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"Much of American agriculture was
mechanized long before robots
invaded. In recent years, processing
plants and packing houses have
automated significantly. But most
fruits and vegetables in the field
remain stubbornly dependent
on human hands."
Attend the AgTech Innovation Conference, Feb. 14 and 15 in Spokane, to learn more from Glen
about the future of ag labor and how you can position your business for long-term success.
At home, local residents are scarcely inclined to pick up the
labor slack, while second-generation Mexican and other immi-
grant families see their children seek opportunities beyond the
farm work that brought their parents here. Change is required.
First, new policies for H2-A and -B visas must be hammered
out that allow more people to enter the country for agricultural
work, along with better and more timely access to workers at
the right time for producers and contractors.
Second, various software and other technology for labor man-
agement that speeds up application processes, tracks people
better and provides e-Verify assurance can be deployed. As
Zippy Duvall, President of the American Farm Bureau puts it,
"We're coming to a point where America will have to decide if
we're going to import workers or import our food."
Most agree that the H2-A program as currently run is
inadequate, and that proposed administrative changes are
insufficient. Legislation is needed.
Technological advances do play a role in reducing the need for
farm labor, though achieving more automation in the produce
industry will be costly and likely take longer than hoped. Still,
companies are developing machines to pick strawberries, and
refining auto-steer systems on farm equipment to reduce labor
in potatoes, corn, cotton, peanuts and more. Precision ag and
no-till farming can further reduce the need for hired labor.
Ultimately, U.S. farmers need a guest-worker program. Without
that, recognizing a future where robots do all the work is at
best a distant dream. Answers to stable farm labor are needed
now. Without such answers, affected operators may face the
need to scale back operations or leave their industry entirely.
Glen Hiemstra is the Founder and CEO of Futurist.com in Seattle, Wash.
An international expert on long range trends and processes for creating
the preferred future, Glen has advised professional, business, and govern-
mental organizations for more than two decades. Futurist.com is regularly
visited by people from over 120 nations.
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