Automation the Answer To Easing Ag Labor Issues in 2023
November 30, 2022 Perhaps the hottest farming issue entering 2023 revolves around the cost and scarcity of labor.
In turn, technology and equipment suppliers to the vegetable industry cannot say enough about the prospect of automation becoming more prevalent in the New Year:
“We expect more and more growers to move in the direction of automation and technology, specifically in cultivation and harvest. With the decreased availability and increased cost of labor, there is a need for labor-saving equipment to offset these pressures. The number of machines and technology available to growers is increasing dramatically.” — Joseph Sutton, Operations Manager, Sutton Agricultural Enterprises
“Necessity is the mother of innovation, and 2022 has been the inflection year for the fresh produce supply chain. Margin of error for most stakeholders has narrowed significantly due to multiple supply chain, labor, and climate change challenges the industry has been facing the last three years. The industry now internalizes that it must transform the way it runs quality assurance — making it more objective, consistent, and preferably with 50% less of labor requirements — in order to dramatically reduce quality mismatches between sellers and buyers.” — Elad Mardix, CEO, Clarifruit
“If we learned anything during the COVID pandemic, it was the vulnerability of the supply chain and labor market. Currently, growers are reaching out to us more than ever for help to find solutions to labor shortages on the farm. They are facing challenges with increased labor cost, fewer number of people willing to work in the field, and a growing trend of laborers walking off the job during the season. This is placing an enormous burden on the farm managers, who often must work nights, running from field to field operating pumps and changing valve sets during irrigation. Cloud-based automation allows the farmer manager to control, monitor, and manage more than ever before with fewer people.” — Josh Brown; CID Director of Sales, Irrigation-Mart
OnTarget electrostatic autonomous sprayer. (Photo: OnTarget Spray Systems)
“Growers across the board tell [us] that labor is their No. 1 issue. Labor costs have skyrocketed and some regions now have an eight-hour workday. Increased hourly rates and now overtime is hard to absorb. The labor shortage is hard to navigate and local labor is drying up. Many [growers] are willing to invest in automation if it is available because this isn’t a short-term problem. We are working with several companies that are developing autonomous vehicles that will perform duties like spraying, mowing, and harvest assist.” — Willie Hartman, President, OnTarget Spray Systems
“Utilizing drones for agriculture is becoming more widespread as the technology develops. The various facets of drone technology are constantly advancing, pushing the previous limits on battery capacities, flight distances, and coverage accuracy. Combining biological control agents with drone delivery systems is growing rapidly and will likely continue expanding for many years to come.” — Cody Seals, U.S. Product Manager, Beneficial Insectary
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