HudsonAlpha Wiregrass

This semester, our WIREGRASS Peanut Teachers truly took the lead! 🌱 Educators across the region guided their students through hands‑on lessons in peanut extraction — bringing the WIREGRASS Peanut Project to life in their own classrooms. They’re not just teaching science; they’re inspiring the next generation of innovators, problem‑solvers, and ag leaders — one peanut at a time. 🥜✨ #HudsonAlphaWiregrass #Educators #WIREGRASSPeanutProject

Harvest season is here in the Wiregrass! 🌱 Peanuts are rolling through the thresher at the Wiregrass Research & Extension Center, marking another successful harvest — and the perfect kickoff to the National Peanut Festival in Dothan! 🥜Here’s to celebrating the growers, researchers, and communities that make the Peanut Capital of the World proud!👏 #NationalPeanutFestival #WiregrassPride #AgInnovation #HudsonAlphaWiregrass

💡 Innovation meets agriculture! 🌱 Dustin and Ann joined the Grand Farm "St. Louis AgTech Experience," visiting Danforth Plant Science Center, 39 North,  Pivot Bio,  Bayer,  and Anheuser‑Busch to explore the breakthroughs shaping the future of farming and AgTech. #HudsonAlphaWiregrass

Help us welcome Dustin Herring: Herring recently joined the Wiregrass team as the Wiregrass Agricultural Project Manager, where he will manage field research on the WIREGRASS Peanut Project and collaborating with HudsonAlpha’s economic development team to evaluate agricultural technologies and their applicability to local farms and farmers. A native of Hartford, Herring earned both his master's and bachelor’s degrees from Auburn University, where his education included fieldwork studying the economic impact of nematodes in peanuts and cotton, as well as instructing graduate classes in plant pathology. Director Dean Mitchell stated, “With his background in row crops, research and business, Dustin brings valuable insight that will make him a key connection for our local farmers and the broader ag community. In his new role, he’ll also help evaluate and recruit ag technology companies, further strengthening job opportunities in Dothan and the Wiregrass.” We are excited to work with Dustin and look forward to seeing the great things he accomplishes! #HudsonAlphaWiregrass

Have you ever wondered why we’re working to improve peanuts right here in the Wiregrass? Farmers know every season brings its own challenges. Disease, drought, and pests can all cut into yield and profit. By developing peanuts that can stand up to our local threats, we’re helping make sure Wiregrass producers can count on healthy, high-quality harvests for years to come. Swipe through to learn about a few important traits we’re focusing on in the Wiregrass PEANUT Project! #WIREGRASSPeanutProject #PeanutTraits #Research #HudsonAlphaWiregrass

🌾 Agriculture isn’t just Alabama’s heritage — it’s our future. Innovation is transforming how we grow, produce, and sustain the food and fiber that power our communities. And the next generation is the key to that future. That’s why HudsonAlpha Wiregrass proudly applauds the launch of the START Ag Entrepreneurship Program — Students Transforming Agriculture through Research and Technology. Powered by Alabama Power, with support from Wiregrass RC&D and Alabama Cooperative Extension, this program will launch this fall in Geneva County and Geneva City Schools, helping students turn science and technology into real-world ag solutions. 🚜 Everything STARTs with Ag! #STARTsWithAg

Dean attended “Bring Football to Life Through Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Math!” at the Izell Reese Community Center in Dothan. Hosted by the RCX Sports Foundation, the event combined the excitement of football with the creativity of STEAM, giving K–6 students a fun, hands-on look at how science, technology, engineering, arts, and math shape the game and inspire future careers. #HudsonAlphaWiregrass #STEM

This week, we’re spotlighting Pandian Rajaram and Priyanka Kumari and their growing business, See Produce! Co-founder Priyanka Kumari says, “My parents would always remind me to finish every last bit on my plate. While I didn't fully appreciate the lesson as a child, it finally clicked when I started cooking for myself as an adult. That's when I truly understood the effort that goes into every bite.” Kumari is determined to minimize food waste, so she uses her strengths by driving See Produce’s technical strategy and business growth through expert leadership in machine learning and software development. With over five years of hands-on development experience, she specializes in building end-to-end AI systems that transform massive datasets into actionable business intelligence. So the duo teamed up and founded See Produce with a clear mission: leverage AI to make food last longer in people’s homes and reduce the enormous waste of perfectly edible produce. The vision of See Produce is simple yet powerful: if households across the country can waste just a little less each week, the cumulative savings in money, food, and environmental impact would be transformative. In the face of a $261-billion national waste problem, See Produce stands as a reminder that innovation often begins at home; literally, in the kitchen. By blending AI, user-friendly tools, and a mission of sustainability, Rajaram and Kumari are proving that technology can help consumers save money, keep food fresher longer, and respect the hard work that goes into every meal. We’re proud to work with See Produce and can’t wait to see what’s next! To learn more about See Produce visit their website: https://seeproduce.com/. #SeeProduce #NavigateSpotlight #HudsonAlphaWiregrass

HudsonAlpha is harnessing the power of community to support entrepreneurs. Meet See Produce, started by Pandian Rajaram and Priyanka Kumari, a company that blends cutting-edge artificial intelligence with practical grocery management tools to help reduce waste, improve food safety, and empower consumers. Both Rajaram and Kumari are participants in our Navigate mentoring program. In 2023, the United States threw away an estimated 61 billion pounds of food, about 31% of the available supply, valued at a staggering $261 billion. This isn’t just a financial loss; it’s a burden on farmers, a drain on natural resources, and a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Motivated by these urgent challenges, Rajaram and Kumari set out to create See Produce. By helping families make better decisions; using technology as a guide, See Produce aims to reduce waste, save money, and ease the strain on food producers and the environment. “Food waste is solvable,” says co-founder Priyanka Kumari. “We just need smarter tools to help people act before it’s too late. That’s the future we’re building with See Produce.” We’re proud to support Pandian Rajaram and Priyanka Kumari through Navigate, and we look forward to sharing more of their story this week! #SeeProduce #NavigateSpotlight #HudsonAlphaWiregrass

Our team had the chance to leave our mark—literally—on the floors of the Wiregrass Innovation Center! We filled the space with motivational quotes and messages. We’re so excited for this next chapter and can’t wait to see how the work happening in this building will inspire and impact our community! #HudsonAlphaWiregrass #WiregrassInnovationCenter #LeavingOurMark