F3 researchers from UC Merced were recently featured on NPR’s Marketplace podcast, discussing how technology is transforming agriculture, from AI-guided irrigation sensors to electric tractor applications.
Faculty like Professor Reza Ehsani are mentoring students and building tools that make farming smarter and more sustainable. With support from Farms Food Future (F3) and the Valley Institute for Sustainability, Technology and Agriculture, research is moving from lab to field — fast.
Students test innovations in smart greenhouses and experimental farms, while researchers like Kimberly Gibson ensure that farmworker perspectives guide agtech development.
As Executive Director Leigh Bernacchi said: “Everyone in the nation eats the food grown in this valley.” If we want to lead in sustainable agriculture, it starts right here.