As the country sees the headlines of the effects of the California wildfires—not only potentially burning crops, but the after effects of smoke and ash on the state’s crops—it raises the question: could more be done to protect agriculture from major weather events?
One Las Vegas, NV-based agriculture technology company is continuing to work on how its biofilms can be applied to protect specialty crops particularly. Cultiva LLC licensed a biofilm technology developed by Oregon State University in 2012 which had physical and biochemical properties to enhance a plant’s cuticular membrane.
“Today, we estimate about 70 percent of the cherry crop in the Pacific Northwest has been treated with Parka,” says Luis Hernandez, chief executive officer of Cultiva. And while its efficacy on this high-value crop has been shown, Cultiva continues to look at other crops to expand application possibilities for the Parka biofilm.
APAL’s Future Orchards® spring orchard walks will return to orchards in South Australia, Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania, with Victoria and New South...
Growers are being advised to "get active" as the Tasmanian Government begins rolling out its Tassie Harvest Jobs campaign to entice locals to take up the more than 8,000 seasonal jobs that the fruit industry will have available in the upcoming harvest.
Given the ongoing shortage of working holiday makers present within the state, the focus and priority for this season is going to have to be on hiring and retaining Tasmanian locals to fill seasonal harvest roles.
FGT welcomes the understanding of the Government that we need experienced and trained workers to work alongside locals who will be new to the industry in this harvest. We also welcome the understanding of the Government that it is unlikely that all the available seasonal positions will be filled by locals and that other avenues will be needed throughout the extended harvest season.
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