportunities and increase sales and consumption.

For more information, visit www.pma.com.