Autonomous Ag in Salinas and 2022 Potato Summary

**The autonomous agriculture industry and some 1,500 visitors came to the Salinas Sports Complex recently to meet the farm robots of today and tomorrow.

The FIRA USA gathering matched ag technology inventors with growers and venture capitalists, along with researchers and grad students from around the world.

It drew crowds for farm technology demonstrations, including a farm robot parade.

The Salinas Valley is taking a leading role in pioneering ag technology.

**The USDA released the 2022 Potatoes Summary that shows potato estimates for the 2022 season.

All potato production in 2022 totaled 399 million hundred-weight, down 3% from 2021.

Harvested area, at over 911,000 acres, was down 1%.

The value of all potatoes sold, at $4.8 billion, increased 23%, and the average price, at $12.90 per hundred-weight, was up $2.70 from 2021.

**While U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai visited a North Carolina Turkey Farm to celebrate market access to India, USDA reported increased turkey production.

The September USDA Turkey Raised report indicated a 4% increase from 2022.

Turkeys Raised in the U.S. in 2023 is forecasted at 219 million.

The top six states account for 68% of the turkeys produced in the U.S. in 2023.