California agriculture sits at the center of both national food security and global innovation. At FIRA USA 2025, Ag Meter sat down with Gabe Youtsey of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) to discuss the challenges farmers face today, the technological transformations underway, and what it will take to keep farming strong for generations to come.
UC ANR: A Statewide Network Serving Farmers and Communities
Gabe Youtsey oversees innovation efforts across UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, a unique statewide system made up of farm advisors, academics, specialists, educators, and innovators.
While some team members hold PhDs and others do not, Youtsey emphasizes that everyone is focused on the same mission:
translating university research and scientific breakthroughs into practical, real-world solutions that help farmers stay profitable and sustainable.
UC ANR’s “boots-on-the-ground” structure means advisors visit farms, troubleshoot issues, test new ideas, and provide science-based guidance. These relationships have been built over decades, and although the number of advisors has declined due to long-term state funding cuts, UC ANR is revitalizing its footprint through innovation to meet growers’ needs.
“Our goal,” Youtsey explains, “is to keep farming vibrant here in California and continue responding to growers’ real challenges.”
FIRA USA 2025: Where Today’s Challenges Meet Tomorrow’s Technology
At FIRA USA 2025, UC ANR is helping connect farmers with the future of agriculture. Youtsey points out that California growers face serious and immediate pressures:
- Water scarcity
- Land access issues
- Labor shortages
- Increasing regulatory burdens
Farmers need help now, but they also need the tools and workforce to meet future demands. UC ANR is working on both fronts.
Youtsey highlights the need to “skate to where the puck will be,” investing in and training people at every level—from PhDs designing new technology to farm workers learning to operate advanced equipment.
Why Saving American Farming Matters
Though not a farmer himself, Youtsey’s passion for agriculture comes from years of talking to producers across California, the U.S., and beyond. He points to a troubling trend: the U.S. has become a net importer of food for the first time in decades.
To him, this is a warning sign.
California grows many of the foods Americans should eat more of—fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, and dairy. Losing that production to other countries means losing expertise, capacity, and security.
When farms disappear, the U.S. becomes dependent on food grown under other nations’ regulations, labor conditions, and environmental standards. Additionally, Youtsey stresses that ag tech is a competitiveness issue, noting that the U.S. must lead in agricultural innovation just as China and other nations accelerate their own efforts.
Reframing the Public Understanding of Farming
One major challenge is communicating the value of farming to people who have never set foot on a farm.
Many urban residents only experience agriculture through the grocery store—and may not understand the complexity, skill, and care that goes into producing food.
UC ANR works to bridge that knowledge gap through storytelling, education, and hands-on programs that bring students and communities into the world of agriculture.
Youtsey notes that people increasingly care about where their food comes from and how it impacts their health, which creates new opportunities to connect the public with California growers.
Farmers, he emphasizes, are the best stewards of land and water, not the adversaries they are sometimes portrayed to be.
AgTech Must Become Affordable, Accessible, and Intuitive
Walking through FIRA’s displays of robotics, sensors, and autonomous machines, Youtsey acknowledges the industry’s excitement—but also its challenges. To make a real impact, ag technology must become:
- Lower cost
- Easier to maintain
- More intuitive to operate
- Supported by a trained workforce
He draws a comparison to the iPhone: at first intimidating, later indispensable because of thoughtful design and user-friendly interfaces.
He also highlights another critical innovation frontier: alternative inputs.
As California regulates more chemical tools out of existence, farmers still need ways to manage pests, diseases, and environmental pressures. Biologicals and nature-based inputs will become increasingly important, but require more research and validation.
Additionally, UC ANR is exploring opportunities to upcycle agricultural byproducts into high-value inputs, creating new revenue streams for farmers.
Through every effort, Youtsey reiterates that UC ANR’s primary customer is the producer: if solutions don’t work for growers, they don’t work at all.
A Message to Farmers: UC ANR Is Your Partner
When asked what he would like farmers listening to know, Youtsey offers a candid and heartfelt message:
He acknowledges that well-meaning people sometimes create more problems than solutions for agriculture. But UC ANR’s role is different. Their mission is to cut through the noise, help farmers evaluate new innovations, and provide practical, trustworthy support.
“We want to hear what you need,” he says. “Not to tell you what to do, but to bring humble, practical, tried and true solutions to help you be more profitable and resilient—for your families and for generations to come.”
How to Contact Gabe Youtsey
Farmers who want to reach out directly can email him at: gdyoutsey@ucanr.edu
(He notes that contacting anyone at UCANR.edu will get messages routed his way.)
California agriculture is at a crossroads—facing unprecedented challenges but also unprecedented opportunities. Through innovation, education, and partnership with growers, leaders like Gabe Youtsey and organizations like UC ANR are working to ensure that farming remains strong, sustainable, and competitive for decades to come.