FIRA USA heads to Sacramento

FIRA USA 2024 is expected to offer an expanded range of robots for specialty crops, vegetables, and vineyards, as well as demonstrations on fruit and nut trees. The third edition of the outdoor event will be held in October near Sacramento, Calif.

An autonomous GUSS sprayer shown during the 2023 edition of FIRA USA. (Photo: GoFar)

Because the event is organized primarily for growers, FIRA USA 2024 said it will offer a new perspective for end-user participants this year. The program will feature roundtables with presentations on current issues, testimonials and use cases from producers, as well as proposed robotic solutions for vineyards, orchards, vegetables and berries.

The event’s Tech & Education Day will kick off proceedings on October 22 with a program showcasing the latest advancements in technologies, regulations, safety and the a parade of robots. Events on October 23-24 will provide participants with insights the work that is enabling a widespread deployment of robots in the fields: the role of OEMs, distributors and dealers, and manufacturers, automation from production to marketing, as well as pitches and networking times.

Field demonstrations will be held on-site at Yolo County Fair in Woodland, Calif., and allow participants to see robots and autonomous machines in real operation, while challenging manufacturers and providing opportunities for partnerships, said the show organizers.

A tractor equipped with Bluewhite technology. The company had said it equips existing fleets with autonomous technology, an easy-to-use platform. (Photo: GoFar)

For the first time, a five-day “ag market tour” will connect ag tech leaders and delegations with farms across Sacramento, Davis, the Central Valley area, and Salinas, offering a first-hand look at the latest in agricultural technology.

Since 2016, the French non-profit association GoFar (Global Organization for Agricultural Robotics) has organized FIRA (International Forum for Agricultural Robotics) events, starting with World FIRA. The most recent World FIRA event happened in February in France with a reported 2,500 people from 50 countries and 35 ag robots in attendance.

FIRA USA has been held in California since 2022. The North American event is organized by GoFar, the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UCANR), California agricultural and biotech innovation network The Vine and Western Growers Association.