aem has announced a new five-figure campaign urging governor gavin newsom and california lawmakers to modernize the state’s outdated regulations governing the use of autonomous agricultural equipment. the campaign, drive ag progress, highlights how outdated regulations are preventing california’s farmers from accessing the same innovative tools that are transforming agriculture across the rest of the country.
“california has always been a global leader in innovation, but farmers are now being left behind in the state,” said kip eideberg, aem’s senior vice president of government and industry relations. “it’s time for governor newsom to act so that california’s farmers can lead once again and adopt the latest technologies that will keep them competitive on the global stage.”
in states across the country, autonomous agriculture equipment is already improving productivity, addressing worker shortages, creating safer working conditions on farms, and reducing costs. yet, california’s existing regulatory barriers prevent farmers from safely deploying this technology in their fields.
this campaign highlights that autonomous farm equipment is a solution, not a threat. while autonomous vehicles are already deployed in the streets of california, they are not currently allowed in farm fields. this hypocrisy is holding back farmers and california’s innovative track record.
through the drive ag progress campaign, aem is calling on governor newsom to update california’s autonomous agriculture regulations, empowering farmers with innovation and driving progress forward for california’s agricultural future.
for more information on the campaign, visit www.driveagprogress.com.
