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Celebrating Canada’s 50 Most Influential People in Ag
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A Network of Smart Farms Improving Smart Ag Technologies
Spring/Summer 2021
CONNECTION Spring/Summer 2020 1
Planned Giving
Growing Greater Futures By making a planned gift to Olds College, you plant seeds for a brighter future and ensure that opportunities for education and research will be available for years to come.
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You have the opportunity to make a significant gift that will transform Olds College for generations to come. Your agricultural legacy can begin today!
Types of Planned Gifts: • • • •
Bequests through your will. Real property such as a farm or ranch. Securities including stock, bonds, and mutual funds. Life insurance policies.
For more information, please contact Olds College Development at development@oldscollege.ca or by telephone at 403.556.8257.
Table of Contents 6 Celebrating Canada’s 50 Most Influential People in Ag 8 Olds College and Students Benefit from WorkIntegrated Learning 13 Olds College and Lethbridge College Support United Nations with Applied Agriculture Research MOU
19 OMNiPOWER Kicks Off Second Growing Season Full of Learnings in Autonomous Agriculture 21 Crop Disease Control and Management 23 Grain Flow Gauge Wins Student Pitch Competition
14 Olds College Tackles Rural Connectivity with TELUS
24 More Relaxed Animals = Improved Reproductive Efficiency
16 A Network of Smart Farms Improving Smart Ag Technologies
26 Bob Clark Awarded 2021 Olds College Honorary Degree
Horizons Spring/Summer 2021
Horizons is published by Olds College Marketing & Communications. The magazine is mailed to alumni and friends of Olds College. To Reach Us:
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Olds College
President’s Message With the end of the COVID-19 pandemic now in sight, we are looking forward to a full return to campus for the fall term. The Olds College team has done an excellent job navigating the pandemic and the public health guidelines. As we emerge back to in-person learning and working I know that we will integrate some of the important lessons that we have learned from the past year and a half into our in-person environment.
We will continue to use virtual meeting technology to connect learners from all around the globe to Olds College, allowing them to access our new ag technology programs online. We also have a better understanding of the importance of connection to each other, and the vital role that this plays in supporting mental health. As a College community, we are looking forward to being able to provide opportunities for students, staff and partners to connect with one another in person. In fact, this issue of Horizons is centered around connections. Connections to our students, our alumni and producers. In this issue of Horizons, you will read about the many research projects and activities taking place on the Olds College Smart Farm. We started the Smart Farm in June 2018 on a 100-acre parcel and have since expanded it to cover our full 2,800 acre farming operation. The Smart Farm is a collaborative environment that connects companies, producers and other research organizations to the challenges and opportunities in agriculture, and the technologies that can be integrated to enhance sustainable food production. With the easing of health guidelines, I am pleased to announce that AgSmart, our outdoor farm show will be taking place at the College on August 10 and 11. I encourage you to come and experience the Olds College Smart Farm at this exciting event, and connect with the producers, agriculture and technology companies and researchers. I hope you enjoy this issue of Horizons. I look forward to connecting with you soon.
Stuart Cullum, President, Olds College
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Connecting Ag Innovators
Celebrating Canada’s 50 Most Influential People in Ag
In late 2020, Canadian Western Agribition and Farm Credit Canada teamed up to launch a search for the Top 50 most influential leaders in Canadian agriculture. The nomination-based campaign ran coast-to-coast and on Canada Ag Day, February 23, 2021, the list was announced. Dr. Joy Agnew, Associate Vice President, Applied Research, Olds College along with several Olds College alumni were named on the list as Canada’s Top 50 most influential leaders in Canadian Ag. Recruited to Olds College in 2018, Dr. Agnew has led the development of the Olds College Smart Farm and grown the applied research program at the College. Under her leadership, the Olds College Smart Farm has grown by more than 1000 acres to 2800 acres; has attracted more than $12 million in external investment; has engaged more than 50 partners and has worked on nearly 80 different research projects. “Dr. Agnew has emerged as one of Canada’s key leaders for positioning our agriculture industry at the leading edge,” comments Stuart Cullum, President, Olds College. “She has built the next generation applied research environment in the Olds College Smart Farm and has designed it to also be the next generation learning environment that our country needs right now, in order to produce the talent required to maintain our global leadership.” Growing up on a grain farm in Saskatchewan, Agnew’s upbringing played a huge role in her career in the agriculture industry. She reminisces about being a kid, laying in bed hearing the aeration fans and complaining to her dad that they were too noisy. Fast forward to today,
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Dr. Agnew is now the go-to knowledge person for on-farm grain storage and leading research projects such as in-bin grain drying technology on the Smart Farm.
“Receiving this award was an incredible honour and represents the cumulative efforts of so many people,” says Dr. Agnew. “Everything I have done in ag has been with a consortium of amazing co-workers, engineers, agronomists and leaders in the agriculture space so I share that honour with everyone I have worked with.” At Olds College, Agnew helps advance the development of products, processes and innovations; being a facilitator for innovation. Agnew has a strong passion for synthesizing and translating complex research information to help producers connect the dots, overall helping the industry innovate and succeed. Agnew truly enjoys working with her research team at Olds College to deliver amazing projects and work with industry to drive change. “I’ve become accustomed to innovation and applauding innovators’ success,” says Agnew. “At Olds College, we get to work with leading edge technologies and innovations. I am very fortunate to be actively involved in this space.” Also named a top 50 most influential leader in Canadian agriculture, was Jill Harvie, Olds College Alumni and local producer. A graduate from the Bachelor of Applied
Science (B.A.Sc) in Agribusiness degree program at Olds College, Harvie worked in the corporate agriculture industry for 12 years before becoming a full-time rancher on her family farm where they raise Hereford and Charolais cattle just west of Olds, AB. Their farm philosophy is to best garner the needs of their customers who buy their meat, breeding bulls, commercial females, breeding stock, embryos or semen. This philosophy has allowed their farm operation to thrive by looking at the customer’s needs and providing different approaches and services. An avid supporter of field to fork, Harvie also produces a podcast called Food Careers that provides learning opportunities for listeners on sustainable food processes.
“I was really honoured to be listed on the Top 50 most influential leaders in Canadian agriculture list, especially after seeing all the other very influential individuals listed,” states Harvie. “We need to continuously innovate how we grow our food, while providing full confidence in the food we are providing to consumers and ensuring top quality,” states Harvie. Harvie remains connected to Olds College as a member of the industry advisory board for the Bachelor of Applied Science, Agribusiness Degree program at Olds College, and a mentor in the student mentorship program. Olds College would like to congratulate the following Olds College alumni and neighbours who were also recognized on the Top 50 list of the most influential people in Canadian agriculture list, including:
Cherilyn Jolly-Nagel – Mossbank, SK, Olds College Alumni
Alex Villeneuve – Olds, AB, Olds College Alumni
Dennis Laycraft – Calgary, AB, Olds College Alumni
Ray Price – Acme, AB, Olds College Alumni
Todd Ormann – Olds, AB
Robert Saik – Olds, AB
Alison Sunstrum – Airdrie, AB
Olds College is extremely proud of the impact these leaders are making in the agriculture industry. By fostering hands-on and innovative education, Olds College continues to drive the agriculture industry forward.
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Photo Caption: (From left to right) Becky Hutchings; Emilie Edgar; Felippe Hoffmann Silva Karp; Brody Nestorovich; Julie Cobb; Nicholas Zivcic; Vildana Rekic.
Student Connections
Olds College and Students Benefit from WorkIntegrated Learning Providing meaningful work-integrated learning opportunities while benefiting from new skill sets and fresh perspectives — the makings of a successful partnership this year between Olds College and 12 enthusiastic agriculture students. Olds College Centre for Innovation (OCCI) is attracting bright minds in agriculture technology who are receiving game-changing learning opportunities working on research projects and leading-edge technology on the Olds College Smart Farm. After talking with faculty, supervisors and students — it’s evident work-integrated learning is setting students up for success, and the future of agriculture and smart ag technology is optimistic. These students are grabbing hold of opportunities and leveraging their position as the next generation in agriculture technology and advancement. The skill sets students
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create in the classroom and apply on the Smart Farm is invaluable; they are learning how to grow more with less. In addition, the research team at OCCI benefits from their education in agronomy and agriculture technology. It’s a win-win situation.
"Having students from the new agricultural programs at Olds College be involved in work-integrated learning on the Smart Farm is extremely valuable. They are getting hands-on experience with emerging technologies, data compilation and farm infrastructure so they get first-hand experience dealing with the challenges and opportunities facing agriculture today and are better prepared for work in the future,” says Christine Chalaturnyk, Associate Dean, Werklund School of Agriculture Technology.
Let’s meet the new team!
Students work alongside Olds College staff who are experts in their respective fields, and each student gets the opportunity to explore career paths and specializations that suit their individual interests, plus the chance to network and build their resume as they get ready to head out in the workforce. Olds College benefits from perspectives of students coming from around the globe, students who grew up in farming communities, and students who don’t have an agriculture background but come to the Smart Farm to learn about the industry. The College is also proud to have its first PhD student completing his candidacy at Olds College this year, which perfectly illustrates the outcome of the bar being raised due to the quality of research being done.
Felippe Hoffmann Silva Karp, PhD candidate from McGill University, was introduced to projects on the Smart Farm due to a partnership between Olds College and McGill University. He says, “Olds College is where people interested in agricultural knowledge have contact with state-of-the-art processes and the newest technology in the market.” Emilie Edgar, Brody Nestorovich and Nicholas Zivcic are completing eight-month Directed Field Studies as part of the Bachelor of Applied Science - Agribusiness program. Emilie came to the College as a mature student wanting to learn about agriculture so she can have her own farm one day. Nicholas was interested in a diploma based on a mix of classroom and hands-on work experience. OCCI also welcomes eight student research assistants who are working on the Smart Farm for four months: Jenelle Buchanan, Lee Martineau, Darius Ramrattan, Rabnawaz Matiana, Vildana Rekic, Andrew Thun, Becky Hutchings and Julie Cobb. Rabnawaz came from Pakistan to attend Olds College since the Smart Farm was a perfect opportunity to get hands-on experience with the latest ag technology. Vildana is thrilled to see how engaged farmers taking part in the research projects are to help improve their productions. Becky is a mother nature enthusiast who came to Olds College needing a career change and found an exciting new direction in a small town country community. Julie’s newest ambitions include regenerative farming practices and helping farmers work more efficiently — a positive side-effect of her recent education and work experience. This year’s agriculture students showcase the importance of work-integrated learning at Olds College and we look forward to seeing what they accomplish in the future.
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“We love having students engaged in research projects on the Olds College Smart Farm,” says Dr. Joy Agnew, Associate Vice-President, Applied Research. “The core mandate of the Smart Farm is to provide a hands-on living laboratory for lifelong learning, build the skill sets required to accelerate the development and adoption of ag technologies and practices, and train the next generation of developers and users of these technologies and practices.”
Photo Caption: Clockwise, from top: Emilie Edgar testing equipment and gathering data for the feedlot runoff project; Rabnawaz Matiana gathering soil compaction information in field 15/16 at the Smart Farm; Felippe Hoffmann Silva Karp evaluating data in the Smart Ag Innovation Centre; Julie Cobb inspecting OMNiPOWER before a mission.
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LACOMBE
Title Sponsor
FIELD DAY Wednesday, July 28, 2021
9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Demonstrations
Join Olds College and the Field Crop Development Centre (FCDC) for the 2021 Lacombe Field Day presented by Alberta Barley on Wednesday, July 28, 2021. Take part in this annual event to learn more about the amazing research and industry collaboration taking place at FCDC.
Malting Barley
Pathology
FCDC develops barley varieties for both the craft and mainstream brewing and distilling industries. The latest breeding technology, including marker assisted gene pyramiding is used to speed up the process and combine specific malting qualities with high yield and disease resistance.
The FCDC Pathology team will be joined by Alberta Barley agronomists to discuss how pathogen races can shift over time, how this can impact crop resistance, and why it’s important to use multiple strategies to manage disease, including genetic resistance alongside fungicide use.
Feed and Forage Barley
Triticale
The FCDC has a long history of developing new feed and forage varieties for producers, but are always looking for new methods and traits to enhance our varieties. FCDC scientists will be joined by representatives from Alberta Milk and Alberta Beef who will give an industry perspective on this program and discuss how new varieties targeted for feed can impact the industry and provide new opportunities.
Take a look at our new, upcoming winter and spring triticale varieties, and examine the potential for both forage and grazing, including higher biomass, reduced awns, and better digestibility. We will also take a look at how FCDC is improving the future of triticale: widening the gene pool and increasing diversity by crossing spring triticale to winter triticale, and triticale to wheat.
$10 Registration Fee Lunch provided Located at the Field Crop Development Centre, south of Lacombe on Highway 2A, 1/4 mile south on Rg Rd 270
To Register oldscollege.ca/lacombefieldday
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Connecting with UN Goals
Olds College and Lethbridge College Support United Nations with Applied Agriculture Research MOU Olds College and Lethbridge College recently signed a ‘memorandum of understanding’ (MOU) focused on applied agriculture research to ensure the province’s agriculture industry has access to world-class researchers, resources and data. To launch the agreement, both colleges signed on to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Accord, becoming the first two colleges in Alberta, and among the first colleges in Canada, to sign the accord. This United Nations Accord focuses on 17 interlinked global goals to form a more sustainable future with global partnerships, and asks educational institutions to embed these goals into their education, research and operations. The accord highlights the critical role education has in the path to a sustainable future and the commitment learning institutions are making to deliver the goals.
"Olds College is committed to ‘transforming agriculture for a better world’ and our Smart Ag Ecosystem is focused on advancing productivity and sustainability of food production,” says Dr. Joy Agnew, Associate Vice-President, Applied Research. “As agriculture and food are central to our lives, our work supports a number of SDG’s goals related to food security, sustainable agriculture, promotion of lifelong learning opportunities, sustainable management of water, economic growth, responsible production and consumption of resources, combating climate change and its impacts, and protection of ecosystems and biodiversity." As two of Alberta’s premier agriculture applied research institutions, Olds College and Lethbridge College are committed to supporting sustainable practices, in particular the stated SDGs of zero hunger; quality education; decent work and economic growth; industry, innovation and infrastructure; responsible consumption and production; and partnerships.
“Olds College and Lethbridge College have a history of addressing the key issues and opportunities of Alberta’s agriculture sector, including through our growing applied research programs,” says Stuart Cullum, President, Olds College. “By signing the SDG Accord, we also are embracing the leadership that the agriculture sector demonstrates and our roles in enhancing it for the benefit of our industry, our institutions and our students.” Along with committing to global goals, Olds College and Lethbridge College will work together to identify joint projects, refer companies to each other based on the best fit with infrastructure and research expertise, and share relevant data and data networks since both college’s boast agriculture-based Technology Access Centres. The MOU will benefit both institutions as well as the province’s primary producers, businesses and agencies throughout the agri-food supply chain. “Both Lethbridge College and Olds College care deeply about creating real-world solutions for our province’s agriculture industry and leading the way into a sustainable future,” says Dr. Paula Burns, Lethbridge College President and CEO. “By clearing the path for our applied research activities to easily collaborate and share information, producers and others in the agriculture industry will benefit, which boosts our province’s economy. And we are making our partnership even more powerful by signing the SDGs accord and showing commitment to being leaders in sustainability.” Learn more about the SDG Accord and the 17 global goals by visiting the United Nations website. www.sdgaccord.org
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Connecting Rural Alberta
Olds College Tackles Rural Connectivity with TELUS Olds College and its summer students are working alongside TELUS Agriculture on an exciting venture — Pitstra Connectivity Project — to improve cellular service in rural Alberta and utilize smart ag technology. TELUS recently installed a solar-powered repeater tower on a remote section of the Olds College Smart Farm, called Pitstra Farm, where a number of dead zones for cellular service currently exist. Thanks to TELUS, there is now consistent and reliable broadband across the entirety of Pitstra Farm — bringing a huge opportunity for rural connectivity and smart ag technology. TELUS 5G rolled into Olds and on the Olds College Smart Farm last month, but certain areas in rural Alberta — such as Pitstra Farm — are more remote and struggle with basic network and cell phone coverage. The 315 acre Pitstra Farm located west of Carstairs, Alta. was donated to the Smart Farm to support agriculture education. In addition to commercial farming operations, instructors and students at Olds College use Pitstra Farm for a living lab experience and hands-on learning; however, the previous lack of 4G / LTE connectivity prevented the full use of smart ag technology, full scale implementation of applied research projects, and the effective use of devices, sensors, and autonomous farming equipment. It was also a safety risk to have students and staff out of cellular range while they were on location at Pitstra Farm. “I often have to jump in my truck and drive towards the highway to call my colleagues when I’m on site at Pitstra Farm,” says Jason Bradley, Manager, Smart Agriculture Partnerships at Olds College. In harmony with Olds College and TELUS Agriculture’s million dollar partnership in support of the Smart Farm — it became an obvious choice for TELUS to research and test new solutions for rural connectivity. In May 2021, TELUS Agriculture installed a 4G/LTE Solar Repeater Tower on Pitstra Farm which captures signal from the nearest cellular tower and boosts it to extend coverage. The device is powered by solar panels and will be upgraded to 5G connectivity as TELUS continues to expand its 5G network in Canada. This is significant to anyone in a rural community that has held their phone up in the air trying to get another bar of service. Being able to illustrate pain points in a typical farming atmosphere on the Smart Farm enables TELUS to test new technology to address these issues. The Pitstra Connectivity Project is also a work-integrated learning opportunity for students, which involves capturing GPS coordinates and signal strength from the new tower into a smart phone app and feeding the data to TELUS to manage and enhance connectivity. Two Olds College research assistants, Becky Hutchings and Andrew Thun, are leading the data collection for the new tower. Becky explains, “The data collection ultimately contributes to better reception and connectivity, not just at Pitstra Farm, but in other remote areas as well.” Andrew adds, "Working on the Pitstra Connectivity Project has shown the future of connectivity for rural Canadians. I am proud to have done my part in assisting with the creation of a data logging system that puts us on the right track to achieving nationwide rural connectivity."
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Olds College and TELUS Agriculture will be testing, monitoring and evaluating the project over the next year and compiling recommendations for practical implementation and use. There seems to be long-term promise for rural areas currently struggling with poor network and cell phone coverage, especially since this solution is quick to install, easy to maintain and cost-efficient. “Being able to bring a solution that’s not only low-cost but quick to deploy would be a game changer for farmers,” says Ray Cheung, Director, Strategic Planning & 5G at TELUS. Many applied research projects at Pitstra Farm will immediately benefit from the repeater tower including animal tagging and tracking, soil moisture and temperature monitoring, electric fence status detection, virtual grazing data backhaul, and machinery maintenance monitoring. This project is a huge step towards scaling 5G service throughout the entirety of rural Alberta.
TELUS 5G Network comes to Olds College Smart Farm and Community TELUS has expanded its next-generation 5G network to Olds as part of a three year, $14.5 billion investment in Alberta to further support the province through the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent economic recovery. Local residents, businesses, and the Olds College Smart Farm now have access to TELUS’ blazing fast 5G network. “Now more than ever, TELUS is committed to keeping Canadians connected, productive and healthy. Indeed, the ongoing expansion of our next-generation 5G technology is bridging time and distance, allowing residents to live and work in any community without compromising productivity or economic opportunity,” said Darren Entwistle, President and CEO, TELUS. Improved connectivity on the field will allow for easily accessible cloud computing and responsiveness to data that is gathered and used in precision agriculture, and help unlock the potential of agtech innovations to enhance productivity and sustainability. “Canadian farmers are leaders in the adoption of sustainable farming practices that are centered on using technology in the field to make data based decisions,” said Stuart Cullum, President, Olds College. “Having access to enhanced connectivity will allow our technicians on the Smart Farm to send larger amounts of data more quickly.”
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Photo Caption: Becky Hutchings, Research Assistant, and Herman Simons, Project Lead for Applied Research Smart Ag, install the METOS sensor on the Olds College Smart Farm in Field 13/14.
Connecting Smart Farms
A Network of Smart Farms Improving Smart Ag Technologies The Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network recently launched across Canada. This collaborative network of smart farms is committed to sharing data and expertise that will help farmers, industry and developers better understand, use and develop smart agricultural technologies. With $1.1 million from the Canadian Agri-Food Automation and Intelligence Network (CAAIN), the Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network is a $2.9 million initiative being lead by the Olds College Smart Farm and includes Glacier FarmMedia Discovery Farm located at Langham, Saskatchewan and Woodstock, Ontario, and the Lakeland College Student-Managed Farm Powered by New Holland at Lakeland’s Vermilion campus in eastern Alberta.
“With additional partners come additional opportunities in applied research and education that will help producers maximize technology and data when they’re making those sometimes tough management decisions based on the realities of what’s happening in their fields,” says Dr. Joy Agnew, Associate Vice-President of Applied Research at Olds College. By accelerating the development, validation and adoption of smart agriculture technologies across Canada, the Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network will help producers manage their risk of production — improving the productivity and sustainability of their farms. “Overall, this smart farm collaboration will further catalyze innovation in the Canadian agriculture technology sector and support producers,” says Josie Van Lent, Dean, Agriculture Technology & Applied Research at Lakeland.
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The Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network plans to expand into more geographic regions across Canada and work with many production systems, such as broad acre dryland crop production, irrigated crop production, livestock production, horticulture/greenhouse production, row crop production and value added processing. There will also be opportunities to link the Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network with other smart farms around the world via the newly formed Global Smart Farm Network. “Supporting the development of smart farms is one of our research pillars,” said CAAIN CEO, Kerry Wright. “When Olds College submitted this project for consideration, we were immediately intrigued. Smart farms validate and demonstrate the use of innovative agricultural technology in a specific environment, and they provide opportunities to train students enrolled in post-secondary agriculture programs on the latest trends in ag-tech. The PanCanadian Smart Farm Network concept’s additional advantage is its opportunity to link smart farms across the country, thereby multiplying learnings and increasing the value of any data generated.”
Soil Sensor Project The first project for the network will evaluate the functionality, connectivity and value of data collected from a common suite of sensors measuring soil, climate and crop conditions at sites in three provinces. For Dr. Joy Agnew, Principal Investigator for the project, the collaboration across different agriculture zones and land bases brings more depth to the results of the evaluation, and that will benefit farmers and developers.
Photo Caption: METOS sensor, Olds College Smart Farm Field 13/14.
“Independent validation of ag technologies is critical and so is ensuring that validation is done using more than a single smart farm,” comments Dr. Agnew. “By joining with other partners, we’ll be providing farmers with information that will meaningfully inform their decisions about how and where to use sensor technology.” Each project site has installed METOS Canada’s wireless sensors and devices that provide data including field monitoring, weather monitoring and forecasting, water management, disease modelling, insect monitoring and nutrition management. Some sites will use the data to make on-farm management decisions like timing of fungicide application, and will evaluate the benefit of using data to manage those decisions.
“Being part of this project builds on our mandate to connect farmers with industry and research partners to find practical solutions to ag challenges,” said Blake Weiseth, Director of Research and Innovation at Glacier FarmMedia Discovery Farm. “We’ve used METOS sensor data in our field-scale projects for a couple of years and now, having access in real time to similar data from other sites in Canada will expand our understanding of its value.” Visit OldsCollege.ca for more information about the PanCanadian Smart Farm Network and to learn more about its on-going projects.
Photo Caption: Lakeland College Student-Managed Farm.
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Autonomous Connections
OMNiPOWER Kicks Off Second Growing Season Full of Learnings in Autonomous Agriculture OMNiPOWER — the autonomous platform formerly known as DOT — is in the middle of its second growing season on the Olds College Smart Farm. With one year under its belt, Olds College has been applying learnings from its first year with OMNiPOWER to the 2021 growing season, and the upswing in efficiency has been impressive. The Olds College Smart Farm has made two substantial improvements to OMNiPOWER in the 2021 growing season: a dedicated and expanded team, and increased data capture with new electronic data collection technology.
Omnipower Dedicated Team Olds College put together a dedicated team to carry out the required work and data collection for the autonomous equipment including Roy Maki, Research Project Manager leading the College’s autonomous agriculture equipment initiative for broad acre crop production; Yevgen Mykhaylichenko, Telematics & Autonomous Solutions Specialist; Sofia Bahmutsky, Data Scientist; Nicholas Zivcic, DFS Research Technician; and Julie Cobb, Research Assistant. With an expanded team, the College is able to collect and analyze more data to increase productivity and learnings, plus the enthusiasm in the department is contagious since the team members all have a passion for autonomous technology. "Based on the knowledge and experience gained from an exceptional 2020 team, we were able to assemble a robust and dedicated team this year who could capitalize on past operational experience and then excel in observational activities," says Roy Maki, Project Manager.
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2020 Growing Season
2021 Growing Season
Seeding
Spreading
Spraying
Seeding
Spreading
Spraying
125.6 acres
240.7 acres
2078.6 acres
470 acres
328 acres
1,945 acres
(274% increase in seeded acres)
(36% increase in spreaded acres)
*currently only 60% through the spraying season
Omnipower Data Collection
The team implemented two methods of data capture for OMNiPOWER this growing season compared to one method last year: the return of observational data and a new electronic data acquisition instrument called Somat-eDAQ. Both observational and electronic methods gather data and record events during each mission — mission being the term used when OMNiPOWER is carrying out an operation in a field after it has been programmed. Observational data is gathered by the team with their own eyes and experiences during each mission. Team members are on site watching OMNiPOWER, making observational notes, and timing the various processes and missions that OMNiPOWER performs in the field. New this year is Somat-eDAQ, an electronic data acquisition instrument built for collecting layers of data in rugged environments. This device rides along with OMNiPOWER and electronically collects location specific data (GPS) and equipment data (CAN bus). This data comes in at a rate of two times a second and includes starts, stops, and field and fuel efficiency.
Photo Caption: An example of a canola seeding operation map from May 23, 2021 in Field 2E with data from the Somat-eDAQ equipment. The colours on the map represent the fuel rate (in litres per hour). 20 Olds College Horizons
The ability to capture data electronically allows the team to produce new maps of collected data throughout each field, such as seeding operation maps. “This year, collecting vast amounts of electronic data gives us the ability to answer various research questions to a much more detailed and refined level than is possible from physical observations,” says Sofia Bahmutsky. “As we gather more data throughout the season, we gain potential insight into the performance of autonomous equipment using comparisons, statistics and visualization techniques.” Data acquisition is a process throughout the season. Once the missions are completed and data is collected for the entire growing season, the team will compile the information to determine overall performance, learnings and efficiencies from one year to another; however, the first glimpse is promising. In the second year of operations, based on what Olds College learned about autonomous ag equipment in the first year, the team is able to run the equipment more efficiently, get more acreage coverage, and improve field efficiencies and uninterrupted hands-off operation. Part of a three year Smart Farm research project, Olds College will continue to collect information and observations from OMNiPOWER missions to understand the benefits and challenges of autonomous agricultural equipment. Nicholas Zivcic says, "The agricultural industry is quickly making technological advancements, and the OMNiPOWER equipment is no different. It has opened my eyes to how technology can be beneficial in agriculture and increase productivity and efficiency." Olds College is eager to share further OMNiPOWER updates at the end of the 2021 growing season. If you’re interested in learning more about autonomous equipment, visit AgSmart on August 10 and 11 at the Olds College Smart Farm College Smart Farm to see OMNiPOWER in action on the field.
Short Courses Distance and Online Learning
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Continuing Education & Corporate Training
Fibre Arts Horticulture Land & Environment
Corporate Training
Service Industry & Food Production Trades If you are considering continuing education or looking to enhance or change your career, Olds College’s continuing education programs are a great place to begin. We offer short courses, distance learning, evening classes and online programs to accommodate your busy lifestyle. View our programming through the listings on this page or through our Continuing Education Calendar that is published twice annually. Take a look and explore your passion with Olds College.
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oldscollege.ca/continuing-education
Make your event memorable and discover a new way to meet at Olds College. For more information or to book, contact: conferenceservices@oldscollege.ca | 403.556.8330 oldscollege.ca/conferenceservices
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Connecting Students to Industry
Grain Flow Gauge Wins Student Pitch Competition Technology is ever advancing, and with it comes solutions to problems no one even knew existed. As new technologies are developed and tested, impact on the bottom line is being scrutinized more than ever. However, increased attention on cost effectiveness when integrating a new technology has created an opportunity for solutions that are less complicated, and maybe a bit more analog.
This was certainly the case for the 2021 UFA Student Pitch Competition winner — Daniel Stefner, a recent graduate of the Bachelor of Applied Science, majoring in AgriBusiness at Olds College. Daniel won the annual competition for his innovative ag idea that aims to save producers time and money when moving and treating seed by using a tool he developed to measure flow application. So where exactly did Daniel come up with his idea? Originally from the city of St. Albert, Daniel developed an interest in agriculture from spending time on his grandparents farms. After receiving his Digital Media and IT, Business Analysis diploma from NAIT, Daniel returned to his agricultural roots and worked on numerous commercial grain farms and even went on a rural exchange to New Zealand. It was during this time that Daniel began noticing quantifiable areas for improvement to the bottom line of grain farming. Now committed to pursuing a career in agriculture, Daniel decided to return to school and enrolled in the Agriculture Management program at Olds College which he then used to complete his Bachelor of Applied Science in 2021. After spending four years studying at Olds College, along with his experience working on commercial grain farms, Daniel was able to identify a common issue across the industry — producers were relying on their own judgement to gauge the amount of seed or seed treatment being used. With no system or equipment in place to accurately measure, producers are “playing the guessing game” which can result in over application, product bridging, inaccurate quantity measurements, or under application which creates the opportunity to build pesticide resistance. “Without professional seed treating equipment producers are guessing grain flow rates during the application of seed treatment products,” comments Daniel. “Seed treatment is expensive. So having the ability to determine precise application would make a noticeable difference to the bottom line.” Daniel sought out to find a simple solution to long-standing and costly industry practice of eyeballing the application of seed and seed treatment. Through the mentorship he
received during the competition process, Daniel was able to develop the Hopper Bottom Grain Flow Gauge, a tool that can be used to measure the flow of seed when exiting a hopper bottom bin. By participating in the UFA Student Pitch Competition, Daniel won the opportunity to partner with the United Farmers of Alberta (UFA) to further develop and market his winning idea. “I try to be mindful of ways I can improve processes by keeping things simple and efficient. Even working in Ag Technology, I find my ideas tend to lean less technical. I understand firsthand the value of something that’s easy to set up.” As a second time semi-finalist, having also participated in the competition in 2020, Daniel, along with four other semifinalists, were provided business strategists as mentors, $1,500 tuition credit and $500 UFA credit to further develop their ideas. On April 13, the five semi-finalists pitched their innovative ag ideas to a panel of judges from the UFA in the “Dragons Den” style competition, which was once again held virtually due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The judges then scored each presentation using select criteria, and announced Daniel and his pitch for his hopper bottom grain flow gauge as the winner. “The whole competition process really helped me to flesh out my idea,” states Daniel. “ I gained a lot of valuable experience and insight from the mentors. They really helped us develop a stronger pitch and ultimately a stronger product.” Daniel is currently employed as a research technician and farm liaison for the Smart Ag Applied Research Department at Olds College with ongoing collaboration with UFA to help bring the Hopper Bottom Grain Flow Gauge into market. Spring/Summer 2021 23
Connecting with Cattle
More Relaxed Animals = Improved Reproductive Efficiency Reducing animal stress seems to be the key to improving reproductive efficiency according to preliminary results from the Heifer Acclimation Project being carried out by Olds College at the Neilson Cattle Development. Researcher Dr. Désirée Gellatly is gathering her second year of data on the project to confirm increased handling acclimation, positive reinforcement and feed rewards keep cattle calmer and therefore improve reproductive performance — and the results are promising.
“The primary goal of a cow-calf operation is to produce one calf per cow a year. I commonly hear from beef producers that by increasing the frequency of handling, animals will be more stressed. However, studies have been showing that calmly and gently handling cattle more regularly can minimize the animal’s stress and anxiety during routine management procedures,” explains Désirée Gellatly, PhD, Research Scientist - Technology Access Centre for Livestock Production (TACLP).
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The TACLP is performing a replicate study this year using new heifers in order to increase the total number of animals assessed to improve statistical results. The research team is comparing two groups of heifers; one group is subjected to handling acclimation procedures before the start of breeding season and the other group is a control group that is not acclimated. The project evaluates three success factors in the heifers: reproductive performance, reactivity at handling and physiological indicators of stress. The heifers are acclimated to handling by using a combination of two methods: 1) they are offered a small additional feed supplement in the feedlot pen (approximately 100 grams per heifer) and 2) they are run through the chute on three separate days with feed rewards immediately after handling (positive reinforcement). By performing these two acclimation methods, their stress levels remain low and the heifers have an increased chance of reproducing. The control group is fed by feed truck without any human interaction, and are not exposed to handling acclimation procedures prior to breeding. Based on preliminary results, acclimated heifers had lower concentration of salivary cortisol which indicates they were less stressed during and after the breeding season and had a numerical greater pregnancy rate when compared to the non-acclimated group. Désirée wants to ensure the livestock industry and producers are aware of and can benefit from the project outcomes when the studies are complete. Désirée has been completing the study using heifers at Neilson Cattle Development near Stettler, Alta. After speaking with Lance Neilson from Neilson Cattle Development, it’s evident the acclimation process has been positive for every involved party: researchers, farmers and cattle. He says there are multiple benefits from acclimating cattle and plans to continue acclimation techniques for all his cattle moving forward. Lance says the improved fertility rate speaks for itself — but highlighted how acclimated heifers had less hesitation coming into the calving barn which made the entire calving process run smoother from the operational side of things. He explained the acclimated heifers, even particular cows that have always been more excitable, were calmer than other mature cows who have gone through numerous calving seasons.
to improve fertility rates. “This is also good news for sustainability and climate change — less resources are required to produce a pound of beef with improved fertility. It’s good news across the industry in general.” Lance didn’t hesitate when asked if he would continue doing the acclimation process to future cows — even with the extra time and work the acclimation methods require — due to the benefits of fertility rates and calmness of the cattle. He is planning to adopt the handling acclimation procedures as part of a standard protocol during the breeding services offered to his customers. Neilson Cattle Development was happy to partner with Olds College for this research project; Lance and his wife, Karyn, met when they were attending the College together. They were married only a few days after their graduation in 2001 and now have four children together along with their booming cattle business — and their oldest will be graduating high school next year and is planning on applying to Olds College. Olds College is eager to compile the data from two seasons of research on these acclimation techniques. Besides the replicate study using new heifers, the College is also studying the same heifers from last year’s study — cows going to their second calving — to see if the acclimation procedures need to be repeated every year or not. The expected results of this study will provide recommended acclimation practices to increase reproductive efficiency, improve overall animal welfare, and increase the profitability and sustainability of cowcalf operations. Follow Neilson Cattle Development on Facebook @neilsoncattledevelopment to see how the acclimation process goes for this Olds College alumni family. The College and its researchers would like to thank the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) for funding the first year’s study with the Engage Grant for Colleges.
Lance is convinced heifer acclimation is beneficial from many angles. He explained that after raising a cow all year at an approximate cost of $700 per year, it’s a financial hit if that cow doesn’t produce offspring. Providing the heifers good experiences during the handling system keeps them relaxed and appears
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Bob Clark Awarded 2021 Olds College Honorary Degree Posthumously Olds College is pleased to have awarded the 2021 Olds College Honorary Degree to Robert “Bob” Clark, a long-time friend and advocate of the College. Clark was appointed to the Olds College Board of Governors as a public Board Member in January 2010, serving three terms, and then was Board Chair from February 2014 to May 2017.
“Bob was passionate about agriculture and education, he provided excellent stewardship of the College through his role as Board Chair, and was a strong advocate for our College and community,” comments Stuart Cullum, President, Olds College. “Bob will be remembered as a statesman and friend to many and his imprint on the College will be felt for generations.” Clark believed in serving his community and was greatly respected by everyone he worked with. Clark was first elected as MLA Didsbury in 1960, the youngest MLA ever to be elected. He continued to represent the constituency of Olds-Didsbury until 1981. While serving in office, he was named the minister of youth under Premier Ernest Manning and then minister of education under Premier Harry Strom. When Peter Lougheed defeated the Social Credit Party, Clark served as the leader of the Official Opposition. Clark was appointed Alberta’s first ethics commissioner in 1992 and served in that post from April 1992 to March 2003. He also served as the province’s first Information and Privacy Commissioner from 1995 to 2001.
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“He was respected for his thoughtful opinions, his dedication to anything he volunteered to do, and his genuine interest in each person he came in touch with,” expresses Leone Staples, Board of Governors, Olds College. A mentor to so many, Clark spent many hours volunteering and working to make the community a better place. An avid sports enthusiast, Mr. Clark was the general manager of the Olds Grizzlys Junior A hockey club from 1987 to 1995, and the President of the team from 1996 to 1999. He served as Chairman of the Board of Alberta Junior A Hockey League from 1998 to 2007, and was inducted into the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame in 2020. “It is not surprising that in his retirement, he gave of his time, energy and considerable connections to serve on the Olds College Board of Governors, serving as a public member for 4 years and then as Board Chair for an additional 3 years,” says Heather Steckly, Olds College Chief of Staff. “During Bob’s tenure on the Board, his passion for the education of Alberta’s youth was front and centre.” Clark’s entire life was defined by public service. To say he made a difference in his community and at the College would be an understatement. Olds College was incredibly honoured to have had him serve on the Board of Governors and as Board Chair. The 2021 Olds College Honorary Degree was awarded during the virtual 2020 and 2021 convocation ceremonies on June 5, 2021.
Catch up with the latest & greatest at AgSmart 2021 Olds College is excited to host AgSmart on August 10 & 11 2021! Industry engagement in the event has been remarkable with many exciting features being offered at AgSmart 2021. Around 100 exhibitors will be onsite to profile the latest and greatest in the ag tech segment of the industry. With the mix of returning and new exhibitors there is a lot of new products and services being showcased at the expo. “We are pleased to see so much uptake in the industry for AgSmart 2021,” says Stacy Felkar of AgSmart. “Since we hosted our inaugural event in 2019, there are quite a few new organizations in the ag tech space and it is exciting to see where the established companies are heading.” The educational expo will focus on content relevant to both crop and livestock producers, including new partner OneCup AI. “We want to exhibit at AgSmart because we really wanted an opportunity to allow for producers to try our BETSY platform, ask us questions and see how having the system on their ranch will enhance the management of their livestock,” says Mokah Shmigelsky of OneCup AI. “BETSY (Bovine, Expert, Tracking and Surveillance) allows producers, feedlot operators and farmers a way to monitor and track their livestock with ease. The system is plug and play, allowing those without a heavy background in technology to install and begin using BETSY immediately as their AI Ranch.”
New this year, the expo will be offering their plenary sessions digitally on the evening of August 9. The Opening Plenary, by AgExpert will focus on the future of farming and how to boost your bottom line with data and digital tech. Additional plenary sessions include content from TELUS Agriculture, ATB, THRIVE and Olds College Smart Farm. Digital content will be free to access. AgSmart is a unique opportunity to check out the projects and research at Olds College Smart Farm and Technology Access Centre for Livestock Production, including special project tour on campus. Attendees have the opportunity to engage in the learning expo through live demos, interactive exhibits and over 50 educational session options. Tickets are available at AgSmartOlds.ca, starting at $20 for students and $60 for producers and industry.
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