January 2025 - 14

TECHNOLOGY
When are the
R O
taking
over?
BY HEATHER MACHOVINA
BY HEATHER MACHOVINA
Labor costs and
availability
have businesses
looking for
other options
G
rowers face
significant challenges
with cost and availability
of skilled labor. Technological
advancements in computer, vision,
AI and robotics with ever-increasing
capabilities are decreasing component
costs, allowing all kinds of new
technologies at an impressive rate,
said Brian Lynch, director of horticultural
technology solutions at Vineland Research and
Innovation Centre.
" But, what we don't yet see are robots
everywhere on farms, in orchards and in
greenhouses, " Lynch said. " Mechanization
has established a secure position in
agriculture and industrial-style automation
has a good presence in the pre-planting
and post-harvesting space. So why
don't we see more robots? "
After talking with Lynch about how
technology could help greenhouse
operators overcome high labor
and input costs, it became clear
that there is much more to
14 JANUARY 2025 GPNMAG.COM
getting robots and technology at the forefront of
efficiency and savings.
GPN: There are technological challenges when
it comes to replacing or augmenting human
labor, although a few companies have solutions
that seem suitable for many tasks. But, why isn't
there more automation?
Brian Lynch: In 2023, Vineland interviewed
26 stakeholders in the horticultural automation
industry to better understand their perspective
on challenges and opportunities. And we learned
the two main reasons growers are not adopting
automation: ROI and trust.
ROI drives virtually all decision-making when
it comes to technology adoption (with quality,
convenience, environmental impact and other
minor concerns sprinkled in). ROI is a balance
between cost and performance - your technology
needs to do the job well at a reasonable price.
We also hear that growers overwhelmingly see
agtech equipment as a capital expenditure.
Ongoing monthly subscription payments are a
hard sell (although not necessarily impossible).
Technology has to be user-friendly, not subject
B Ts
O

http://www.GPNMAG.COM

January 2025

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January 2025

Table of Contents
Editor's Report
Intern of the Year | Theodore Salgado
Technology | When are the robots coming?
Labor | Must-have heat safety measures
Trends | A rosy outlook for foliage
CEA | USDA grants for energy efficiency in your greenhouse
Management | Bring on the dragons
Big Grower | Walters Gardens
SGAFT | Sidewall winterization for small greenhouses
Culture Report | Poinsettia 'Red Ribbons'
Forty Under 40 Perspectives | Irrigation at a large container farm
AmericanHort | Top 10 ways you can thrive in 2025
Product Marketplace
Industry News
Events
Classifieds/Ad Index
January 2025 - 1
January 2025 - 2
January 2025 - Table of Contents
January 2025 - Editor's Report
January 2025 - 5
January 2025 - Intern of the Year | Theodore Salgado
January 2025 - 7
January 2025 - 8
January 2025 - 9
January 2025 - 10
January 2025 - 11
January 2025 - 12
January 2025 - 13
January 2025 - Technology | When are the robots coming?
January 2025 - 15
January 2025 - Labor | Must-have heat safety measures
January 2025 - 17
January 2025 - 18
January 2025 - 19
January 2025 - Trends | A rosy outlook for foliage
January 2025 - 21
January 2025 - 22
January 2025 - 23
January 2025 - 24
January 2025 - 25
January 2025 - 26
January 2025 - 27
January 2025 - CEA | USDA grants for energy efficiency in your greenhouse
January 2025 - 29
January 2025 - 30
January 2025 - 31
January 2025 - Management | Bring on the dragons
January 2025 - 33
January 2025 - 34
January 2025 - 35
January 2025 - Big Grower | Walters Gardens
January 2025 - 37
January 2025 - 38
January 2025 - 39
January 2025 - 40
January 2025 - 41
January 2025 - SGAFT | Sidewall winterization for small greenhouses
January 2025 - 43
January 2025 - 44
January 2025 - 45
January 2025 - 46
January 2025 - 47
January 2025 - Culture Report | Poinsettia 'Red Ribbons'
January 2025 - 49
January 2025 - 50
January 2025 - 51
January 2025 - 52
January 2025 - 53
January 2025 - Forty Under 40 Perspectives | Irrigation at a large container farm
January 2025 - 55
January 2025 - AmericanHort | Top 10 ways you can thrive in 2025
January 2025 - 57
January 2025 - Product Marketplace
January 2025 - 59
January 2025 - 60
January 2025 - 61
January 2025 - 62
January 2025 - 63
January 2025 - Industry News
January 2025 - Events
January 2025 - Classifieds/Ad Index
January 2025 - 67
January 2025 - 68
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