John Deere Autonomous 5ML Orchard Tractor - Photo Credit John Deere
WOODLAND, Calif. (AgPR) Oct. 7, 2025 – FIRA USA 2025 puts farmers at the center of agtech innovation. From October 21–23 in Woodland, California, growers get free admission and access to the brand-new VIP Grower Tour, featuring tailored visits, one-on-one meetings with robotics manufacturers, and a curated agenda addressing real farm challenges — from automating harvests and precision weed control to data-driven decision-making. The event also showcases Grower Pitches, where farmers share their experiences with cutting-edge technologies, and includes networking breakfasts and hands-on demos. The highlight: John Deere’s Autonomous 5ML Orchard Tractor — first unveiled at CES 2025 — will make its exclusive debut at an agricultural event during FIRA USA.
A Vision Resolutely Focused on the Needs of Farmers
At the heart of FIRA USA 2025 is a clear mission: to accelerate the adoption of agricultural technologies in North America, ensuring they precisely meet the expectations of producers.
“Ag robotics is booming, but every farm is different,” says Gwendoline Legrand, co-director of FIRA USA. “That’s why FIRA now focuses on direct matchmaking between growers and tech providers, ensuring automation delivers real value in the field and drives business on the spot.”
Exclusive VIP Program Designed for Growers
This year, FIRA USA 2025 launches the VIP Grower Tour, a free and exclusive program designed to welcome farmers with tailored guided tours, one-on-one meetings with ag robotics manufacturers, and a curated agenda to bring the right solutions to their specific needs.
All VIP Growers are invited to the exclusive John Deere’s Autonomous 5ML Orchard Tractor demo on Wednesday, October 22 (8-9 am): first revealed at CES 2025, the autonomous tractor will be demoing for the first time at an ag event at FIRA USA.
They are also kindly invited to the exclusive VIP Breakfast, sponsored by the California Farm Bureau, on Thursday, October 23 (9-10 am), for peer-to-peer networking and open discussion with robotics experts.
“If I’m a grower leaving this event today, I’m going home with a pocket full of business cards and a pocket full of ideas,” says Josh Roberts, VP Global Ag Development, Taylor Farms.
Hands-On Field Demonstrations
A highlight of FIRA USA 2025 is the series of live field demos, where attendees can see ag robotics and automation technologies in real-world farm conditions. The official program is available online, allowing growers to plan their visit and select demos and sessions most relevant to their operations.
Producers Share Innovations and Challenges at FIRA USA
“I’ve attended FIRA the past 2 years and found an invaluable way to stay informed on the latest robotics and automation innovations for California agriculture”, Tim Nuss from Nuss Farm. “Seeing product demonstrations firsthand is a great way to envision real world applications on our farm. We’ve connected with several companies at FIRA as a result and currently evaluating how we adopt their technologies on the farm. The event is a good mix of tangible field ready tech as well as early stage developments. I highly recommend the event and am excited to attend again in 2025!”
Building on the momentum of 2024, which saw farmer participation increase by 53%, FIRA USA 2025 will give the floor directly to growers through a series of Growers Pitches. These sessions will highlight the cutting-edge tools already being implemented on farms and open discussions about ongoing technological needs.
Among the key topics:
Automating the Harvest: Cutting-Edge Technologies Revolutionizing America’s Farming (October 21)
About FIRA USA
FIRA USA is the leading North American event dedicated to robotics and automation in agriculture. It brings together farmers, manufacturers, researchers, and investors to accelerate the adoption of innovative technologies in the face of modern agricultural challenges.
Interactions in the rhizosphere. Plants influence their rhizosphere microbiome through exudation of compounds that stimulate (green arrows) or inhibit (red blocked arrows). Most microbes affect neither the plant nor the pathogen because they occupy different ecological niches (commensal microbes) but may affect every other organism to somewhat through a complex network of interactions.
“Soil health” and “healthy soils” have become popular topics in recent years as evidenced by the increased number of government programs and commercial products aimed at improving soil health. The desirable properties of healthy soils are efficiency and efficacy of nutrient cycling, capacity to hold and release plant-available water, an environment conducive to root growth, supportive of beneficial soil organisms and improved resilience of the vine to stress from pests, diseases, drought and/or heat.
Characteristics of a healthy soil are those that promote healthy plant growth:
• A living matrix of plant residues, plant roots, animal residue and microorganisms.
• Porous, with a range of pore sizes that allow a balance between water and air in the soil and space for a complex network of microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, etc.), microarthropods and roots to establish.
• Chemically balanced to allow for nutrient cycling and conducive to the environmental needs of different types of soil organisms in the soil food web and vine roots.
• High in organic matter, which adds nutrients and microbes to soil; those microbes support essential ecological functions of soil, including recycling of nutrients.
Different vineyards and different soil types support different soil ecosystems. What would be considered healthy for sandy soils may not be the same as what is considered healthy for clay soils. Assessing whether the functioning of the soil ecosystem is optimal for any given crop/soil combination is difficult as comparisons between combinations are not necessarily valid.
Roles of Microorganisms in Soil Health Healthy functioning of soil is promoted by complex networks of microorganisms and their grazers, such as beneficial microarthropods. The microbiome of a soil is composed of a host of organisms, including but not limited to bacteria, fungi, protists, nematodes, earthworms and microarthropods. Within these groups, some species can be beneficial, others pathogenic. This can be true even within a genus. For example, the bacteria Pseudomonas fluorescens is beneficial, while Pseudomonas syringae is a pathogen.
Soil microbes play an important role in nutrient cycling in the soil. Decomposers break down organic matter, making it available as an energy and nutrient source for other organisms. Macronutrients such as potassium and phosphorus, which are often immobile in soil, are made available to the vine by some soil microbes.
Soil microorganisms improve soil structure. Bacteria play an important role in aggregate structure and stability. They produce sugars that hold the mineral parts of the soil together. Fungal hyphae weave soils together as do plant roots. Collectively, soil minerals, roots, bacteria and fungi comprise soil aggregates.
Some microbes are biological control agents that antagonize or compete with deleterious microorganisms. For example, predatory nematodes are beneficial. As fungi and bacteria, respectively, Trichoderma spp. and Bacillus subtilis are other examples of well-known biocontrol agents.
Plant growth-promoting bacteria produce chemicals that stimulate vine growth, and amoeba protists stimulate lateral root formation by producing a plant hormone mimic. A vine might react to these compounds like a plant hormone. Other types of bacteria convert nutrients into forms more available to the vine.
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) live in the soil and on vine roots in a symbiotic relationship with the plant. The plant delivers photosynthates to the fungi for energy, and the fungi provide additional water and nutrients such as phosphate and nitrogen to the plant. AMF have structures called hyphae that extend great distances through the soil. Hyphae are essentially long tubes that can transport water to vines from areas beyond the root zone. This helps the vine cope with drought. Hyphae also play a role in soil structure.
Soil rich in organic matter supports a diverse microbial ecosystem that helps improve structure, nutrient cycling and plant resilience. Healthy vineyard soils often contain visible root systems and fungal hyphae interwoven through soil aggregates (photo courtesy Katie Bruce, Niner Wine Estates.)
Soil Microbial Consortia
Soil microbial species do not function in isolation. The survival and success of any one type of soil microorganism is dependent on the presence and activity of many other unrelated but collaborating microbes. One type of organism provides the resources another type of organism needs or changes the environment such as to favor a different type of organism. Collaborations of multiple species of bacteria and fungi are referred to as a soil microbial consortium. Applying compost to the field can be a method for delivering or manipulating these synergistic soil microbial consortia.
Like other food webs found in nature, soil food webs are composed of three trophic levels or positions in the food chain: primary producers, consumers and detritivores or decomposers that feed on dead and decaying matter, returning energy and nutrients back to the ecosystem for use by primary producers. From the bottom to the top of the food chain, the biomass and number of individuals per volume of soil decreases by orders of magnitude. Soil food chains may be more complex than aboveground food chains, as they tend to exhibit a greater incidence of omnivores that can occupy multiple trophic levels.
The three basic pathways that energy is moved between and within trophic levels are roots, bacteria and fungi. Pathogenic fungi, bacteria and nematodes and their consumers comprise the root pathway. The bacterial pathway is made up of bacteria that feed on dead plant material (saprophytic), those that cause diseases in plants (pathogenic), plus the organisms that feed on them, such as protists and bacterial-feeding nematodes.
Fungi found in the fungal pathway include species that are saprophytic, pathogenic and/or mycorrhizal. This pathway also includes consumers of these fungi. Some mesofauna organisms occupy other trophic levels as secondary, tertiary and quaternary predators. Such organisms include protists, nematodes, mites, fly larvae, centipedes, spiders and beetles. The conversion and movement of energy and nutrients around the soil ecosystem is what allows the functions of decomposition, mineralization and soil aggregate formation to occur.
Soils with collaborative suites of microbial species are likely to be more resilient than single species, which are more vulnerable to disease or stress. Species within these communities turn “on” and “off” according to different environmental signals, such that when one classification of soil organisms declines, another one can fill that same role or function. An analogy is an orchestra that features different instruments at different times in a performance. Unfortunately, the identification of the diversity of members composing different soil consortia and their ecological functions in soil health is still in its infancy.
Monitoring Soil Microbiome and Soil Health
Most methods for identifying and quantifying soil microbes are indirect. The methods include measures based on soil aggregation, biomass (estimated by a phospholipid fatty acid profile or counting cells under the microscope), biological activity such as production of extracellular enzymes, and identification by matching DNA fingerprints found in a soil sample to the known genomes of species of bacteria, fungi, protists or nematodes.
Aggregate stability can be a good measure of soil health because it reflects both structure and biology. The bulk density of soil is not a direct measure of soil aggregates but is related. A qualitative way of judging aggregate stability is to take a small sample of soil and drip water on it. If the soil crumbles and falls apart, that is an indication of poor aggregation. If the sample absorbs the water, that is a sign the soil has good structure and ability to hold water. Even if all the species of microorganisms in a soil are unknown, measuring aggregates comprised of bacteria and fungi is useful for monitoring changes through time.
Knowing the functional activity of fungi and bacteria provides a general description of the soil ecosystem and soil health. Functional activity can be measured as enzymes metabolizing specific substrates in soils containing cellulose, amino acids or phosphorus, for example.
Monitoring these and other variables can inform decisions about ground cover, cultivation and fertilization toward the goals of reducing compaction, improving soil aggregate stability, increased water infiltration and disease suppression. The limitation of this type of description is that it does not identify or differentiate what genera or species of these organisms are present. The diversity and complexity of the soil microbiome is crucial to the healthy function of the soil.
Techniques like aggregate stability tests and microbial enzyme analysis help monitor soil health and guide management practices (photo courtesy Katie Bruce, Niner Wine Estates.)
Biological Indicators Soil ecology is a complex set of interactions between different elements of the environment and myriad soil biota. No single measure can capture all the variables that contribute to soil health, but choosing measurements that complement each other can help. Interpreting simple measurements of broad groups like fungi or bacteria is difficult because it does not distinguish pathogens from beneficials.
The total biomass of bacteria and fungi can be estimated. Phospholipid fatty acid profiles or cell counts are two methods for estimating microbial biomass. Use of viability stains can distinguish active from dormant organisms. Measuring the ratios between fungi and bacteria can be useful as well because it reflects disturbance. A well-functioning vineyard soil will have a higher ratio of fungi to bacteria, which is promoted by reducing or eliminating tillage to keep vegetation with living roots in the system and avoiding the disruption of the physical characteristics of the microbial habitat.
Measuring respiration in the soil provides a picture of how much life there is in the soil, but it is hard to interpret because it combines respiration of roots, microorganisms and their consumers. Although these measures provide rough estimates of biomass, they do not reflect “who” is there.
Soil organic matter is composed of both living and decaying material. The active or living portion of total soil organic matter can be quantified using a technique based on changes in the color of a permanganate solution mixed with soil. Measurements using this method correlate positively with soil biological activity and are sensitive to management practices.
Current research is being performed to identify sentinel species of microorganisms. If there are genetic markers for these organisms, then identifying specific soil microorganisms is possible. For example, DNA can be extracted from soil. Strands of DNA are replicated using polymerase chain reaction techniques. Those strands are compared to the known genomes of different organisms. The longer the strand of DNA replicated determines how specific identification can be. As the genomes of more soil microbes are mapped, identifying the composition of the microbial community in the soil will become more accurate and useful. This research is still in its infancy.
Encouraging and Preserving Soil Microbial Ecosystem
Diversity of plants in the vineyard increases the diversity of the soil microbial community. This can be achieved with cover crops and grazing. Planting a blend of multiple species of grasses and legumes accomplishes this. Soil covered with vegetation is typically healthier than bare ground.
Applying compost is an excellent way of introducing more carbon into the soil. Compost can potentially inoculate soil with beneficial microbes, provide nitrogen in plant-available forms and increase soil organic matter overall. The carbon and nitrogen provided by compost feeds both vines and soil microorganisms.
Reducing tillage as much as possible is advisable. Excessive tillage disrupts the soil food web. The mechanical action of tilling severs earthworms and breaks up soil aggregates, which are habitat for beneficial soil bacteria. Hyphae of AMF are torn. Soil organic matter is lost to the atmosphere from tillage, reducing the food source and habitat of many soil microbes. Microorganisms are redistributed in space, separating them from their habitats and food sources such as predators from prey, decomposers from material that needs decomposing, and beneficial relationships between microbes and roots. Organisms surviving a tillage event will need to repopulate and recreate communities within the soil.
Preserving and encouraging the microbial community of the soil is crucial to improving and maintaining soil health. Differences between soil types and the necessities of vineyard management make comparisons difficult. Developing a soil health management program for any vineyard takes time, dedication and the willingness to experiment. Appreciating the role of the soil microbial ecosystems will contribute to the success of a grower’s efforts in improving and maintaining a healthy soil.
Artificial intelligence is beginning to reshape vineyard management, from simple vineyard routing tools to predictive data models that support long-term decision-making.
From do-it-yourself help (using ChatGPT) for Massican Wines’ winemaker to Atlas Vineyard Management harnessing AgCode data to giant Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) using predictive data software, artificial intelligence (AI) is making inroads in how growers are using AI to improve their bottom lines.
“Every year, farming costs go up and up,” said Kelli Cybulski, director of vineyard operations, Atlas Vineyard Management. “Labor costs rise. Everything is getting more expensive. So how can we use AI to lower the cost of farming?”
At a Napa Valley Grapegrowers event earlier this summer, growers and experts shared a range of options as well as their insights on what AI offers in the here and now and how to prepare for a future where its insights can lead to improved profitability.
Australian AI entrepreneur Ros Harvey headlined the Ahead of the Curve gathering, held in Napa. Founder of The Yield (acquired by initial investor Yamaha Agriculture in February), a sophisticated AI tool road tested with TWE in both Australia and Napa, she explained in common sense terms exactly how AI learns and what it offers.
The range of speakers demonstrated the scalability of solutions.
Kicking things off at the event, Massican Wines’ Dan Petroski shared his insights on how he uses ChatGPT (at a cost of $20 a month) to efficiently route his vineyard visits as he keeps tabs on veraison at the 17 vineyards he sources fruit from and looks at predicted harvest dates.
“My Sauvignon Blanc is in five locations that are as much as 200 miles apart,” he said.
Petroski has programmed the app to show him veraison and harvest dates as well as his best use of miles. “It has its limitations, but it’s very awesome,” he said.
You have to give AI feedback when it’s wrong, he said. “When it does give you the wrong information, I call it out, and it’s like, ‘You’re right. I didn’t look at it that way. I’m redoing it,’ and then it comes back with the right information. It gets lazy. It’s like humans.”
The process is iterative and dynamic, as Harvey explained in her keynote.
She illustrated that iterative nature with a graphic showing the different types of data that are inputs into the AI model. Data, data, data, these models need tons of it, she said.
AI uses data analytics to become intelligent. “It’s called inference,” Harvey said. “You’ve got inputs and you’ve got outputs to predict anything with AI. It’s putting it all into a computer, and it’s learning the patterns between it.”
“AI is half science, half art. What AI is doing is then finding the best model,” she said.
Modern AI thinkers featured at Google Talks are starting to use the word “co-intelligence.”
Harvey stressed that the models are dynamic, just like life. “We’re dealing with living plants outside in weather, and everything’s changing all the time. So it’s the perfect industry for AI. But it’s also hard because of that. You’ve got climate, you’ve got supply chain optimization all along the supply chain.”
Data is the “Fuel” of AI
“You’re not only using it on the farm, but you’re also using it in the winery, in sales, in marketing, in production, all of these different ways along the supply chain,” Harvey said. “Data is valuable up and down, and all this data, which is the fuel of AI, can be used to create models. So data is really important.
“There’s nothing new about this, in a way. If you think about all the industries that are using AI, we’ve already got autonomous vehicles. You can get in a Waymo in San Francisco, and off you go. It already exists.”
Interviewed via email, TWE reported that using the software did improve tasks they wanted it to address: “predicting yield quantity, forecasting harvest timing and tracking growth stages. Knowing why a prediction has shifted helps inform decisions by our viticulture and winemaking teams.”
The software accomplished some of these goals, TWE said. “We’ve seen increased productivity and operational efficiencies, including less time spent manually estimating yields, improved coordination across vineyard and winery teams, and improved intake planning.”
However, the co-intelligence model may more accurately represent its benefits.
“It supports decision-making across the season, though we still rely on local expertise to manage variability at the individual block level.
“It supports the planning process for our vineyard teams. It’s useful to have an additional data source that provides rationale for predictions in harvest volumes and timing across regions or major varieties, especially when paired with historical and in-season data.”
Harvey stressed that wineries need to get their data ready for AI. For many, their existing AgCode data is their first fuel.
Case Study: Atlas Vineyard Management
At Atlas Vineyard Management, Cybulski and her team took a hard run at using AgCode data and repurposing it for more viticultural feedback. The company’s focus on this project crystallized after a data-centric group of investors (who’d done well in pharmaceuticals due to data) became stakeholders.
To get their AgCode data AI-ready, the team created a data dictionary for scouting that standardized reporting. That enabled everyone to use a common set of definitions, something the industry currently lacks.
After trying to develop a custom solution with a data company, the team found the cost prohibitive. Then they found a better fit with another vendor, Orchard Robotics, which uses AI-powered cameras.
“They’re collecting three things in all our vineyards right now. They’re collecting virus status. They’re collecting production status, how much of the vineyard or blocks are producing? Are they fully developing? They’re also collecting crop estimates for us,” Cybulski said.
Harvey: “The Dream Is Very Real”
“The dream is very real,” Harvey said, “that we can get to a point where all this is integrated, where the tractor is going up and down. It’s reading what it’s seeing. It’s logging what it’s doing. It’s feeding it into algorithms. It’s predicting. And you’re actually creating this beautiful thing of a closed system.
“And you’ve got humans, incredibly talented humans, supervising it, all free from all that craziness of trying to wake up at 5 o’clock and work out what the weather is and can I spray, free from all that, and actually thinking about high-value problems of how to create a perfect, perfect vintage. That’s the dream, and all the technology exists there.
“The trick, the very real trick, is how do we get there [where actionable ag data is collected]?” Harvey continued. “How do we break it down in a way that we can get there? How do we reduce cost? How do we reduce risk? How do we increase value? Because if you can’t do those three things, you as the industry, as growers, are never going to pay for it.”
Nonetheless, she said, growers should get their data ready, because AI they will want to use is coming. The industry can shape AI, she said.
An afternoon conversation with Harvey and Kia Behnia, CEO of Napa-based precision vineyard management company Scout (www.agscout.ai), discussed future AI developments, including vineyard monitoring with automated photo collection.
MOLINE, Illinois (August 27, 2025) — John Deere (NYSE: DE) announced today the full acquisition of GUSS Automation, LLC, a globally recognized leader in supervised high-value crop autonomy, headquartered in Kingsburg, California. The acquisition builds on an existing joint venture established in 2022 and advances John Deere’s commitment to helping high-value crop growers address their biggest challenges around labor availability, input costs and crop protection.
“Fully integrating GUSS into the John Deere portfolio is a continuation of our dedication to serving high-value crop customers with advanced, scalable technologies to help them do more with less,” said Julien Le Vely, director, Production Systems, High Value & Small Acre Crops, at John Deere. “GUSS brings a proven solution to a fast-growing segment of agriculture, and its team has a deep understanding of customer needs in orchards and vineyards. We’re excited to have them fully part of the John Deere team.”
Founded by Dave Crinklaw in 2018, GUSS manufactures autonomous sprayers that can be remotely supervised by a single operator who can manage up to eight machines at once. Using GPS, LiDAR and proprietary software, GUSS machines navigate vineyards and orchards with precision to help reduce operator error, labor costs and material waste. To date, more than 250 GUSS machines have been deployed globally, accounting for 2.6 million acres sprayed over 500,000 autonomous hours.
GUSS sprayers will continue to be sold and serviced exclusively through John Deere dealers, as they are today. The business will retain its name, brand, employees and manufacturing facility in Kingsburg, California.
John Deere will support GUSS in expanding its global reach and accelerating innovation, including continued integration with other John Deere precision agriculture technologies, such as Smart Apply®, which enables targeted spraying that offers the opportunity for up to 50% savings on chemical and water use.
“Joining John Deere enables us to tap into their unmatched innovative capabilities in precision agriculture technologies to bring our solutions to more growers around the world,” said Gary Thompson, chief operations officer at GUSS. “Our team is passionate about helping high-value crop growers increase their efficiency and productivity in their operations, and together with John Deere, we will have the ability to have an even greater impact.”
GUSS’ manufacturing operations expand John Deere’s U.S. manufacturing footprint to the heart of the country’s high-value crop production market. GUSS sprayers will continue to use John Deere Power Systems engines, first integrated in 2024.
For more information about GUSS solutions, please contact your local John Deere dealer.
ABOUT JOHN DEERE It doesn’t matter if you’ve never driven a tractor, mowed a lawn, or operated a dozer. With John Deere’s role in helping produce food, fiber, fuel, and infrastructure, we work for every single person on the planet. It all started nearly 200 years ago with a steel plow. Today, John Deere drives innovation in agriculture, construction, forestry, turf, power systems, and more.
The Reservoir’s key partners from John Deere, Driscoll’s, Netafim, Nutrien, Taylor Farms, Tanimura & Antle, Hartnell College, Naturipe Berry Growers, Western Growers and the City of Salinas join founder and CEO Danny Bernstein to celebrate the groundbreaking of its first agtech innovation hub in Salinas, California, marking a major milestone in collaborative agricultural technology advancement.
Creating an ‘Olympic Village of AgTech’ in Salinas, CA, to Accelerate Precision Ag and Robotics, led by Driscoll’s, John Deere, Netafim, Nutrien, Taylor Farms, Hartnell College, Naturipe Berry Growers, Tanimura & Antle and Western Growers
Salinas, CA – August 28, 2025 – As a historic milestone for specialty crop production and agricultural technology, the Reservoir today broke ground on its inaugural on-farm innovation hub in Salinas, California. The ribbon-cutting celebration at the new Salinas site—on land leased from Tanimura & Antle—was attended by more than 200 industry leaders, growers, elected officials, community partners, and investors. The launch marks the first step in a global vision: creating an ‘Olympic Village of AgTech’ where world-class technology leaders, growers, and entrepreneurs collaborate to solve urgent challenges facing global agriculture.
Today, Driscoll’s, Netafim, Nutrien, and Taylor Farms join as the newest key partners, reinforcing the commitment to transform agtech adoption across multiple U.S. regions and directly embed innovation within commercial farming environments. These on-the-ground collaborations ensure startups have direct access to grower feedback and commercial realities, accelerating real-world impact and addressing the gap, as only 30% of U.S. farms currently utilize precision agriculture solutions despite billions in recent investment.
“From the beginning, our vision has been far more than technology—it’s about partnerships,” said Danny Bernstein, CEO of the Reservoir. “Success is grounded in becoming an authentic part of each farming community, connecting entrepreneurs, growers and next-generation talent to reimagine the sustainability of U.S. farming. Creating this ‘Olympic Village of Agtech’ is only possible with trusted relationships on the ground and a shared vision for what’s possible.”
Last week, the Reservoir announced its strategic partnership with John Deere, a leader in agricultural technology and equipment. For Reservoir residents, the partnership creates a unique environment where innovation meets real-world application. Residents gain access to Deere’s technology (including APIs), expertise, and equipment, alongside dedicated testing acres, structured pilot opportunities, and curated field days. This collaboration provides startups with a clearer path to validate solutions in high-value crops, engage directly with growers, and explore potential integrations with Deere’s global platform — strengthening the bridge between early-stage ideas and scalable agricultural impact.
Reservoir Farms-Salinas: The Inaugural Home for Next-Generation Farming As the ‘Salad Bowl of the World’ and the epicenter of nearly $5 billion in annual crop value, Salinas produces more than 70% of the nation’s lettuce plus significant shares of strawberries, broccoli, and vegetables, making it a testbed for high-value, specialty crops that shape U.S. produce markets.
Initial residents at Reservoir Farms, including Beagle Technology, BHF Robotics, Cropmind, FarmBlox, High Degree Machinery, and GeoVisual Analytics, chose Reservoir Farms to connect directly with growers and access test facilities, enabling product development with immediate customer feedback. These early-stage companies bought into the vision of connecting leading roboticists, engineers, and agricultural producers to accelerate technology from concept to commercialization.
Salinas Mayor and Executive Director of the Western Growers Center for Innovation and Technology, Dennis Donohue, said: “Salinas has always been at the forefront of feeding the country, so it’s only natural we host the first Reservoir Farms. This hub empowers our growers, attracts top talent, and helps secure our leadership in agriculture for generations to come.”
Scaling Innovation: From California to Arizona and Beyond Looking ahead, the Reservoir announced plans to expand its model to additional sites across California, Arizona, and other major growing regions, with each hub anchored by leading academic and R&D institutions. This winter, the Reservoir will run a pilot at the University of Arizona Experiment Station (the Yuma Agricultural Center) in Yuma. This multi-regional approach derisks and accelerates technology development, enabling on-farm testing in commercial operations and across some of the country’s most important permanent, bedded, and high-value crops—from fresh vegetables on the Central Coast to leafy greens in Arizona and tree nuts in California’s Central Valley.
“By aligning innovation with real-world conditions, advanced technology and a clear path to scale, the Reservoir and its partners help ensure new solutions are built to deliver meaningful impact for growers,” said Jason Brantley, vice president of production systems, small ag & turf at John Deere. “Together, we’re strengthening the resilience, efficiency, and sustainability of high-value crops—with potential to benefit food systems worldwide.”
Driven by its deep local roots and a powerful network of national leaders, the Reservoir is unlocking a new era of productivity, sustainability, and market opportunity for American agriculture, and ensuring that innovation with the greatest potential impact reaches the fields and communities where it is needed today.
ABOUT THE RESERVOIR: The Reservoir is a startup incubator and venture capital fund focused on helping agtech startups succeed where agriculture happens—in the field. Reservoir Farms is the world’s first on-farm robotics incubator, starting in the Salinas Valley and expanding to other key regions like the Central Valley. Reservoir Ventures backs startups solving real problems in high-value crops. By combining R&D space, hands-on grower input, and early-stage capital, the Reservoir helps turn promising ideas into tools for the growers who feed the world. Learn more at https://reservoir.co.
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Media Contact: Jennifer Goldston
AgTech PR for The Reservoir
jennifer@AgTechPR.com
Santa Cruz, CA – September 16, 2025 – Farmblox, a farm automation system connecting equipment and in-field sensors to the internet so farmers can see everything from their phone or computer and take action, announced it has relocated its headquarters to Santa Cruz, California. The move reflects Farmblox’s growing commitment to California’s specialty crops producers and the state’s central role in the company’s strategy.
“California is at the heart of the global agriculture market, and doubling down here allows us to stay close to our clients,” said Nathan Rosenberg, CEO and Co-Founder of Farmblox. “Santa Cruz gives us the best of both worlds: proximity to Silicon Valley’s innovation ecosystem while remaining rooted in active farming communities.”
The new headquarters will position Farmblox near the recently launched Reservoir Farms, a farm designed as an AgTech test site where technology leaders, growers, and entrepreneurs collaborate to solve urgent challenges facing global agriculture. This proximity enables the company to test the next breakthrough Agriculture automation solutions in real-world conditions and strengthen partnerships with California growers.
While expanding its presence in California, Farmblox maintains a regional branch in Vermont, where the company works with a vast majority of the maple producer markets. Farmblox’s dual presence in California and Vermont ensures continued innovation and farmer support across diverse agricultural markets, from sugar maples to citrus, almonds, and beyond.
“Our New England roots run deep,” Rosenberg added. “We remain dedicated to supporting maple customers and the broader Northeast market, even as we scale to meet the needs of specialty crops growers across California.”
About Farmblox
Farmblox gives farmers tools to build their own farm automation system, connecting in-field sensors and equipment to a simple app to fix problems and automate tasks. Reliably monitoring remote farmland in all weather conditions, farmers can add a custom array of sensors – from soil moisture to weather to valve pressure – to monitor their specific crops and land. With everything visible in a simple app on a smartphone, tablet, or computer, farmers can quickly identify operational issues like leaks, weather risks, or equipment failure and automatically trigger fixes to save resources and improve productivity.
For further information please contact:
Mira Marcus | PR, Farmblox | mira@farmblox.ag | 713-305-6961
Lisa Gulick, senior vice president at Southern Glazer’s, underscored in a recent Wine Market Council webinar the growing disconnects in wine's visibility and affordability, noting on-premise prices have surged while retail strategies like cheese-pairing displays can help guide younger shoppers.
This seemingly provocative question, “Is the wine industry’s thinking about how to get younger drinkers to buy wine outdated?” was the departure point for a compelling Wine Market Council (WMC) webinar entitled “Reducing Barriers to Purchasing Wine,” the first component of a new two-part study on what young consumers think about buying wine, both pro and con.
The industry has fallen fast in attracting younger drinkers who have a broader array of beverage choices than any previous generation. From BuzzBalls to Sauvignon Blanc with frozen jalapenos (popular on TikTok), they’re drinking more adventurously than ever before.
Inside the Consumer Mindset: Frustrations and Opportunities
CPG marketing consultant Russ Onish, president of Tampa-based Vista Grande, studies consumers across many different purchase categories. “One way to kind of think about what I have in store for you today is to really burst your bubble,” he said, before he played several dozen video clips from the 60 Gen Z and millennial interviewees the study did subjective research with. They all talked about why they do or don’t purchase wine.
“Think of this as a virtual journey to better relate to young alcoholic beverage consumers who actually like wine but need help figuring out how to connect it to their life and the occasions that they experience,” he said.
His main takeaway, borne out by the shopper videos: “We need to think about the occasions more than the demographics.”
Not all the consumers like wine. Some of the negative sentiments they mentioned include, “It doesn’t go with BBQ,” “I don’t like throwing out the leftover wine in the bottle that went bad” and “It’s not light enough (i.e., like beer) to drink a lot of.” Others: “I wish there was a classy way to drink from a non-glass container when I’m at the pool” and price: “It’s too expensive to get a good bottle.”
Pros were: “It’s easy for parties, you just open the bottle.” “I really like rosé. There are fewer options and fewer decisions to make.”
Consumers also like online filters to help them overcome the confusion of the wall of wine at convenience stores and supermarkets.
Many suggested small serving containers and removing the stigma from boxed wines.
“The stigmatization of entry-level options in the wine category, whether it’s box wine or less expensive wine, that’s a real problem,” Onish said.
Innovation Needed in On-Premise and Retail
Lisa Gulick, senior vice president for national accounts retail with Southern Glazer’s, weighed in with both the on-premise and retail perspective coupled with some innovative ideas.
She showed data that wine is becoming more invisible and more expensive in the on-premise world. “The ‘by the glass’ listings have gone down by almost 15% since pre-COVID vs today,” Gulick said. “And what’s scary about that is that when you specifically talk about fine dining, that’s actually the channel where wine is the preferred alcoholic beverage.”
Additionally, her data on wine pricing comparisons showed on-premise wine prices increasing dramatically, on average 33%, while actual wine prices increased only 8% off-premise. “I think the on-premise is unfortunately still using wine as a way to gain some extra margin,” Gulick said.
One solution? She liked the menus that offered 3-, 6- and 9-ounce pour options. “I love this idea.”
In the retail environment, Gulick praised in-store displays that put wine next to the cheese section, suggesting that would be a great pairing. “We underestimate how those simple cues can make a big difference to somebody that’s looking at a wall of options.”
While boomers are a third of the population, they overindex for wine, buying half the wine sold. But the future wine buyer? They need to discover wine, and it’s got to be easier, Gulick said, suggesting a Spotify-like approach to appeal to younger consumers.
If you want to work out, you just tell Spotify and it comes up with a personalized playlist, she said. Gulick then painted a picture of how that approach could help a wine buyer in a store cut to the chase.
“The guy who wanted the barbecue in the grill, imagine if he could just ask a kiosk at a store, ‘Hey, I’m making barbecue tonight. What do you recommend?’
“I just think that this type of opportunity, especially for the wine category, could be a game changer just because of the educational barrier that I think we’re all agreeing very much exists,” Gulick said.
The full video of the study is available to WMC members. Part two of the study will be a national quantitative survey and will release shortly. A new list showing the dues paid for membership is now online at https://winemarketcouncil.com/join/.
2026 Advanced School on Microirrigation for Crop Production
Class Lectures: March 30 – April 1, 2026
Field Trips: April 2 – 3, 2026
Class lectures will be held in the UC Davis Conference Center. Field trips will be in the San Joaquin Valley and Central Coast of California.
Instructors of the School are professionals with extensive experience on principles and
practical applications of microirrigation for resourceefficient crop production.
What you will learn:
Technical aspects of water delivery systems to allow for successful adoption and management of microirrigation systems
Soil-water movement and soil-plantwater relations with microirrigation
Microirrigation systems design, operation, maintenance, automation, and performance evaluation
Methods and tools for microirrigation scheduling
Managing microirrigation for different crops (field and agronomic crops; vegetable crops; berry crops; fruit crops; nut crops; vineyards)
Chemigation and fertigation
Salinity management with microirrigation
Attending this school will provide:
3 days of practical class lectures on principles and implementation of microirrigation systems and management practices for crop production
2 days of field demonstration visits (one day in the San Joaquin Valley for modernized irrigation delivery systems, and fruit and nut crops; one day in the Central Coast for vineyards, vegetable crops, and berries)
Questions? Please contact:
Daniele Zaccaria – UC Davis: dzaccaria@ucdavis.edu
Mary Ann Dickinson: maryann@dickinsonassociates.com
SACRAMENTO, Aug. 18, 2025 – With wildfire smoke continuing to be a significant threat to winegrapes and wines, a comprehensive new roadmap provides guidance for smoke exposure research and mitigation strategies for the industry.
The roadmap, titled “Following the Smoke Signals: Elucidating the Future of U.S. Smoke Exposure Research,” was developed following a November 2024 workshop at Oregon State University, hosted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) and the National Grape Research Alliance. Workshop attendees – including federal scientists, university researchers, and wine/winegrape industry members – discussed the latest science on smoke exposure, industry needs, and strategies for building smoke resilience.
The 27-page document, authored by USDA-ARS researcher Arran Rumbaugh, summarizes workshop outcomes and highlights five critical research priorities:
Establishing threshold levels
Rapid detection and risk assessment
Atmospheric modeling
Prevention strategies in the vineyard
Mitigation techniques in the winery
The roadmap is available on the West Coast Smoke Exposure Task Force website. The task force will be releasing several bulletins that summarize the various segments of the roadmap; the first bulletin is now available via the roadmap webpage.
“Researchers hope that by better understanding the science of smoke taint, the industry can make more informed choices during fire seasons and preserve the quality, identity, and economic viability of American wines,” Rumbaugh said.
About USDA-ARS
The Agricultural Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s chief scientific in-house research agency. Daily, ARS focuses on solutions to agricultural problems affecting America. Each dollar invested in U.S. agricultural research results in $20 of economic impact. ars.usda.gov/
About the West Coast Smoke Exposure Task Force (WCSETF)
The WCSETF is a coalition of industry leaders committed to providing timely communications, resources, and best practices to help winegrape growers and vintners navigate the challenges of wildfire smoke. The task force serves as a central hub for updates, education, and collaboration to support industry resilience and informed decision-making. wcsetf.org
Media Contact
Mindy DeRohan, California Association of Winegrape Growers
916-379-8995 / mindy@cawg.org
Atascadero, California, August 19, 2025 — Growers and ag professionals can expect cutting-edge education, forward-thinking exhibitors, and meaningful ways to connect at the 2025 Sustainable Ag Expo. Whether your focus is climate resilience, automation, or workforce development, you won’t want to miss what this year’s program has to offer.
Kick-Off Event Featuring Dr. Chris Chen
Start your Expo experience with an evening of SIP Certified wines, gourmet hors d’oeuvres, and great networking at the Monday Night Kick-Off Event, hosted by Center of Effort Winery.
Expo Headliner Dr. Chris Chen will begin the evening by leading a conversation on the future of vineyard management in a changing climate, including cultivar selection, soil health, and resource efficiency.
Expo ticket holders can claim two free tickets while supplies last; additional tickets are $50 each.
Grad Student Poster Session + Robust Education Program
Fresh thinking takes the spotlight Wednesday, November 12, from 11:15 am to 12:00 pm. Cal Poly grad students will present posters that showcase their latest research, offering attendees real-world solutions from the next generation of ag professionals. During lunch (12:00–1:00 pm), connect with students and explore their work at the adjacent poster session.
This session is part of a comprehensive education program featuring 17 in-person seminars with 20+ Continuing Education (CE) hours. Two-day ticket holders also gain access to 13 online courses with an additional 10+ CE hours, available October 13–November 28, 2025.
Community and Connection Hubs
In addition to expert-led education, the Expo offers you meaningful ways to build connections, recharge, and get inspired throughout the event:
Sustainable Beer & Gear: Step outside Tuesday afternoon for a dynamic session led by Jeff Lehar (Monterey Pacific Inc.) on vineyard automation—then stick around to unwind with a local beer and explore cutting-edge equipment from 9+ innovative exhibitors.
Sponsored by ProFarm Group.
Donut Social: Start your Wednesday right with fresh local donuts and hot coffee. This crowd-favorite gathering is the perfect boost before a full day of learning and networking.
Sponsored by Valent BioSciences.
The SIP Lounge + Registration Hub: Designed with you in mind, this updated welcome space is your go-to for information, great conversations, and community. Ask questions, reconnect with familiar faces, or renew your Vineyard Team membership all in one spot.
Special thanks to Oxbo Corporation for supporting registration this year.
Bonus: Sponsor Opportunities Still Available!
Exhibitor booths may be sold out, but you can still showcase your brand at this year’s event. Event sponsorships offer direct exposure to your target audience and key decision-makers in the wine industry.
Contact Outreach & Event Coordinator Hayli and visit our sponsorship page to learn more.
Don’t miss a moment of what the 2025 Sustainable Ag Expo has to offer—Get your tickets today.
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About the Sustainable Ag Expo
The Sustainable Ag Expo is a multi-day seminar and tradeshow that connects farmers, ag professionals, and pest control advisors with the latest in sustainable farming research, resource issues, and business trends. Hosted by Vineyard Team, the event draws decision-makers representing over 225,000 acres of vineyards, orchards, and row crops.
Vineyard Team is an internationally recognized leader in the sustainability movement, guiding and educating growers about sustainable winegrowing practices since 1994.
