Agtonomy, a leading software and services company specializing in advanced autonomous and AI solutions for agriculture, announced the 2024 expansion of their paid pilot program, putting growers in the driver's seat of next-generation, on-farm robotic automation.

"Agtech must have the farmer in the driver's seat of development from the beginning. Our on-farm pilots with growers help us refine innovation so it works in real environments for faster innovation and adoption," said Tim Bucher, Agtonomy CEO and co-founder. 

"Agtonomy's pilot program allows us to ensure our technology not only provides value, but works on their farm like we've promised."

Autonomy and robotics have been heralded as the solutions to agriculture's biggest challenges of labor, increasing costs and climate change impacts, but have yet to see wide-scale adoption at the field level due to poor technology performance, equipment cost or access. 

According to a 2022 McKinsey and Company, only 5% of farmers globally, across all agricultural sectors, have adopted autonomous solutions. 

Agtonomy has followed an aggressive on-farm testing program since the company's inception, developing the initial stages of the technology through trials on Bucher's California vineyard and olive orchard operation, Trattore Farms. 

Agtonomy is expanding on the success of the introductory paid pilot program started in 2023. For 2024, multiple wineries have signed on to participate, including E & J Gallo, the world's largest winery, and Treasury Wine Estates(TWE), one of the world's largest premium wine companies, as well as several award-winning wineries including Silver Oak Cellars and Caymus Vineyards.