Ag Business at World Ag Expo
Veda Farming has brought the best in innovative farming equipment to producers in Monterey County for more than two decades. For the last ten years, they’ve been able to expand their reach by exhibiting at the World Ag Expo. But, that’s not the only international aspect of the company. According to show officials, an estimated annual average of 102,000 individuals from 65 countries attend World Ag Expo each year. Veda Farming in unique in that it is based in Salinas, California but its products are sourced from around the world.
Sam Stoffers, a salesman for Veda Farming said the company tailors to their customer’s needs.
“What we do is we specialized in all sorts of different and new technology in farm equipment. We go to Italy and travel around Europe every year looking for brands we can import and represent. Mostly for the fresh vegetable market but we’re also branching out into the orchards, vineyards and anything else that we can find a solution for the farmer,” Stoffers said. Stoffers says the owner, Davide Verdardi is of Italian decent. He spent his life representing different brands, researching farm equipment, and building his knowledge of the industry’s needs for specialty equipment. “Through all that time he spent learning, David was able to develop this company where we can pick and choose the best piece of farm equipment from each brand. We don’t represent an entire line of anything.” He added, “Because of that we aren’t tied to any products we don’t like. We search for the very best product for the farmer and that’s what we bring to the table.”
The central coast company has implements for large and small vegetable operations, berries, orchards, vineyards and hemp farms. In February, the implements were showcased in Tulare for the World Ag Expo where this year’s show theme was “Taking Care of Ag Business.” That’s something Stoffers says was done well.
“It’s a great opportunity to show off the new machinery. This year my boss and I focused on bringing everything single thing to our booth that is brand new, or the most impressive version of that machine.” Stoffers said. “For example, instead of bringing a regular reverse tiller, we’ve got a high-chambered reversed tiller that can make a tall strawberry bed, while putting out fertilizer, drip tape and the plastic behind it, all at the same time. It’s worked out well and a lot of people have responded to the new equipment.”
Veda Farming exhibited products like the reverse tiller and many others at the show. Keeping sustainability in mind, Stoffers says the products they have reducing the amount of passes, horse power, compaction fuel and labor and all while improving the quality, efficiency and sustainability along the way. “Our main goal is how can we reduce the time we can spend in the field and how can we reduce the fuel used to get the finished product whether that’s transplanting, cultivating, harvesting or shredding. Stoffers said. “Every single machine we have, can most of the time, half the amount of work you have to do and do it with a smaller tractor. So to the point of sustainability, you can’t get much better than that.”