Stories | UC ANR Innovate

Stories, insights, and updates from across UC ANR Innovate's portfolio: what's happening, who's doing the work, and why it matters.

Man in gray jacket inspects overhead sprinkler irrigaton system above green crops in the Central Valley

ANR News Releases: Article

CDFA, UC ANR and partners introduce California Agricultural Research and Innovation Roadmap

March 11, 2026

By Michael Hsu

Guided by farmer and rancher input, CDFA, UC ANR and academic and industry partners have developed a blueprint to advance scientific discovery and next-generation tools.

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UC ANR Innovate: Article

Welcome to UC ANR Innovate

January 4, 2026

By Hanif R Houston

UC ANR Innovate has a new home.This site brings together everything we do under one roof: The VINE, the Farm Robotics Challenge, The Plant, BioCircular Valley, and the California AgTech Alliance. Five programs, one mission—connecting people, ideas, and resources to move agricultural innovation from research…

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Photo illustration of a spray drone hovering over a orchard

Food Blog: Article

Public invited for up-close look at future of citrus ag tech

November 12, 2025

By Hanif R Houston, Michael Hsu

Six ag tech companies will demonstrate their technologies at a VINE Connect Field Day on Dec. 5 at UC ANR's Lindcove Research and Extension Center. This cohort focuses on citrus.

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Gabe Youtsey speaks at a podium while Karen Aceves and Karen Ross look on at AgTech Alliance press conference

Food Blog: Article

California AgTech Alliance launches to help farmers stay competitive

October 23, 2025

By Hanif R Houston

The Alliance will coordinate nine regional innovation hubs that will deploy cutting-edge technology, train the next generation of workers and attract private investment.

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Team members from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa test their robot in a pineapple field

ANR News Releases: Article

Registration opens for 2026 Farm Robotics Challenge

August 25, 2025

By Kelly D Scott

The Farm Robotics Challenge, the only collegiate agricultural robotics competition of its kind, has launched its 2026 season. Registration is now open for student teams.

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People stand in a field for a demonstration of a solar-powered robot providing chemical-free autonomous weed control

Food Blog: Article

Farmers invited to test robots, high-tech solutions at Sept. 17 soil-health field day

August 11, 2025

By Hanif R Houston, Michael Hsu

UC Merced hosts VINE Connect Field Day on Sept. 17, when seven ag tech startups will demonstrate solutions designed to meet pressing challenges facing California agriculture.

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Ag fields between a winding river and mountains in the distance

Food Blog: Article

UC ANR–led FutureFood Engine named semifinalist in NSF Regional Innovation Engines competition

July 16, 2025

By Hanif R Houston

The FutureFood Engine, led by UC ANR and backed by more than 50 partners across California and Nevada, has been selected as a semifinalist in the National Science Foundation’s Regional Innovation Engines competition.

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Orchard machinery retrofitted for autonomous operation

Food Blog: Article

Startups to showcase irrigation, robotics, pest-detection tech June 26

May 19, 2025

By Hanif R Houston

Six ag tech startups will demonstrate their products at a free public field day hosted by UC ANR Innovate, in partnership with Farmhand Ventures, on June 26 in Fresno County.

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Five guys stand around a spray drone on an equipment stand. Headshots of a woman and two men are on the left side.

ANR News Releases: Article

University of Georgia wins top honors at 2025 Farm Robotics Challenge

May 8, 2025

By Kelly D Scott

A fully automated spraying drone platform took the grand prize – a $20,000 Innovation Award sponsored by Farm-ng and Western Growers – in the third annual Farm Robotics Challenge.

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Weeding machine straddles plants in the field

ANR News Releases: Article

Farm Robotics Challenge Awards to spotlight next generation of ag innovation

May 2, 2025

By Kelly D Scott

Winners of the 2025 Farm Robotics Challenge Awards will be announced on May 8.

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