2020 Conference Agenda

System of Systems

The fourth annual PrecisionAg® VISION Conference on Jan 14-16, 2020, offered a holistic perspective of precision agriculture and digital farming. The reality is, there are gaps in today’s system—there are bugs and missing pieces. VISION Conference  connected the data links so you can build a workable ag-tech strategy.

Tuesday January 14, 2020

12:45 – 5:45

Optional Pre-Conference Tech Talk and Wine Tasting at SWME’s Woodinville facility: Leading-Edge Precision in Viticulture

Bus departs hotel for winery at 12:45 pm and arrives back at host hotel at approximately 5:45 pm

Washington State-based Chateau Ste. Michelle, one of the largest vineyards in the U.S., produces world-renowned wines through use of technologies including precision irrigation, field imagery, and vineyard mechanization. We’ll travel north from our conference hotel to the winery’s Woodinville, WA, facility, where Dr. Russell Smithyman, Chateau Ste. Michelle Director of Viticulture, will provide a visually impactful walkthrough of the producer’s viticulture, precision agriculture, and on-site research programs in collaboration with Washington State University. Afterwards we’ll enjoy a wine and cheese tasting before returning to the conference hotel.

Wednesday January 15, 2020

As of 12-30-19 at 12:30 pm
7:00 – 8:20

Breakfast

8:30 – 9:10

Welcome and Keynote | Introduction to System of Systems

Moderator: Jim Sulecki

Jim Sulecki, Chief Content Officer and Head of Global Precision Initiative, Meister Media Worldwide, Inc.
Paul Schrimpf, Group Editor, Meister Media Worldwide, Inc.
David Frabotta, Editorial Market Development Director, Meister Media Worldwide, Inc.

Meister Media Worldwide editors welcome you to the fourth annual PrecisionAg® VISION Conference with an agenda review and introduction to the 2020 conference theme: System of Systems.

9:10 – 9:12

Keynote Introduction

Jeremy Wilson, Senior Vice President, Field Data Solutions, EFC Systems Inc.

9:12 – 10:12

Opening Keynote:
Change is a Choice: Take Five Big Steps that Will Help Your Customers Leverage the Promise of Precisions

Dr. Kevin Freiberg, Best-selling Author, Speaker, Advisor, Freibergs.com

Change is inevitable in the world of precision agriculture. What you do with change – whether you grow from it – is your choice. If you want customers to adopt your technology, you must position yourself as a thought leader who understands digital trends and how they intersect, and place them in context for the customer – help him or her to see the big picture, the “system of systems.” You must become a trusted advisor who can make the complex simple and elegant and help the customer decide what to do. And, you have to be a guru of change who can help customers navigate the challenges of technology adoption. Dr. Kevin Freiberg, noted business speaker and international best-selling author, returns to open the 2020 VISION Conference with a concrete five-step plan that will help you and your customers turn the promise of precision agriculture into a reality.

Day One Keynote Sponsored By
10:12 – 10:15

Lightning Round

Jake Jorannstad, Co-Founder & CEO, Bushel

10:15 – 10:45

Networking Break

Enjoy a time-out with attendees and get to know how other agriculture professionals are managing precision agriculture and digital innovation. Capture an opportunity to connect, share, and learn.

10:45 – 12:00

Clean and Easy: Data’s Next Step

Moderator: Paul Schrimpf

Daniel Koppel, Co-Founder and CEO, Prospera Technologies
Martha Montoya, President/Founder, AGTools Inc.
Joe W. Tevis, PhD, Owner, President, Vis Consulting Inc.

Capturing real-world field data is critical—but what if the data is dirty? What if it’s unwieldy or too challenging to understand? Hear from experts who explain why data is the new oil and how it can be readily refined to work for your business.

12:00 – 1:15

Networking Lunch

Gather with attendees, presenters, and technology providers. Enjoy lunch, a break, and conversation. VISION Conference gives you plenty of platforms to connect and learn.

1:15 – 2:35

Imagery: Is Ag’s Future in the Sky?

Moderator: David Frabotta

Kevin Lang, General Manager, Agriculture, PrecisionHawk
Justin Metz, Technology Integration and Compliance Manager, Bowles Farming Company
Sky Rubin, Agriculture Sales Manager, Airbus
Ofir Schlam, CEO and Co-Founder, Taranis

Look up. Technology is in the air, and it’s driving precision agriculture into the future. Whether by drone, fixed-wing or satellite, remote sensing is growing more sophisticated, more accurate and more predictive. The question is, how can this technology become more user-friendly and timelier? Leave this session with knowledge of how central imagery can enhance crop production, improve productivity and elevate quality.

2:35 – 2:45

Technology Update

Seth Crawford, V.P., Fuse Connected Services & Technology, AGCO Corporation

2:45 – 3:15

Networking Break

Enjoy a time-out with attendees and get to know how other agriculture professionals are managing precision agriculture and digital innovation. Capture an opportunity to connect, share, and learn.

3:15 – 4:20

Real-Time, Real-World Robotics and Automation

Moderator: Paul Schrimpf

George Kantor, Senior Systems Scientist, Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Institute
Manoj Karkee, Associate Professor, Washington State University Center for Precision and Automated Agricultural Systems
AJ Nolin, Product Support Specialist, DOT Technologies

How can you shed the industry’s most costly, repetitive, dangerous, backbreaking operations? We’re not talking about autonomous vehicles or unmanned fields. Instead, learn about practical solutions that will fit into your long-term operational plan.

4:20 – 5:30

VISION 2020 Roundtable Discussions

Moderator: Paul Schrimpf

Get more from your conference experience. Supercharge learning and networking and dive deeper into key ag technology topics during this 60-minute Roundtable Session. Each table topic will be moderated by a leading expert in the field.

Automation and Robotics in Field and Row Crops: Challenges and Opportunities
Moderator: AJ Nolin, DOT Technologies
“View from the Ground” on Technology in Specialty Crops
Moderator: Allan Fetters, AgCeleration Advisory Service
Weather Data Inside the System of Systems
Moderator: Neal Horrom, IBM The Weather Company
Developing and Scaling Automation for Specialty Crops
Moderator: George Kantor, Carnegie Mellon University
Scaling Data Analysis Technologies in the Field
Moderator: Daniel Koppel, Prospera Technologies
The Impact of Technology on Employees and Employment
Moderator: Martha Montoya, AgTools Inc.
Keys to the Commercial Viability of Precision Ag for Small- and Medium-Sized Farmers
Georgiana Fracescotti, Adama Agricultural Solutions Ltd.
Input Application: What’s Working and What’s Not
Moderator: Michael Ott, Rantizo
The Role of Technology and Data in Downstream Sustainability
Moderator: Rod Snyder, Field to Market
Addressing the Biggest Pain Points in Field Data Collection
Moderator: Joe Tevis, Vis Consulting
Technology’s Impact on Crop Protection Development and Application
Moderator: Bob Trogele, AMVAC
The Next Generation of Sensors for Agriculture and Agronomy
Moderator: Marc Vanacht, AG Business Consultants
5:30 – 7:00

Gala Reception

Rub elbows with the who’s-who of North American precision agriculture while enjoying drinks and heavy hors d’oeuvres.
The conference reception is an engaging way to finish off the day and build new relationships.

Thursday January 16, 2020

As of 12-30-19 at 12:30 pm
7:30 – 9:00

Breakfast

9:00

Welcome

Paul Schrimpf, Group Editor, Meister Media Worldwide, Inc.

Begin another informative, engaging day of learning about the future of precision agriculture and the System of Systems.

9:05 – 10:30

Precision Application and Crop Inputs

Moderator: David Frabotta

Georgiana Francescotti, Global Head of AgTech and Digital Services, ADAMA Agricultural Solutions Ltd.
Michael Ott, CEO, Rantizo
Bob Trogele, COO, AMVAC

See-and-spray and drone/UAV technologies are disturbing what we know about crop protection application. How real is the threat? How great is the opportunity? Gain an understanding of how near the impact of this technology is and the challenges you might confront.

10:30 – 10:40

Technology Update

Jay Myers, Farmer, United Soybean Board

10:40 – 11:00

Networking Break

Enjoy a time-out with attendees and get to know how other agriculture professionals are managing precision agriculture and digital innovation. Capture an opportunity to connect, share, and learn.

Sponsored By
11:00 – 12:00

Crop Input Development: Precision’s Current and Future Impact

Moderator: Jim Sulecki

Chris Paterson, Xarvio Lead, North America, BASF
Dr. Michael Stern, Head of The Climate Corporation and Digital Farming, Bayer Crop Science

Many crop input suppliers are now deep into precision technology and digital farming. What does this mean for the farmer service model—and what about crop input distribution, or the R&D pipeline? Learn from experts who will share what’s around the corner.

12:00 – 1:00

Networking Lunch

Gather with attendees, presenters, and technology providers. Enjoy lunch, a break, and conversation. VISION Conference gives you plenty of platforms to connect and learn.

1:00 – 1:05

Keynote Introduction

Ryan Molitor, Director of Sales & Marketing, Raven Industries

Day Two Keynote Sponsored By
1:05 – 2:05

Keynote Panel:
Ag Technology’s Inefficient Business Model

Moderator: Paul Schrimpf

Teddy Bekele, Chief Technology Officer, Land O’Lakes Inc.
Jonah Kolb, Vice President and Managing Member, Moore & Warner Ag Group, LLC

Invent and fund a technological solution – then figure out whether agriculture might be able to put it to practical use. It’s not an efficient business model, especially given agriculture’s tight margins. We’ll discuss a better way

2:05 – 3:00

Technology’s Pull-Through Effect from Downstream

Moderator: Jim Sulecki

Seana Day, Partner, Better Food Ventures and The Mixing Bowl
Vonnie L. Estes, Vice President, Technology, Produce Marketing Association
Rod Snyder, President, Field to Market

Food processors and retailers are pulling harder and harder for greater transparency, traceability and sustainability. Learn what this means for you and the technology you’re using today – and tomorrow.

3:10 – 4:00

Reprise Discussion: What Have We Learned? How Can We Put It All Together?

Moderator: Jim Sulecki

Allan Fetters, Principal, AGceleration Advisory Service
Vonnie L. Estes,
Vice President, Technology, Produce Marketing Association
Jonah Kolb, Vice President and Managing Member, Moore & Warner Ag Group, LLC
Bob Trogele, COO, AMVAC
Justin Metz,Technology Integration and Compliance Manager,
Bowles Farming Company

Session leads return to the stage and engage you in a dialogue about the next steps for 2020 and beyond and how all sectors of precision agriculture and digital farming can work together.

4:00

Conference Adjourn

Join Us in Seattle, Washington

The beautiful Pacific Northwest of the United States is an optimal location for the PrecisionAg® VISION Conference. With convenient flight connections throughout North America, Seattle is in close proximity to the tech industry and the region’s abundant specialty crop production areas.

Accommodations

Hyatt Regency Lake Washington at Seattle’s Southport, a recent AAA Four Diamond award winner located on the shores of Lake Washington, offers a stunning venue for the VISION Conference. Take in the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest and enjoy the hotel’s modern amenities.  You’ll appreciate the hotel’s easy access to Sea-Tac International Airport, downtown Seattle and Bellevue, Mount Rainier National Park, Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park, and more.