Author: Brian Lieberman

April 28, 2021 Farm Land for Sale, General Ag News and Notes, Larsen’s Beach, Lepe‘uli, Lepeuli, Paradise Ranch, Ranching Post a Comment

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg buys 600 more acres on Kauai

Pacific Business News
By Janis L. Magin – Senior Editor

Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan have acquired nearly 600 more acres of land on Kauai for $53 million from a nonprofit established by a local family whose roots go back to the days of the Hawaiian kingdom, bringing the Facebook CEO’s land holdings in Hawaii to more than 1,300 acres.

Chan and Zuckerberg closed on the purchase of three parcels totaling 595.4 acres, including land fronting Larsen’s Beach, on March 19, according to the deeds filed with the state Bureau of Conveyances. The transaction didn’t include the beach access road, which is owned by the county and remains open to the public.

The couple said in a statement that they plan to continue the work the seller, Waioli Corp., has done to conserve the land known as Lepeuli, while also keeping the lease with the current tenant, Paradise Ranch.

“Waioli does essential work promoting conservation and cultural preservation and we are mindful of their legacy with regard to this land,” Chan and Zuckerberg said. “We are committed to honoring the current ranching lease to Paradise Ranch and extending the existing agricultural dedication.

“We have been working closely with a number of community partners to promote conservation, produce sustainable agriculture and protect native wildlife at our ranch and in the surrounding areas and look forward to extending that effort to Lepeuli in the months ahead.”

Chan and Zuckerberg — who is the fifth-richest person in the world with a net worth of more than $110 billion, according to Forbes — bought the land through a limited liability company registered in Delaware whose member is San Francisco-based Square Seven Management LLC, according to the deeds filed with the Hawaii Bureau of Conveyances. Square Seven is managed by wealth manager Iconiq Capital LLC, whose clients include Zuckerberg.

Zuckerberg began amassing the Kauai estate in September 2014 when he bought the 357-acre Kahuaina Plantation from California investment firm Falko Partners and then bought 384 acres from the late Hawaii auto dealer James Pflueger and added more in 2018 for a total of nearly 750 acres. His entities also acquired titles to dozens of smaller lots within the larger parcels that were known as kuleana lands.

Four of the kuleana parcels were conveyed to Carlos Andrade and his wife, Ivy, in July 2019 after a public auction that drew bids from other family members of the parcels’ original owner, Manuel Rapozo. The rest are now owned by Zuckerberg entities.

Chan and Zuckerberg have been building a number of residential and agricultural structures on the properties, which are being used for ranching. According to building permits that total more than $83 million, the largest was a 2018 permit application for a 57,059-square-foot single-family residence with a connected accessory building/dwelling with a total of eight bedrooms, nine full baths and 16 half baths, according to permit filings with the Kauai County Building Division.

The latest acquisition includes a 561.34-acre parcel of land stretching from the ocean to Kuhio Highway, a 1.8-acre parcel on the ocean and a 34.26 parcel on the mauka side of Kuhio Highway for a total of 595.4 acres.

The seller, Waioli Corp., is a nonprofit organization established by members of the kamaaina Wilcox family, who are descended from missionary schoolteachers Abner and Lucy Wilcox.

“The decision provides Waioli with the financial ability to be able to continue our critical conservation and historical work and ensure that Kauai’s cultural history continues to be shared in the community for years to come,” Waipoli Corp. President Sam Pratt said in a statement.

Pratt said the organization chose Chan and Zuckerberg after seeing their “dedication over the years to land conservation, protecting native species and working to preserve the natural beauty of Kauai.”

“We know that this land will remain in their trusted hands and that Mark and Priscilla will act as responsible stewards of Lepeuli today and in the future,” he said.

Hawaii Pacific Health’s Wilcox Medical Center, the largest hospital on Kauai, was named for George N. Wilcox, who bought Grove Farm Plantation in the 1860s. The beneficiaries of Waioli Corp. are descendants of his brothers and sisters.

Waioli Corp. operates the Waioli Mission House museum and the Mahamoku Beach Residence in Hanalei and the Grove Farm Homestead Museum in Lihue.

April 26, 2021 Agricultural Equipment, Agricultural Equipment and Software, General Ag News and Notes Post a Comment

Priva And Viessmann Join Forces To Accelerate The Development Of Smart Building And Green Tech Solutions

Priva and Viessmann, a leading international provider of climate solutions for residential and commercial environments, join forces in a strategic family partnership.

Both companies see great potential and opportunities for global synergies in serving customers together through an unprecedented combined tech-driven solution offering – from commercial building owners and operators to smart district and city solutions, adapting the climate and energy predictively to users’ needs.

To underline the long-term nature of this partnership, Viessmann has acquired a minority interest in Priva. This allows Priva to accelerate its innovative technology agenda and international growth, yet remain an independent family business. Viessmann can rapidly develop its climate solutions for commercial buildings and explore horticultural environment business opportunities.

In addition to their similar family business culture, Viessmann and Priva share a vision of how their solutions can make a profound and pragmatic impact on the current climate crisis and change the world for the better.

Both companies believe that partnerships, networks and smart ecosystems are crucial in providing the range and breadth of solutions needed to address the important issues of global warming, energy transition and food security in the world.

Meiny Prins, CEO of Priva: “We are a purpose-driven company. We are proud to offer innovative and sustainable solutions, which benefit our customers and society. We feel strengthened by Viessmann’s recognition of our vision and technology. Joining forces with Viessmann is an important next step towards fulfilling our ambition. It makes us both stronger while it maintains our independence and company values. This is an unprecedented opportunity for creating a climate for growth together.”

Maximilian Viessmann, Co-CEO of Viessmann: “Our purpose is to create living spaces for generations to come: sustainable, CO2-free and clean environments for living, working and recreation. Our partnership with Priva will enable both companies to substantially expand the breadth and variety of solutions we can offer and the customers that we serve. It is a big privilege to drive digital and climate-centric solutions forward as two like-minded, strong and tech-driven family businesses.”

About Viessmann

Viessmann is the leading provider of climate solutions for all living spaces. The ‘Integrated Viessmann Solutions Offering’ enables users to connect products and systems seamlessly via digital platforms and services for climate (heating, cooling, air quality) and refrigeration solutions. All solutions are based on renewable energy and maximum efficiency. All activities of the family company, founded in 1917, are based on its purpose. “We create living spaces for generations to come” – that is the responsibility of the global Viessmann family with 12,750 members.

April 25, 2021 Agricultural Equipment and Software, General Ag News and Notes Post a Comment

Farming Robot Kills 100,000 Weeds per Hour With Lasers

freethink
By Kristin Houser

A person can weed about one acre of crops a day. This smart robot can weed 20.

Carbon Robotics has unveiled the third-generation of its Autonomous Weeder, a smart farming robot that identifies weeds and then destroys them with high-power lasers.

The weedkiller challenge: Weeds compete with plants for space, sunlight, and soil nutrients. They can also make it easier for insect pests to harm crops, so weed control is a top concern for farmers.

Chemical herbicides can kill the pesky plants, but they can also contaminate water and affect soil health. Weeds can be pulled out by hand, but it’s unpleasant work, and labor shortages are already a huge problem in the agriculture industry.

“It’s harder to find people to do that work every single year,” vegetable farmer Shay Myers told the Seattle Times.

The Autonomous Weeder kills weeds without harming soil or water, and it operates autonomously, eliminating the reliance on manual laborers.

How it works: The farming robot looks like a large cube on wheels.

As it drives itself down rows of crops, its 12 cameras scan the ground. An onboard computer, powered by AI, identifies weeds, and the robot’s carbon dioxide lasers then zap and kill the plants.

The Autonomous Weeder can eliminate more than 100,000 weeds per hour and weed 15 to 20 acres of crops in one day — for comparison, Myers said a laborer can weed about one acre of his onions per day.

Big money machine: Myers expects the farming robot to pay for itself in two to three years, but it does come with a hefty price tag: Carbon Robotics’ CEO Paul Mikesell told the Seattle Times it costs hundreds of thousands of dollars (he declined to provide an exact price).

That’s not an unheard of price range for agriculture equipment, but it could still put the robot out of reach for many farmers, though leasing options are available.

Even farmers who can afford to buy the robot might not be able to get their hands on one for some time — Carbon Robotics has already sold out of the bots it had available for 2021 delivery.

Happy customers: Those who have managed to get their hands on the farming robot appear pleased with its performance, though.

“This is one of the most innovative and valuable technologies that I’ve seen as a farmer,” James Johnson of New Mexico’s Carzalia Farm said in a press release.

“I expect the robots to go mainstream because of how effectively they address some of farming’s most critical issues, including the overuse of chemicals, process efficiency, and labor,” he added.

April 12, 2021 Agricultural Science, Employment/Jobs, General Ag News and Notes, Hawaii Agricultural Employment, Hawaii Agriculture Jobs, Organic Ag Post a Comment

Priva Academy and Hortitech Join Forces

Priva –

With the Priva Academy, we offer knowledge and courses in the field of horticulture. By working together with other parties, we are adding even more horticulture-related knowledge as well as expanding the range of courses we offer. We are therefore pleased to announce that the first agreement with HortiTech has recently been officially signed. The first, brand new course is expected to be available this summer.

March 10, 2021 Agricultural Equipment and Software, General Ag News and Notes Post a Comment

Data Analysis Made Easier and Less Time-Consuming by Integrated Wireless Technology

Priva

Last year, Priva and Aranet signed an exclusive partnership to enable integrated wireless technology in greenhouses. With the integrated solution from Priva and Aranet, it is now possible to connect wireless sensors to Priva’s Open Platform which allows the grower to view and analyze all data from sensors and other systems in the greenhouse in a single overview.

Optimizing strategy based on new insights
The demand for data continues to grow. As a result, the demand for more and new sensors to generate data is also growing. Patrick Dankers, Priva: “In the current way of working, however, growers often spend too much time organizing data. This is at the expense of time for analyzing data. Growers can now link the Priva-Aranet wireless sensors to Priva’s Open Platform. This allows them to view all data clearly in the online application Priva Operator, which can be used to manage climate, water and energy remotely. In this way, growers can analyze their data and change settings based on new insights, all in one overview. The integration of sensor and greenhouse data creates more opportunities for in-depth analyses with which growers can improve their cultivation strategy.”

Advantages of wireless sensors
The climate conditions in the greenhouse are usually not the same everywhere. To detect and react to these possible deviations, you will need (more) sensors on site. However, installing wired sensors involves high costs because it requires new cabling and installation by a service technician. Wireless sensors are cheaper and flexible to install at any location in the greenhouse. Whether you want to measure the microclimate around the top of the plants or around the fruit in the lower part; you can decide which additional data you want to collect to gain more insight into the environment in which the crop is growing.

Collaboration Priva and Aranet
Priva and Aranet entered a partnership in 2020 to enable integrated wireless technology in greenhouses. Patrick Dankers, Priva: “We aim to help growers with every challenge they face. Therefore, we are committed to working with specialized partners and linking them to our open platform. Aranet is one of those partners. They are specialists in wireless technology and have developed an extensive portfolio of wireless sensors for the horticultural market.” The sensors can monitor the following for you, among other things:

Air temperature and humidity
PAR light level- CO₂ level
Water content in the substrate
Salt content (EC) in the substrate
Temperature of the substrate
Weight of the substrate and plants
Micro variation of the stem diameter

February 20, 2020 Agricultural Equipment and Software, General Ag News and Notes Post a Comment

Growing Delicious Tomatoes on NYC’s Fifth Avenue; Infinite Acres and Priva are Featured in Guggenheim Exhibition

Infinite Acres, a full-service, global solutions provider to the indoor horticulture and agriculture industries, and Priva, a globally active developer of high-tech solutions for climate control and process automation, are part of the new Countryside, The Future exhibition at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City, which opened on February 20.

Infinite Acres will grow vining cherry tomatoes in a controlled environment housed in an indoor grow module just outside the museum. Guggenheim patrons and passersby will be able to look through a large window in the grow module to view a crop of fresh tomatoes growing continuously for the next six months under precise conditions and efficient LED lighting.

The grow module will demonstrate how indoor farming can benefit the world through nutritious, pesticide-free, fresh food produced near population centers, with low environmental impact on water and land resources and reduction of carbon emissions associated with long-distance transportation of produce. The Countryside, The Future exhibition will examine political forces, social issues, and environmental factors altering landscapes across the world, including traditional farmlands.

Infinite Acres is a partnership of three companies working together to scale indoor food production through very advanced methods of vertical farming. The tri-venture includes: Netherlands-based Priva Holding BV, a leading provider of technology solutions, services and automation systems to horticultural and other industries; U.S.-based 80 Acres Farms, a leader in technology-assisted indoor growing and a multi-farm operator marketing a wide variety of freshly-harvested vegetables and fruits; and Ocado Group, one of the world’s largest dedicated online grocery retailers, operating its own grocery and general merchandise retail businesses under Ocado.com.

“We are thrilled to be a part of this provocative Guggenheim exhibition, which is aligned with Infinite Acres’ purpose. Our mission is to provide best of breed technology and expertise to grow the highest quality produce near population centers throughout the world,” said Tisha Livingston, chief executive officer of Infinite Acres. “New York residents and visitors will be able to experience how the freshest, tastiest locally-grown tomatoes can be grown year-round indoors on one of the busiest avenues in the world.”

Meiny Prins, CEO of Priva: “The exhibition shows the radical changes in the part of the world identified as ‘countryside’. Currently, this is also where most of our food comes from. Far away from the densely populated cities. In our urbanizing world, this is becoming a problem. Many people don’t know where their food comes from anymore. Let alone that they know what the consequences of our food supply chain are for the environment and our health. If we want to provide the growing world population with sustainably grown, safe and healthy fresh food, we must change our existing situation. Drastically. One of the most important things we can do is integrate the production of fresh produce into metropolitan areas. If cities make food production for their inhabitants a priority within their urban growth planning, we are well on our way! Many new opportunities will arise on an entrepreneurial, economic and social level. Just look at the module outside the museum; healthy, great-tasting tomatoes, grown in the center of New York City.”

For the Guggenheim exhibition, Infinite Acres, 80 Acres Farms and Priva have collaborated on the 700 square foot grow center and all of the state-of-the-art ag-technology within it. While in operation for the next six months outside the Guggenheim Museum, the grow module is expected to harvest 50,000 tomatoes. These hyper-local tomatoes will be donated to e.g. City Harvest, a New York City food rescue organization that safely recovers excess food and distributes it to people in need.

The grow module will feature the most efficient LED lighting, advanced climate controls, and perfected crop recipes demonstrating the capabilities of indoor farming throughout the world.

Infinite Acres is the only full-service solution available today addressing the difficult challenges of season-limiting produce production and the long-distance travel from field to the consumer.

Countryside, The Future will be open to the public through August 14, 2020.

About Infinite Acres
Infinite Acres’ three primary partners – Priva, Ocado Group, and 80 Acres Farms – provide a unique combination of advanced technology and engineering systems, operational mastery, and food and horticultural industries expertise. Infinite Acres will custom-design, build, install, and maintain automated indoor grow centers. Through state-of-the art facilities, it can provide its customers with uniquely developed crop recipes and the right unit economics. In addition, 80 Acres Farms offers the option of facility management for Infinite Acres customers seeking an operating partner responsible for yield guarantees, product packaging, distribution, branding, and marketing. Infinite Acres is headquartered in Delft, Netherlands. For more information, visit www.infinite-acres.com.

About Priva
Priva is a globally active high-tech company that develops hardware, software and services in the field of climate control, process automation, and optimal (re)use of energy and water. Priva’s market covers the fields of horticulture, indoor and city farming, and utility buildings such as offices, retail, hotels and hospitals. Priva has invested in knowledge of both the horticulture and building for several decades. That is why Priva can create the perfect circumstances for growing plants in an indoor facility. With nearly 500 colleagues, 16 local offices in 13 countries, and more than 450 international installation partners, Priva delivers sustainable solutions and services in more than 100 countries. For more information, visit www.priva.com.

About Countryside, The Future
The exhibition addresses urgent environmental, political, and socioeconomic issues through the lens of architect and urbanist Rem Koolhaas and Samir Bantal, Director of AMO, the think tank of the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA). A unique research-based exhibition for the Guggenheim Museum, Countryside, The Future will explore radical changes in the rural, remote, and wild territories collectively identified here as “countryside,” or the 98% of the earth’s surface not occupied by cities. It is organized by Troy Conrad Therrien, Curator, Architecture and Digital Initiatives, in collaboration with Koolhaas, Bantal, and AMO, with Ashley Mendelsohn, Assistant Curator, Architecture and Digital Initiatives. For more information on the exhibition, visit www.guggenheim.org/exhibition/countryside.

Contacts:
Guggenheim:
pressoffice@guggenheim.org

Infinite Acres:
Jack Modzelewski
jack@jackknifePR.com
+01 312 259 2792

Priva:
Corporate Communications
communications.HQ@priva.com
+31 174 522 710