There's a farm labor shortage crisis so farmers are using tech (and a bunch of other strategies). https://agamerica.com/blog/the-impact-of-the-farm-labor-short

There's a farm labor shortage crisis so farmers are using tech (and a bunch of other strategies). https://agamerica.com/blog/the-impact-of-the-farm-labor-shortage/ https://agamerica.com/blog/the-impact-of-the-farm-labor-shor... How U.S. Farmers are Coping with the Labor Shortage Crisis While the USDA is working on new legislation to address these impacts, U.S farmers are turning to alternative options to compensate for their current labor shortage predicament. Smart Technology Advancements The Internet of Things (IoT) industry has exploded as farmers use innovative technology to keep up with demand and remain competitive in the global market. The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) reported 56 percent of U.S. farms have begun using agritech, with more than half stating labor shortage as the reason. Innovative agrotechnology includes, Wireless sensors; Predictive forecasting models; Advanced automation; Robotics; and Data analytics Smart farming technology allows farmers to work at full or near-full capacity with fewer workers, but not without certain drawbacks. The current technology can only accommodate certain crops, excluding nearly 200 specialty crops. This forces specialty farmers to make the difficult decision to either consolidate their operation or transition to machine-serviceable crops. Transitioning to smart farming technology also requires a high initial cost investment. This is particularly difficult for small to medium-size farms, which are the ones hit hardest by the effects of farm labor shortage. Despite these drawbacks, many U.S. farmers are realizing the investment is worth the initial cost to enhance crop quality and quantity through precision automation, pest control, and crop-health monitoring.