MONTEREY, CA - Back in the office after a monumental industry gathering, fresh produce has definitely taken a major leap forward as we all revel in the most recent Organic Grower Summit (OGS). The two-day event, presented by Western Growers and Organic Produce Network (OPN), featured ag technology presentations, a dynamic keynote session, and innovations galore last week in Monterey, California.

“This year’s OGS was an amazing two days of education and networking for those in the organic fresh produce industry,” said Tonya Antle, Co-Founder of the Organic Produce Network. “We’ve heard nothing but positive feedback on the educational part of our program, and the OGS trade show floor reaffirmed that the organic fresh food industry is evolving rapidly, with tremendous strides in technology, new biological tools, and the latest in packaging and product services—all with the goal of making organic farmers more effective, efficient, and profitable.”

OGS definitely checked all of the boxes as the sold-out trade show brought the industry together in one location. The event sustained connections, both to be strengthened and created alike, between supply chain and service provider partners with organic growers around our industry.

With a jam-packed schedule of educational sessions, attendees got a chance to tap into a variety of topics such as robotics, selling in the Mexican Market, and scaling organic operations. The educational part of the program concluded with a keynote presentation touching on the current challenges and opportunities for the future growth of organic sales and production. According to the schedule, sessions included:

• Building Resilience through Organic Farming Systems
• SmartFarm: AgTech in the Field and SmartFarm Part 2: The AgSharks
• Organic Grower Perspectives on the Challenges of Scaling
• Innovative and Compatible Ag Inputs for Today's Organic Grower
• CEA: What Does It Mean for Organics?
• Growing and Selling in the Mexican Organic Market
• Organic Food Safety Listening Session
• Organics at Retail–Performance and Consumer Expectations
• Are Regenerative and Sustainability Labeling Good for Organics?

Amongst the educational smörgåsbord, the organization presented the Organic Grower of the Year Award to longtime and well-respected agriculturalist Vic Smith.

Catch up on how this amazing event went down in our recent event recap straight from the show floor.

Looking for more insights and details? Click here for the organization’s full release.

Keep an eye out for the latest our industry provides for growth and innovation as AndNowUKnow reports.

Organic Produce Network Western Growers