Is the Berry 8 a “game changer”?

April 14, 2022 03:26 PM

A Florida farmer hopes his robotic strawberry picker will be a solution to labor shortages.

The Berry 8 can pick eight acres in a day, and growers are already placing orders. Most of the berry industry workforce comes from Mexico, but USDA data shows that fewer young immigrants want to work in agriculture.

The creator has been perfecting the robot for years and says that the machines have to be delicate enough to not bruise the fruit while precise enough to pick at the right time. The Florida Strawberry Growers Association calls it a real game changer.

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