Lethbridge Research and Development Centre, May 18, 2022. (Photo: Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko/LethbridgeNewsNOW

$3.2 Million, 10 Projects

Smart agri-tech projects funded by Alberta Government

May 26, 2022 | 1:34 PM

New cutting-edge agricultural technology could soon be available for farmers and other producers.

The Government of Alberta, through the Alberta Innovates Smart Agriculture and Food Digitalization and Automation Challenge, has announced $3.2 million dollars in funding to support 10 projects.

The projects involve developing and advancing smart technologies to enhance food production through digital solutions and automation.

Nate Horner, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Rural Economic Development, says the research being carried out through the 10 initiatives will help to increase productivity, reduce waste and environmental footprints, and decrease costs for farmers.

“Alberta’s producers have always been on the cutting edge of innovative agricultural practices,” says Horner. “This investment exemplifies our leadership in practical solutions for the agri-food industry and shows our ongoing commitment to sustainable stewardship of our province’s abundant natural resources.”

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The projects receiving funding are:

• Agriculture and Agri-food Canada – $245,144
  • Developing robotic approaches to enhance beef grading
• Agriculture and Agri-food Canada – $157,410
  • Artificial intelligence for pork meat classification based on quality attributes
• Carbon Asset Solutions Ltd. – $350,000
  • Mapping and validating soil-based carbon through automated use of mobile inelastic neutron-scattering technologies to promote regenerative agriculture
• iClassifier Inc. – $352,600
  • Automation of trait scoring for dairy cows
• Mojow Autonomous Solutions Inc. – $500,000
  • Artificial intelligence data recording kit, which enables autonomous farm machinery
• Lakeland College – $345,081
  • Optimization of non-contact sensing technologies to enhance the sustainability of bison farming
• Lakeland College – $145,000
  • Smart hand-held device for automatic blood analysis, allowing for the innovative prediction of sheep pregnancy and litter size
• Pawlutions Ltd. – $223,125
  • A smart technology system that facilitates wireless control of power takeoff in tractors
• University of Alberta – $497,000
  • Defining soil health in the digital age: using machine learning to predict and assess the impact of agricultural practices on soil health across Alberta
• Wyvern Incorporated – $380,000
  • Development of a hyperspectral deployable optics camera to enable cost-effective and continuous agricultural insights from space

Laura Kilcrease, CEO of Alberta Innovates, says feeding a hungry planet is a challenge for the whole world, and Alberta is doing its part.

“The technologies and innovations developed right here in Alberta, through the Smart Agriculture and Food Digitalization and Automation Challenge program, will address that challenge head-on,” says Kilcrease. “We congratulate all the successful applicants in this year’s competition and we can’t wait to see what comes next.”

In 2021, agri-food industries in Alberta contributed $8.1 billion to GDP and employed 58,300 Albertans.

Heather Sweet, NDP critic for Agriculture, Forestry, and Rural Economic Development, made the following statement in response:

“There is so much potential in ag-tech and the agri-food sector, but Alberta needs a government that will support innovators. The UCP’s attacks on post-secondary have driven young talent and innovators from the province.

“Their failure to develop broadband internet in rural areas is also stifling innovation in this critical sector of our economy.

“Instead of re-announcing last year’s grants, the UCP should be undoing the damage they have caused to ag-tech and agri-food.

“Alberta’s NDP is committed to working directly with producers and the agri-food sector to prioritize real innovation in agriculture as a part of diversifying and strengthening the economy and creating jobs right across our province.”

(With files from rdnewsNOW)