Lethbridge College is the latest post-secondary institution to join the Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network, helping to work towards advancing ag tech solutions and sustainability cross the country.
The Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network currently has seven members across three provinces and is led by Olds College. It supports Canada’s agriculture sector to enhance efficiency, sustainability, and resilience to emerging opportunities and challenges.
Vice-President of Research at Olds College, Dr. Joy Agnew, says “I’m thrilled to welcome Lethbridge College into the Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network as our fourth expansion site.”
“The network’s continued expansion across different agricultural zones and land bases brings more depth to the projects and technology evaluations with benefit farmers and developers. Lethbridge College brings expertise in irrigated crop production, grain storage management, and horticulture production, among other things. Together, this network of smart farms can truly drive innovation and growth in Canada’s diverse agriculture industry,” adds Agnew.
The Lethbridge College Centre for Applied Research, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship (CARIE) has been dedicated to economic growth, sustainability, and social development. Its able to support on-farm activities with a 385 hectare irrigated research farm east of Lethbridge that has various irrigation systems and technology, field-scale plots, crop production, and a grain drying facility. The centre also has lab spaces, and other controlled facilities.
“We are so happy to join the Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network, and be able to exchange expertise on best management practices and innovative technologies in agriculture across the network,” says Dr. Kenny Corscadden, Vice President Research and Partnerships, Lethbridge College.
“CARIE is focused on bringing together community and industry organizations, researchers and students to collaborate on projects that use new or existing knowledge to solve real-world challenges with immediate practical applications. Working together with members across Canada in the Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network allows us to share our knowledge and data, build our expertise, and work together to solve challenges across varying soil and climate regions.”
The Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network was launched in 2021 and includes Lethbridge College, Olds College, Discovery Farm north of Saskatook, Lakeland College in Vermilion, University of Saskatchewan Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence near Saskatoon, Manitoba Beef & Forage Iniatives Inc near Brandon, and Enterprise Machine Intelligence & Learning Initiative near Winnipeg.