What: George Washington started a revolution from his farm at Mount Vernon. Find out how it has evolved into the farming revolution of today and what it means for the future. Drones, robots, artificial intelligence, and big data will seed the future of farming as much as plants and animals. Join us for a behind-the-scenes look at the historic Mount Vernon estate to see firsthand how agricultural innovation has evolved over the last 300 years. Learn how the SmartFarm Innovation Network and Virginia Tech’s Center for Advanced Innovation in Agriculture in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences are working to develop technologies that will feed a growing—and hungry—global population.

Visuals: reporters will take a behind-the-scenes wagon ride tour of Mount Vernon’s historic stables and gardens where Virginia Tech SmartFarm Innovation Network researchers will demo how they are using sensors on horses and robotics to convert data into usable information for farmers. A robot will be onsite to showcase how it monitors crops and communicates with drones to detect growing patterns.

Who: Robin White, assistant professor, Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Center for Advanced Innovation in Agriculture at the Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences



Hasan Seyyedhasani, assistant professor, Automation and Connected Technologies in the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences at the Virginia Tech College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

Sam Murphy, Manager of Historic Trades at Mount Vernon

When: October 20, 2021 from 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.



Where: George Washington’s Mount Vernon
3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Hwy
Mt. Vernon, VA  22121



**Parking: media should park in the CCVC visitor parking & overflow area that is located by the Mount Vernon Inn restaurant at the 4-way stop. Use the callbox and let security know that you are here for the Virginia Tech event. View map and b-roll footage here: www.mountvernon.org/presskit/



Media RSVP: To attend the media event at Mount Vernon, please RSVP by October 19 to Shannon Andrea in the Virginia Tech media relations office at sandrea@vt.edu or call 703-399-9494.

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