Rethinking Farm Mechanization: Where Does Robotics Fit?

The mechanization model that worked for decades now faces unprecedented stress: rising acquisition costs, compaction concerns under conservation agriculture, fewer available field days due to climate variability. This session questions whether bigger is still better, examines the true costs of over-mechanization, and explores robotics as a potential paradigm shift—distributed, lighter equipment that may better align with agronomic goals and economic realities. Rethinking tools for tomorrow’s farming.