Stories | UC ANR Innovate

Stories, insights, and updates from across UC ANR Innovate's portfolio: what's happening, who's doing the work, and why it matters.

UC ANR Innovate: Article

Welcome to UC ANR Innovate

January 4, 2026

By Hanif R Houston

UC ANR Innovate has a new home.This site brings together everything we do under one roof: The VINE, the Farm Robotics Challenge, The Plant, BioCircular Valley, and the California AgTech Alliance. Five programs, one mission—connecting people, ideas, and resources to move agricultural innovation from research…

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Photo illustration of a spray drone hovering over a orchard

Food Blog: Article

Public invited for up-close look at future of citrus ag tech

November 12, 2025

By Hanif R Houston, Michael Hsu

Six ag tech companies will demonstrate their technologies at a VINE Connect Field Day on Dec. 5 at UC ANR's Lindcove Research and Extension Center. This cohort focuses on citrus.

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Gabe Youtsey speaks at a podium while Karen Aceves and Karen Ross look on at AgTech Alliance press conference

California AgTech Alliance launches to help farmers stay competitive

October 23, 2025

By Hanif R Houston

The Alliance will coordinate nine regional innovation hubs that will deploy cutting-edge technology, train the next generation of workers and attract private investment.

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Team members from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa test their robot in a pineapple field

ANR News Releases: Article

Registration opens for 2026 Farm Robotics Challenge

August 25, 2025

By Kelly D Scott

The Farm Robotics Challenge, the only collegiate agricultural robotics competition of its kind, has launched its 2026 season. Registration is now open for student teams.

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People stand in a field for a demonstration of a solar-powered robot providing chemical-free autonomous weed control

Food Blog: Article

Farmers invited to test robots, high-tech solutions at Sept. 17 soil-health field day

August 11, 2025

By Hanif R Houston, Michael Hsu

UC Merced hosts VINE Connect Field Day on Sept. 17, when seven ag tech startups will demonstrate solutions designed to meet pressing challenges facing California agriculture.

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Ag fields between a winding river and mountains in the distance

UC ANR–led FutureFood Engine named semifinalist in NSF Regional Innovation Engines competition

July 16, 2025

By Hanif R Houston

The FutureFood Engine, led by UC ANR and backed by more than 50 partners across California and Nevada, has been selected as a semifinalist in the National Science Foundation’s Regional Innovation Engines competition.

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Orchard machinery retrofitted for autonomous operation

Food Blog: Article

Startups to showcase irrigation, robotics, pest-detection tech June 26

May 19, 2025

By Hanif R Houston

Six ag tech startups will demonstrate their products at a free public field day hosted by UC ANR Innovate, in partnership with Farmhand Ventures, on June 26 in Fresno County.

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Five guys stand around a spray drone on an equipment stand. Headshots of a woman and two men are on the left side.

University of Georgia wins top honors at 2025 Farm Robotics Challenge

May 8, 2025

By Kelly D Scott

A fully automated spraying drone platform took the grand prize – a $20,000 Innovation Award sponsored by Farm-ng and Western Growers – in the third annual Farm Robotics Challenge.

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Weeding machine straddles plants in the field

ANR News Releases: Article

Farm Robotics Challenge Awards to spotlight next generation of ag innovation

May 2, 2025

By Kelly D Scott

Winners of the 2025 Farm Robotics Challenge Awards will be announced on May 8.

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Salinas Valley Agriculture: Article

Survey on AI Chatbots in Farming

April 11, 2025

This short survey aims to gather your valuable insights on how a specialized agricultural chatbot could assist with your day-to-day farming operations. You can either test our prototype and compare it with ChatGPT, or simply share which features would be most beneficial for your specific farming context.The…

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