FEATURE STORY PROVING VALUE THE NEXT CHAPTER OF AGRICULTURAL INNOVATION How Quantifiable ROI is Driving the Future of AgTech Adoption By Ben Palone, Senior Commercialization Director
For as long as I’ve worked in and around agriculture, I’ve heard the same misconception repeated: growers are slow to adopt new technology. I don’t believe that’s true. In fact, I think agriculture is one of the most innovative industries in the world. The difference is that growers have always demanded proof before making an investment. They aren’t resistant to innovation; they’re disciplined investors. That distinction has never been more important than it is today. As computer vision, artificial intelligence, robotics, machine learning and automation rapidly reshape specialty crop agriculture, we’re entering a new chapter of innovation. The technologies are more sophisticated than anything our industry has seen before, but the fundamental question every grower asks hasn’t changed: Will this improve my operation enough to justify the investment? That question has become the foundation of the work we’re doing through the Western Growers Innovation team and our financial case study program. Innovation Has Always Been Part of Agriculture Agriculture has never stood still. Long before anyone talked about artificial intelligence or autonomous equipment, growers were adopting technologies that fundamentally changed how fresh produce was grown, harvested, cooled, transported and marketed. Ice-packed railcars made it possible to ship lettuce and other perishable crops across the country while maintaining quality. Vacuum cooling revolutionized post-harvest handling by rapidly removing field heat and extending shelf life. Plastic packaging transformed food safety, freshness, transportation and merchandising. Mechanical harvesting aids, precision irrigation, GPS guidance, improved breeding and countless other innovations have continuously reshaped the economics of farming. None of these technologies were adopted because they were new. They were adopted because they solved real problems and delivered measurable value. Around 2017, however, agriculture entered a different era of innovation. Instead of simply improving machines, companies began developing machines that could see, learn, analyze and make decisions. Computer vision, deep learning, machine learning, artificial intelligence, autonomous navigation and advanced robotics introduced capabilities that had never before existed in commercial agriculture. These technologies opened extraordinary possibilities. But they also introduced a new challenge. How do growers evaluate technologies whose value isn’t always immediately obvious?
From left: Ben Palone, Senior Commercialization Director, and Walt Duflock, Senior Vice President of Innovation
Innovation Doesn’t Drive Adoption—Proof Does Over the past several years, I’ve had the opportunity to work with hundreds of growers, startup companies, equipment manufacturers and investors. One lesson has become remarkably clear. Technology alone rarely drives purchasing decisions. Economic confidence does. Every equipment purchased competes against countless other priorities on the farm. Whether it’s replacing a tractor, upgrading irrigation infrastructure, investing in automation or purchasing new harvesting equipment, every decision ultimately comes back to economics. Growers don’t buy technology because it’s exciting. They invest because they believe it will improve profitability, reduce risk, solve labor challenges, improve operational efficiency or create a competitive advantage. The companies that understand this distinction are consistently the ones gaining traction in the marketplace.
26 Western Grower & Shipper | www.wga.com July – September 2026
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