By Alice McFarlane

Growing the benefits of digital tech in agriculture

Apr 11, 2024 | 3:03 PM

It’s never been more critical to support ag-tech research and collaboration among producers and policy makers to examine how new technologies can be adopted in the agricultural sector.

Over the next three years the Alberta government will provide a $1.2-million grant to the University of Calgary’s Simpson Centre for the Alberta Digitalization Agriculture Program. The government’s grant forms 58 per cent of the program’s overall budget. The Simpson Centre will provide the rest.

The Simpson Centre will research ways to improve understanding and technology use and provide recommendations to producers and government policymakers. As part of this work, the centre will create a platform for experts to exchange ideas and develop recommendations.

Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation Minister RJ Sigurdson said UCalgary will research and provide recommendations on how Alberta’s producers can use technologies like robotics and data analytics.

“This is an exciting program that will help producers and policy-makers develop ideas that will increase the adoption of agricultural digital technologies. This program will support the competitiveness and innovation of Alberta’s agriculture industry,” Sigurdson said.

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Alberta Beef Producers chair Brodie Haugan said investments in technology and digital agriculture is appreciated.

“Innovation in ag tech is crucial to our industry’s competitiveness and moving the beef industry forward,” Haugan said.

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com

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