Farming robots: the tasty future of industrial agriculture
Robotics and artificial intelligence have already reached the farms thanks to the startup Iron Ox, which has already opened the first farm, where almost all the farming activities are being carried out by robots.
Keeping in mind the objective of opening another farm in California in the near future, Iron Ox presents the new (much more advanced) rules of industrial agriculture.
Angus is the name of the main Iron Ox robot, which is equipped with machine learning software that allows it to fulfill two very important functions: the first, to make hydroponic vegetable beds, and the second, to eliminate those crops
that have been attacked by pests before they affect the rest.
Iron ox
Thanks to Angus' work, the company already has vegetables available for sale, distributing 5 to 10 boxes a week to the Bianchini market in San Carlos, California. At the moment, Iron Ox grows three types of vegetables: baby lettuce, Genoese basil and red sorrel.
Industrial agriculture will be robotic and with fresher products
Iron Ox's mission goes far beyond changing the way agriculture works in the near future. In the words of one of its founders, Brandon Alexander, the reason that led them to create Iron Ox is to ensure the freshness of the vegetables we consume daily.
“Right now, fresh produce is actually not that fresh. They travel an average 3.200 kilometers, from farm to store, which means that many people are eating week-old lettuce or strawberries. ”
The company's vision includes updating agricultural regulations, proposing robotics as part of standardized cultivation processes. Specifically, this translates into a conditioning plan for several robotic farms to sell their crops locally, both grocery stores and restaurants.
Robots improve the taste of vegetables
Another important goal for robotic agriculture is improve the flavor of vegetables, which is largely guaranteed by freshness.
Iron Ox products on the Bianchini supermarket shelf.
The goal is that we all have access to accessible, fresh and better-tasting vegetables, grown on farms that require less space than traditional ones. If Iron Ox can do it, which is shaping up to be a possibility, it will force a change in the relationship between farmers, food retailers and ultimately the quality of what we consume.
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