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.
16 Olds College Horizons
