<div dir="ltr">Thanks Jim! This is an exciting Initiative and will help to bring sustainable solutions to improve the food production system.<br><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">---------- Forwarded message ---------<br>From: <strong class="gmail_sendername" dir="auto">Jim Llano</strong> <span dir="auto"><<a href="mailto:james.llano@ucr.edu">james.llano@ucr.edu</a>></span><br>Date: Tue, Jan 26, 2021 at 7:14 PM<br>Subject: WGA Global Harvest Automation Initiative Launch announcement and Save the Date<br>To: Deborah Pagliaccia <<a href="mailto:deborahp@ucr.edu">deborahp@ucr.edu</a>><br></div><br><br>
<div lang="EN-US" link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72">
<div class="m_-796520876182017861WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Dear Deborah, <u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Hope you and your family are all well. There has been much activity by Western Growers Association since you attended the September 2019 event on campus. Please note WGA is preparing to launch their Harvest Automation Initiative:
<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Western Growers Association (WGA) is preparing for their “Global Harvest Automation Initiative Launch” to take place on Thursday Feb 11<sup>th</sup> at the International Agri – Center in Tulare California.
<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">On February 11, WGA will provide details for the Global Harvest Automation Initiative – the partners that are involved, what WGA plans to develop, and how WGA plans to roll the solutions out to their grower members and harvest automation
startups. WGA is working on providing internet access to the event, but in the meantime is providing “SAVE the DATE” details (attached).
<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Key Points leading to the Feb. 11<sup>th</sup> Launch: <u></u>
<u></u></p>
<p class="m_-796520876182017861MsoListParagraph"><u></u><span style="font-family:Wingdings"><span>Ø<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><u></u>WGA will be working with Startups. WGA AG Initiative will focus on a three year plan with a “roadmap” beyond the three years.
<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in">
<u></u><span style="font-family:Wingdings"><span>Ø<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><u></u>In order to accelerate the development process, WGA and Steering Committee have developed a list of the top 20 AG Harvest focused “Startups”<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in">
<u></u><span style="font-family:Wingdings"><span>Ø<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><u></u>WGA will further screen the startup list in December and invite top five to a “shark tank” / pitch event on February 11<sup>th</sup> in Tulare CA<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in">
<u></u><span style="font-family:Wingdings"><span>Ø<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><u></u>Goal is “Tech- Driven” initiative to accelerate next generation harvest automation startups<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Key Points regarding Feb. 11<sup>th</sup> Launch: <u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="m_-796520876182017861MsoListParagraph"><u></u><span style="font-family:Wingdings"><span>Ø<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><u></u>WGA President David Puglia will announce major WGA $$ contribution to Global Harvest Automation Initiative.
<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="m_-796520876182017861MsoListParagraph"><u></u><span style="font-family:Wingdings"><span>Ø<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><u></u>Washington Tree Fruit Research Association is contributing $60K/Year for three years. Will sign MOU.
<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="m_-796520876182017861MsoListParagraph"><u></u><span style="font-family:Wingdings"><span>Ø<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><u></u>The event will be “Live Streamed” and recorded<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="m_-796520876182017861MsoListParagraph"><u></u><span style="font-family:Wingdings"><span>Ø<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><u></u><i>A link to register for the event should be available this week<u></u><u></u></i></p>
<p class="m_-796520876182017861MsoListParagraph"><u></u><span style="font-family:Wingdings"><span>Ø<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><u></u>Attendees will include WGA Board Members, Venture Partners, AG Funding Community, Ag Tech Media, Start up Community, and WGA partner organizations<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="m_-796520876182017861MsoListParagraph"><u></u><span style="font-family:Wingdings"><span>Ø<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><u></u><span style="font-size:13.0pt;color:#333333"> Media coverage by Jesse Newman, who covers food and agriculture for The Wall Street Journal, with an emphasis on grain farming and the American Midwest.</span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="m_-796520876182017861MsoListParagraph"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Attachments: <u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="m_-796520876182017861MsoListParagraph"><u></u><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span>·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><u></u>SAVE the DATE notice<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="m_-796520876182017861MsoListParagraph"><u></u><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span>·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><u></u>Coachella Valley meeting Power Point presentation by Walt Duflock; VP of AG Tech Innovation<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="m_-796520876182017861MsoListParagraph"><u></u><span style="font-family:Symbol"><span>·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><u></u>Draft Agenda – Feb 11<sup>th</sup> 2021 Global Harvest Automation Launch
<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt">Jim Llano<u></u><u></u></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt">Associate Director<u></u><u></u></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt">Corporate and Strategic Partnerships
<u></u><u></u></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt">Office of Technology Partnerships<u></u><u></u></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt">University of California, Riverside<u></u><u></u></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt">Off: 951 827-4808<u></u><u></u></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt">Cell: 805 264-7828<u></u><u></u></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="mailto:james.llano@ucr.edu" target="_blank"><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt">james.llano@ucr.edu</span></i></a><i><span style="font-size:9.0pt">
<u></u><u></u></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://techpartnerships.ucr.edu/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;color:blue">https://techpartnerships.ucr.edu/</span></a><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">View our OTP 2019-2020 Annual Report, <a href="https://bit.ly/OTP_annualreport_19-20" target="_blank">
https://bit.ly/OTP_annualreport_19-20</a><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><u></u> <u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><img border="0" width="179" height="70" id="m_-796520876182017861Picture_x0020_2" src="cid:17745cb63086917eb1" alt="cid:image004.jpg@01D65604.4D2C38D0"><span style="font-size:9.0pt"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
</div>
</div>
</div><br clear="all"><div><br></div>-- <br><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><font size="2">Deborah Pagliaccia, Ph.D.</font></div><div dir="ltr">Professional Researcher, Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology<font size="2"><br></font></div><div dir="ltr"><font size="2"><font size="2">Managing Director, </font>California Agriculture and Food Enterprise - <a href="http://cafe.ucr.edu/" target="_blank">CAFÉ</a><br></font></div><div dir="ltr"><font size="2"><a href="http://globalfood.ucr.edu/" target="_blank">UCR Global Food Initiative</a> Co-Chair</font></div><div dir="ltr"><font size="2">University of California</font></div><div dir="ltr">Riverside, CA 92521<font size="2"><br></font></div><div dir="ltr"><br></div><div dir="ltr"><font color="#000000"><font size="2"><span style="font-family:"times new roman",serif"><a href="http://ccns.info/" target="_blank">California Citrus Nursery Society</a> CCNS </span></font><font size="2"><span style="font-family:"times new roman",serif">Executive Director</span></font></font><font size="2"><br></font></div></div></div></div></div></div>