October 31, 2025. Panel, What Scares You About AgRobotics?
The Ag Robotics Working Group held a Halloween-themed meeting, and Russell Cole introduced himself as a new member. The group conducted a panel discussion on fears and challenges in agricultural robotics, with panelists sharing their perspectives on AI governance, technology adoption, and practical implementation in farming. The conversation ended with updates on research funding, subcommittee formations, and upcoming meeting cancellations, while also discussing the challenges faced by startups in transitioning from research to commercialization.
Next steps
Chuck: Bring up startup companies met at Emily conference in a future meeting
Bridget/Working Group: Start meetings for research subcommittee and validation subcommittee soon
Dan/Working Group: Reach out to potential speakers to fill out the 2026 speaker calendar
Lisa: Respond to any questions about Senjin Agriculture Call for Proposal
Chuck, Kristen, and Western Fair team: Meet with Ian for 10 minutes after the main call
Summary
Ag Robotics Fears Panel Discussion
The Ag Robotics Working Group held a Halloween-themed meeting where Guy Fieri accidentally joined the wrong call before being corrected to the correct meeting about robotics. Russell Cole, a former AgTech founder, introduced himself as a new member of the group. The meeting then transitioned to a panel discussion on what scares people about Ag Robotics, featuring panelists Rosita Dara, Chuck Bereasich, and Mark Richards, who were moderated by Ian McDonald. The panelists were set to share their perspectives on fears and challenges in agricultural robotics, with audience members invited to participate in the discussion.
AI in Agriculture: Governance Challenges
Rosita Dara, a faculty member at the University of Guelph, discussed her research in AI and governance, particularly in agriculture and food technology. She emphasized the importance of embedding governance requirements into AI solutions to ensure data quality, unbiased design, interpretability, and sustainability. Chuck Baresich, representing Haggerty AgRobotics, and Mark Richards, a farmer with experience in AgRobotics, shared their perspectives on the challenges and opportunities in adopting AI and robotics in farming. They highlighted the need for industry-wide adoption and integration of technology while acknowledging the potential hurdles and the importance of governance in this process.
AgRobotic Adoption: Challenges and Viability
The panel discussed factors influencing the adoption of AgRobotic systems, with Mark sharing his experience using robots in sugar beet production. He emphasized the need to balance new technology with existing farming practices and highlighted the importance of practical integration. Chuck expressed concerns about the motivations of startup companies developing AgRobotic systems, emphasizing the need to understand the founders' intentions before adopting new technology. Both Mark and Chuck agreed on the importance of considering the long-term viability of AgRobotic systems in agriculture.
Agricultural Robotics Adoption Challenges
The group discussed concerns about agricultural robotics adoption, with Mark expressing worry about farmers' reluctance to embrace new technology and highlighting the slow adoption of GPS systems in the past. Rozita emphasized the importance of governance in building trust and reliability in agricultural robotics, while also warning about the threat of slow adoption by smaller players. The discussion concluded with Ian asking about government protection for stakeholders in agricultural robotics, to which Rozita confirmed its role in protecting all stakeholders.
Robotics in Agriculture: Challenges and Impact
Mark shared insights from his meeting with Thomas in England, who uses robotics in agriculture, highlighting the challenge of adapting technology to existing systems rather than forcing systems to adapt to technology. Chuck expressed concerns about the removal of people in agriculture, noting that reliance on technology can lead to a lack of mechanical knowledge and curiosity about how machinery works. He also discussed the dual impact of robotics on farming, potentially enabling smaller farmers to stay on their land while also raising fears of corporate control and the disappearance of rural communities.
AI in Agriculture: Challenges and Oversight
Chuck and Mark discussed the integration of AI with robotics and traditional production systems in agriculture. They expressed concerns about over-reliance on AI and the need for human oversight, as well as the limitations of AI in accurately predicting outcomes for specific farming practices. Chuck emphasized the importance of data sets and models fitting local geography and production systems, while Mark highlighted the need for checks and balances to prevent unintended consequences of AI use in agriculture.
AI in Agriculture: Challenges and Education
The group discussed the role of artificial intelligence in agriculture, with Rozita explaining that AI encompasses both traditional expert systems and newer agentic AI technologies that make autonomous decisions. She expressed concerns about the lack of understanding of how agentic AI systems make decisions and the need for better education to help users critically evaluate AI tools. The discussion highlighted the importance of balancing AI usage with human expertise and the need for organizations to educate users about AI's limitations and proper use.
AI, Robotics, and Employment Impact
The panel discussed the impact of AI and robotics on employment, with Ian emphasizing that people, not machines, drive the economy. Mark questioned whether jobs would be lost or simply shifted, while Rozita suggested it would be a shift rather than a loss. The group also debated the definition and importance of governance in AI development, with Rozita clarifying that it involves considering people, process, and technology, and is not solely about regulation. Dan raised concerns about government regulations being more oppressive than assistive for Canadian technology development, to which Rozita responded by explaining the theoretical and practical aspects of governance in AI development.
Startups' Commercialization and Market Challenges
The panel discussed challenges faced by startups in transitioning from research and development to commercialization, highlighting the "valley of death" phenomenon where companies struggle to secure market adoption and financial support. They noted that rapid technological advancements, particularly in AI, can render existing technologies obsolete before they reach market readiness, leading to increased risks for smaller companies that lack strong financial backing. The panelists agreed that providing honest feedback to startups about market readiness and focusing on fewer but more complete product developments could help mitigate these challenges.
AgTech Innovation and Funding Updates
The meeting covered several updates and announcements. Big shared insights from recent meetings with innovation farms and startup companies, and Ian invited attendees to present on Agrotechnica findings if they attend. Balinder introduced herself as a Business Development Lead at the Ontario Center of Innovation and sought to understand opportunities for scaling businesses in Ontario's AgTech sector. Wall-E reminded attendees of available research funding and the formation of two subcommittees: research and validation. Dan announced the CENGN Agriculture Call for Proposal deadline on November 14th and encouraged submissions. He also reminded attendees of upcoming meeting cancellations on December 26th and January 2nd, and invited suggestions for speakers for 2026.
