Los Angeles County is known for its sprawling urban landscape, diverse population, and entertainment industry. But it is also a place where agriculture has a long and rich history, as well as a promising future.
Los Angeles County was once one of the top producing agricultural counties in the nation, with more than 12,000 farms growing citrus fruits, berries, nuts, and vegetables on more than 200,000 acres of land. However, as the county urbanized, farms began to disappear, giving way to housing, commerce, and infrastructure. By the 1980s, agricultural employment made up a mere one-tenth of 1% of California’s workforce.
But now, farming in Los Angeles is starting to make a comeback. Growing interest in the local-food movement, healthy eating, and smart cities, as well as awareness of the obesity crisis, has spurred the development of urban, sustainable farming technologies. And investors are taking notice. In 2020, the AgTech (agriculture technology or digital agriculture) sector attracted $5.6 billion in venture capital. And in 2023, almost half of all AgriFoodTech VC investment in the U.S. went to California startups.
In this article, we look at new farming technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and lab-grown food alternatives, as well as how these changes in agricultural technology are shaping the future of farming in Los Angeles.
Leading the way in tech
AI and AgTech are two of the most promising technologies for the future of Los Angeles county farms. However, agricultural technology encompasses a variety of innovations that redefine both the nature of food production and what we consider food. California is at the forefront of several ag tech areas in the farming industry, including:
- Automation in Agriculture: The use of robotic harvesters, moisture sensors monitored by drones, and robotic delivery systems in dairy farming are reducing the labor required and improving yields.
- Crop Modification for Environmental Adaptability: Techniques like cross-breeding and gene editing, such as CRISPR/Cas9, are being used to make crops more resistant to drought and heat. For instance, UC Davis scientists are developing disease-resistant rice through gene editing.
- Lab-Grown Food Products: The move towards lab-grown meat, such as FDA-approved chicken grown from cells, marks a significant shift in traditional animal husbandry. Furthermore, startups like Upstream Foods are revolutionizing cultivated food by using salmon fat to flavor plant-based seafood, while Upside Foods won the world’s first FDA approval for cultivated meat.
- Greenhouse Emission Reduction: Efforts to reduce methane and CO2 emissions include capturing gases on farms and altering animal diets to reduce methane production. For example, UC Davis scientists are experimenting with feeding cows seaweed, which could lower the amount of methane they produce by as much as 82%.
- Water Usage Efficiency: Satellites, drones, and weather forecasts help monitor soil moisture and crop water needs, while water recycling technologies, dry farming, and new crop rotation techniques are being employed to reduce water usage.
- Food Safety Issues. AI can help farmers ensure food safety, by using blockchain, smart contracts, and traceability systems to track and verify the quality and origin of food products.
However, challenges such as climate change and state policies loom over this thriving sector. The Nature Conservancy estimates that achieving California’s “net zero” targets could require converting up to 10% of current farming acreage for clean energy use. Additionally, regulatory changes, such as state methane regulations, have led to a decline in the dairy sector and a steady decrease in cropland.
In this context, AI can be a powerful tool for enhancing California’s agricultural productivity, sustainability, revenue, and competitiveness in the global market. However, these challenges are not easy to overcome. They require robust cooperation between state governments and farmers, while focusing on researching and implementing new technologies. Policymakers, researchers, and industry leaders need to invest more in AI research and development, as well as education and training for farmers and workers.
Challenges California faces
Farming in Los Angeles County has undergone significant changes over the past century, from being a major agricultural hub to its decline. But with the advent of urban, sustainable farming technologies, farming has the potential to thrive again and contribute to the well-being of the county’s residents, environment, and economy, while fighting climate change.
With the right support and collaboration, Los Angeles County can lead the way in building a more sustainable and technologically advanced agricultural industry, benefiting not only California but the world at large. The future of farming in Los Angeles County is bright, if we embrace AI and AgTech as partners and catalysts.
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