SAFER AG Workshop Explores the Future of Autonomous Agricultural Safety

To address the opportunities and challenges associated with these emerging technologies, leaders from agriculture, engineering, safety, and research will gather for the SAFER AG Workshop, November 9-11 at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. This is the third iteration of the workshop, and members of the Penn State Agricultural Safety and Health Team serve on the planning committee.

The three-day event will bring together growers, engineers, researchers, equipment manufacturers, educators, policymakers, and safety professionals to discuss how autonomous and artificial intelligence-enabled technologies can be implemented safely and effectively in agricultural settings.

As autonomous equipment becomes increasingly common on farms, organizers say there is a growing need for safety frameworks, workforce training, standards development, and practical guidance to support adoption. The workshop is designed to foster collaboration among stakeholders who are shaping the future of agricultural automation.

"Autonomous agricultural systems are scaling faster than many of the standards, training pipelines, and safety frameworks needed to support them," organizers noted. "The SAFER AG Workshop creates a space for stakeholders to work together on solutions that advance both innovation and safety."

Featured keynote presentations

The workshop will feature two keynote presentations that address critical issues in agricultural autonomy.

Jose Perez, vice president of global farming operations for The Wonderful Company, will discuss the implementation of autonomous technologies in production agriculture and share lessons learned from real-world deployment.

Kent McElhattan, founder of the McElhattan Foundation, will present a keynote focused on creating a future without workplace fatalities and the role of leadership, innovation, and culture in achieving that goal.

Program highlights

Participants will have opportunities to explore current challenges and emerging solutions through a variety of interactive sessions and collaborative activities, including:

• Four challenge-driven track sessions focused on:
• Organizational readiness
• Workforce training and competency development
• Lessons learned from autonomous technology deployment
• Artificial intelligence and data governance
• A reception and poster session highlighting current research, innovation, and safety initiatives related to autonomous agricultural systems
• Hands-on Create Summit discussions where participants will investigate challenges, develop solutions, and collaborate on strategies to advance autonomy and safety
• Continuing education training on AI and Robotics in Agricultural Safety
• Tours of leading robotics and autonomy research facilities, including the National Robotics Engineering Center (NREC), Carnegie Robotics, and Carnegie Mellon University's Field Robotics Center

Addressing workforce and safety challenges

Workshop organizers emphasize that the agricultural industry must prepare workers and organizations for a future where autonomous technologies operate alongside people. Topics throughout the event will address safety validation, workforce competency needs, AI foundations, data governance, and standards development.

The workshop also provides a forum for discussing practical approaches to integrating autonomy into agricultural operations while maintaining a strong commitment to worker safety and risk management.

Registration information

Registration for the SAFER AG Workshop is now open. Individuals interested in agricultural safety, robotics, automation, workforce development, engineering, and applied research are encouraged to attend.

The full workshop agenda and registration information are available online 

About SAFER AG

The SAFER AG initiative brings together partners from agriculture, engineering, safety, and workforce development to advance the safe and responsible adoption of autonomous technologies in agriculture. Through research, education, collaboration, and stakeholder engagement, the initiative seeks to ensure that innovation and safety progress together as agricultural automation continues to expand.