SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA - Hortau, which provides precision irrigation management systems and agriculture services, and Agrian Inc. have joined forces to offer extensive precision irrigation service for commercial agriculture.
“With the partnership, Agrian will be able to offer additional services in precision irrigation to their partners, giving them the ability to provide a complete service as the growers’ trusted advisor,” said Hortau’s Vice President of Business Development, Trevor Mechan, in a recent press release.
Agrian’s roots reach back to 2004 in Fresno, California, when the company used a cloud-based record-keeping system to inform those residing in the Western U.S. of regulatory requirements. From there, the company stepped into digital capabilities, consisting of a platform approach to assist agronomists, growers, and food processors as they work together within a singular system to achieve many undertakings. These tasks included food company reporting, crop planning, scouting, imagery, soil and tissue sampling, logging and transferring wireless data, and managing nutrients to record crops in every market, such as specialty fruit crops, cereal grains, and oil seeds.
“Hortau’s technology complements our platform in that it will help our customers meet compliance and regulatory needs in the irrigation space,” said Agrian CEO Nishan Majarian. “By better monitoring irrigation management, it will help the industry streamline water and energy savings while increasing productivity.”
During 2018’s season, Agrian dealers will offer Hortau’s services in the Western U.S.
“We’re excited about this partnership because it continues to solidify our service, being offered through trusted advisors in the field,” said Hortau CEO Jocelyn Boudreau. “In commercial agriculture, it’s important to not only provide real-time data growers can use to make informed decision, but provide that data in an easy-to-use platform.”
In 2002, Hortau began its endeavors to manage crop stress, reporting how crops are doing to growers in real time. This coverage is sent to growers before stressors like drought and lack of aeration have the opportunity to negatively impact crops. Making sure that crops reach their optimal growth potential, lowering water and energy usage, and reducing environmental impacts like leaching, the plant-centric and proprietary approach processes crop stress using soil tension. Hortau claimed a spot on the 2017 Global Cleantech 100 Ones to Watch list, took home the 2017 North American Smart Irrigation New Product Innovation Award, made to the final round for the 2017 CognitionX Best AI Product in Agriculture award, and named to the THRIVE AgTech Top 50 Growth companies list.
To further embed itself in the industry, Hortau is sending its Director of Grower Support, Ben Smith, to the Tulare, California-based World Ag Expo, where he will deliver a seminar on irrigation on February 15th at 1 p.m. at the Seminar Center in Trailer One. Smith’s seminar, “Advantages of Real-Time Soil Tension Data for Irrigation Management,” will dive into real-time soil tension and weather data. The information Smith shares in this seminar will aid growers in the optimization of production and crop health when withstanding agricultural challenges. Further, Smith’s seminar will discuss soil tension and its direct correlation to crop health, as well as data detailing soil profiles to help growers better grapple with water movement, wetting patterns, and water uptake from the crop.
Working with his crew Grower Support Specialists and growers hailing from the Central Valley, Smith has created irrigation management plans that reflect soil tension monitoring with the assistance of Hortau’s real-time precision irrigation management system.
This is a great opportunity for those looking to get a better grip on managing crop health. Hortau’s booth, located at K-46, will be offering demonstrations, giveaways, and happy hours throughout the week of the show.
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