David Eddy
David Eddy, based in Modesto, CA, U.S., reports on the technology- and agriculture-rich western United States from Washington State's Yakima Valley down to Silicon Valley and many points beyond. He is Editor of Meister Media Worldwide's American Fruit Grower® and Western Fruit Grower® magazines and has covered horticulture for more than 20 years.
Analytics
May 28, 2019
Remote Diagnosis of Agricultural Equipment: A Game-Changer for U.S. Specialty Crop Growers?
Popped over to Internet of Things World in Silicon Valley, CA, last week, and during one talk on heavy equipment, I couldn’t help think about the many concerns I’ve heard from large fruit, nut, and vegetable producers here in...
In-Field Technologies
August 28, 2018
Will We Pay Robots by the Hour? [Opinion]
I’ve attended a fair number of grower seminars around the country on the potential new technology headed for the farm, and I’ve noticed something fascinating. Many of the growers are eager to learn, almost on the edge of their...
In-Field Technologies
May 29, 2018
Change is Coming to the Fruit Industry: Mechanization is Taking Shape
When it comes to the mechanization of the fruit industry, and the overall goal of reducing reliance on laborers who will soon become unavailable, we understand your confusion, writes David Eddy on GrowingProduce.com. You want simple answers, but if...
Market Watch
February 27, 2018
Are You Ready for Agriculture 3.0?
Like a lot of other folks in the fruit and vegetable industry, I’ve been thinking more and more about branding. Marketing experts say it’s the only way for growers to command premium prices, because without a brand, a given...
Market Watch
October 20, 2017
Opinion: Agriculture’s Big Data is Coming to You
The world’s largest robotic field scanner at the University of Arizona’s Maricopa Agricultural Center, or MAC, near Phoenix, AZ. The Scanalyzer weighs 50,000 pounds and generates 5-8 terabytes of data daily on 1 acre that’s...
Market Watch
June 4, 2009
Picking Winners
The vineyard managers at Ste. Michelle Wine Estates had long known there was some variability in their numerous vineyard blocks, but they couldn't get a handle on it from the ground; they needed the big picture. So in 2003,...
Market Watch
June 4, 2009
Huge Yield Variability
Growers know that certain orchards are more productive than others, and that certain blocks within those orchards likewise differ. But researchers are learning that there are tremendous differences from tree to tree — as much as 40% — and...
Market Watch
June 4, 2009
Precision Pointers
Editor's Note: Many experts believe that the successful grower of tomorrow is going to have to incorporate at least some aspects of precision agriculture to compete in an increasingly global economy. One of those experts is Bryan G. Hopkins,...
Market Watch
April 15, 2009
California: Steady As She Goes
John Diener, a San Joaquin Valley grower, is definitely encouraged by the information he's garnering through precision agriculture, but that doesn't mean he's prepared to jump in with both feet."We're not going crazy, but we're moving on it," he...
Global Ag Tech Alliance – North America
April 14, 2009
Precision Problem-Solving Out West
Precision agriculture may not have caught on as quickly in California as it has in other parts of the U.S. because the growing of fruits, vegetables, and other specialty crops is done on a generally smaller scale than grains,...
Global Ag Tech Alliance – North America
December 15, 2006
Precision Out West: Invasion Of The Fruit Snatchers
Precision agriculture's migration to the western U.S. has been sluggish as it has proved difficult to adapt many of the benefits to the fragile specialty crops that dominate the West. Just ask Fran Pierce, who moved west from Michigan...
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