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By Josh Hall | @Vancan19

five more years

Olds College and AFSC extend applied research and innovation MOU

Dec 16, 2025 | 9:47 AM

Olds College of Agriculture and Technology has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC), reinforcing their shared commitment to advancing smart agriculture through applied research and innovation.

The partnership will be extended five years, thanks to the MOU.

According to a release from the college, the MOU sets a strategic framework for continued collaboration in the development, testing, training and demonstration of emerging smart agriculture technologies.

“AFSC and Olds College are natural allies – AFSC supports Alberta agriculture through insurance and lending, while Olds College advances agriculture through education and research,” says Todd Ormann, vice president, external relations & research, Olds College.

“We share a clear vision to transform the industry and support Alberta’s farmers, producers and agriculture industry. Thank you to AFSC for your work and for our strong, ongoing partnership.”

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The MOU also builds on what earned AFSC the Olds College Partner of the Year award in 2023, and it enhances opportunities for student engagement with in-class presentations and producer-focused skill development training.

“As provincial organizations, sharing resources, time and commitment has made a real difference,” says Darryl Kay, CEO at AFSC.

“Many of the program improvements we’ve seen in recent years are a direct result of our collaboration with Olds College. Partnerships like this are vital to growing and sustaining agriculture, giving us the opportunity to work in the field and benefit directly from our partner’s industry expertise.”

Applied research projects going forward could include drone technology used for estimating hail damage; field trials on the Olds College Smart Farm to validate new applications; business risk management, and more.