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In 2009, Canadian farmers spend more than $4 billion on farm wages. Within the United States, this number is slightly higher. The gross annual profit of many farms is around $100,000. When combined, these numbers lead to a massive problem for Canadian and American farms alike. The solution to this problem may be robotics.

A number of farms throughout Europe and North America are replacing farmhands with robots. While not the walking, talking, robots most of us are used to seeing in animated films, farm robots are able to perform all the same tasks that humans can.

The difference is that a farming robot only costs around $30,000 – the price of an average car.

With a lifespan that lasts many years (with the occasional tune-up), robotic farming makes sense.  These machines don’t tire, can’t form unions, and are ready to work at all hours of the day. The animals that come in contact with robots don’t seem to mind either. Dairy cows, for instance, can be fed at all hours of the day just by nudging a machine. In turn, these cows are able to produce more milk, which adds up to profits for farmers.

Most farmhand robots come from Europe where robotic farming has been in place for a few years now. Yet, robotics isn’t the only new technology the farming industry has seen lately. A number of farms are now using GPS technology and satellite imagery to determine where to plant seeds.

Seemingly, this would lead to lower food costs, though some find robotic farming alarming.

Can robots be trusted to run America’s farms flawlessly? Will farmhands be phased out by machines? Do robots have any place on a farm? Let us know what you think.

Article Written by Harriette Halepis