Data is key to the future of Canadian ag

Jan 27, 2023

The Enterprise Machine Intelligence Learning Initiative (EMILI) and Assiniboine Community College (ACC) are working together on ag-tech innovation and education.

The two hope to increase digital skills to address labour shortages in the ag sector.

Studies show that Canada’s ag sector could be facing a shortage of 123,000 workers by 2030.

RBC's Farmer 4.0 Report suggests that the advanced technologies
emerging across agriculture and sub-sectors will change the skills needed in the sector over the next decade.

EMILI and ACC will be working on the development of data literacy training programs, increasing work-integrated learning opportunities, and testing new technologies to ensure they work on the farm.

In recent years, the two have been focused on the potential of digital agriculture in the prairies.

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Video: Midwest Weather Shock: Flash Drought Turns Into Heavy Rain Threat This Week (2026 Forecast)

A rapidly changing Midwest weather pattern is unfolding in 2026 as areas that recently slipped into abnormal dryness and flash drought conditions are now facing the threat of heavy rain and repeated storm systems.

After a wet spring erased early drought conditions, regions across Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and northern Missouri have quickly dried out again since mid-to-late May. Soil moisture is dropping fast, and crops like corn and soybeans are beginning to feel the stress of rising temperatures and lack of consistent rainfall. Now, weather models show a major shift.

A developing system moving in from the Northern Plains is expected to bring multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms, with the potential for locally heavy rainfall across the Midwest. While some areas may miss out, others could finally see much-needed relief from the growing dryness. In this video, we break down:

Current drought conditions across the Midwest

Why a flash drought is developing quickly

Timing and path of incoming storm systems

Which states are most likely to see heavy rain

How long this wet pattern could last

Will this rain end the drought or create new flooding risks? Watch the full forecast to find out.