Drone company, German-based company among Innovation Award winners

Jul 22, 2026

Organizers of Ag in Motion held the Innovation in Agriculture Reception on Monday night.

A total of four gold award winners and 10 silver award winners were honoured.

“Ag in Motion is built around sharing ideas and bringing the industry together to see what’s possible,” says show director Rob O’Connor in a news release. “The Innovations Program gives farmers an early look at new solutions and technologies, made possible through strong collaboration with our industry partners.”

LandView Drones, based in Camrose, Alberta, was one of the gold winners for its SwathView Technology.

"This was the game-changing year here in Canada because the stars really aligned," said Markus Weber, the President and CEO of LandView Drones, referring to new federal regulations, combined with very wet fields in parts of eastern Saskatchewan and western Manitoba, have led more farmers to use drones to apply fungicides.

"Everybody wanted to get started with drones this year, Weber said. "The only problem is we can't get the supply in to meet that demand, but definitely it is changing the nature of the drone industry."

The early adopters are busy spraying fungicide, Weber said, and expects a lot of activity in August when desiccants will be used in advance of harvest.

Newer model drones can cover 50 to 70 acres per hour per drone, Weber notes, but the biggest challenge is the time required to refill the drones.

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Video: Independent Seed, National Impact | On The Brink: Episode 9

A survey of 200 independent seed businesses reveals what Canada's seed sector actually contributes — and what it stands to lose.

On the Brink, Justin Funk, a third-generation agri-marketer, shares the findings of a national survey conducted in early 2026. The numbers reframe the conversation: independent seed companies in Canada represent upwards of $1.7 billion in dedicated seed infrastructure, approximately 3,000 full-time equivalent jobs in rural communities, and an estimated $20 million in annual community contributions. And roughly 90% of Canada's cereals, pulses, and other small pollinated crops flow through them.

The survey also asked how dependent these businesses are on public plant breeding to survive. The answer was unambiguous. For policymakers evaluating the future of publicly funded breeding programs, Funk argues the economic case for this sector and the case for public plant breeding are the same argument.

On the Brink is a cross-country video series exploring the future of plant breeding in Canada. Each episode features voices from across the industry in an open, ongoing conversation about innovation and long-term investment in Canadian agriculture.