PRESS RELEASE – July 22, 2026.
On September 10-11, the inaugural Great Lakes Tek Flex will be held at the Michigan State University Southwest Michigan Research and Extension Center (MSU SWMREC) in Benton Harbor, MI.
Vendor/Sponsor Update: We are excited to announce that we now have a total of sixteen (18) companies representing over twenty (20) brands to be showcased at the Great Lakes Tek Flex event.
In addition to Verdant Robotics, Carbon Robotics, Ecorobotix, LJ Technologies, Pagco Harvesters, Burro, FrucoTec, Foundation Ag, and Haggerty Robotics, we are announcing the addition of Niqo Robotics and Sabanto Autonomous Technologies.
Vegetable growers, vineyards, nursery and orchard growers throughout the Great Lakes region won’t have to imagine any longer. The Tek Flex field showcase will feature the latest in weed mitigation and crop management solutions, using robotics, drones, and precision agriculture technology, over two consecutive days.
On day 1, the event will focus on connecting growers with companies that have commercialized advanced technologies through “In the dirt” demonstrations, allowing them to see technology in use. Growers can interact with company representatives to better understand how these technologies benefit their operations. A wide range of technologies will be on tap, including but not limited to “see and spray”, autonomous vehicles, AI perception tools, orchard management, planting, vegetation management, harvesting, drone spray and AI decision support. Complete lists will be updated on the TEK FLEX website.
On Day 2, the focus will be on removing barriers to adoption, with targeted discussions featuring governments, industry groups, and support industry participation, with the goal of identifying and aligning resources and activity to streamline the process of technology adoption.
The mission of the Great Lakes Tek Flex is to improve the sustainability and resiliency of Great Lakes Specialty Crop Growers by removing barriers to technology adoption.
This event is made possible by support and promotion from our partners and sponsors including: Michigan State University Extension, Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDARD), Michigan Vegetable Council, Michigan Grape Growers, Michigan Hort Society, Ohio State University, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Agribusiness, Cornell University, The Ontario Ag Robotics Working Group, Cornell University, Meshcomm Engineering, with many additional sponsors expected.
Quotes supporting the Great Lakes TEK FLEX
“We see technology transforming fields—making planting, monitoring, weed management and harvesting more precise and efficient. With these innovations, growers are building a smarter, more sustainable future for farming,” said Randy Stratton, Director of Great Lakes Tek Flex Expo and Field Days.
The use of robotics and AI is now part of agriculture’s future. We have moved past the curiosity phase and today agri-tech is on pace to change every aspect of farming and provide new tools for soil health and better management of our food supply.
“At the end of the day, it’s a simple equation—lower input costs, less labor, and higher yields. That’s the value this technology brings to farmers,” said Dominique Mégret, CEO of Ecorobotix.
“This event is the first of its kind in North America, right here in the Great Lakes region. Growers and agronomists are going to find new and proven agri-tech manufacturers demonstrating their technology and connecting with potential end users of these
amazing tools,” Mike Reinke, MSU Viticulture Extension Specialist and GL Tek Flex Board Member.
“We’re excited to bring SharpShooter™ to growers across the Great Lakes because it’s built to take pressure out of the season. When labor is tight and timing matters, SharpShooter uses Aim & Apply™ Technology to treat only identified targets instead of spraying empty space, so growers can reduce hand weeding, reducing the amount of materials applied while keeping crop safety first. We’re looking forward to getting into fields with growers here and proving it in real conditions.” – Curtis Garner, COO & Co-Founder, Verdant Robotics.
For more information about the Great Lakes TEK FLEX field day expo, go to the TEK FLEX website.