Lasers & Sources

Laser bird deterrent increases crop revenue by 33%

Oct. 26, 2017

Since adopting the laser as a bird deterrent solution, the blueberry farm each year saves around $100,000 dollars.

Bird Control Group focuses on using lasers to divert flying pests from valuable crops like blueberries.

A new automated laser provides successful bird deterrent results after a few months of use at a blueberry farm in Oregon. Since adopting the laser as a bird deterrent solution, the blueberry farm each year saves around $100,000 dollars and increases revenue by 33%. Justin Meduri, farm operations manager at Meduri Farms in Jefferson, OR has a 168 acre that has suffered damage to approximately 25% of the overall potential crop volume.

The automated laser from Agrilaser Autonomic via local solutions integrator Oregon Vineyard Supply is used at blueberry farms around the world such as John Benson in Australia and the blueberry research farm of Oregon State University. There are 6,000 users of the laser technology worldwide. Justin was intrigued by the possibility of the laser and leased the systems for the season from June until October. "It has been a success story ever since," he reports.

The laser bird deterrent technology takes advantage of a bird's natural instincts. Birds perceive an approaching laser beam as a predator and take flight to seek safety. Meduri Farms installed 6 Agrilaser Autonomics equipped with solar panels at the outer areas of his farm projecting on the blueberry bushes in order to prevent birds from coming near the bushes. "Previously we had to work hard to keep the birds away. Last year before the lasers, we experienced the highest damage incurred by birds ever. Now with the lasers, we don’t even have to worry about it—we simply have no issue anymore." As a result of the bird deterrent lasers, Meduri Farms each year saves 578,713 lbs of blueberries worth $99,733.

According to research done by numerous US universities, American fruit growers lose tens of millions of dollars each year as a result of birds damaging crops and ineffective bird repelling methods. Oregon and Washington have the biggest blueberry crop damage caused by birds per hectare. The damage per hectare for blueberries equals to $4,571 for Oregon and is calculated at $11,238,095 for the entire state. Current yield-loss percentage due to bird damage in blueberry production in Oregon is the highest among other states and is on average 18.2%. The birds responsible for damage to blueberry crops include American Robins, European Starlings and Blackbirds.

Bird Control Group (http://www.birdcontrolgroup.com) provides innovative products to keep birds at a distance from commercial activities, ensuring a safer working environment and a highly effective way of damage prevention. The World Wildlife Fund awarded one of the products of Bird Control Group for innovation, effectiveness and animal friendliness.

SOURCE: Bird Control Group; https://birdcontrolgroup.com/blueberry-grower-solves-bird-problem/

About the Author

Gail Overton | Senior Editor (2004-2020)

Gail has more than 30 years of engineering, marketing, product management, and editorial experience in the photonics and optical communications industry. Before joining the staff at Laser Focus World in 2004, she held many product management and product marketing roles in the fiber-optics industry, most notably at Hughes (El Segundo, CA), GTE Labs (Waltham, MA), Corning (Corning, NY), Photon Kinetics (Beaverton, OR), and Newport Corporation (Irvine, CA). During her marketing career, Gail published articles in WDM Solutions and Sensors magazine and traveled internationally to conduct product and sales training. Gail received her BS degree in physics, with an emphasis in optics, from San Diego State University in San Diego, CA in May 1986.