Le 28/04/2026
Pennsylvania's Ag Progress Days Adds FIRA Robotics Village
Annual event connects North American growers with local and international AgTech developers.
One of the largest outdoor agricultural events in the East Coast will take place 11-13 August 2026, approximately two hours from Pittsburgh. Penn State’s Ag Progress Days spans 55 acres and draws more than 42,000 visitors, 60% of whom are working agricultural professionals from a wide range of farm sizes, crop types, and livestock operations.
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In 2025, there were 434 exhibitors from 35 states and four provinces of Canada. For Ag Progress Days 2026, organizers are bringing in leading AgTech developers from around the globe.
"Two powerful ecosystems will intersect at this year’s event,” said Alex Foessel, Managing Partner of Balanced Engineering. “GOFAR, the global accelerator for agricultural robotics, will bring innovators, entrepreneurs, and investors to the FIRA Robotics Village, helping connect North American growers with the global AgTech community.”
The event is powered by the Robotics Factory, Pittsburgh's premier robotics accelerator. The Robotics Factory is part of Innovation Works, one of the most active early-stage investors in the U.S. It’s part of a world-class robotics and AI cluster in Pennsylvania, which is home to more than 125 robotics companies.
Pennsylvania’s AgTech Cluster
"Pennsylvania has made agriculture, robotics and AI technology, energy, life sciences and advanced manufacturing core pillars of its economic development strategy,” Kevin Dowling, Managing Director of the Robotics Factory at Innovation Works.
It’s a savvy investment for the commonwealth as labor scarcity continues to threaten farm operations across the region. Rural-to-urban migration shows no signs of reversing, and the physical demands of agricultural work make recruitment and retention increasingly difficult. Meanwhile, rapid developments in AI have dramatically lowered the cost and complexity of developing autonomous systems.
“Automation, robotics, and precision agriculture technologies address quality-of-life concerns for farm operators and workers alike,” said Dowling. “Reliable field deployments are no longer theoretical, and the evidence base for ROI is growing with each season.”
FIRA Robotics Village
FIRA’s Robotics Village brings global expertise and an international network of innovators to Pennsylvania's agricultural heartland. Visitors can see live field demonstrations of robotics and automation designed to support a variety of farm types and specialties, including dairy, fruit, forestry, greenhouse, and more.
For technology providers, The Village is a platform to engage decision-makers actively seeking to adopt new technologies and position their brands alongside the leading names in AgTech. Thousands of small to medium farms across the Northeastern U.S. and neighboring Canadian provinces are underserved by technologies designed for the thousand-acre row-crop operations. But these smaller operations are more diversified and adaptive than their commodity-oriented giants of the American Midwest.
"Small and medium-sized family-owned farms growing a variety of crops are looking for accessible technology, simple and intuitive to help them,” said Foessel. “This event will be a first in the East Coast, including growers, producers, and technology suppliers, and also with a focus and a space for dealer conversation—a key element for AI and robotic adoption by farmers.”
Join the Robotics Village at Ag Progress Days 2026
The FIRA Robotics Village - East Coast is open for partnerships. Contact GOFAR for more information on how to become an exhibitor or sponsor.
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Ag Progress Days is a free event open to the public. View the Robotics Village agenda or learn more about Ag Progress Days.