The Role of the Academy

The agricultural sector faces mounting pressure to innovate in response to economic challenges, climate impacts, and evolving social and political landscapes. Farmers increasingly rely on advanced technologies to drive efficiency, automate production, and reduce costs to sustain their businesses.

However, secondary school agriculture curricula has been slow to adapt, often lacking integration of smart farming strategies such as artificial intelligence (AI), automation, and robotics. As these technologies become integral to modern agriculture, a significant skills gap has emerged within the workforce. There is a strong demand for data literate professionals capable of leveraging technology for improved decision making. This gap is further widened by an aging workforce and persistent misconceptions about agricultural careers, making it difficult to keep and attract younger workers.

The Academy addresses this gap by offering hands-on experience with modern ag tech, equipping students and educators with essential skills and encouraging careers in agricultural technology.

View the video below for additional context and hear testimonials from several of college student participants in the Farm Robotics Challenge.