Hartnell College to Host Conference on Agriculture Industry's Changing Workforce Needs on April 13

From 1 to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, April 13 Hartnell College will host a special version of the annual Ag Tech Summit – a half-day, in-person program called AgTechX Ed, in the Mainstage Theater on the Main Campus in Salinas (Center for Performing Arts, Building K, 411 Central Ave., Salinas). The Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology has joined with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to focus on developing the next generation of tech-savvy agricultural workers. That closely aligns with Hartnell’s mission of meeting its communities’ educational and workforce needs. Media are welcome to attend. The Salinas Valley and its fresh produce industry are at the forefront of fundamental change in agricultural production, processing and packaging, all of which demand new strategies to meet evolving workforce needs. AgTechX Ed participants will hear from such local leaders as Josh Ruiz of Church Brothers, Tom Nunes of The Nunes Company and Ted Taylor of Taylor Farms. Educators such as Richard Chapman of Hartnell and Dr. Becca Fenwick of UC Santa Cruz will offer their insights, as well. In a concluding “fireside chat”, CDFA Secretary Karen Ross will share her vision for cultivating homegrown talent through partnerships among government, industry and academia. Salinas Valley Chamber President Steve McShane will moderate the discussion, and the chamber will host a reception with Secretary Ross from 5-6 p.m., combined with a robotics showcase. A schedule of the afternoon's presentations is available on the event website which is https://pages.agtechxfs.com/hartnell-2022-04-13/.