OntAG Admin's Blog – September 2013 Archive (3)

AI and the future of Canadian agriculture

Canadian agriculture is facing rising pressures, from labour shortages and climate volatility to trade uncertainty and global competition. A new Farm Credit Canada report, AI in Canadian agriculture: Present challenges and future prospects, explores opportunities for artificial intelligence (AI) to boost our productivity, resilience and global competitiveness. Yet AI adoption on Canadian farms currently lags other sectors and countries. Closing that gap could help to secure Canada’s future as a world-leading, sustainable food producer. The promise of AI for Canadian agriculture AI is already reshaping farming worldwide. From precision field analytics to smart supply chains, AI technologies help farmers make better decisions, manage risks proactively, and do more with less. AI-driven tools can optimize inputs (like water, seed and fertilizer), predict crop or animal health issues before they escalate, and boost yields through data-driven insights. Canadian-built tools like FCC’s Roo

Securing Alberta’s water future for next 100 years

Alberta’s growing population, communities, industries and agri-food sector are growing, and reliable access to water will be essential to sustaining that growth. That is why Alberta’s government is launching work to examine what the province will need to strengthen water security over the next 100 years. A request for proposals has been issued to develop a white paper examining the security of Alberta’s water supply. The work will examine bold, practical and innovative opportunities to increase water availability, strengthen water management and help guide future infrastructure and investment decisions across the province. “Water is the foundation of Alberta’s future. If we want our communities, farms and industries to keep growing, we need to make sure the water is there to support them. We’re looking 100 years ahead and asking what Alberta needs to build, invest in and do differently today to secure our water supply for generations to come.” Grant Hunter, Minister of Environment a

Celebrating 75 years of agricultural excellence

For 75 years, the Alberta Agriculture Hall of Fame has celebrated the people who have shaped Alberta agriculture. Established in 1951, it is Agriculture and Irrigation’s oldest and most prestigious recognition program, honouring individuals whose outstanding and lasting contributions have shaped Alberta agriculture and rural communities through their leadership, innovation, research, education and service. Every two years, up to three individuals are selected for induction. Nominees may come from any part of the agricultural community, including primary production, research, education, agri-food processing, rural leadership, policy and industry advocacy. What unites them is the lasting influence of their work and its impact at the provincial level or beyond. Since 1951, 144 Albertans have been inducted into the Alberta Agriculture Hall of Fame, recognizing excellence in industry leadership and service to rural communities. As the Hall of Fame marks its 75th anniversary, it continues

Company penalized for a workplace fatality

Birchcliff Energy Ltd., as an employer, pleaded guilty on Aug. 14 in the Grande Prairie Court of Justice to one count under the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act for failing to ensure the health and safety of a worker. All remaining charges against Birchcliff Energy Ltd. were withdrawn. The charges stem from an incident that occurred Oct. 10, 2023, at an oil and gas site west of Spirit River. A worker died after falling into a reservoir while obtaining water samples. Under a creative sentence, the court ordered the company to pay $200,000 to Energy Safety Canada to develop an industry awareness and training program focused on managing serious injury and fatality risks in surface water operations. The court also ordered the company to pay $112,500 to Saddle Hills County Protective Services to develop surface ice water rescue training and support the purchase of ice water rescue equipment. The company and the Crown have up to 30 days to appeal the conviction or penalty. Albert

You Spoke, We Listened: Producers Set the Research Agenda

Your Canadian Beef Cattle Check-Off pays for the research and communication work supported by the Beef Cattle Research Council. It’s really important that we understand what specific challenges you face, so that we invest in the right solutions. Last summer, readers were encouraged to participate in the Beef Cattle Research Council’s on-line beef research survey to help us develop a clear set of priorities to guide research funding decisions over the next five years. Thanks for responding. Here are some of the highlights of what you told us. What We Did The survey was open from June through August 2025. It asked you to rate various research issues as Extremely, very, moderately, slightly or not important in the areas of nutrition and production efficiency, forage and grassland productivity, environmental sustainability, animal health and welfare, beef quality and food safety. We also asked where producers look for reliable production information. A total of 588 Canadians responded t