Next week is shaping up to be a milestone moment for the AgTech community, with major events unfolding across the Central Coast and the Bay Area. From the launch of a new farming venture in Salinas to one of the industry’s most influential global summits, stakeholders across the agricultural innovation ecosystem will have a full and meaningful week of connection, collaboration, and advancement.

Grand Opening of Reservoir Farms – Monday, March 16
The week begins in Salinas with the official grand opening of Reservoir Farms, taking place Monday, March 16th from 2:00–4:00 p.m. This new venture represents an exciting addition to the region’s growing agricultural innovation landscape, and the event will bring together growers, partners, community leaders, and innovators to celebrate the launch.

Immediately following the ribbon-cutting, guests are invited to continue the celebration at a casual Gathering of Friends reception hosted at the Alvarado Street Brewery Tasting Room (1315 Dayton St, Salinas, CA 93901). The gathering will run from 5:30–7:30 p.m., offering time to connect with colleagues before many attendees make their way north for the week’s second major event.

World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit – March 17–18
On Tuesday and Wednesday, the focus shifts to San Francisco for the World Agri-Tech Innovation Summit, held March 17–18. This premier global event brings together more than 1,700 leaders and decision-makers from across the agricultural value chain—including agribusiness executives, food brands, farmers, policymakers, investors, technologists, and emerging start-ups.

Attendees will have the opportunity to:
Hear from leaders driving the future of sustainable and climate‑smart agriculture
Benchmark against global best practices
Connect with innovators at the forefront of agri-tech
Participate in strategic networking and deal-making sessions

This year’s conference also includes strong representation from Western Growers and Reservoir
Farms:
Ben Palone, Western Growers Director of Commercialization, will serve as a roundtable host.
Walt Duflock, Western Growers SVP of Innovation, will be featured as a breakout session speaker.
Danny Bernstein and Matthew Hoffman of Reservoir Farms will also take the stage to share insights and perspectives on the agtech startup ecosystem.

Those still interested in attending can learn more about the event and register online. A 10% discount is available using code WALTD10 at: https://worldagritechusa.com/book-tickets

WGCIT Teams Converge in Northern California – March 19–20
With many agtech start-ups and partners already in Northern California for the week’s activities, the Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology (WGCIT) will host a series of large-scale team meetings on Thursday and Friday. These gatherings will create opportunities for companies to align on strategy, share updates, meet with growers, and collaborate in person while their full teams are in the region.