Ag in Motion to showcase new farm technology
Organizers say fourth year of trade show set to be biggest yet, with 457 exhibitors
One of the biggest farm expos in Canada is set to put some new farming technology on display.
Ag in Motion, referred to on its website as the largest agricultural trade show in Western Canada, kicks off next week just north of Saskatoon. The event brings out businesses, researchers, and farmers who want to get a glimpse of the cutting edge of today’s farming industry.
Show director Rob O’connor said this will be the biggest one yet, with 457 businesses registered for booths and demonstrations.
Last year, there were just over 400, and a little more than 300 the year before that.
“The most amazing thing is just the continued growth of the show,” O’connor said. “It has much more industry involvement than it did in year one.”
O’connor said it’s striking to see how much farming technology had changed in the past 20 years, with the growth of both automation and genetic research to improve crop and livestock farming.
According to data released by Statistics Canada in 2016, the number of farm operations and farm operators in Saskatchewan has been steadily declining.
O’connor called it one of the “biggest challenges” facing the agriculture industry today, which is why he said it comes as no surprise to him that some of the biggest technological innovations showing at the expo involve selfdriving machinery and artificial intelligence technology.
“Whether it’s grain carts or sprayers or tractors, these vehicles being able to drive themselves with the help of GPS technology is going to help quite a bit on farms,” O’connor said.
Technological advancement is given a special spotlight at Ag in Motion thanks to the Saskatoon Regional Economic Development Authority. The organization helps support the Innovation Awards to celebrate the cutting edge of farming technology in various fields.
Joanne Baczuk, director of business development, said it’s especially important to recognize agricultural innovation in a huge farming province like Saskatchewan.
“The Saskatchewan agriculture landscape has advanced from small farming operations to large ones mainly due to the farmers’ ability to take advantage of these innovations,” Baczuk said.
Baczuk recently travelled to Germany for Agritechnica, the world’s largest agricultural exhibition. She said there’s “lots of opportunity” on the international stage as well as within Canada for new agricultural technology.
Companies like xarvio Digital Farming Solutions are working hard in the relatively new field of developing computer science for farming solutions, and xarvio is one of the finalists for this year’s Ag in Motion Innovation Awards for their new technology.
Warren Bills, xarvio Canadian business manager, said that while technology is making huge strides, there’s much more that can be done in the industry.
“There always needs to be a human component to farming,” Bills said. But, he added, some intelligent models will replace some of the more common practices.
O’connor said the expo has now reached a size where it’s receiving international attention, and that around 200 attendees from outside of Canada and the United States are expected to be among the thousands at Ag in Motion.