Washington Business Fall 2016 | Washington Business

washington business editorial staff Kris Johnson, Publisher Jason Hagey, Executive Editor Bobbi Cussins, Communications Manager Brian Mittge, Staff Writer/Photo Editor Brian Temple, Digital Media Coordinator J-Anne Nepomuceno, Editorial Assistant awb officers Mike Schwenk, Chair of the Board UniWest, Pasco Wendy Sancewich, Vice Chair What’s Ahead The Future of Farming Jason Hagey, Executive Editor RSM, Seattle Tom Pucci, Secretary/Treasurer Expedia, Bellevue Doug Bayne, Immediate Past Chair Walla Walla Community College Foundation, Walla Walla awb executive team Kris Johnson, President Gary Chandler, VP, Government Affairs Jason Hagey, VP, Communications Greg Welch, Director of Finance PO Box 658, Olympia, WA 98507-0658 T 360.943.1600 F 360.943.5811 www.awb.org Letters are welcomed, but must be signed to be considered for publication. Please include contact information for verification. Reproduction of articles appearing in Washington Business magazine is authorized for personal use only, with credit given to Washington Business magazine and/ or the Association of Washington Business. Articles written by outside authors do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of AWB, its officers, staff or members. Products and services advertised in Washington Business magazine are not necessarily endorsed by AWB, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of AWB, its officers, staff or members. Washington Business magazine is the official quarterly publication of the Association of Washington Business. The annual subscription rate is $24.00, and individual copies may be purchased for $3.95. For subscription requests and magazine purchases, please contact the Association of Washington Business, P.O. Box 658, Olympia, WA 98507. washington business is designed by: Daniels-Brown Communications T 360.705.3058 www.danielsbrown.com advertising inquiries may be directed to: The Silver Agency 122 S. Market Blvd., Chehalis, WA 98532 T 360.736.8065 F 360.330.7960 www.silveragency.com If your picture of high-tech farming is a tractor with air conditioning and a CD player, you need to read this edition’s cover story from contributing writer Richard Davis. Robots, drones and satellites are poised to make a big impact on the world of agriculture in the coming years, creating opportunities for Washington growers. Agriculture is one of the state’s most important sectors, so anything with the potential to dramatically change the industry is worth exploring. As Davis notes, the $49 billion food and agriculture industry employs 160,000 people and represents 13 percent of the state’s economy. The role of high-tech in the ag sector has already produced spectacular results for both productivity and cons

Washington Business Fall 2016 | Washington Business | Page 5