Western Growers invests $1.5M in Reservoir Farms partnership to support robotics trials

Western Growers announced a three-year, $1.5 million partnership with Reservoir Farms to give its members and affiliated startups expanded access to AgTech robotics field trials.

The Irvine, California-based grower organization will provide $500,000 annually for 3 years, in addition to $250,000 previously provided. The agreement gives Western Growers (WG) members access to WG-branded demonstration days at Reservoir Farms locations in Salinas, California; California Wine Country; and a planned Central Valley site.

The demonstrations will allow growers to evaluate automation tools in commercial production settings, with a focus on labor constraints, input efficiency, scalability and return on investment.

Select startups working with the Western Growers Center for Innovation & Technology also will receive sponsored residency opportunities at Reservoir Farms. Those companies will test and refine technology alongside growers under real farm conditions.

“Western Growers members will be in the driver’s seat to prioritize companies with workable automation and efficiency solutions,” said Dave Puglia, Western Growers president and CEO.

Reservoir Farms provides shared research and development space, commercially grown field acreage, equipment from partners including John Deere and grower feedback to help startups move toward viable products.

Danny Bernstein, Reservoir CEO, said the partnership creates a direct link between grower challenges and technologies being developed to address them.

Photo courtesy of Western Growers Association.