The Importance of Acknowledging Human Work in the Age of Automation
As automation and artificial intelligence continue to develop, the role of humans in various industries is becoming more obscure. However, it is crucial to recognize the role of human work, especially in the processes of producing goods and services that people might assume have already been fully automated. In the food industry, specifically in the horticultural sector, the use of the term “hand-picked” on labels has been a topic of debate, as it often overshadows the tough and repetitive work involved and provides little information about the pay and conditions under which those people worked.
Why the “Hand-Picked” Label on Produce is Misleading
The use of the term “hand-picked” on produce labels is something that often goes unnoticed. However, it is crucial to examine why this label can be misleading. It is not that the role of human labor is not important; picking fruits and vegetables by hand is physically tough and repetitive work. Even the UK government called on Britons to work on farms in 2020 for harvesting crops, as the country faced labor shortages. However, transfering work to machines could be a better alternative, especially in countries such as the UK, which have labor shortages and rely on imports or seasonal migrant workers brought in on temporary visas who may be vulnerable to exploitation by recruiting agents in their home countries. Despite this, a review conducted by the UK government found that there are many barriers that stop farmers from investing in technology, including tight margins and a lack of certainty about their future income.
Moreover, the “hand-picked” label on produce is problematic because they do not provide enough information to the customer about the labor involved. If one is going to make a point about the use of human labor, they should also disclose details about the pay and conditions under which those people worked. Companies should be transparent and disclose their supplier details so that customers can make informed decisions about their purchases. The recent increase in ethical and sustainable consumerism has put pressure on companies to be more transparent about their practices and labor conditions, making it even more necessary for companies to disclose all relevant information.
How Automation Can Provide a Solution
Automation in the horticultural industry has the potential to provide a solution to the labor shortage problem. As previously mentioned, this can reduce the dependence on seasonal migrant workers, who are often vulnerable to exploitation by recruiting agents in their home country. Furthermore, automation can increase efficiency and profitability by reducing costs associated with employee wages and increasing yield. Robots and other technological advancements can work around the clock and increase output, streamlining the supply chain process while reducing vulnerability to natural disasters, climate change, and changing weather conditions.
Interestingly, the use of automation in the horticultural industry is long overdue. According to a recent government initiative review, autonomous selective harvesting won’t be available until at least 2030 if left to market forces. Moreover, government help may be needed for some of the most labor-saving developments to emerge from the ‘valley of death,’ the stage between academia and commercialization where innovations can sink for lack of funding. Despite the potential benefits that automation can provide, there is still some reluctance to adopt these changes.
The Need for Transparency in the Food Industry
The “hand-picked” label on produce highlights the need for transparency in the food industry, and how it can benefit both the end consumer and the labor force. Companies should disclose all relevant information concerning their labor practices, allowing customers to make informed decisions about their purchases. Ethical and sustainable consumerism is increasingly important to customers, and as such, companies must demonstrate a willingness to be transparent. Moreover, those in the horticultural industry should be open to the idea of automation, which could be a solution to labor shortages and decrease reliance on seasonal migrant workers.
Summary
The use of the term “hand-picked” on labels of fruits and vegetables is misleading and problematic. Although acknowledging the role of human labor is important, the label overshadows the tough and repetitive work involved and provides little information about the pay and conditions under which those people worked. Automation in the horticultural industry has the potential to provide a solution to the labor shortage problem, reducing the dependence on seasonal migrant workers who are often vulnerable to exploitation. Transparency in the food industry is essential, and companies should disclose all relevant information about labor practices, allowing customers to make informed decisions about their purchases. Furthermore, companies that demonstrate transparency can benefit through the trust and loyalty of their customers.
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At my local supermarket there is a whole range of items such as sugar peas from China and butternut squash from Guatemala whose labels boast in large letters that they have been “hand-picked”. Every time I walk down that aisle, the tags get under my skin.
I’ve been trying to figure out why they bother me. I am very much in favor of recognizing the role of human work, especially in the processes of producing goods or services which people might assume have by now been fully automated. There are many instances where the crucial role played by human beings is hidden or overlooked, such as the low-income workers who train artificial intelligence systems or moderate social media content. And as AI begins to be used in places like Hollywood and newsrooms, it will be more important than ever that clients receive clear insights into the respective roles of humans and machines in production.
But even at the best of times, picking fruit and vegetables by hand is physically tough and repetitive work. Gone are the days when students could just do it casually for a summer, setting their own pace and enjoying the sunshine. When the UK called on Britons to work on farms in the pandemic year of 2020 to help harvest the crop, few could resist. A supplier it placed 450 people on farms, of which only 4% were still on duty by the end of the season.
What’s wrong with transferring work to machines? It could be argued that automation is exactly what the sector needs, especially in countries such as the UK which domestic labor shortages have made dependent on imports or seasonal migrant workers brought in on temporary visas who may be vulnerable to exploitation by part of recruiting agents in their home countries.
Last year, for example, the number of Nepalese workers who arrived in Britain through the government’s seasonal worker visa scheme more than quadrupled to 2,472, but this year farmers stopped recruiting workers from there after agents in Nepal overcharged their recruitment fees. “Given the circumstances we find ourselves in now, we desperately need more automation in horticultural production. It has to be better than importing labor from the other side of the world with all the problems that entails,” says Martin Buttle, who drives “better job” at CCLA Investment Management.
It could be a long wait, though. A recent government initiative revision into automation in UK horticulture found that a number of obstacles deterred farmers from investing in technology, including tight margins and a lack of certainty about their future income. Some of the most labor-saving developments may even need government help to emerge from the ‘valley of death’, says the report, the stage between academia and commercialization where innovations can sink for lack of funding . The report predicted that “autonomous selective harvesting” won’t be commercially available until at least 2030 if left to market forces.
The other thing that bothers me about those “hand-picked” labels is that they don’t give enough information to the customer. If you’re going to make a point about the use of human labor, shouldn’t you also give some details about the pay and conditions under which those people worked?
I sent the Co-op, the supermarket in question, a few photos of Spanish zucchini, Guatemalan butternut squash and Chinese sugar snap peas labeled “hand-picked” to inquire about their respective suppliers. The Co-op did not provide me with supplier details but sent a statement saying: ‘Hand Picked is printed on a small number of fresh produce to inform customers that the produce has not suffered any damage during harvest. Looking after the people in our supply chain who harvest these vegetables is always a priority and we play an active and leading role in industry groups, set up to strengthen due diligence and help protect workers’ safety, well-being and working conditions “.
Co-op is also a member of the Ethical Trading Initiative, which told me the supermarket is “active” in initiatives to improve working conditions in supply chains and “compares well with others in terms of transparency.”
That said, if the use of human labor is to become a marketing advantage in an age of increased automation, I think there should be some new ground rules. Don’t brag about the work of human hands unless you give the customer a little more information about them. If you make the hands visible, but the rest of the person remains invisible, it somehow feels more dehumanizing than not mentioning them at all.
https://www.ft.com/content/c43d172e-bf2e-4528-9f79-cba15055f58c
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