Strawberry Center students tour "table top" production system

TABLE TOPS TOUR

Strawberry Center students toured the "table top" production system at Mar Vista Berry on 17 Oct 2022. Table top production is not new but is seeing renewed interest and improved techniques among some strawberry growers because of the benefits it offers over conventional farming (e.g., improved ergonomics for harvesting and lack of soilborne pathogens). The advantages must be weighed against the increased costs for long-term sustainability. Strawberry farming in California is a very dynamic business where new stressors on the system can change farming practices rapidly. Our students got an outstanding introduction to this system along with its pros and cons by hosts Greg France and Ryan Harrison at Mar Vista Berry, both Cal Poly grads.

TABLE TOP STRAWBERRY PRODUCTION IN THE NEWS:
LA TIME: https://tinyurl.com/la-times-strawberry
CBS NEWS: https://www.cbsnews.com/video/strawberry-picking-robots-help-farmers-amid-drought/