Jun 13, 2016

United Fresh to recognize Taylor Farms’ David Offerdahl

The United Fresh Produce Association will present its 2016 FreshTech Achievement Award to David Offerdahl, director of ag engineering, at Taylor Farms for his outstanding technical achievements to advance the fresh produce industry.

Offerdahl was nominated by Taylor Farms and several of its grower partners. He has worked in agriculture for more than 20 years and has designed hundreds of harvesters that are now in use around the world. His mechanical harvester designs reduce crews from 30 to as few as eight and enhance working conditions by placing workers into an ergonomic upright position in a shaded work environment, United Fresh said. Offerdahl’s nomination listed many of his equipment designs including:

• The first food safe Stainless Steel Harvesting aid
• The first all Stainless Steel Spinach/Spring Mix Mechanical Harvester
• Designed and patented a technique to use high pressure water in the field to harvest
• Co-designed the first foreign object sorter on a Spinach harvester
• Co-designed the first mechanical Green Leaf/Romaine Harvester
• Co-designed a high pressure water cutting mechanical harvester for Taylor Farms
• Co-developed Taylor Farms’ first mechanical Celery harvester
• Co-developed Taylor Farms’ first mechanical Cabbage harvester

Offerdahl will be recognized with the 2016 FreshTech Achievement Award on Wednesday, June 22 at the Breakfast General Session taking place at the United Fresh 2016 Convention and Expo in Chicago. Tickets for the breakfast are included in the All Access and Produce Convention Packages or can be purchased a la carte for $100.