In the 1930s, there were approximately 6.8 million farms in the United States. The average size was about 155 acres over the following decades. The number of farms drops sharply to about 1.9 million in 2023. Those farms are getting bigger. The average is about 464 acres.
This is because farming has changed over time. Experts believe artificial intelligence (AI) can help farmers and manufacturers make food faster and more efficient.
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“I think there is a lot of potential to increase yields on the crop side. But it also reduces the amount of resources we use in production. There is information we can actually collect to increase yield and improve nutritional quality. But then there is also the facilitation of reducing labor availability,” said Mason Earles, an assistant professor at UC Davis in the departments of Viticulture & Enology and Biological & Agricultural Engineering and an AI researcher at the Institute for Next-Generation Food Systems, or AIFS
In the 1930s, there were approximately 6.8 million farms in the United States. By 2023, that number has dropped to approximately 1.9 million. (AI Institute for Next Generation Food Systems)
The latest data shows that 41% of farmers reported labor shortages in 2018, up 27% from reported shortages in 2014. This trend is expected to continue. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that workers will decline 2% through 2033, even if the number of open positions remains the same.
“We can do more with less. It’s not that there aren’t fixed guidelines and have completely changed traditional work, but it’s also empowering. and increase the productivity of existing workers,” said Ilias Tagkopoulos, professor of computer science at UC Davis and director of AIFS.
AIFS is funded by the USDA’s Institute of Food and Agriculture. This is part of the USDA’s effort to conduct additional research on the use of artificial intelligence in agriculture.
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“One of the key areas that I’m particularly focused on and we work at at the Food Systems Institute is trying to say, How can I impact agriculture and the overall food system? Whether it involves different types of produce, different types of vegetables, fruits, nuts, other types of meat or other types of food,” Earls said. “We think there is a lot of potential. All the way from research and laboratories to startups. through organizational innovation And we’re here to find ways to facilitate and integrate that together.”
A USDA study shows that only 27% of farmers use emerging technologies like artificial intelligence. Investment is expected to grow across the industry from more than $2 billion this year to more than $5 in 2028.
A USDA study shows that only 27% of farmers use emerging technologies like artificial intelligence. (AI Institute for Next Generation Food Systems)
“Our vision is How can we have a healthier society and a more sustainable world? Our mission is to leverage AI to create just that. To help achieve that goal,” Tagkopoulos said, “AI is doing two things. One thing is to make the business more productive. and the second is accelerating innovation. It will accelerate innovation by focusing on what is important versus what is out there.”
Researchers are considering how AI hardware such as sensors or robots can better collect data in the field.
“One of the powers of AI is that it can process huge amounts of data in a short period of time. and achieve very high pattern recognition performance,” Earles said.
This technology can help farmers decide where to apply fertilizer. And when is the best chance of harvesting?
AI is used to run the world’s first indoor vertical berry farm.
“There is a great example of this being the ability to process millions of images every single moment. hours to identify areas that may have damage due to weeds. Are there any weeds or diseases or pests? And various types of equipment can be used to precisely eliminate those weeds or pests. so that farmers can see higher yields And consumers are seeing better fruits, vegetables and other products coming out of those fields,” Earls said.
One USDA project at the University of Arkansas is considering the use of virtual reality in poultry processing. Researchers will study whether the robots can be used in the field. while an employee controls a virtual reality device. Although it is expected that fewer workers will be required. But the cost of the equipment is high.
Researchers are considering how AI hardware such as sensors or robots can better collect data in agriculture. (AI Institute for Next Generation Food Systems)
“The question is, how do you make this technology more cost-effective and more practical? That is always a challenge,” Tagkopoulos said.
Controlled environments or indoor farming also have high upfront costs. But some studies show that higher crop yields are possible due to fewer weather-related challenges and the ability to grow year-round.
“We see in the future more data being generated. There are more, easier, much cheaper tools in terms of AI tools to be able to make recommendations on when to irrigate. When to farm, where to sell, more collaboration among farmers because they now better understand that they need to share their data. And it’s not about competition. It’s about everyone winning from it,” Tagkopoulos said.
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Controlled environments have received a lot of funding in recent years, with the USDA recently starting a program at Cornell University to research grapes. The National Grape Improvement Center will help scientists study climate-adapted grape varieties and management strategies for growers.
“Opportunity to grow vegetables, fruits and other types of crops. Things that they might not be able to grow have huge potential to deliver food, fresh produce and all sorts of nutritious foods to cities and other areas,” said Earls. “AI has real potential to help. Let us understand how to control the climate inside those buildings. to increase output efficiency”
