Farmers will need to feed an estimated 9.8 billion people worldwide by 2050, and to help in that effort, Oregon State University researchers are trying to expand the use of robots in agriculture. Joe Davidson, Assistant Professor of Robotics, said nearly all fruit is harvested by humans because robots don’t operate efficiently in unstructured environments.
“Not only is it ‘is the color right? Is it ready to be picked?’ but oftentimes fruit are clustered and they may be hidden behind other vegetation. Or, they may be growing in clusters where you have multiple apples, for example, in a small zone where one’s hidden behind the other.”
Davidson believes robots are necessary to close the labor gap on farms. But even once robots learn to pick fruit, and all the nuance that comes with that, he said he doesn’t think they’ll be used everywhere.
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🌾 A successful harvest ends with everyone home safe. National Farm Safety and Health Week is September 21–25, 2026. This year’s theme, “Safety Today, Success Tomorrow,” is a reminder that protecting an operation begins with protecting the people behind it. In February 2026, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released its latest national data, reporting… National Farm Safety & Health Week
RAA Employee Spotlight ➡️ Becca Root, Founder Becca is the Founder of Root Agricultural Advisory where she assists with the day-to-day operations of the various business units. Prior to starting the company with her husband Skye, she worked as a Product Owner for Clearwater Analytics. Prior to Clearwater, she was a public accountant in audit… Employee Spotlight: Becca Root
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