Last week, BCI’s Claire Little went to FIRA USA 2026 at the Yakima State Fair Park in Yakima, Washington. The two-day event brings growers, researchers, and technology developers together around agricultural automation and robotics.
Claire took part in field demonstrations and discussions on new tools built to work with the machinery growers already own. These included AI-powered equipment and hawk-like drones that keep birds out of orchards. Many sessions were about practical answers to two challenges growers face every day: labor shortages and crop protection.
Claire also connected with industry peers at the Women in Agriculture (WAG) networking event at Treveri Cellars.
Seeing these challenges firsthand, especially for Washington’s apple growers, helps our team better understand the industries we serve and the issues that shape their success at home and abroad.