Posts By: Ben Palone
AgTech Adoption Starts with the Economics
There is a fundamental Catch-22 facing specialty crop agriculture today: growers increasingly need technology to address rising labor and production costs, but those same economic pressures make it harder to justify investing in new technology. Christina Herrick recently explored this challenge in The Packer, bringing together perspectives from growers, technology companies, researchers and…
The 2026 Crop Robotics Landscape: Tracking an Industry in Motion
Two years of work. More than 400 companies. Fifteen different task segments. And an agricultural robotics industry that continues to change rapidly. Last week, I was fortunate to participate in a panel discussion hosted by Sarah Masterson with the California AgTech Alliance focused on the 2026 Crop Robotics Landscape, developed by Chris Taylor and Michael Rose of The Mixing Bowl and Better…
California and Queensland Partner on the Future of Agriculture
A new agreement between California and Queensland, Australia, is creating opportunities to accelerate agricultural innovation by connecting growers, researchers, technology companies and government partners across two of the world’s most important agricultural regions. I recently traveled to Sacramento for the signing of a landmark five-year agreement between the State of California and…
Automated Harvesting: Progress Is Happening in the Field
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…