For the first time in five years, FIRA USA ventured outside California, bringing one of the country’s premier agricultural robotics events to Yakima, Washington. While the scenery and crops changed, the mission remained the same: bringing growers, technology companies, researchers, and industry leaders together to accelerate the development and adoption of agricultural automation.
With more than 2,000 attendees, strong participation from local growers and an impressive lineup of field demonstrations, FIRA USA 2026 demonstrated the continued momentum behind agricultural robotics.
A Strong Start: Western Growers VIP Dinner
The week began Monday evening with a VIP dinner led by Western Growers, bringing together growers, technology companies, and industry leaders for an evening of networking, collaboration and some friendly competition between California and Washington agriculture.
These opportunities are an important part of what makes FIRA valuable. While field demonstrations showcase what technologies can do, the conversations between growers and technology developers help determine what those technologies need to do next.
For Western Growers Innovation, creating opportunities for these conversations remains a priority, helping ensure technology development aligns with the operational and economic realities of commercial farming.
RESERVOIR Expands into Washington
Another significant announcement came from RESERVOIR Farms, which unveiled plans for a new location in Prosser, Washington.
The expansion represents an important opportunity to accelerate agricultural technology development and validation in the Pacific Northwest. With Washington’s substantial specialty crop production, particularly apples, cherries and pears, the region offers unique opportunities for robotics companies to develop and validate technologies under real-world commercial conditions.
The expansion also reinforces the importance of building an agricultural innovation ecosystem that connects growers, technology developers, and validation resources across multiple growing regions.
From Conference Conversations to Orchard Demonstrations
Throughout the conference, attendees had opportunities to engage with technology companies and see equipment demonstrated in the field.
One of the week’s highlights came Thursday, following the main conference, when attendees visited a commercial apple orchard for additional live demonstrations.
Several technologies stood out, including Mini GUSS, Burro equipped with SBW’s smart spraying and integrated implement control technologies, and Kingman Ag demonstrating its autonomy retrofit solution.
From purpose-built autonomous machines to retrofit solutions that leverage existing equipment, growers were able to evaluate different approaches to automation against the realities of their operations.
The Home Field Advantage
Having spent the previous several years helping turn parking lots into demonstration farms for FIRA USA in California, I understand firsthand the effort required to make these events successful.
This year, Washington had the home field advantage, and the local team made the most of it.
A special recognition goes to Ines Hanrahan, whose leadership, dedication, and ability to bring people together have been instrumental in making FIRA USA what it is today. Ines understands that successful events are not simply about showcasing impressive machines. They are about building relationships, creating meaningful opportunities for growers, and ensuring the agricultural robotics ecosystem continues moving forward.
Her commitment, alongside the GOFAR team and Washington’s local agricultural partners, helped make the transition to Yakima a success.
Looking Ahead: Florida in 2027
FIRA USA 2026 demonstrated that agricultural robotics innovation is not confined to one state, crop, or growing region.
With FIRA USA heading to Florida in 2027, the event will have another opportunity to engage a new agricultural community, showcase different specialty crops, and introduce technology companies to new operational challenges.
Congratulations to Ines, GOFAR, the Washington State Tree Fruit Association and everyone involved in making FIRA USA 2026 a success. California passed the baton to Washington, and now Washington will pass it to Florida, continuing the mission of accelerating practical, commercially viable solutions for growers.