The past several weeks have provided an encouraging look at the progress being made in specialty crop automation, particularly automated harvesting.

Across multiple field days, grower trials, and technology events, Western Growers has had the opportunity to work alongside growers, technology companies, researchers, and international partners to evaluate emerging technologies under real agricultural conditions.

The activity has included SAMI AgTech demonstrating automated harvesting in broccoli and romaine lettuce; Beagle Technologies demonstrating automated celery harvesting; international collaboration with Australian growers and industry partners; technology development at Reservoir Farms; and conversations with growers about what these technologies must accomplish before widespread commercial adoption becomes realistic.

One theme has been consistent throughout these activities: demonstrating that a machine can perform a task is only the beginning.

For growers, the more important questions involve reliability, productivity, crop quality, labor requirements, serviceability, and economics.

Can the technology perform consistently throughout a commercial day?

Can it operate under changing field and crop conditions?

Does it integrate with existing farming and harvesting operations?

And ultimately, does it provide enough economic value to justify adoption?

Those questions become particularly important in harvesting.

Harvest represents one of the largest concentrations of labor in specialty crop production and remains one of agriculture’s most difficult automation challenges. Crops are variable, growing conditions constantly change, and harvesting systems must identify, cut, handle and transport highly perishable products without compromising quality.

At the same time, progress is clearly occurring.

Over the coming weeks, this newsletter series will highlight several recent examples, including automated broccoli, celery, romaine and iceberg lettuce harvesting; lessons learned from Australian growers visiting California; technology development at Reservoir Farms; and a new approach Western Growers is taking toward field demonstrations.

The objective is not simply to showcase new technology.

Western Growers’ goal is to help create an environment where growers and technology developers can work together to determine what works, what doesn’t, and what needs to improve before these technologies can deliver measurable value on commercial farms.

The road to commercially viable automated harvesting remains challenging.

But increasingly, that road is running directly through commercial fields.