Drought, climate change and labor scarcity are driving farmers to seek new ways of accomplishing farming tasks. Sensors enable more precise application of precious irrigation water. Robotic machinery help plant, weed, prune and harvest, even in triple-digit weather. What other problems can technology solve?

World FIRA, the leading event in agricultural robotics, will launch FIRA USA in Fresno on Oct. 18, to provide autonomous systems and robots to California and North American growers.

Jointly organized between the French association GOFAR, the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, Western Growers Association and the Fresno-Merced Future of Food (F3) Initiative, FIRA USA 2022 will bring together people with diverse expertise for three days of problem-solving, decision-making and planning.

Speakers will include Karen Ross, secretary of the California Department of Food and Agriculture; Ben Alfi, co-founder of Blue White Robotics; Erez Fait, co-founder of Agrinoz; Walt Duflock, vice president of Western Growers; Mark Borman, president of Taylor Farms California; Aubrey Bettencourt, CEO of Almond Alliance; Erez Fait, chairman and co-founder of Agrinoze; and Joshua Viers, director of CITRIS at UC Merced and associate dean for research at the UC Merced School of Engineering.