Inside the Innovations and Collaborations Powering FIRA USA 2025

Season 5: Episode 217

In this episode of North American Ag Spotlight, Chrissy Wozniak welcomes back Gwendoline Legrand, Co-Director of FIRA, to discuss the upcoming FIRA USA 2025 event taking place October 21–23 in Woodland, California. Known as the premier gathering for agricultural robotics and automation, FIRA USA brings together growers, innovators, OEMs, startups, and investors for three days of live demos, collaboration, and networking.

Gwendoline shares what makes Woodland such a strong venue, why in-field demos are critical for showing growers real-world solutions, and how FIRA continues to evolve by listening directly to farmers and industry stakeholders. She also reveals exciting new announcements, including John Deere’s autonomous ultra tractor demo and the strong involvement of New Holland and other leading manufacturers.

This year marks the launch of the Women in Ag Robotics Award, celebrating trailblazing women shaping the future of automation in agriculture. Gwen explains why this award is so important, how it will highlight women across all roles in the industry, and how it aims to inspire the next generation of leaders.

With more than 40 states and 50 countries represented, FIRA USA 2025 is set to be a truly global event, offering growers free registration and unmatched access to the future of farming.


Learn more about about at https://fira-usa.com/
Learn more about the Women in Ag Robotics Award at https://airtable.com/appngGw7fx3GXRLN5/pagSGexHt8UUIrYFA/form

#farm #farming #agriculture

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Transcript

00:00:00:01 - 00:00:36:03
Chrissy Wozniak
Hi, and welcome to North American Spotlight. I'm Chrissy Wozniak. Today I'm joined once again by a returning guest from Toulouse, France. Since 2016, she's been co-director of FIRA, the international organization leading the charge in autonomous farming and agricultural robotics. FIRA USA is returning October 21st to 23rd, 2025, in woodland, California, bringing together growers, innovators, manufacturers and investors for three action packed days of demos, collaboration and networking.

00:00:36:05 - 00:00:54:11
Chrissy Wozniak
This year also marks the exciting launch of the Women and League Robotics Award, recognizing trailblazing women shaping the future of automation in agriculture. And as always, I am so excited for this event. Please welcome back to the show, Gwendolyn Legrand. Welcome, Gwen, and so good to see you.

00:00:54:13 - 00:00:58:11
Gwendoline Legrande
Thank you, Christy, for the invitation. It's nice to have you back.

00:00:58:13 - 00:01:03:16
Chrissy Wozniak
So how are the preparations coming forth here for USA 2025?

00:01:03:18 - 00:01:28:22
Gwendoline Legrande
Yeah, we're super excited to, you know, to return to the same venue this year in woodland and the European Fairgrounds. That's a very nice venue because you really can experience of full if you're unsure, with the, you know, the demos in the fields. And this year, I really want to thank all the partners and especially UC Davis and with some growers for the amazing job they are doing in setting up the demo zone.

00:01:29:03 - 00:01:57:23
Gwendoline Legrande
This is the core of the event because we want to see the machine, you know, really working, making the job and having, you know, the vegetable fields, the orchards and also some vineyards, to experience and really have a look at what the machine can do. What is concretely, you know, on the shelf now for the growers and, we have also brand new crops that we are growing this year.

00:01:58:00 - 00:02:23:13
Gwendoline Legrande
And that's very, very interesting. We have some tomatoes and we'll have demos, some tomatoes this year and also a special one, cotton, cotton flowers that will be. Yeah. Oh yeah. That would be in the field. So you know that's exciting. Yeah. Because that's the thing about we want to have the process, real conditions, of the demos.

00:02:23:15 - 00:02:43:19
Chrissy Wozniak
Yeah. Oh that's amazing. Very exciting. And the shows returning to woodland, I know, I've. It has moved around from the beginning, and I remember the very first show in Fresno, and then we went to Selena's and then, woodland last year. So why, why did you choose to come back to woodland? And what makes that location such a strong fit?

00:02:43:21 - 00:03:05:10
Gwendoline Legrande
Yes, sure. So we wanted to be back to woodland because actually, we wanted to to get pretty close from the capital to Sacramento for many reasons. It's central, but also because we have, you know, legislators that are around main media that are around and that or people that we really want to involve, during the show. That's not the only one reason.

00:03:05:10 - 00:03:44:02
Gwendoline Legrande
And I think everybody agrees that woodland is a very also central and Sacramento central area in terms of diversity of crops that we can find. And, we are super happy to, to bring, you know, all the industry in a very nice venue to the Utah County Fairgrounds. And, that's also very interesting to see that since the beginning when we were in Fresno and then in setting us and now in The Woodlands, the growers are following the journey and growers from Fresno, whereas from Salinas are in woodland too.

00:03:44:02 - 00:04:02:17
Gwendoline Legrande
So, that's I think a really nice and, good input for the industry to see that wherever, you know, Shira stands and wherever the autonomous solutions are showcasing, girls are interesting and they're coming.

00:04:02:19 - 00:04:31:02
Chrissy Wozniak
Yeah. Those are those are some great points. And, and not only, growers from California, but I'm even hearing growers here in Florida are also planning on making the trip and, from Georgia and North Carolina as well. So I think that you've, you know, I just have to say congratulations to all of you because you really created in such a short period of time, this world class event that is, attracting growers from across across North America.

00:04:31:04 - 00:04:37:18
Chrissy Wozniak
And I think that's just incredible, the work you guys have done in just in five years. So good job.

00:04:37:20 - 00:05:10:05
Gwendoline Legrande
Thank you very much, Christy. Yeah. But, you know, that's when you have the involvement of many different persons that are really complementary. And again, I'm really thankful to our work organizers, the, you know, and Western girls with who we are really building the momentum and will building this event all together, plus all the amazing partners we have locally, the city of Woodland, for example, for this year and last year, and so many other, you know, people that are making this happen.

00:05:10:07 - 00:05:18:08
Gwendoline Legrande
So I think that's really and that's everything about this ag robotics industry collaboration is key.

00:05:18:10 - 00:05:28:19
Chrissy Wozniak
Right, exactly. So last year's event showcased, over 45 autonomous machines, robots, AI powered equipment. So what can attendees expect to see this year?

00:05:28:21 - 00:05:59:22
Gwendoline Legrande
Yeah, exactly. So that's about the same amount. But we are having new releases, new announcements that we're really happy to welcome, you know, during the event. So first of all, I want to really highlight the involvement of the OEMs, you know, tractor manufacturers that this year again all contributing New Holland first place go to sponsor that is renewing the partnership showcasing really interesting autonomous solutions.

00:05:59:24 - 00:06:32:01
Gwendoline Legrande
And this year the new involvement of John Jr. That will be there with four different brands talking about guests that they're just 100% acquired. Smart apply this year and spray that will be again in demo this year from John Deere. And and I'm really happy to reveal this now there will be, a private demo from the John Deere, autonomous ultra tractor that has been released in CSE in Las Vegas last January.

00:06:32:03 - 00:06:39:03
Gwendoline Legrande
And that was the first demo in know that event at Chevrolet USA next October. So we are pretty.

00:06:39:03 - 00:06:39:18
Chrissy Wozniak
Amazing.

00:06:39:20 - 00:07:12:14
Gwendoline Legrande
Crowd. But that's yeah. And then there are so many new robots and new autonomous machines and solutions, that people can see, that I'm not going to tell all the names, but I'm pretty sure that on the website you will find them. What's reality is that people will find solutions for the old life or their, you know, of the itinerary, in the, in the field so they can find solutions for planting.

00:07:12:16 - 00:07:47:23
Gwendoline Legrande
They can find solutions for weeding, for harvesting, for data collection. And at the end, the idea is to make sure that they find the right solution to tackle the challenges all the growers have. Talking about the labor shortage, of course, and the labor costs. That's right. He also in what we have to to find solutions. So the idea is we need to bring solutions for the youth management and to really improve, the productivity of the farms.

00:07:48:00 - 00:08:09:01
Chrissy Wozniak
Right? Yeah. Yeah. Amazing. I couldn't agree with you more. And you touched on the, the infield demos and this year. So last year they were out kind of in the parking lot areas. This year they're coming in to the green area into the center, for my understanding. I hope we don't lose the food trucks, though, because those food trucks were great.

00:08:09:03 - 00:08:12:16
Gwendoline Legrande
And, even better, you will have them in front of the gym.

00:08:12:18 - 00:08:24:21
Chrissy Wozniak
Oh, amazing. Perfect. So how important are these infield demos to helping growers understand what the this technology's potential is?

00:08:24:23 - 00:08:55:08
Gwendoline Legrande
What the thing is, and especially with agtech and with innovation, well, in general, but in agriculture, even more, I think that's, for example, tractors. You don't need to make sure that they are walking and, they are running. You know, you drive them. So, you know, it's working for robots especially, and autonomous solutions also, it's really important to see them in action to make sure that it's not fantasy.

00:08:55:08 - 00:09:26:03
Gwendoline Legrande
It's not science fiction. It's really exists in the fields. It works. And the job is done at the end. You know, and that's really you want to see that the crop that's I've been we've been we did on the damaged because that's a fear sometimes. Also when we are talking about automation, you're like, okay, I'm leaving a machine autonomously without and sometimes without supervision.

00:09:26:03 - 00:09:44:23
Gwendoline Legrande
It depends where and if the regulation is okay. But I'm leaving it alone. So is it working well? And how about my fields and my crops? So to see that in action, it's really kind of reassuring people, that first it works and then it works. Well.

00:09:45:00 - 00:10:10:12
Chrissy Wozniak
Right. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. And I think this is, one of the most, most exciting shows in my opinion, because you have all of the new technology in one place and not just in a hall where they're standing still like statues. You're actually seeing them in, in, real life and what they do. So I think that's just awesome.

00:10:10:14 - 00:10:24:22
Chrissy Wozniak
So what what do you think, in your opinion, makes your USA different from other AG shows in the US? I go to a lot of ag shows and you know, I know Fiora is different. So in your opinion from, you know outside of the US, what do you think?

00:10:24:24 - 00:10:50:00
Gwendoline Legrande
Wow, okay, you will leave me. You will tell me your opinion after that. But I think there are three major things. First, and we mentioned that the GMOs in really conditions make a difference. I think there was also a second thing I would say is that we give the voice to the growers. We want to hear the grass feedbacks first.

00:10:50:00 - 00:11:19:06
Gwendoline Legrande
So we want to hear their needs and we want to hear what they think as users, what are their feedback. And we want peer to peer talks before even the manufacturers to tell how, the emotional working, because we really think that's core to have these meetings and even this matchmaking, I would say between the needs and the solution.

00:11:19:08 - 00:11:46:05
Gwendoline Legrande
And it really happens at SRA. And I would say also that the third thing is that's at SRA. It's like between around 2500 people that are attending within three days. Okay. So it makes it quite easy to meet all the people you want to meet during one day. During three days. Sorry. And so it means that you are going at SRA.

00:11:46:07 - 00:12:10:04
Gwendoline Legrande
You will have business cards in your pockets back home with qualified person you met and qualified. Network that you're building at Fiera. And to make sure that when you go back at the office, you have the right potential partner with you. I think that's really unique. And I think the atmosphere is quite at the same time, professional but friendly.

00:12:10:08 - 00:12:15:00
Gwendoline Legrande
And I think that's really nice and that's good atmosphere.

00:12:15:02 - 00:12:41:17
Chrissy Wozniak
Yeah. Yeah I agree for sure. And I think one one important thing too that I've seen in watching watching fear evolve over the last five years would be just what you said. You, the organization asks the attendees what they want and then delivers. So. And I think, you know, very few shows that I that actually ask for feedback.

00:12:41:19 - 00:13:05:23
Chrissy Wozniak
And I think a lot of the shows have been around for 100 years, you know, 50 to 100 years. So they don't need to ask the opinions. But I think, you really involved the industry in the development and evolution of it. And I think that's that's really cool. To be able to to know that your opinions and that you're welcoming the opinions of growers, manufacturers, investors, OEMs.

00:13:06:00 - 00:13:11:11
Chrissy Wozniak
And I think that's that's unique and cool. And I think that's what sets you guys apart.

00:13:11:13 - 00:13:45:10
Gwendoline Legrande
All right. But I think, you know, Christy, that comes from the fact that we are not event organizers. We are, first of all, an association that has the mission to help, you know, promoting and developing the ag robotics industry. And when you have, you know, this mission, you have to listen to the key stake we have from the stakeholders and to make sure that we yeah, exactly what you're delivering the event or whatever service you delivering really meets the expectations of.

00:13:45:12 - 00:13:48:16
Gwendoline Legrande
Yeah. Of the targets. I would say.

00:13:48:18 - 00:14:14:18
Chrissy Wozniak
Yeah. Yeah for sure. So it's it's also an interesting place where you have beginning startups and then you have John Deere, New Holland. So those are, those are two very different market segments. So how do you how do they fit into the Fierro ecosystem. You know, how do you make relevant a startup. And John Deere New Holland.

00:14:14:20 - 00:14:42:00
Gwendoline Legrande
Well there are different levels. Of answer I would say, to your question, first of all. As you mentioned, they have different level of development, obviously. And so the startup that is just beginning needs to find investors, and they find investors at higher up because the investors know that, you know, price kind of mimics for the ag robotics industry.

00:14:42:00 - 00:15:13:02
Gwendoline Legrande
So they have to be there if they want to to to find the the latest nuggets. I would say then they are like the market seed startups, like the market products from startups that are mature. And those ones find deals because growers are coming at qira to find solution and buy solutions. So that's great. And OEMs, John Deere, New Holland, Kubota, some others that are coming, they are coming because also they have autonomous solutions.

00:15:13:02 - 00:15:45:18
Gwendoline Legrande
Obviously they have autonomous structures that are using etcetera, etcetera. So that's the right place for them to propose the solutions. Also. But that's also interesting because OEMs and I'm not revealing any secret everybody knows about that. They are partnering with startups more and more or less either the you're just partnering commissioner commercially, let's say, or they're acquiring or the you're, you know, having like dealer network, that's all providing to the, to the startups.

00:15:45:18 - 00:16:11:24
Gwendoline Legrande
So they are more and more involved with each other. So that's also a nice place. And, I have success stories I'm not going to tell today, but those success stories that happened at Qira, where OEMs and startup mats and, they contract it together at the end. So on that. Yeah. Yeah, that's the old life, you know, of the industry that's, is also happening.

00:16:11:24 - 00:16:13:21
Gwendoline Legrande
And that's sure.

00:16:13:23 - 00:16:33:20
Chrissy Wozniak
Yeah, that's that's really cool. So let's, shift gears a little bit. I'm really excited. I am on the jury for the brand new first year of Women and Agro Vortex award. So tell me about that exciting new development and, yeah, yeah, give us kind of a overview of what you're what you're thinking with this award.

00:16:33:22 - 00:17:09:01
Gwendoline Legrande
Yes, sure. So of course, in this industry, like in many industry men and top level management or or made, oh men. And so we wanted really to highlight women that are really like having a big position or are doing great things within the robotics industry. And they can be engineer, farmer, researcher, they can be whoever position they can apply in and they can be nominated to this new award.

00:17:09:03 - 00:17:44:10
Gwendoline Legrande
The idea is really to, yeah, to highlight the women in this industry because, yeah, we need it. And and we know that there are so many women that are doing great things that we really want to have them on stage for this Awards also, I know that, you know, the application and, you know, people. Well, women can apply, from now until and I'm looking for the date of the end, maybe, you know, it is.

00:17:44:12 - 00:17:46:21
Gwendoline Legrande
It's October the 5th.

00:17:46:23 - 00:17:48:22
Chrissy Wozniak
October 5th. Okay. Yeah.

00:17:48:24 - 00:18:07:21
Gwendoline Legrande
And the call for nominations, closes. So. Well, welcome all women from California, from wherever in the United States and abroad to to apply. And, in any case, we will have, you know, some highlights on all the nominations.

00:18:07:23 - 00:18:28:23
Chrissy Wozniak
Oh, yeah. That that is really cool. And one thing I really like is during the application process, they also have to record a video of themselves and I just think that's a really neat way, to, have that person engaged and, yeah. So I will include the link to the application in the show notes so you can go there.

00:18:29:04 - 00:18:31:18
Chrissy Wozniak
You can also go to fair.com as well, right?

00:18:31:20 - 00:18:33:08
Gwendoline Legrande
Yes. Exactly.

00:18:33:10 - 00:18:46:16
Chrissy Wozniak
Yeah. Perfect. Yeah. And so what kind of what qualities or achievements will, will you, will the judges be looking for in these nominees?

00:18:46:18 - 00:18:51:10
Gwendoline Legrande
I don't know my fate on this one, Tracy. I'm sorry.

00:18:51:12 - 00:19:02:20
Chrissy Wozniak
Yeah. No. That's okay. We can skip that one. Yeah. So how do you how do you hope that this award will inspire future generations of women in ag tech?

00:19:02:22 - 00:19:35:21
Gwendoline Legrande
Well, I hope it will inspire more women, and I. I hope also that it will inspire your men. Actually, even more than women. Because I think that's a very important point. You know, we are in a world, you know, that is really, like empowered by men. So it's in the story and we cannot avoid that. But now we have to make sure that every single man in the world first, every single woman in the world, because that's a very important point.

00:19:35:21 - 00:20:03:16
Gwendoline Legrande
I think they are, of course, jobs that we may know less, you know, involved in. And that's just a question of interest. That's not a big deal. But when it comes to have, you know, top level management, to have, a farmer or to have people that are taking part, even, let's say, in marketing for robotics, you know, manufacturer company, I mean, can be women, can be women.

00:20:03:16 - 00:20:36:08
Gwendoline Legrande
That does that's and we want to highlight them when we are building, for example, the program of the conferences, panel discussions at SRA, it's very hard to find women that can take, just because they are not in high level management. And I think that's still it. So now we really want to have more women on stage. And that's a big call that we are we are having today.

00:20:36:10 - 00:20:52:13
Chrissy Wozniak
Yeah. Yeah. That that is amazing. I'm glad to see this addition this year for sure. So, anything else you want to leave people with before the show? I guess, you need to pre-register. You know, it's free for growers, right? So, anything else you want to add?

00:20:52:15 - 00:21:31:24
Gwendoline Legrande
Yeah, exactly. It's free for growers. Of course it's free for June at least. And then they are different ways depending if you come only one day, two days or three days. There are many things happening during all three days. So you can grab what you want from the from the websites. And I think that's also interesting to know that there is this app that you can use during the show where you can connect with every single person that already registered, so you can have your dedicated network as sheera and and plan all your, your agenda on that also.

00:21:31:24 - 00:21:56:14
Gwendoline Legrande
So yeah, please register it's time. It's in a few weeks now. So we're really excited to to have you aboard and also you can come from wherever we have over 40 states in the United States that are present at here are over 50 countries in the world. So it's definitely, an international event.

00:21:56:16 - 00:22:03:08
Chrissy Wozniak
Amazing. Very good. Well, thank you so much, Gwen, for joining me. I look forward to seeing you next month.

00:22:03:10 - 00:22:07:11
Gwendoline Legrande
Thank you, Christy, for your invitation.

00:22:07:13 - 00:22:22:10
Chrissy Wozniak
And thanks to all who are watching or listening if you want to learn more. As I said before, the links are all provided in the show notes. And don't forget to subscribe to North American Egg Spotlight on Spotify, Apple, Amazon Listen Notes if you prefer video, where you can find us on Rumble or really wherever you listen to podcasts.

00:22:22:12 - 00:22:25:22
Chrissy Wozniak
If you like this episode, I would love it if you shared it and have a great day!