Brian Meyer, Raven Industries VP, discusses Raven's journey into autonomous ag and their acquisitions of Dot Technology Corp and Smart Ag.

Over the past few months, Seedmaster Mfg. and sister company Dot Technology Corp. finalized the hiring process for new corporate leadership. Leah Olsen, who also serves as president of the Agricultural Manufacturers of Canada, will serve as CEO, while Jeffery Bourasa will bring 15 years of Saskatchewan-based finance and leadership experience into the CFO role.

Robotic harvesting vehicles are being tested in Florida and California to pick strawberries and replace labor-intensive tasks normally performed by dozens of farm workers. Also, robotic machinery is being tested to harvest apples and other crops, and efforts are underway to develop small agriculture field robots.

Widespread availability of fully autonomous vehicles in agriculture may still be several years away. But in recent years, companies have publicly showcased self-driving innovations, advancing development to the cusp of commercial production.