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Agriculture Roundup for Thursday September 28, 2023

Changes to Canada’s Express Entry through category-based selection will help address labour shortages by inviting candidates with specific work experience or French language ability to apply for permanent residence.

The first round of invitations for agriculture and agri-food occupations through category-based selection began this week.

The focus will be on candidates with experience as agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors, and retail and wholesale butchers who will help the sector attract the skilled talent it needs across the country.

Canada’s Express Entry system is now tailored to provide a streamlined and efficient pathway for individuals with expertise in critical fields.

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Designing a Robotic Berry Picker

Video: Designing a Robotic Berry Picker


Since blackberries must be harvested by hand, the process is time-consuming and labor-intensive. To support a growing blackberry industry in Arkansas, food science associate professor Renee Threlfall is collaborating with mechanical engineering assistant professor Anthony Gunderman to develop a mechanical harvesting system. Most recently, the team designed a device to measure the force needed to pick a blackberry without damaging it. The data from this device will help inform the next stage of development and move the team closer to the goal of a fully autonomous robotic berry picker. The device was developed by Gunderman, with Yue Chen, a former U of A professor now at Georgia Tech, and Jeremy Collins, then a U of A undergraduate engineering student. To determine the force needed to pick blackberries without damage, the engineers worked with Threlfall and Andrea Myers, then a graduate student.