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2 CapitalPress.com November 9, 2018 People & Places Putting crop monitors to work CropLogic, a New Zealand company, works with farmers around the world Western Innovator By CAROL RYAN DUMAS Capital Press TWIN FALLS, Idaho — With a vision of becoming the leading provider of agronom- ic services for farmers around the world, CropLogic — a New Zealand-based agricul- tural technology company — is expanding its footprint. The company was formed in 2010 to further develop and commercialize intel- lectual property from the New Zealand Institute for Plant and Research Limited. In 2016, it moved into the commercial arena and has brought its technology to the Columbia Basin and South- ern Idaho. In late August, it opened up shop in Australia and is pursuing new markets in Chi- na and the U.S. In late October, the com- pany announced it is locating a new regional sales office in Twin Falls. It is already providing aerial imagery to growers in Southern Idaho and wants to expand its services due to the excellent response, James Cooper-Jones, CropLogic CEO, said. “We are continuously trying to drive cutting-edge technology to our growers,” he said. That technology includes sensors in the field to monitor soil moisture and software that can relay real-time data to a grower’s smartphone or computer. It also includes infrared and near-infrared aerial im- agery that can detect crop stress two or three weeks be- fore it can be detected by the naked eye. The technology allows growers and agronomists a simple system to define areas of stress, but the technology CropLogic CEO: James Cooper-Jones Business: Agricultural technology Services: Real-time soil moisture monitoring, infrared aerial imagery, predictive modeling, agronomic support Carol Ryan Dumas/Capital Press CropLogic CEO James Cooper-Jones, right, and Scott Barclay, CropLogic’s new western regional sales manager, talk about one of the company’s crop-monitoring apps on Cooper-Jones’ smartphone after a press conference in Twin Falls, Idaho, on Oct. 25. Courtesy CropLogic CropLogic realTime Growerview app helps farmers manage their soil moisture levels by providing accurate and concise data in an easily digestible format. is sophisticated and a lot of it is based on 30 years of re- search, Cooper-Jones said. Quoting an associate, he said for agricultural technol- ogy to work, it has to be com- plicated but have a simple in- terface for growers. “It’s that powerful algo- rithm where the smarts are,” but the data is accessible through a desktop or mobile application, he said. Mathematical equations provide constant data that provide for predictive mod- eling to inform growers’ decisions on irrigation and managing pests and disease, he said. While services in South- ern Idaho are currently lim- ited to aerial imagery using airplanes, services in the Columbia Basin also include soil moisture monitoring. The company has 140 to 150 clients in the basin, varying in size from some of the biggest growers to small family operations. In just two seasons, monitoring sites have grown from about 80 to more than 500, he said. Crop Logic’s annual reve- nue in the Columbia Basin is $1.6 million to $1.8 million and growing, he said. The company merged with Professional Ag Services — which has operated out of Pasco, Wash. for 30 years — in what has been a “very hap- py marriage,” he said. Its technology is now be- ing employed in potatoes, onions, carrots, forages, tree crops and wineries, and the company is seeing tremen- dous growth in clients grow- ing hops, he said. The company is serving a significant portion of horti- cultural growers in the basin, having a market share as high as 30 percent in some crops. The regional focus in Southern Idaho is going to be a little different, primar- ily applied to potatoes and forage crops such as hay and corn. “But the technology is very versatile and can be adapted to those crops,” he said. The company combines its technology and crop sci- ence with on-the-ground ag- ronomic expertise to build a technology platform that improves crop yields and Headquarters: Perth, Australia Offices: Christchurch and Mildura, Australia; Pasco, Wash.; Twin Falls, Idaho Friday-Sunday Nov. 9-11 Oregon Young Farmers & Ranchers Leadership Conference. Eagle Crest Resort, 1522 Cline Falls Road, Redmond, Ore. Open to Farm Bureau members ages 16-35, the conference is geared toward young people interested in improving their leadership and communication skills, learning about the most important issues impacting Oregon agriculture, gaining business tips from experts, networking with peers, and having fun. Website: https://oregonfb.org/ yfrconference/ Tilth Conference. Davenport Grand Hotel, 333 Spokane Falls Blvd., Spokane, Wash. Tilth Con- ference brings together hundreds of farmers, producers, researchers and food system professionals for a weekend of learning, building relationships and sharing best practices for growing a healthy food system The speakers will include Mai Nguyen, who grows heirloom, ethnic grains in Sonoma, Calif., and is the California Organizer for the National Young Farmers Coalition, and Audra Mulkern, the founder of “The Female Farmer Project,” a documentary project chronicling the rise of women working in agricul- ture. Website: www.tilthalliance.org Monday-Wednesday Nov. 12-14 Idaho Cattle Association’s Convention and Trade Show. Sun Valley Resort, Sun Valley, Idaho. On the agenda is a presentation by Celia Gould, ISDA director, and the Idaho Beef Council will update cat- tle producers on checkoff programs during lunch. https://bit.ly/2yKgRya Tuesday-Wednesday Nov. 13-14 Washington Farm Bureau An- nual Meeting. Yakima Convention Center, 10 N Eighth St., Yakima, Wash. Among the speakers will be André-Denis Wright, dean of the College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Resource Sciences at Washington State University; Brian Hodges, senior attorney at the Pa- cific Legal Foundation; and Caro- line Lobdell, executive director and clinical law professor at the Western Resources Legal Center. Website: https://bit.ly/2ObTgge Tuesday-Thursday Nov. 13-15 Willamette Valley Ag Expo. Linn County Fair and Expo Center, 3700 Knox Butte Road E, Albany, Ore. The Expo features 250,000 square feet of exhibits, seminars, antique farm equipment and the unique Dine Around Oregon progressive dinner. Hours are 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Wednes- day and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday. Website: http://wvaexpo.com/ Wednesday, Nov. 14 Big Idaho Potato Harvest Meet- ing. 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Shoshone-Ban- nock Hotel and Event Center, 777 Bannock Trail, Fort Hall, Idaho. The meeting brings industry lead- ers together for a single post-har- vest event to discuss the growing season, field trends and forecasts, and research. Website: https://bit. ly/2IPifUY Wednesday-Thursday Nov. 14-15 Pacific Northwest Vegetable Association Annual Conference. Three Rivers Convention Center, 7016 W Grandridge Blvd., Ken- newick, Wash. A pre-conference workshop on grower producer safe- ty and a meeting on integrated on- ion pest and disease management will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 13. The main conference will take place on Wednesday and Thursday. Web- site: www.pnva.org Wednesday-Saturday Nov. 14-17 Tri-State Grain Growers Con- vention. Sheraton Airport Hotel, 8235 NE Airport Way, Portland, Ore. USDA Special Trade Counsel Jason Hafemeister, USTR Chief Agricultural Negotiator Gregg Doud and a grain export market panel are among the many events featured on this year’s agenda. Website: www.wawg.org Thursday-Friday Nov. 15-16 Washington State Grape So- ciety Annual Meeting and Trade Show. Church of the Nazarene, 500 N. Elm, Grandview, Wash. Thurs- day lunch is included in registration. Cost: $80 Website: https://www. grapesociety.org/annual-meeting. html Karen Ross of the California De- partment of Food and Agriculture, Frank Mitloehner of the University of California-Davis and other in- dustry leaders. Website: https://bit. ly/2OdjFO6 Friday, Nov. 16 Wednesday-Friday Nov. 28-30 Denim and Diamonds Dinner Auction, 5-10 p.m. Salem Conven- tion Center, 200 Commercial St. SE, Salem, Ore. Oregon Aglink hosts Denim & Diamonds, an awards din- ner and auction, which raises funds for the Cultivating Common Ground initiative, ultimately supporting all of Aglink’s programs like Adopt a Farm- er and telling ag’s story. This event serves to recognize those who have gone above and beyond in advocat- ing the importance of agriculture to the economic, environmental and social well-being of the state of Ore- gon. Website: http://www.aglink.org/ event/denim-diamonds/ Third Annual Post-Harvest Al- mond and Walnut UC IPM Work- shop. 8-11 a.m. Chico Veterans Memorial Hall, 554 Rio Lindo Ave., Chico, Calif. A panel of Sacramento Valley IPM and farm advisors will talk about the latest research, 2018 field observations and discuss key pest management issues. Website: sacvalleyorchards.com Friday-Saturday Nov. 16-17 Fall Forage Festival. Benton County Fairgrounds and OSU Old- field Animal Teaching Facility, Cor- vallis, Ore. Presenters will include Glenn Shewmaker, a University of Idaho Extension forage special- ist; Steve Norberg, a Washington State University Extension forage specialist; Mylen Bohle, an Oregon State University forage specialist; and Jon Driver of Farm Credit Ser- vices. The annual Hay King Contest will be Saturday. Website: https:// www.oregonforage.org or oregon- haygrowers.com Tuesday-Wednesday Nov. 27-28 California Dairy Sustainability Summit. Sacramento Convention Center, 1400 J St., Sacramento, Calif. Learn how California’s dairy families are leading the world in sustainable farming, and gain insight into the policies and tech- nologies that will continue to drive innovation and help the industry improve its environmental and economic future. Speakers include Washington Small Fruit Con- ference & Lynden Ag Show. NW Washington Fairgrounds, 1775 Front St., Lynden, Wash. The Washington Small Fruit Conference is a three-day conference with the latest relevant research information delivered by the scientists perform- ing the research. Lunches each day are provided. This conference is presented in association with the Lynden Ag Show, a trade show featuring vendors serving the small fruit community. Website: www. wasmallfruit.com Tuesday-Thursday Dec. 4-6 86th Oregon Farm Bureau An- nual Meeting. Salem Convention Center, 200 Commercial St. SE, Salem, Ore. All voting and support- ing members of Farm Bureau are welcome and encouraged to attend. Besides the grassroots OFB policy- making process, the convention of- fers a chance to learn about Farm Bureau’s programs and priority issues, network, and socialize with farmers and ranchers from across the state. Website: https://oregonfb. org/convention/ Idaho Farm Bureau Annual Meeting. Boise, Idaho. Idaho Farm Bureau members gather to learn about and discuss items pertaining to agriculture. A session is con- vened with delegates making policy coming from resolutions that gen- erated from the grassroots of the membership. The delegates also vote for officers of the Idaho Farm Bureau Federation Board. Tuesday-Friday Dec. 4-7 California Farm Bureau Annual Meeting. Hilton San Diego Bayfront, San Diego, Calif. The California Farm Bureau’s 100th annual meet- ing. Website: http://cfbf.com/stor- age/app/media/am_assets/2018_ AM_RegForm.pdf Wednesday, Dec. 12 Mid-Columbia CORE Pesticide Training. 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m. Columbia Established 1928 Board of Directors Mike Forrester Steve Forrester Kathryn Brown Susan Rana Harrison Forrester Mike Omeg Cory Bollinger Jeff Rogers Corporate Officers Heidi Wright Chief Operating Officer Rick Hansen Chief Financial Officer Capital Press Managers Joe Beach ..................Editor & Publisher Elizabeth Yutzie Sell .... Advertising Director Carl Sampson ................Managing Editor Jessica Boone ........ Production Manager Samantha McLaren .... Circulation Manager Entire contents copyright © 2018 EO Media Group dba Capital Press An independent newspaper published every Friday. Structure: Publicly traded company with the New Zea- land government as a major shareholder Capital Press (ISSN 0740-3704) is published weekly by EO Media Group, 1400 Broadway St. NE, Salem OR 97301. addresses the issues growers face in an increasingly chal- lenging global environment. The goal is to increase yields through better use of resources and more account- ability, and that demands dig- ital technology, he said. “The trend everywhere is very much a digital focus,” he said. It’s being driven by in- creasing demand for food in a growing global population, stresses on water resources and the lack of additional available farmland, he said. The company was founded on 30 years of research, and research continues through partnerships with universities and colleges — as well as collaboration with growers and regional agronomists. Cost of CropLogic’s ser- vices to growers depends on what is required, but it’s defi- nitely affordable with a clear return on investment, he said, adding that the company has a lot of repeat customers. “When they realize the impact it can have on wa- ter systems and yields, it’s a no-brainer,” he said POSTMASTER: send address changes to Capital Press, P.O. Box 2048 Salem, OR 97308-2048. Calendar To submit an event go to the Community Events calendar on the home page of our website at www. capitalpress.com and click on “Sub- mit an Event.” Calendar items can also be mailed to Capital Press, 1400 Broadway St. NE, Salem, OR 97301 or emailed to newsroom@ capitalpress.com. Include “Calen- dar” in the subject line. Capital Press Gorge Community College Lecture Hall, Building 2, The Dalles, Ore. Morning topics include glyphosate, triclopyr and risk assessments. Af- ternoon topics include an update on laws and regulations and case stud- ies and lessons learned. 4 pesticide credits are available. The class will satisfy CORE requirements or can be taken for 4 additional credits. Lunch will not be provided. Pre-reg- istration is required. Cost: $15 Web- site: http://extension.oregonstate. edu/wasco Thursday-Friday Jan. 10-11 69th Annual Oregon Mint Grow- ers Meeting. Salishan Resort, 7760 US-101, Gleneden Beach, Ore. At- tendees will hear the latest on the mint industry. Pesticide recertifica- tion credits have been applied for. Website: oregonmint.org Friday-Wednesday Jan. 11-16 2019 American Farm Bureau Federation Convention and IDEA Trade Show. Ernest N. Morial Con- vention Center, 900 Convention Center Blvd., New Orleans, La. The Farm Bureau’s annual nation- al meeting. Website: www.fb.org/ events/afbf-annual-convention/ Wednesday-Friday Jan. 16-18 Northwest Ag Show. Oregon State Fair & Exposition Center, 2330 17th St. NE, Salem, Ore. The 49th edition will focus on the emerg- ing trends in the ag industry such as small farming, technology and edu- cation. It will provide useful informa- tion to attendees regarding equip- ment, best practices, job training and state-sanctioned certifications as well as legal and financial issues facing all farmers. Cost: $5; $3 for seniors; free for children under 12. Website: northwestagshow.com Thursday, Jan. 17 Oregon Seed Association Mid-Winter Meeting. 7 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Best Western Premier Boulder Falls Inn, 505/605 Mullins Drive, Lebanon, Ore. The one-day event consists of committee and general member meetings, workshops and includes lunch. Scholarship awards are presented to eligible applicants. The day concludes with an evening reception to honor past association presidents. Website: http://www. oregonseed.org/events Periodicals postage paid at Portland, OR, and at additional mailing offices. To Reach Us Circulation ......................... 800-882-6789 Email ........ 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Box 2048 Salem, OR 97308-2048 News: Contact the main office or news staff member closest to you, send the in- formation to newsroom@capitalpress.com or mail it to “Newsroom,” c/o Capital Press. Include a contact telephone number. Letters to the Editor: Send your comments on agriculture-related public issues to opinions@capitalpress.com, or mail your letter to “Opinion,” c/o Capital Press. Letters should be limited to 300 words. Deadline: Noon Monday. Capital Press ag media www.capitalpress.com www.FarmSeller.com marketplace.capitalpress.com www.facebook.com/capitalpress www.facebook.com/farmseller twitter.com/capitalpress www.youtube.com/capitalpressvideo Index Dairy ...................................... 9 Markets ................................11 Opinion .................................. 6 Corrections An story in the Nov. 2 edition of the Capital Press provided incorrect information about the campaign for Oregon House District 26. Incumbent Rep. Rich Vial, R-Scholls, faced Democratic challenger Court- ney Neron, who replaced Ryan Spiker after he previously dropped out of the race. Neron won the election on Tuesday. A story in the Oct. 26 edition regarding use of Yakima’s FairBridge Inn & Suites for H-2A-visa foreign guestworker housing incorrectly quoted Rob Valicoff, president of Valicoff Fruit Co., and principal partner in the Inn, as saying Zirkle Fruit Co., of Selah, used the hotel for H-2A workers this year. Valicoff was referring to Les Zirkle, a family member who operates his own orchards and is not in business with Zirkle Fruit Co. The company says it did not rent rooms at FairBridge and has no associa- tion with it. We regret the errors.
