Innovation Continues at Canada’s Farm Show

Jun 22, 2023

Highlights from day two of the farm show in Regina.

By Haley Bilokraly
Farms.com Intern

Day two of Canada’s Farm Show was all about innovation, and it did not disappoint!

Whether it was industry experts, or investors, or producers, every perspective joined in on the conversation about ag technology during Canada’s Farm Show. Each of these groups had a panel discussion during the day to discuss the implementation, development, and potential of ag tech.

Attendees had no shortage of great advice while tuning into the featured panels throughout the day. For example, Jocelyn Velestuk, who participated in the producer panel, encouraged farmers to leverage their farmer friends when implementing ag tech to gather their insights and mitigate risk.

On top of the panels, day two was home to multiple product launches including a soil monitoring system by ChrysaLabs and Crop Intelligence’s new real-time insights feature.

Day two ended with as much excitement as when began as 16 companies filled the stage for the Ag Tech Accelerator. Each ag-tech company pitched their innovative idea to investors in the audience and for the chance to win a $1,000 prize.

This year’s people’s choice winner as voted by the audience was T-Bin, the world's first mobile grain bin (Watch video below).

Thursday, June 22, is the last day of the show, don't miss your chance to attend this agriculture event. For more information or to buy tickets visit the website at https://www.realdistrict.ca/events/canadas-farm-show/.

Video: How farmers are protecting the soil and our food security | DW Documentary

For a long time, soil was all but ignored. But for years, the valuable humus layer has been thinning. Farmers in Brandenburg are clearly feeling the effects of this on their sandy fields. Many are now taking steps to prepare their farms for the future.

Years of drought, record rainfall and failed harvests: we are becoming increasingly aware of how sensitively our environment reacts to extreme weather conditions. Farmers' livelihoods are at stake. So is the ability of consumers to afford food.

For a few years now, agriculture that focuses solely on maximum yields has been regarded with increasing skepticism. It is becoming more and more clear just how dependent we are on healthy soils.

Brandenburg is the federal state with the worst soil quality in Germany. The already thin, fertile humus layer has been shrinking for decades. Researchers and farmers who are keen to experiment are combating these developments and looking for solutions. Priority is being given to building up the humus layer, which consists of microorganisms and fungi, as well as springtails, small worms and centipedes.

For Lena and Philipp Adler, two young vegetable farmers, the tiny soil creatures are invaluable helpers. On their three-hectare organic farm, they rely on simple, mechanical weed control, fallow areas where the soil can recover, and diversity. Conventional farmer Mark Dümichen also does everything he can to protect soil life on his land. For years, he has not tilled the soil after the harvest and sows directly into the field. His yields have stabilized since he began to work this way.

Isabella Krause from Regionalwert AG Berlin-Brandenburg is convinced after the experiences of the last hot summers that new crops will thrive on Brandenburg's fields in the long term. She has founded a network of farmers who are promoting the cultivation of chickpeas with support from the scientific community.