good year for many automation startups that have taken the long view and built good products with a team that can sell and support it, whether that’s direct sales or channel sales through equipment deals or other partners. I believe that market entry in all directions will continue, and growers will continue to trial and make buying decisions on quality economic data that justify the purchase more often. I’m not prepared to say that 2024 will be the year of automation unlike some of the hype-meisters. The space is earning its results and doesn’t need any hype from me or anyone else to continue delivering. Here’s one prediction I can make with certainty: FIRA USA 2024 will be a great chance to monitor and measure the progress of all the innovators in the automation space as we visit Sacramento/ Davis. This year’s show was great, and we are confident we can make it even better in 2024 and then better again in 2025 when we return to Salinas.
Exhibition area at FIRA USA
Demonstration area at FIRA USA
Did I mention that starting in 2024, growers get in for free? That’s right. Beginning with Davis next year, FIRA USA will be free to verified growers. We think this is the best way to help get as many growers as possible to attend the show, and we recognize that growers are the key to making a show like FIRA USA work for automation vendors. They can talk to potential partners,
and maybe even potential employees and investors, at lots of shows. We are working hard to make FIRA USA one of the best places to talk to growers, and ideally, growers who are ready to try and buy if trials go well. That may help make 2025 or 2026 the Year of Automation—but it will also make 2024 a year of slow but steady improvement for automation solution providers.
NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2023
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Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com
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