to the SCAR, “It is estimated that H-2A jobs now constitute approximately 10 to 15 percent of U.S. full-time equivalent jobs in crop agriculture.” But a growing dependency on H-2A certifications comes with its own intricacies. According to the SCAR, incorporating mechanization and automation of farm operations may decrease the reliance on H-2A, but the benefits of automation may take time to manifest. The growing cost of labor is just one of the elements that contributes to a grower’s overall cost, though it’s a substantial one. “Growers indicate that labor typically accounts for more than 50 percent of their total production costs,” the SCAR notes, “and most expect labor costs to grow at 10-30 percent over the next three to five years.” So while the cost of automated innovation technology may come frontloaded, the ROI is measurable against rising expenses. The developments happening in the world of automation are a display of the benefit of collaborative work with those who share a common objective. In this case, that objective is to increase efficiency. Organizations like JV Smith are putting the technology to work while also working with startups and innovators to make
the technology useful in the field. One of the tools currently in use at JV Smith is the laser weeder from Carbon Robotics. According to the SCAR, the bulk of automation is happening in pre-harvest. Weeding is the most automated activity across all crop types, and hardware is the most popular investment method. For JV Smith Companies, “We have our laser weeders,” said Kristen Smith Eshaya, President of JV Smith Companies, “and through a collaboration with our managers and Carbon Robotics, we have them weeding and thinning at the same time. We will also trial not spraying a pre-plant herbicide with the plan to use the laser weeder instead. We’re excited to always be looking for new ways to automate, be more efficient and grow a better crop.” The technology is a playable piece in navigating current circumstances. “We’re always looking for what’s going to be best for the crop, what’s going to be best for the people, and what's going to be best for the environment,” said Smith Eshaya. “The more we can do with fewer passes on a piece of ground is ideal.” The SCAR shows that more and more growers are investing in technology.
Around 70 percent of participating growers indicated that they had invested in automation in 2022, with an average annual spend of $450,000-$500,000 per grower. With the up-front investment, grower operations are moving to alleviate some labor costs while freeing up employees to specialize in the technology or other more complicated and hard-to- automate roles. This effort is the pull that U.S. and Europe can use to keep or bring back production to the U.S. and Europe. Specialty crop agriculture is a connected industry. The effort and push in one segment, in one company, benefits the many. “Our core competitors are also our friends,” said Smith Eshaya. “What we want to see more than anything is for demand to increase to make us all better off. I want to see a healthier world and I believe more consumption of fruits and vegetables is where we start. I don’t see my fellow farmer as my competitor, I see potato chips as my competitor. What I love most about farming is that all my co-workers and everyone I have met in the industry is passionate about what they do. Innovation is a necessity to continue doing what we love.”
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