AFSC and Olds College partner to drive innovation in agriculture

Aug 17, 2022

Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC) and Olds College have created a formal partnership, which will drive innovation, provide technical solutions, and training opportunities for the agriculture and agri-food industry. As part of the agreement, AFSC will provide support for applied research activities on the Olds College Smart Farm that will drive innovation in agriculture.

“AFSC has a distinguished history in supporting and building Alberta’s agriculture sector, and Olds College is delighted to formally partner with AFSC as we work together on industry-driven applied research,” comments Patrick Machaeck, vice president, Development & Strategy, Olds College.

“Our Smart Ag Ecosystem is a fundamental asset for industry, researchers, faculty, and students, to develop and integrate technology and best practice. The Smart Farm gives us the opportunity to work closely with AFSC to provide technical solutions and training opportunities for the agriculture and agri-food industry — and develop solutions to real-world, everyday agricultural challenges.”

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Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.