For as long as I’ve worked in and around agriculture, I’ve heard the same misconception repeated: growers are slow to adopt new technology. I don’t believe that’s true.
In fact, I think agriculture is one of the most innovative industries in the world. The difference is that growers have always demanded proof before making an investment. They aren’t resistant to innovation; they’re disciplined investors. That distinction has never been more important than it is today.
As computer vision, artificial intelligence, robotics, machine learning and automation rapidly reshape specialty crop agriculture, we’re entering a new chapter of innovation. The technologies are more sophisticated than anything our industry has seen before, but the fundamental question every grower asks hasn’t changed: Will this improve my operation enough to justify the investment?
That question has become the foundation of the work we’re doing through the Western Growers Innovation team and our financial case study program.
Innovation Has Always Been Part of Agriculture
Agriculture has never stood still. Long before anyone talked about artificial intelligence or autonomous equipment, growers were adopting technologies that fundamentally changed how fresh produce was grown, harvested, cooled, transported and marketed.
Ice-packed railcars made it possible to ship lettuce and other perishable crops across the country while maintaining quality. Vacuum cooling revolutionized post-harvest handling by rapidly removing field heat and extending shelf life. Plastic packaging transformed food safety, freshness, transportation and merchandising. Mechanical harvesting aids, precision irrigation, GPS guidance, improved breeding and countless other innovations have continuously reshaped the economics of farming.
None of these technologies were adopted because they were new. They were adopted because they solved real problems and delivered measurable value.
Around 2017, however, agriculture entered a different era of innovation. Instead of simply improving machines, companies began developing machines that could see, learn, analyze and make decisions. Computer vision, deep learning, machine learning, artificial intelligence, autonomous navigation and advanced robotics introduced capabilities that had never before existed in commercial agriculture.
These technologies opened extraordinary possibilities. But they also introduced a new challenge. How do growers evaluate technologies whose value isn’t always immediately obvious?
Innovation Doesn’t Drive Adoption—Proof Does
Over the past several years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with hundreds of growers, startup companies, equipment manufacturers and investors. One lesson has become remarkably clear. Technology alone rarely drives purchasing decisions. Economic confidence does.
Every equipment purchased competes against countless other priorities on the farm. Whether it’s replacing a tractor, upgrading irrigation infrastructure, investing in automation or purchasing new harvesting equipment, every decision ultimately comes back to economics.
Growers don’t buy technology because it’s exciting. They invest because they believe it will improve profitability, reduce risk, solve labor challenges, improve operational efficiency or create a competitive advantage. The companies that understand this distinction are consistently the ones gaining traction in the marketplace.
Why We Built the Western Growers Case Study Program
One of the reasons Senior Vice President of Innovation Walt Duflock and I launched the Western Growers Innovation financial case study program was because we saw a disconnect between how technology companies presented their products and how growers evaluated investments.
Too often, I heard statements like: “This technology saves labor,” “It improves efficiency,” “Our customers love it” and “It increases yield.” While those statements may all be true, they don’t answer the questions growers ask before writing a purchase order. How much labor does it save? How many acres can it realistically cover? What does implementation cost? What is the annual operating expense? How long is the payback period? What is the return on investment? Who will fix this technology when it breaks?
Working alongside our most innovative growers willing to share operational and financial information, we’ve developed case studies that document technology adoption under real commercial farming conditions. We evaluate labor requirements, implementation costs, equipment utilization, operational efficiencies, reliability and financial performance—not to promote one company over another, but to provide credible information that growers can use to make informed decisions.
For technology developers, these case studies provide another valuable benefit. They offer direct insight into the financial metrics growers actually care about—helping companies better understand how to position and improve their products for commercial success.
Quantitative Data Builds Confidence
One of the biggest takeaways from our work is that not all evidence carries equal weight. Qualitative information absolutely matters, and so does ease of use, operator experience, customer support, reliability and training requirements. These all influence adoption.
But when growers prepare to make a significant capital investment, quantitative information becomes the deciding factor, such as measured labor savings, documented productivity improvements, verified operating costs, machine utilization, acres covered per day and return on investment. These are the numbers that transform curiosity into confidence. Every additional piece of measurable data reduces uncertainty. And reducing uncertainty makes adoption easier.
Relationships Still Matter
While data drives confidence, relationships make the data possible. Agriculture has always been a relationship business. The growers who participate in our case studies are sharing information that most businesses closely protect. Production costs, labor data, equipment utilization and operational performance aren’t numbers that companies casually publish. They participate because they trust that the information will ultimately benefit the industry.
The same is true for startups and OEMs. The companies that consistently earn grower confidence are rarely those with the flashiest demonstrations or the biggest funding announcements. They’re the companies that spend time in the field. They listen before they sell. They invite feedback. They adapt their products based on real-world experience. They build partnerships instead of transactions. Technology may begin in an engineering lab. Successful commercialization almost always begins in the field.
Sell Today’s ROI, Not Tomorrow’s Vision
If I could offer one piece of advice to every startup founder and equipment manufacturer entering agriculture, it would be this: Sell today’s return on investment, not tomorrow’s roadmap. Nearly every company has an exciting vision for future software releases, expanded crop capabilities, improved artificial intelligence or next-generation hardware. Innovation should never stop.
But growers don’t purchase future possibilities. They purchase today’s capabilities. A technology that demonstrates measurable financial value today is significantly more compelling than one promising transformational improvements several years from now.
Future innovation should strengthen the investment—not justify it.
The Future of AgTech Adoption
As labor challenges continue, regulations evolve, water becomes more constrained and production costs rise, innovation will play an increasingly important role in the future of specialty crop agriculture. I don’t believe the technologies that succeed will necessarily be those with the most sophisticated engineering or the most impressive demonstrations. I believe they’ll be the ones that can clearly prove value.
That’s ultimately what our Western Growers Innovation case studies are designed to accomplish. For growers, they provide independent, real-world information to support better investment decisions. For startups and OEMs, they provide a roadmap for how technology should be evaluated, communicated and commercialized. Innovation has never been the challenge in agriculture. Proving its value has always been the key to adoption.
The next generation of agricultural innovation won’t be defined solely by artificial intelligence, robotics or automation. It will be defined by the companies that can translate those technologies into measurable economic outcomes for growers. Because at the end of the day, innovation may capture attention—but quantifiable return on investment earns trust, drives adoption and ultimately determines long-term success.
As we continue expanding the Western Growers Innovation case study program, I want to recognize three companies that stepped forward first: Braga Fresh, JV Smith Companies and Terranova Ranch. Each of these organizations, represented by leaders who also serve on the Western Growers Board of Directors, recognized that moving our industry forward requires more than investing in innovation—it requires a willingness to share knowledge.
By opening their operations and contributing real-world operational and economic data, they have helped establish a new benchmark for how agricultural technologies should be evaluated. Their leadership extends beyond their own farming operations; it is an investment in the future of specialty crop agriculture. I hope their example inspires more growers and technology companies to participate in future case studies so that, together, we can build the credible, data-driven foundation that accelerates innovation, strengthens grower decision-making and benefits our entire industry.