Talking "Ag-Tech" with Chris Chammoun

Welcome to the South Georgia Insider Podcast. In this episode, we're getting an insider's look at the tech side of agriculture from Chris Chammoun, director of AgTech at the Center of Innovation, a division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD)

 What you'll discover in this episode:

· When Max Manufacturing had an idea to improve poultry composting, the Ag-Tech center connected the Mitchell County business to University of Georgia scientists doing similar research. The collaboration helped Max Manufacturing expand its product distribution and provided new technology for poultry farmers.

· Through a multi-year process, the Center of Innovation and GDEcD helped bring indoor agriculture production to Georgia. In 2021, Pete's, a California-based company, announced an $18 million investment to open the company's first eastern U.S. indoor, controlled environment agriculture facility in Peach County.

· Family-owned Sweet Grass Dairy, located in Thomas County, came to the Ag-Tech center to help extend its U.S. distribution, but first, they needed to determine the shelf-life of their award-winning cheese. Through the Ag-Tech center, Sweet Grass Dairy was connected to the UGA Food Product Innovation & Commercialization Center, which provided the research needed to expand the company’s distribution footprint. 

The Ag-Tech center works within four primary areas: 

• Integrated Precision Agriculture
• Controlled Environment Agriculture 
• Food Production Innovation 
• Food System Technology Integration

On March 2, 2022, the Center of Innovation and the Georgia Research Alliance will host the inaugural Georgia AgTech Summit at the UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center. This event aims to gather industry, academia, and government to present current research, discuss the current state of the ag-tech sector, and plan for the industry's future within the Peach State. There is no cost to attend. Click here to register.

Thanks to our sponsor Smalltown Broadcasting and WDDQ, home of the Scott James Matheson Show, where you can listen to live from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., Monday through Friday on Talk 92.1 http://talk921.com/.

 South Georgia Insider is produced by Spencer Van Horn, Smalltown Broadcasting.