11 pages., Via online article, A “digital revolution” in agriculture is underway. Advanced technologies like sensors, artificial intelligence, and robotics are increasingly being promoted as a means to increase food production efficiency while minimizing resource use. In the process, agricultural digitalization raises critical social questions about the implications for diverse agricultural labourers and rural spaces as digitalization evolves. In this paper, we use literature and field data to outline some key trends being observed at the nexus of agricultural production, technology, and labour in North America, with a particular focus on the Canadian context. Using the data, we highlight three key tensions observed: rising land costs and automation; the development of a high-skill/low-skilled bifurcated labour market; and issues around the control of digital data. With these tensions in mind, we use a social justice lens to consider the potential implications of digital agricultural technologies for farm labour and rural communities, which directs our attention to racial exploitation in agricultural labour specifically. In exploring these tensions, we argue that policy and research must further examine how to shift the trajectory of digitalization in ways that support food production as well as marginalized agricultural labourers, while pointing to key areas for future research—which is lacking to date. We emphasize that the current enthusiasm for digital agriculture should not blind us to the specific ways that new technologies intensify exploitation and deepen both labour and spatial marginalization.
11 pages, Online via UI Library electronic subscription., Report of research among farmworker families living and working in three Florida communities. Most reported childcare access as a challenge. Findings offer ideas for industry support of childcare as an important workforce investment.
8 pages, Online via UI Library electronic subscription., Research identified factors farmers' negative perception on utilizing rice transplanters and combine harvesters. Findings suggested that government agricultural extension services play a significant role in lessening farmers' negative perceptions.
Online via the publication. 3 pages., Findings of a poll by The Packer indicated that "properly administered social responsibility programs
do exactly that, or at least can be a significant factor in helping accomplish that goal." They can help ensure that workers are treated well according to health and safety standards and compensated fairly. Such programs also provide to the wider company a greater sense of purpose that workers' jobs
contribute to something greater than profits.
