Automation comes to farming, raising concerns among migrant workers
Summary
Farmers and researchers are adopting automated tools to reduce labor needs, manage costs and improve farming efficiency. But high prices, limits on what machines can do and concerns about the effects on farm workers have slowed adoption, especially among smaller farms.Key Facts
- A farmer named Ford installed a solar-powered underground irrigation system on his five-acre farm in Homestead, Florida, to use less water and reduce labor needs.
- Farm automation may help address labor shortages, control costs, protect workers from extreme heat and improve planting and harvesting accuracy.
- Driverless tractors and satellite-guided autosteer systems are used on some farms, but they still require human oversight.
- Robotic harvesting is difficult for delicate or irregularly shaped crops, including berries and citrus fruit.
- Researchers Xin Zhang and colleagues are developing robotic arms to pick berries, but Zhang said it is unclear when the machine will be ready for consumers.
- Frank James of Dakota Rural Action said his family's autosteer system cannot detect field moisture and can complicate equipment maintenance.
- Some farmers and workers worry that machines may not perform as well as human workers and could affect farm employment.
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