Workforce Implications From Farm Automation

ABSTRACT US agriculture is evolving rapidly, especially with the development of new and more complex labor‐saving technologies. This study overviews the workforce implications of agricultural automation, including those for employment, wages, job quality, and more. Contrary to beliefs that automation reduces employment, we show that automation can raise employment and wages by increasing farm production and creating higher‐paid and more desirable jobs in complementary sectors. These workforce implications are mediated by the factors that drive adoption and how effects permeate across the agri‐food system, suggesting that governments play a key role in ensuring positive workforce outcomes through policymaking and funding allocations.This is the peer reviewed version of the following article: [Workforce Implications From Farm Automation. Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy (2025)], which has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1002/aepp.70009. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions: https://authorservices.wiley.com/author-resources/Journal-Authors/licensing/self-archiving.html#3. Deposited by shareyourpaper.org and openaccessbutton.org. We've taken reasonable steps to ensure this content doesn't violate copyright. However, if you think it does you can request a takedown by emailing [email protected].