Precision ag calls for internet improvements on Ontario farms: OFA

Feb 02, 2016

Third annual Precision Ag Conference kicks off

By Joe Dales, Vice-President, Farms.com

As the third annual Precision Agriculture Conference opened today, Peter Sykanda was busy assessing some of the newest advances in farm technology.

And how it all relates to broadband.

As the farm policy researcher with the Ontario Federation of Agriculture explained, “our interest in precision agriculture is tied to our interest in broadband internet service across rural Ontario.”

Sykanda was attending the conference along with OFA president Don McCabe.

Peter Sykanda

He said the OFA was very aware of the increasing needs of farm businesses across the province, “and what we want to achieve is the fastest, least-expensive, and most-reliable broadband service available, for all our members.

“The new technologies coming on line are only going to increase the need for fastest data transfer.”

So where is the OFA focusing its efforts on behalf of the commercial farmers of Ontario? Government or private industry?

“It’s an interesting partnership between public and private investment, and there are a number of models that can work.

“But looking around at all these new technologies, and the rapid advances in precision agriculture, we are working hard on broadband, and we are confident that we will get there.”

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