Because of labor scarcity during critical times of fruit harvesting and the rising labor cost in the United States, growers increasingly need automation in harvesting. This article discusses required changes in biological and technical considerations in orchard management to accommodate automated harvesting and describes the potential for mechanical fruit harvesting.

Because of chronic labor shortages and uncertainty associated with labor unavailability, fruit growers are in dire need of labor-saving technologies to mechanize labor-intensive operations such as pruning and thinning. This article discusses current mechanization research related to orchard operations and presents the current status of automation in pruning and thinning fruit trees.

The U.S. nursery industry is experiencing a labor shortage with nursery operations considering adoption of emerging technologies to address labor challenges. Deciding on the next technology investment depends on cost, expected returns and type of operation. We discuss selected technologies, related challenges and future considerations.

This article explores ethical issues related to artificial intelligence (AI) and automation in the agricultural sector. Issues addressed include human costs of automating agricultural work, risks associated with human labor “de-skilling” in the agricultural sector, the role of skilled labor in “training” AI applications and the potential to expand “consent” in human-AI interactions.