Jul 26, 2024

FIRA preview: Tech for veg growers big part of robotics conference

The third iteration of the International Forum of Agricultural Robotics, known as FIRA-USA, plans to offer growers of vegetables and berries as well as tree fruit and nuts a view of the state of specialty crop robotics and automation. 

Scheduled for Oct. 22-24 in Woodland, California, 11 miles from the Sacramento International Airport, FIRA USA is set to provide growers and other industry personnel the opportunity to view new agricultural technology in action. 

The conference’s focus is to afford growers the opportunity to network, exchange feedback and to learn more about existing solutions through grower roundtables on specific crops, said Gwendoline Legrand, co-director for show sponsor FIRA and GOFAR (Global Organization for Agricultural Robotics). 

“The end-users are the key. You can not develop disruptive solutions without having them in the loop,” Legrand said. “They need to share their vision, they need to touch, to test, to say ‘No, I want this that way’ and finally, get the exact systems that work for them. The growers’ needs is where everything started for FIRA. We are not showcasing and presenting robots and autonomous solutions as an end by themselves. Those machines need to represent a proper solution to specific needs, as diverse as the farmers are. The manufacturers understand that, and are very often building the solutions together with the growers, directly operating in the fields.”

Free grower admission

This year growers will receive free admission, a longtime World FIRA Europe policy that allows even more industry stakeholders and small to large-scale growers to leave the event with more autonomous and robotics technology information and vision, Legrand said.

New sponsorships from the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission and the California Almond Board should prompt interest from other commodity boards and research institutes and motivate them to organize specific programs for their growers, Legrand said.

As previous FIRAs explored many topics relating to ag robotics, organizers want this year’s education component to be as relevant as possible for growers, and include sessions designed to discuss issues growers are facing and existing autonomous solutions for individual crops, she said. Commodity group and research involvement are critical.

Panelists are set to share stories on how the industry is “automation-ready” and provide examples of vendors working in the space with commodity groups and universities, Legrand said.

Tech solutions

The educational portion includes crop-specific themed roundtables covering topics including autonomous irrigation solutions for speciality crops, addressing automation needs in the vegetable industry and berry industry tech. 

Autonomous irrigation solutions use IoT sensors, machine learning and real-time data analytics to improve water delivery, meeting crops’ diverse needs and reducing waste. Technologies including drones, automated drip systems and smart sprinklers adjust irrigation based on soil moisture, weather and plant health. The session is to highlight AgTech’s effectiveness, economic and environmental benefits and challenges including initial costs and integration with existing infrastructure.

In a roundtable discussion focusing on the vegetable industry’s automation requirements, participants will examine the integration of robotics and automation technologies to improve planting, harvesting, processing and packaging processes. Jennifer Clarke, executive director of the California Leafy Greens Research Board, is one of the scheduled speakers. 

In the Addressing Automation Needs in the berries industry session, industry representatives will discuss how robotics and automation technologies can improve grower tasks. Participants will identify areas for automation implementation, best practices and changes to improve berry industry efficiencies and sustainability. 

Real-life field demos will display existing autonomous solutions from a variety of AgTech firms. FIRA plans to include suppliers of autonomous irrigation solutions, a big leap forward for this year’s edition, she said. 

To allow growers to lace their boots and trek through fields to see automation in action, a new event is being offered — a pre- show bus tour, Oct. 17- 21. The Cal Ag Robotics Discovery Tour is scheduled to show growers and other industry participants the latest in agricultural technology by visiting a wide range of farms and crops using tech across the Sacramento, Central and Salinas valleys. 

Through viewing the operations’ daily challenges and the solutions they use, the tour will allow participants to immerse themselves in and deepen their market understanding of tech in California’s leading and most powerful growers, Legrand said. The five-day tour will bring a broad vision into fruit and nut trees, vineyards and berries, vegetables, including tomatoes and leafy greens, and supply a network of growers and participants at the stops, she said. 

“This is what is impressive with many ag robots: They are versatile, they can adapt,” Legrand said. “This is also what we do with FIRA, through traveling across California to meet different growers, and present what could be their next-gen machines.” 

The show will also tackle commodity commission funding, industry collaboration and automation readiness, with sessions showing participants the need for funding and investment to move products across the finish line, Legrand said. 

France-based GOFAR is a nonprofit organization that promotes and develops the agricultural robotics sector at international level. 

For more information, visit fira- usa.com.itial costs and integration with existing infrastructure.