Question: Faced with rising pressure for a $17 per hour minimum wage rate, the farming industry is currently exploring the possible use of robotics to replace
Faced with rising pressure for a $17 per hour minimum wage rate, the farming industry is currently exploring the possible use of robotics to replace some farm workers. The Produce Bot is one such robot; its job is to thin out a field of lettuce, removing the least promising buds of lettuce. By removing these weaker plants, the stronger lettuce plants have more room to grow. Assume the following facts
| 1. | One Produce Bot would do the work of 25 farm workers. |
| 2. | Each farm worker typically works 60 hours on the lettuce thinning process each year. |
| 3. | Each farm worker would earn $17 per hour plus 7.65% payroll tax. |
| 4. | The Produce Bot is estimated to cost $9,500 plus $800 for delivery. |
| 5. | Annual costs of operating the Produce Bot are expected to be $2,000. |
While the Produce Bot itself may be in workable condition for up to five years, assume that the farm would view its implementation as a one-year experiment.
Requirement
Perform a cost-benefit analysis for the first year of implementation to determine whether the Produce Bot would be a financially viable investment if the minimum wage is raised to $17 per hour. (Round your answers to the nearest whole dollar.)
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