Lethbridge College has joined the Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network, led by Olds College. (Photo 150294655 © Thai Noipho | Dreamstime.com)

By Justin Goulet

Lethbridge College joins Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network

Jun 7, 2023 | 11:57 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – The Pan-Canada Smart Farm Network has added Lethbridge College to its list of members. The network was launched in 2021 and is led by Olds College.

It’s comprised of seven members from across three provinces. The group aims to improve the sustainability of the agriculture industry and the adoption of technology within the sector.

Vice-President of Research at Olds College, Dr. Joy Agnew noted Lethbridge College is the network’s fourth expansion site.

Agnew stated, “The network’s continued expansion across different agricultural zones and land bases brings more depth to the projects and technology evaluations which benefit farmers and developers.”

She added, “Lethbridge College brings expertise in irrigated crop production, grain storage management, and horticulture production, among other things. Together, this network of smart farms can truly drive innovation and growth in Canada’s diverse agriculture industry.”

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Lethbridge College’s Centre for Applied Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CARIE) supports on-farm activities with a 385-acre irrigated research farm, located east of Lethbridge.

CARIE also supports farming with numerous irrigation systems and technology, field-scale plots, crop production and a grain drying facility. Additionally, CARIE has over 7,000 square feet of laboratory spaces, and more than 20,000 square feet of controlled-environment agriculture facilities, including the Aquaculture Centre of Excellence and Centre for Sustainable Food Production.

Vice-President of Research and Partnerships at Lethbridge College, Dr. Kenny Corscadden said, “CARIE is focused on bringing together community and industry organizations, researchers and students to collaborate on projects that use new or existing knowledge to solve real-world challenges with immediate practical applications.”

Corscadden added, “Working together with members across Canada in the Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network allows us to share our knowledge and data, build our expertise, and work together to solve challenges across varying soil and climate regions.”

In addition to Lethbridge College and Olds College, the network includes Discovery Farm Langham in Saskatchewan, Lakeland College in Vermilion, Alberta, the University of Saskatchewan Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence, Manitoba Beef & Forage Initiatives Inc., and Enterprise Machine Intelligence & Learning Initiative near Winnipeg, Manitoba.

The Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network receives funding from the Canadian Agri-Food Automation and Intelligence Network. More information about the network is available at the Olds College website.

READ MORE: Lethbridge News Now.

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