Grow Ahead series

Digicrop views precision agriculture, robotics

Robotics and other technologies designed to benefit agriculture were at the forefront of Digicrop, the International Conference on Digital Technologies for Sustainable Crop Production. The virtual March 28-30 conference assembled researchers from a variety of... more »

Grower, researcher look at the viability of FruitScout

Mark Boyer, the former chair of the U.S. Apple Association board of directors, constantly seeks efficient and accurate ways of producing a profitable apple crop. Boyer is the second-generation owner of Ridgetop Orchards, a grower-packer-... more »

FruitScout pinpoints cropping targets

Precision crop load management is routinely identified as the most important management strategy that determines the annual profitability of apple orchards. It’s also the most challenging tool to implement successfully. Growers recognize the economic impact... more »

Electric vehicles make debut in agriculture

No longer an idea only, electric tractors are making a quiet start in vegetable farms, vineyards and orchards. Innovation and out-of-the-box thinking seek to outfit farmers and especially specialty crop growers interested in automation and... more »

Huron Fruit Systems work platform eases orchard tasks

The ongoing labor crunch impacting specialty crop growers has put an enhanced emphasis on reducing the number of workers required in the production process. Among the industry contributors who long-ago recognized this opportunity is Walter... more »

MapMyApple offers orchard organization, problem diagnosis

Commercial orchards are often a patchwork quilt – blocks with different cultivars, planted in different years. Varieties have different schedules with various bloom times and harvest times. A disorganized grower risks getting lost in all... more »

Investment, need drive in-soil strawberry harvester

Investment, a groundbreaking “commercialized” strawberry harvest and swelling grower interest add up to a good year for Advanced Farm Technologies (AFT). The Davis, California-based company’s T-6 robotic strawberry harvester is one of just a handful... more »

California drone company releases beneficial insects

Drones and insects have a lot in common: spindly appendages, buzzing noises, flight – and the ability to significantly impact fruit and vegetable crops. A California startup company is pairing the two as a service... more »