GrainsWest Tech 2020

Tech 2020 Grains West 6 Newtechnology ratchets forward OVER THE FIRST MONTHS OF the COVID-19 pandemic, GrainsWest published a series of online stories that examined its impact on the agriculture sector. We found that a speedy response within the agribusiness and agri-food supply chains has ensured farmers have been able to purchase the inputs they need. The flow of agricultural products to consumers has, for the most part, also been uninterrupted. Alberta farmers have not been entirely unaffected, of course. Personal protective equipment required for daily use has been difficult to acquire. In preparing our sec- ond annual technology special edition, we have also heard speculation the pandemic may impact technology uptake in the ag sector. With respect to crop technology, it certainly has caused the deferral of cer- tain field-dependent research projects. Thankfully, the pandemic has not, as yet, greatly impacted day-to-day farm opera- tions in Alberta. Fingers crossed, the con- tinuing situation will not severely impact farming and the province’s contribution to the global food supply. It is pre-pandemic events that have more likely put an eco- nomic damper on adoption of new on-farm tech. The fallout from international trade disputes, rail stoppages and punishing weather events over multiple seasons may hamper farmer interest in expenditures for new equipment and systems. Despite this drag on its progress, tech- nological change ratchets forward, not backward. Agricultural innovation will continue to be incorporated on farms and within the greater ag industry. In this issue of GrainsWest , we examine tech- nology now being developed in labs and fields by government agencies, educa- tional institutions and corporations. We also devote much of the magazine to new technology now available or in use. On the digital side of technology, the on- farm connectivity landscape is a work in progress. As the connected farm becomes a reality, the challenge for certain rural areas remains accessing adequate connec- tion to fully utilize emerging technology. In “The plugged-in farmer” (p. 36) digital farm-tech experts speculate on the coming of full on-farm connectivity. Nothing is more emblematic of farm technology’s forward movement than the equipment cab. Often referred to as control centres by manufacturers, it’s in the cabs of tractors and combines the momentum of mechanical and software engineering can be seen and felt. In our cover story “Straight out of sci-fi” (p. 28), we dissect the evolving form and func- tion of the farm cab. Further in-field innovations now entering the marketplace are the subject of “Real-time revelations” (p. 32). Also part of the ongoing wave of sensor uptake, “Improved optics” (p. 8) details updates to the sensor-driven WEEDit system. This selection of practical applications includes two soil samplers, an on-combine grain analyzer and a weed-sensing sprayer. Agronomic and agri-food research projects are also well represented here. The University of Saskatchewan’s Cana- dian Light Source synchrotron services both. We visit this fascinating agricul- ture-focused facility in “The brightest light in Canadian ag research” (p. 18). Its high-energy electron beam lines allow scientists to examine living plants, fully intact soil samples and even the structure of dough and baked bread. As medical researchers push to develop a COVID-19 vaccine and agriculture hopes for less outside interference in getting harvest 2020 to market, it’s reas- suring to know farm technology will only improve with time. GLOBAL RECOGNITION FOR GRAINSWEST GrainsWest editor Ian Doig recently received the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists Star Prize for Excellence in Print for “Crisis Control” our examination of rural crime in Alberta. Active in 50 countries, the organization represents approximately 5,000 profes- sional agriculture journalists. To read the story, visit grainswest.com . EDITOR’S MESSAGE Featuring multiple high-energy electron beam lines, the Canadian Light Source synchrotron is in high demand for agriculture and agri-food research projects. Photo:Courtesyof CanadianLightSource