Precision Ag Technology on full display

Jan 29, 2020

Farms.com Eastern Precision Agriculture Conference and Ag Tech Showcase Kicks off in London

Farmers across Ontario are headed to RBC Place in London today for the start of the 7^th annual Farms.com Precision Agriculture Conference & Ag Tech Showcase - a two-day event featuring expert speakers and tech demonstrations highlighting the immense value of precision technology on the farm. This year’s conference has an expanded dairy focus and will examine the multiple uses of precision ag tech in the dairy industry.

The conference begins with keynote presentations from Dr. Vern Osborne, Professor, Department of Animal Biosciences at University of Guelph, focusing on the future of the dairy industry, followed by a presentation on Real-time Molecular Diagnostics for Herbicide and Pesticide Resistance Testing by Professor Robert Edwards, Head of School of Natural and Environmental Sciences at Newcastle University in England.

Professor Edwards is representing AGRI-INNOVATIONS Limited, a U.K.-based company that focuses on bringing molecular diagnostics testing directly to the farm. The company has developed a small, portable testing device that can detect herbicide and pesticide resistance in weeds, pests, and pathogens. With results in minutes, the rapid-testing allows producers to have answers in real-time rather than days or weeks. This type of testing allows for quick decisions by producers as to which type of herbicide or pesticide will be the most effective in their crop protection strategies.

The conference will cover a range of topics, with over 20 presenters and many exhibitors, including Climate FieldView, GPS Ontario, Kearney Planters, and more.

Video: Syngenta Ag Stories - Reanna Hagel, Channel Marketing Manager

Growing up on a cow-calf operation and small feedlot near Lumby, BC, Reanna learned agriculture the hands-on way with her sister on the family farm. Today, as Channel Marketing Manager for Syngenta Canada, what Reanna loves most about her work is simple: the customer is always at the centre. Whether that's a grower or a channel partner, she understands them on a personal level - because she's the daughter of one. But for Reanna, supporting ag doesn't stop at her job. She volunteers with local 4-H clubs, lends a hand to her farming neighbours, and is raising her own kids to understand and respect the land. Her advice to the next generation? "It's an amazing time to be in the industry - it's going to look completely different in 20 years. To be part of the evolution is very exciting."