Grainswest - Tech 2026

Tech 2026 Grains West 36 It’s just sort of laughable almost. No, it’s here and it’s real and it actually works.” LOCAL POINT OF VIEW Three Hills agronomist Steve Larocque is bullish on AI, and for good reason. The owner of Beyond Agronomy, it just keeps making his life easier. Since generative AI came on the market, his customers have been more informed than ever. Formerly, they would approach him with questions about something they’d read online or heard in a coffee shop or at a conference. From there, Larocque would have to go and research the topic to provide feedback or recommendations. Those days are quickly fading in the rearview mirror. In this new era of due diligence, farmers now consult their AI before they call Larocque. “They’ve already asked ChatGPT or Gemini the question,” he said. “Now they come to me informed and say, ‘Hey, what do you think?’” There are also many on-the-ground applications for AI. “I could upload a soil test report to ChatGPT and ask it to balance the calcium-to-magnesium ratio,” he said. And it will do so instantly. A farmer could also upload their field data and ask AI to identify the high and low nutrients across those acres and how to address that. “It’s helping us make decisions faster,” he said. Larocque believes AI has limitations and is quick to point out the programs are only as good as what goes into them. A good question will generate a decent response, an unclear or muddled query, not so much. The technology can now be used as a highly functional assistant, but its proclamations must be reviewed by a human. Without access to a farm’s institutional data as well as regional agronomic and weather conditions, the AI agent isn’t worth its weight in Bitcoin. And while it can acknowledge and analyze geopolitical events, to connect their impact back to a specific Canadian farm remains a bridge too far for now. FEATURE “I’m not saying it’s impossible,” said Larocque. “It’ll provide you lots of information, there’s no shortage of that, but there’s a shortage of people who are able to help people process that information.” And don’t forget, he warns, these chatbots are designed to keep you coming back. If you feel like your ego is being stroked, you’re probably right. “It’s an absolute sycophant,” he said. “It’ll tell you your peanut butter and hairdressing idea is the best thing ever. It can lead you down the garden path and they’ll pump you up no matter what.” Though chat programs may have these weaknesses, they may be asked to provide recommendations that have a range of financial implications. “We are relying on this tool that is not necessarily correct depending on the questions you ask it and the amount of data it has available to generate a response,” said Larocque. “So that’s probably where we’re going to hit the ditch more often than not.” Back on UCLA campus, Bobo reflected on the shifting nature of his conversations with students. Once upon a time they were not really interested in AI. Then one day it was discovered it could be a homework helper. Everything changed overnight in classrooms the world over. “I think that farmers are going to find it’s going to help them with their homework, too,” he said. Agronomist Steve Larocque views AI adoption in farming as positive. He said his customers are more informed than ever because they use the technology as a research tool.