As a mist of rain sprinkled the fields around him in Homestead, Florida, Ford bemoaned how expensive it had been running a fossil fuel-powered irrigation system on his five-acre farm — and how bad it was for the planet.
asserted
it → sprinkle → planet
Earlier this month, Ford installed an automated underground system that uses a solar-powered pump to periodically saturate the roots of his crops, saving "thousands of gallons of water."
asserted
that → instal → water
Although they may be more costly up front, he sees such climate-friendly investments as a necessary expense — and more affordable than expanding his workforce of two.
uncertain
he → see → two
It's "much more efficient," said Ford.
asserted
Ford → say → ?
"We've tried to figure out 'How do we do it?' with the least amount of adding labor."
asserted
we → try → labor
A growing number of companies are bringing automation to agriculture.
asserted
number → grow → agriculture
It could ease the sector's deepening labor shortage, help farmers manage costs, and protect workers from extreme heat.
uncertain
farmers → ease → heat
Automation could also improve yields by bringing greater accuracy to planting, harvesting, and farm management, potentially mitigating some of the challenges of growing food in an ever-warmer world.
uncertain
Automation → improve → world
But many small farmers and producers across the country aren't convinced.
asserted
farmers → convince → country
Barriers to adoption go beyond steep price tags to questions about whether the tools can do the jobs nearly as well as the workers they'd replace.
asserted
they → go → jobs
Some of those same workers wonder what this trend might mean for them, and whether machines will lead to exploitation.
uncertain
machines → wonder → exploitation
Not completely – yet
On some farms, driverless tractors churn through acres of corn, soybeans, lettuce and more.
asserted
tractors → churn → corn
Such equipment is expensive, and requires mastering new tools, but row crops are fairly easy to automate.
asserted
crops → require → tools
Harvesting small, non-uniform and easily damaged fruits like blackberries, or big citruses that take a bit of strength and dexterity to pull off a tree, would be much harder.
asserted
that → harvest → tree
That doesn't deter scientists like Xin Zhang, a biological and agricultural engineer at Mississippi State University.
asserted
That → deter → University
Working with a team at Georgia Institute of Technology, she wants to apply some of the automation techniques surgeons use, and the object recognition power of advanced cameras and computers, to create robotic berry-picking arms that can pluck the fruits without creating a sticky, purple mess.
asserted
that → work → mess
The scientists have collaborated with farmers for field trials, but Zhang isn't sure when the machine might be ready for consumers.
uncertain
machine → collaborate → consumers
Although robotic harvesting is not widespread, a smattering of products have hit the market, and can be seen working from Washington's orchards to Florida's produce farms.
asserted
smattering → hit → farms
"I feel like this is the future," Zhang said.
asserted
Zhang → feel → ?
But where she sees promise, others see problems.
asserted
others → see → problems
Frank James, executive director of grassroots agriculture group Dakota Rural Action, grew up on a cattle and crop farm in northeastern South Dakota.
asserted
James → grow → Dakota
His family once employed a handful of farmhands, but has had to cut back due, in part, to the lack of available labor.
asserted
family → employ → labor
Much of the work is now done by his brother and sister-in-law, while his 80-year-old father occasionally pitches in.
asserted
father → do → law
They swear by tractor autosteer, an automated system that communicates with a satellite to help keep the machine on track.
asserted
that → swear → track
But it can't identify the moisture levels in the fields which can hamstring tools or cause the tractor to get stuck, and requires human oversight to work as it should.
asserted
it → identify → oversight
The technology also complicates maintenance.
asserted
technology → complicate → maintenance
For these reasons, he doubts automation will become the "absolute" future of farm work.
asserted
automation → doubt → work
"You build a relationship with the land, with the animals, with the place that you're producing it.
asserted
you → build → it
And we're moving away from that," said James.
asserted
James → move → that
Some farmers say automation answers labor woes
Tim Bucher grew up on a farm in Northern California and has worked in agriculture since he was 16.
asserted
he → say → agriculture
Dealing with weather issues like drought has always been a fact of life for him, but climate change has brought new challenges as temperatures regularly hit triple digits and blankets of smoke ruin entire vineyards.
asserted
blankets → deal → vineyards
The toll of climate change compounded by labor challenges inspired him to combine his farming experience with his Silicon Valley engineering and startup background to found AgTonomy in 2021.
asserted
toll → compound → 2021
It works with equipment manufacturers like Doosan Bobcat to make automated tractors and other tools.
asserted
It → work → tractors
Since pilot programs started in 2022, Bucher says the company has been "inundated" with customers, mainly vineyard and orchard growers in California and Washington.
asserted
company → start → California
Those who follow the sector say farmers, often skeptical of new technology, will consider automation if it will make their business more profitable and their lives easier.
asserted
lives → follow → automation
Will Brigham, a dairy and maple farmer in Vermont, sees such tools as solutions to the nation's agricultural workforce shortage.
asserted
Brigham → see → shortage
"A lot of farmers are struggling with labor," he said, citing the "high competition" with jobs where "you don't have to deal with weather.
asserted
you → struggle → weather
Since 2021, Brigham's family farm has been using Farmblox, an AI-powered farm monitoring and management system that helps them get ahead of issues like leaks in tubing used in maple production.
asserted
them → use → production
Six months ago, he joined the company as a senior sales engineer to help other farmers embrace technology like it.
asserted
farmers → join → it
"
Workers worry about losing jobs, or their rights, to automation
Detasseling corn used to be a rite of passage for some young people in the Midwest.
asserted
Detasseling → worry → Midwest
…and 41 more, not listed.
The Aporia
