If driverless cars are safe in cities, why are they banned on farms? | Opinion
California has required that an operator be physically stationed at the controls of certain farm equipment since 1977. But while our tools have evolved, the regulatory framework governing agriculture has not. My family and I are first-generation farmers in Northern California. Over the last two decades, I’ve seen remarkable advances in agricultural technology, from precision irrigation to data-driven crop management. Innovators across our state are developing tools that allow farmers to manage inputs with greater accuracy, reduce waste and improve productivity. And that is exactly what should happen in the world’s fourth-largest economy and the home of Silicon Valley.
Like many farmers, I want to change with the times, but state regulations are holding me back. Take the tractor, for example. If we can have autonomous cars navigating the busy streets of San Francisco, we can certainly have autonomous vehicles operating in our fields.
California’s rules regarding farmwork were written decades before autonomous technology existed. As a result, they effectively prevent autonomous tractors from being used in most practical farm settings, even as other states move forward with the technology.
John Deere’s autonomous 8R tractor, for example, uses AI-powered cameras and GPS guidance to perform tillage and other field operations without a driver. The company has offered the system commercially since 2023 and is developing versions for orchard and tree crops — precisely the kind of farming that defines California’s agricultural identity. As president of the California Farm Bureau Federation, I regularly hear from farmers and ranchers whose work has fundamentally shifted from farming to navigating red tape. When time and resources are diverted away from production, efficiency declines and competitiveness erodes. Research from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo shows that regulatory compliance costs for California farmers have increased by nearly 1,400% over the last two decades. These costs have risen far faster than farm revenues, placing an unsustainable strain on operations that already face razor-thin margins. This strain is especially concerning for California’s nearly 70,000 farms and ranches, which generate over $100 billion in economic activity and produce a significant share of the nation’s fruits, nuts and vegetables. At the same time, farmers are facing rising costs for water, fuel and labor. Nearly 70% of farmers say they can’t afford key crop materials needed this year. Producers in other states often operate under less burdensome systems, allowing them to bring products to market more efficiently.
The result is an uneven playing field that places California farmers at a growing disadvantage. We are already seeing the consequences, as thousands of farms have been lost in recent years, with small and mid-sized family operations at the highest risk. In this environment, access to technology is essential. Autonomous equipment and other forms of agricultural innovation enable farmers to operate with greater precision, lowering input costs and improving resource management. Moreover, these tools improve working conditions by reducing the need for physically demanding labor and limiting exposure to hazardous tasks. In the face of persistent labor shortages, these efficiencies are essential to keep farms operating reliably. Technological innovation also strengthens California’s workforce pipeline. As farms adopt advanced equipment, the nature of agricultural work evolves, creating increased demand for workers with technical skills in operating and maintaining these systems.
California has expanded partnerships with local community colleges and technical training programs to prepare workers for these roles. Because of this alignment between innovation and training, farmworkers are not displaced by technology; instead, they are equipped to move into higher-skill, higher-wage positions that offer greater stability and long-term opportunity. California farmers share a deep commitment to stewardship, worker protection and environmental responsibility. To uphold those values, we need a regulatory framework that recognizes innovation as part of the solution rather than a threat to be constrained. Modernizing outdated rules to enable the use of autonomous tractors would be an important step forward. Streamlining compliance requirements, investing in rural broadband and supporting the continued development and deployment of technologies such as drones, advanced mapping systems and AI would help farmers operate more efficiently and sustainably. These are practical, achievable steps that would allow farmers to do what we have always done: adapt, innovate and feed the world. Shannon Douglass is a Glenn County farmer and president of the California Farm Bureau, which works to protect family farms and ranches on behalf of more than 23,000 members statewide and as part of a nationwide network of 5.8 million Farm Bureau members.
This story was originally published June 15, 2026 at 9:36 AM with the headline "If driverless cars are safe in cities, why are they banned on farms? | Opinion."