Controlling weeds remains vital in vegetable production. With rising labor costs and labor shortages, farmers continue to rethink their approach to effective weed management, and weeding robots have emerged to automate what has traditionally been a labor-intensive and time-consuming task.
The new technology was a main highlight at the 2025 FIRA USA agricultural technology event last month in Woodland. There were more than 80 vendors representing agricultural robotics and autonomous systems in two exhibition halls, four outdoor demonstration zones and two stages for panel discussions. Vegetable crops were a focus, though some vendors also targeted trees and vines.
Robots powered by artificial intelligence are already cutting costs for farmers, said Colusa County farmer Mitchell Yerxa, who was in attendance. The need to stay up on the technology is paramount, he added, especially if he wants to maintain profitability in tough economic times.
That’s why Yerxa took time away from his fields to wander the aisles and see field demonstrations at the show. Talking to the people who build the machines allows him to learn what is already reality or coming down the pipeline, he said.
“It’s always fascinating to get an up-close look at the technologies that are coming our way,” Yerxa said. “Many times, you don’t even know a certain idea is possible until you see the machinery and technology that is solving a problem.”
Yerxa said he enjoyed the pitch meetings with vendors and the demonstrations but saw the biggest benefit from the one-on-one interactions between growers and tech innovators to see what actual needs are on the farm. From there, he said, he was able to talk about the costs of each innovation and what was affordable based on the type of grower.
With California farmers struggling with depressed commodity markets and “walking a razor’s edge on profitability,” Yerxa said some may wait until prices come down before they buy. While farmers see the benefit of precision agriculture, as it could save them money, “we have to be sure that our purchases improve our profitability,” he added. But farms will continue to shrink their labor pool each year to cut costs, he said.
“They will figure out how to do more with less, and ag tech will absolutely be a part of that equation,” Yerxa said.
The implement that garnered the most attention on demonstration fields was the SharpShooter system from Hayward-based Verdant Robotics. The SharpShooter is a tractor attachment that uses AI to identify weeds and deliver precise, controlled sprays without hurting the cash crop.
The product uses Verdant’s “aim and apply” technology to deliver pinpoint inputs even under leaves without harming the crop, according to the company. It can automatically adjust spray volume based on the size of each target.
“We’re delivering milliliter streams of liquid onto the weed,” said Chad Yagow, Verdant’s director of agronomy and industry relations. “If you think about a hypodermic needle, if you press that plunger, that little stream of liquid that’s coming out—that’s what we’re doing every time that we take a shot.”
The SharpShooter can deliver herbicide right next to the crop, and if a broader leaf coverage is needed, the SharpShooter can twirl its nozzles to create a radius spiral of spray the size of a dinner plate, Yagow said.
The SharpShooter base model is $350,000. There are additional costs for software updates to help identify specific crops. Leases are available. More than 20 units are in operation in California, Yagow said. Lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, onions, carrots, spinach and melons have been the main crops, he noted.
“We’ve had some customers that, in extreme conditions, have spent $14,000 an acre on hand weeding, so they’re already seeing great ROI (return on investment) in just a few months,” Yagow said.
Bonsai Robotics debuted its battery-operated Amiga Flex, a modular platform that can move easily between rows or above crops. The width of the chassis and the tools or collection bins can be configured according to farmer needs. Demonstrators used a smartphone to operate the robot, which can be controlled from anywhere in the world using a Starlink connection.
“The Amiga can follow you down the row. You’re not having to run back and forth with 5-gallon buckets,” said Arav Gupta, a sales engineer for the San Jose-based company. “The workers can now just stack barrels on top of the robot, and the robot can automatically get back and forth to them from the processing facilities.”
Though the robot is roughly the size of a small ATV, Gupta said it is powerful enough to tow implements, “so if you want to do some irrigation, then the Amiga can carry everything you need right to the spot you’re standing in your field.”
Union City-based Tensorfield Agriculture showed off the Jetty, an AI-powered precision weeding robot for organic vegetable crops. It uses thermal microjets to spray superheated vegetable oil on weeds to kill within the crop canopy.
“We’re seeing 76% labor reductions in hand-weeding, so the ROI is fast and large,” said Xiong Chang, the company’s CEO and co-founder. “We’re using a human driver right now in the prototype stage and as we try to get the weeding element right, but eventually we’ll be fully autonomous.”
Solinftec introduced Solix, a battery- and solar-powered weeding and spraying system designed for larger-scale production of field crops and specialty crops. The autonomous robot can be adjusted to crop height and crop row width. The chassis accepts a variety of tools, including those from other companies. A filling station is part of the package, and Solix can autonomously return to the station for refills and go back to the spot in the field where it stopped spraying.
“Corn and soybean farmers are our primary customers right now,” said Chris Dillard, a product manager for the Kansas-based company. “The great thing about our robot is that it can remain in the fields 24/7 monitoring crops from planting to harvest. It never has to go to church, family parties or sleep.”
The event allowed agricultural technology leaders to walk and talk with their potential customers in an informal way. Tech innovators get just as much information from farmers as farmers get from the companies showcasing their technology.
That’s why FIRA USA exists, said Danilo Leao, founder and CEO of BovControl and RaizBot.AI, two carbon capture and credit trading companies. He said he found the convergence of robotics and AI “most impressive.”
“FIRA is a great way to see these tools up close,” he said. “It’s getting much more exciting.”
Mark Billingsley is a reporter in Carmichael. He can be reached at agalert@cfbf.com.
