From Demo to Deal: FIRA USA Connects Pacific Northwest Growers With Ag Robotics and Tech

FIRA USA 2026 closed its Pacific Northwest edition after three days that put agricultural robotics and AgTech in front of the growers who need them. From Oct. 20 to 22, more than 2,500 participants from 20 countries, including over 600 growers, attended live robot demonstrations, and tours of local farms and test plots. After California (2022-2025) and Washington (2026), FIRA USA will continue its journey in 2027.

FIRA USA 2026 once again proved its value as a working platform where agricultural innovation meets the growers who carry it to the fields; by moving to a new region each year, GOFAR turns every edition into a starting point for lasting collaboration among farmers, technology providers, and investors, well beyond the three days. The result: growers arrived with concrete equipment plans, turning three days of demonstrations into real adoption decisions in the field.

FIRA goes where innovation is needed in fields

“We don’t believe innovation should wait for farmers to come to it. We believe innovation must go where it is needed,” said Aymeric Barthes, President, GOFAR.

FIRA became a traveling event so innovation goes where it is needed: after four years in California, the 2026 U.S. edition took place in Yakima (WA), bringing robots to PNW growers.

In every region, GOFAR studies local challenges, identifies useful technologies, and connects farmers, technology providers, and investors, active today on three continents. FIRA is also built for CEOs and product teams: a place to meet their peers, exchange on real-world challenges, and refine their products so they fit what the market expects, in the field, at scale, and at the right price.

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The 2026 edition confirmed the traveling event model as the right regional response to modern farming’s diverse realities.

Why the PNW region mattered

PNW is one of the U.S.’s most diverse and high-value specialty crop hubs—orchards, hops, vineyards, potatoes, onions, berries—facing acute labor shortages and looking for solutions that fit their scale.

The turnout confirmed it: more than 2,500 participants, including over 600 growers, innovators from 20 countries (nearly 70% AgTech, equipment and robotics). Over half the farms exceed 1,000 acres (nearly 10% over 15,000); more than one-third of growers present are already investing in robotics, and over 80% see an urgent need for automation in spraying, irrigation and harvesting.

“Yakima is not just a venue, it is a perfect testing ground: large-scale commercial farms, high-value crops, and the right conditions to run meaningful demonstrations of ROI and scalability,” said Maialen Cazenave, Co-Director, GOFAR – FIRA USA.

The Pacific Northwest AgTech ecosystem now joins the broader GOFAR network, further reinforcing GOFAR’s position as the world’s largest agricultural robotics community.

“I want to thank GOFAR for bringing FIRA USA to the Yakima Valley. This event has ignited the long lasting development of the ag-tech industry in our region and beyond,” highlighted Jonathan Smith, Executive Director of Yakima County Development Association.

FIRA USA 2026 was co-organized by GOFAR, Yakima County Government, the Yakima County Development Association, with support from the Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission and the WSU College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences.

What’s next

FIRA USA moves to Florida in 2027, in partnership with the University of Florida and hosted at the UF/IFAS Institute for Agricultural Innovation. A dedicated press release with details on the Florida edition, including dates, programming, and participation opportunities, will follow. GOFAR is active on three continents and in discussions to expand to five, building regional ecosystems that stay active well after each event moves on.

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