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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
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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.
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To submit an event go to the
Community Events calendar on the
home page of our website at www.
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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
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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.