From California to Copenhagen: From Farms to Incubators in Denmark
A delegation of food and agriculture leaders from California will visit Copenhagen to learn more about agtec. Photo credit: Kristoffer Trolle/Wikimedia Commons.
From Farms to Incubators, a non-profit that focuses on telling the stories of women innovators in food and farming, will join the University of California Inland California Innovation Project and California Department of Food & Agriculture delegation to Denmark, a global leader in sustainable agriculture and circular bioeconomy innovation. As part of this cross-continental exchange, Lauryl Gonzalez, a participant in From Farms to Incubators’ menteeship program, will be reporting and documenting the trip through stories, photos, and videos. Led by Gonzalez’s coverage, we will be connecting with Danish innovators to amplify stories about AgTech and the greener bioeconomy, and bringing back insights that can shape California’s agricultural future through the Labor & Automation in California Agriculture (LACA) initiative, a UC-wide research effort focused on food system resilience, AgTech innovation, and sustainable agriculture.
From Farms to Incubators is supporting the project focused on building a climate-resilient and inclusive bioeconomy in California’s Central Valley. The University of California Inland California Innovation Project’s effort is part of a larger UC Office of the President initiative on Labor and Automation in California Agriculture. The delegation and trip were led by the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Undersecretary Christine Birdsong, LACA Director Thomas Harmon, an environmental technologist at UC Merced, David Zilberman, an agricultural economist at UC Berkeley, and John Zysman, a political economist and co-founder of the Berkeley Roundtable on the International Economy. The collaboration is being facilitated by Søren Jørgensen, CEO of Bigadan Americas. It was inspired in part by Innovation in Real Places, a book by Dan Breznitz, an innovation expert from the University of Toronto, which argues that regions can thrive by building on their own strengths rather than trying to imitate Silicon Valley.
The itinerary includes visits to biogas facilities, dairy farms, and research institutions, where we’ll engage with innovators and thought leaders offering fresh perspectives on agriculture. Through interviews and on-the-ground reporting, we aim to deepen our understanding of the industry’s role in climate resilience, inclusive economic growth, and equity while gathering compelling content to advance UC Merced’s storytelling and strategic vision for climate-resilient agriculture.
Follow our journey and read stories posted in our newsfeed and social media platforms as we connect with global thinkers, gather practical insights, and elevate voices shaping the future of AgriFoodTech across borders and back home in California.
