[5]
Labor Shortage Met with More Automation
By Oregon Family Farm Association [6]
Hood River, OR- Pears have typically been viewed as difficult to sort en masse due to their oblong shape. Unlike many nuts and fruits, their sensitivity and inability to roll properly have built a perception that grading and processing pears must be done by hand.
Diamond Fruit Growers, an Ag co-op in Hood River that typically packs around 2 million boxes of pears annually, has invested heavily in automation.
According to an in-depth Capitol Press article [7], 700 bins can now be sorted with greater consistency per shift, compared to 400. The machines were installed in 2018.
In January 2023, an advanced [8] potato sorter was rolled out by Key Technologies, which manufactures in Washington and Oregon.
A variety factors have led to a reduced workforce. In 2021, the Oregon Legislature passed HB 4002: Ag Overtime Bill. Mandates like these have squeezed growers and processors to look toward greater mechanization.