Podcast — WSU's Karen Lewis talks robotic apple harvesting
Episode 5 of Tip of the Iceberg Podcast, brought to you by The Packer and PMG, features an interview with Karen Lewis, Washington State University regional tree fruit specialist, about the future of robotic apple harvesting.
Lewis discusses the relationship between tree architecture and orchard design to robotic harvesters, the challenges of making a robotic harvester commercially viable, the different types of harvesting robots that have been developed, how a new wave of investment in the technology is bringing it closer to viability, and more.
You can listen to the interview on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other popular platforms, or you can check it out in the player below. Then scroll down further for more links to our earlier episodes.
In case you're new to Tip of the Iceberg Podcast, its name serves as a reminder for listeners that these conversations are just a taste of the vast produce industry coverage provided by The Packer newspaper, PMG magazine and always-updating websites for both brands: ThePacker.com and ProduceMarketGuide.com. Hope you enjoy the conversation!
Below are a few of our previous episodes:
USDA's Greg Ibach on Farmers to Families Food Box Program — Ibach discusses the feedback USDA has received on the program from food banks and others; the awards process; how many boxes USDA has been billed for by contract award winners so far; how many contracts have been terminated; the USDA's audit and review process for contracts; what the USDA is doing to make the program better ahead of the next round of contracts; and more.
Robinson Fresh's Gina Garven on what consumers want in an online grocery shopping experience — Retailers know what it takes to sell fresh produce effectively in stores, but what does it take to sell fresh produce effectively online? With millions more shoppers introduced to online grocery during the stay-at-home orders issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the question is more relevant now than ever.
Comparing notes on United Fresh Live! — Editor-in-chief Tom Karst, retail editor Ashley Nickle and Northeast editor Amy Sowder review all aspects of United Fresh Live!, including what worked well to what didn't work as well, what they heard from exhibitors, their own experiences with the platform, and what pieces of it might be worked into the "new normal" even as in-person trade shows eventually resume.
