Where does Canada stand in relation to the world with Ag Tech
Join panelists from Farm Management Canada, Global Affairs Canada and Olds College to discuss where Canada stands in relation to the world with Ag Tech.
CEU Credits: 0.5
Panelists:
Heather Watson, Farm Management Canada
For the past 12 years, Heather Watson has served as the Executive Director of Farm Management Canada, a national non-profit organization dedicated to increasing the awareness, appreciation and adoption of farm business management practices to help position Canada’s farmers for sustainable growth and prosperity. She also serves as the Canadian representative to the International Farm Management Association. In 2022, Heather was recognized as one of Canada’s Influential Women in Canadian Agriculture. Heather obtained her Bachelor’s from the University of Guelph and went on to obtain her Master’s degree from the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom. Heather grew up in southwestern Ontario and now lives in Ottawa.
Alberta Telfer , Global Affairs Canada
Alberta Telfer is a Trade Commissioner with Global Affairs Canada. In this roll, she works with small and medium sized Agri-food and supply chain technology companies to expand globally. During her 10 years with the department she has worked in Calgary, Edmonton and Denver.
From 2012-2020 she worked for the Government of Alberta on diverse files, including the provincial secretariat for the Calgary 2026 Olympic Bid, and on a provincial natural gas vision and strategy. In 2018, she received a Minister’s commendation for her contributions in developing a provincial Cleantech Roadmap.
A 4-H alumna, Alberta resides an hour south of Olds in the foothills of the Rocky mountains. She holds a diploma in Supply Chain Management from the U of A and a BA from the University of Calgary in Political Science and German.
Dr. Alex Melnitchouck, Olds College
Alex Melnitchouck is the Chief Technology Officer, Digital Agriculture at Olds College. He holds his Ph.D. in Agricultural Sciences, and second Master’s Degree in Soils and Environmental Sciences, backed up by 25 years of work experience at the international level, including precision Ag projects in Canada, USA, Germany, Switzerland, Brazil, Australia, Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. He is a member of Alberta Institute of Agrologists in Canada (P.Ag.) and an author of more than 50 publications in scientific journals and proceedings of conferences.
In 2012, Alex founded IntelMax Corp. and created Zoner.Ag – a web platform for managing and analyzing geospatial data. In 2015, Zoner.Ag was acquired by Bayer CropScience to become a geospatial engine for the new Digital Farming Platform (currently known as Xarvio and owned by BASF).
Alex leads Olds College’s Digital Ag strategy and the development of the Digital Ag Platform at the Olds College Smart Farm – a 3,500-acre, technology enabled applied research and learning environment.
Moderator: Doyle Steinke, KeyAg Kubota and the AgSmart Industry Advisory Group