Solinftec's New Crop-Scanning Robot to Run on Canadian Farms

Jun 09, 2022

Saskatoon, Sask. – Solinftec will expand the launch of its new AgTech robotic platform, Solix Ag Robotics, into Canada in partnership with Stone Farms and the University of Saskatchewan.

The new technology aims to provide farmers and agronomists a new level of information to increase yields, improve the usage of inputs, lower environmental impact and support the global demand for food supply. The goal is to have the robot commercially available for the 2023 season for wheat crops.

Solinftec will run the new robot at multiple farms, one being Stone Farms in Davidson, aiming to adapt the technology to the specific needs of the Canadian grower and improve the algorithm for identifying weeds.

With more than 15 years of experience developing digital ag solutions throughout various geographies and crops around the world, Solinftec’s Solix Ag Robotics is integrated with the company’s artificial intelligence platform, ALICE A.I., capturing information directly from the crops. Programmed with a neurological network featuring a complex detection algorithm, the new in-field robotic device has the ability to scan for crop health and nutrition, disease, insects and weeds, as well as monitor the entire field ecosystem and provide real-time insights.

“Technology and how it is implemented in agriculture will play an even more critical role in our future,” says Rob Stone, owner of Stone Farms. “We know Solinftec continues to innovate for the better of the agriculture economy, and the addition of their robotics platform will only enhance our work together. We are excited about the possibility for this technology to improve the way we manage inputs with enhanced real time information.”

The platform will reduce many risks related to the use of chemical and biological pesticides, as low volumes will be applied with high precision on the target, only in the required place, at the most appropriate time, without excess or loss.

“As we’ve done in regions across the globe, we are taking the robot directly to the fields to learn at a hyper-local level how they perform,” says Leonardo Carvalho, Solinftec’s operational director lead in Canada. “The cutting-edge robotics technology will help develop agricultural solutions and support sustainable farming practices. Having the continued support of Stone Farms and the University of Saskatchewan during a season of testing the new technology is a great opportunity for Canadian agriculture.”

Click here to see more...

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.