Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, May 4th, 2023 – The Canadian Agri-Food Automation and Intelligence Network (CAAIN) today unveiled the third of nine stories showcasing results of the AgTech research & innovation projects it has funded during its first two-and-a-half years of formal operations.
CAAIN’s mandate from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada is to fund technological responses to the most significant opportunities and challenges facing the nation’s agri-food producers and processors. That means supporting promising efforts with the potential to provide economic or environmental value. The featured stories demonstrate that CAAIN is doing just that, as do the 129 collaborations the organization has nurtured and the $31M it is investing in 24 projects with a combined total value exceeding $100M.
“The story we’re unveiling today is proof positive that Canadians are innovators who find solutions to major problems. And their efforts are attracting international attention,” explained Dr. Cornelia Kreplin, CAAIN’s Interim CEO. “DOT, the original company whose work we approved for funding, was bought out by US-based Raven Industries, which in turn was subsequently purchased by Italy’s Case New Holland, a global leader in farm equipment manufacturing. What’s particularly gratifying is that the core team of researchers has remained in place, effectively validating our decision to support the exciting work in which they are engaged.”
This exciting project, Artificial Intelligence (AI) Development for Autonomous Agriculture Applications, carries a total price tag of $4,152,732, of which $1,507,408 is being funded by CAAIN. The Regina-based initiative has been worth every penny invested, having made significant progress in the complex fields of artificial intelligence and machine learning. The innovation in question, called OMNiPOWER™, is a self-propelled vehicle that carries farm tools such as seeders or sprayers, replacing the traditional tractor hookup, and creating a fully autonomous unit that can run 24/7 and has potential to address a labour shortage expected to worsen over the next decade. And because the platform carries the implement instead of pulling it, using OMNiPOWER™ manages soil compaction and reduces fuel costs and emissions, so it has an environmental impact.
Read the story here.
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The Canadian Agri-Food Automation and Intelligence Network (CAAIN) is a not-for-profit company launched in July 2019 with funding of $49.5‑million from the Government of Canada’s Strategic Innovation Fund, and assistance from Alberta Innovates in the form of significant in-kind contributions. CAAIN drives collaborative agri-food technology research and innovation from coast to coast by performing three core functions. First, it supports the development of promising solutions to important challenges facing producers and primary food processors. Second, it is building an online, member-based network connecting Canada’s agricultural and technology stakeholders. Third, CAAIN is developing a digital platform to link nationwide, production-specific networks of smart farms, which will collaborate to validate and demonstrate emerging technology in diverse locations across the country.
| Project Funding Inquiries Dr. Cornelia Kreplin Interim CEO Canadian Agri-Food Automation and Intelligence Network cornelia.kreplin@caain.ca |
Media Inquiries Eric Morin, CMP Manager, Communications and Marketing Canadian Agri-Food Automation and Intelligence Network 780.405.3742 | eric.morin@caain.ca |
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