Cal Poly was host to the 9th annual Strawberry Center Field Day on Thursday.
Over 600 strawberry growers, researchers, and industry representatives gathered at the Cal Poly Strawberry Center to hear from students and staff about the latest research and technology being used at the facility.
Attendees also explored 25 live demonstration stations showcasing new advances in farming automation and worker safety.
Because California is responsible for growing nearly 90% of the nation's strawberries, Cal Poly Strawberry Center director Gerald Holmes says the annual event is important for the advancement of the entire industry.
"The whole point is to do things that are of value to the California strawberry industry. So our students get involved. They're involved in the research, they get part-time work experience, we have master's degree students that are actually conducting the research projects [and] they're presenting the results here," Holmes said. "All of that is super valuable to this industry, not only for the research that we're doing, but [for] the students we're training."
This year's Strawberry Center Field Day included presentations on pest-fighting UV-C light technology, natural plant disease-fighting products, and worker automation innovations.
