UGA Tifton to Host Southeastern Specialty Crop Technology Conference

Event to showcase AI-driven farming tech, robotics, and digital agriculture for specialty crop growers

Apr. 15, 2026 at 9:40pm

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A highly detailed, glowing 3D illustration of an autonomous agricultural sprayer robot, its mechanical components illuminated by neon cyan and magenta lights, surrounded by a field of crops, representing the integration of advanced technology into specialty crop production.Cutting-edge farming tech on display at the Southeastern Specialty Crop Technology Conference aims to boost efficiency and sustainability for growers.Tifton Today

The University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences is hosting the inaugural Southeastern Specialty Crop Technology Conference and Show on May 5-6 in Tifton. The event will bring together specialty crop growers, researchers, and ag tech leaders to accelerate the adoption of emerging technologies in specialty crop production across the Southeast.

Why it matters

As specialty crop growers face labor shortages and production challenges, this conference aims to help them discover and implement the latest innovations in precision agriculture, robotics, and digital farming tools to improve efficiency, sustainability, and profitability.

The details

The two-day conference will feature research presentations, industry panels, and live technology demonstrations covering AI-driven sprayers and weeders, harvesting aid robotics, drones for weed detection and wildlife mitigation, and more. Attendees will include growers, farm managers, county Extension agents, and representatives from commodity groups.

  • The conference will take place on May 5-6, 2026 in Tifton, Georgia.
  • Registration is now open at the conference website: https://specialtycroptech.uga.edu

The players

University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

The host organization for the Southeastern Specialty Crop Technology Conference and Show, aiming to accelerate the adoption of emerging technologies in specialty crop production across the Southeast.

Luan Oliveira

Precision agriculture specialist for University of Georgia Cooperative Extension and the lead organizer of the conference.

Steven Thomson

National program leader for the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, who will deliver a keynote address at the conference.

Jason P. H. Brantley

Vice president of John Deere, who will deliver a keynote address focused on the industry perspective.

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What they’re saying

“We've developed this event to foster collaboration and knowledge transfer to address key specialty crop production challenges through machinery, robotics, AI and digital agriculture.”

— Luan Oliveira, Precision agriculture specialist, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension

“We cannot wait to bring companies from across the globe and put them on Georgia soil to show their products working live.”

— Luan Oliveira, Precision agriculture specialist, University of Georgia Cooperative Extension

What’s next

Registration is now open for the Southeastern Specialty Crop Technology Conference and Show on the event website: https://specialtycroptech.uga.edu

The takeaway

This conference represents a significant step forward in helping specialty crop growers in the Southeast adopt the latest precision agriculture technologies to improve their operations. By bringing together researchers, industry leaders, and growers, the event aims to drive innovation and sustainability in this critical sector of the region's agricultural economy.