The start-up company, Iron Ox, is working to deliver robotically grown vegetables. They have planted their first robot farm about 25 miles south of San Francisco in a warehouse. They intend to sell their vegetables to local restaurants later this year, and to supermarkets early next year.
Their first farm is in a warehouse forcing them to use artificial lights, and thus substantial energy. But future robot farms will be in greenhouses to reduce energy costs. Their plan is to locate these robot farms close to metropolitan areas.
Video Spotlight: Watch robots grow food without farmers
This post is based on The Daily Times article, Meet the farmers of the future: Robots, by Michael Liedtke, September 28, 2018, and the YouTube video, Watch robots grow food without farmers, by CNBC, October 3, 2018. Image source: Shutterstock / Beros919.
Discussion Questions:
1. What benefits does the use of robotics have for the farm?
Guidance: The biggest advantage is the reduction in labor. The cost of farm labor is rising, and finding workers is getting more difficult. Until recently, many of the workers on U.S. farms were not in the U.S. legally. Continue reading
