Government of Canada invests in innovative precision farming to support sustainability in Canada's apple industry

May 19, 2022

SAINT-BRUNO-DE-MONTARVILLE, QC - The Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, the Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, announced an investment of up to $560,425 for Institut de recherche et de développement en agroenvironnement Inc. (IRDA) to develop a new, integrated system of precision fruit tree farming.

Canadian apple growers operate in a competitive environment and face many challenges including threats from pests and disease, increased frequency of extreme weather events and labour shortages. IRDA is using the funds to pilot and test a system that uses exclusion netting, narrow fruiting walls and mechanized operations.

Adoption of these labour-saving technology and practices as well as improved crop protection methods will help the sector continue to produce high-quality apples while moving toward pesticide-free growing. The project will also help the sector cope with the impacts of extreme weather brought on by climate change and reduce or eliminate the use of most pesticides used in fruit growing.

Precision agriculture is helping farmers better manage their operations and become more efficient and competitive. Investing in innovative precision agriculture tools and cutting-edge approaches is a fundamental way to help the Canadian agricultural sector grow and remain competitive.

By integrating a suite of advanced fruit tree technologies and techniques into one system, IRDA's innovative approach would be a first of its kind in North America. The Government of Canada is committed to investing in innovative and sustainable solutions to help tackle the challenges facing the Canadian apple industry.

Source : Government of Canada

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.