California farmers say state strict regulations on technology mean that already high food prices will only get worse

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California farmers say state strict regulations on technology mean that already high food prices will only get worse

New technologies in agriculture have the potential to benefit farmers and consumers. It can help automate agricultural processes and make them more efficient, thus saving costs. These savings can be passed on to consumers in the form of cheaper products.

But due to California’s strict regulations, technology like driverless tractors is prohibited, leaving farmers stuck.

“It’s crazy,” Larry Jacobs told the NBC Bay Area, who has been a farmer in California for 40 years. “It doesn’t make any sense.”

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NBC Bay Area reports that advances in agricultural technology mean that there are now some shaky machines that can collect nuts at the speed.

There are also some autonomous driving machines that can prepare soil for future crops and even fire lasers on weeds. “That’s not fun to go away,” Jacobs told the NBC Bay Area.

But if California farmers are not allowed to use the new technology, they will face challenges.

“Our biggest problem is labor,” Jacobs told the NBC Bay Area. “Getting enough people to do all the work is a challenge.” Jacobs warned that without flexible use, the tools can be fully utilized, and food costs may increase.

The National Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture said there were 2 million farmers in 2017, but today’s figures fell to 1.9 million.

Part of the reason is that farmers are getting older. According to the US Department of Agriculture, the average age of U.S. farmers is 58.1 as of 2022, and more importantly, it tends to age over time, meaning many people in the industry will soon be close to retirement, with fewer younger farmers, filling the gap.

California’s ban on automated agricultural equipment has been implemented since the 1970s. The rules state: “In your own strength and movement, all self-painted equipment should be stationed on the operators on the vehicle controller.”

The reason for the ban is to ensure that workers remain safe. The state is also facing pressure from unions to ban automated agricultural equipment for fear that it will lead to unemployment and displaced workers.

The problem is that these rules were made before most of today’s technological inventions, putting farmers in trouble. Worse, anyone faces fines for anyone who violates the state’s ban on automatic devices.

The law provides: “Any employer who violates any occupational safety and health standards, orders or special orders, and such violations are identified as general violations…there may be a civil fine of up to $16,285 for each such violation.” Violations are considered “serious” to result in a fine of $25,000.

In 2022, stakeholders petitioned the Occupational Safety and Health Standards Committee to allow the use of driverless tractors and other autonomous agricultural equipment. The petition talks about the fact that certain prohibited equipment can actually improve worker safety rather than hinder it.

The state pledged three years ago to form a working group to review the issue. But the committee has issued no guidance since then.

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Jacobs reiterated that not only can use this prohibited technology improve operational efficiency, but the possibility of injury is small.

“There is nothing to encounter in robots,” Jacobs explained. Without the help of technology, he said, “the crops were abandoned in the fields because people did not have enough labor to complete them.”

For years, California has allowed driverless cars to be used and on the road with other cars and pedestrians. However, farmers cannot use similar technologies in areas that are not occupied by vehicles and people.

California’s outdated rules mean the state lags behind other countries: John Deere’s driverless tractors have been used in 11 other states. However, the company won’t even sell its self-driving tools in California due to the current ban.

Councilman Juan Alanis plans to work with lawmakers to try to lift the ban on automated agricultural equipment.

“The longer we wait or sit in our hands, the longer we will have other states and other countries will continue to move forward because we are stubborn,” he told the NBC Bay Area.

Food costs could rise if technology is not on the desktop

According to the USDA, in 2022, California produces 40% of the country’s vegetables. The California Department of Food and Agriculture says the state produces nearly 70% of the country’s fruits and nuts. It also generates $8.13 billion in dairy products each year.

The problem is that the Bureau of Labor Statistics expects a significant shortage of farmers’ labor in the coming years, as California farmers have also been marked. Between 2023 and 2033, employment in the agricultural industry is expected to fall by 2%.

As workers turn to other occupations or retire, approximately 88,000 agricultural jobs are expected to be approximately unfilled each year in the next decade.

And, by 2024, the U.S. Government Accountability Office itself has found that agricultural technology offers many benefits for farmers – increased profits for farmers, reduced demand for fertilizers and better protection of water. The report also found that these tools could bring environmental benefits.

It is also important that these tools can help address the growing labor shortage in the future and the tools already identified today. If autonomous technology is banned in California, it can lead to wasteful crops, which are more costly to produce crops and are food bills not only for residents nationwide, but also consumers nationwide.

“Farmers just can’t find people to fill these jobs and technologies, which is absolutely essential to pushing the state’s agriculture,” Igino Cafiero, an engineer at John Deere, told the NBC Bay Area. “It’s about attracting the next generation of farmers.”