Speakers 2021

For details on the AgSmart Digital Plenary Event, including descriptions and speaker bio’s, please click here.

Educational Session Speakers

Dr. Joy Agnew

Associate VP, Applied Research, Olds College Centre for Innovation

The Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network
Dr. Joy Agnew, Olds College Centre for Innovation, Tanya McDonald, Lakeland College & Blake Weiseth, Glacier FarmMedia Discovery Farm
August 11: 3:30 pm – 4 p.m.

CEU Credit: 0.5

The overall goal of the Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network is to build a collaborative framework among Canada’s Smart Farm initiatives for sharing of data and expertise to help farmers, industry and technology developers better understand, utilize, and develop smart agriculture technologies and systems. This session will provide an update on the development and launch of the Smart Farm Network and include key participants from the three initial sites: Olds College, Lakeland College, and Glacier Discovery Farm.

“Opportunities and challenges in agriculture as we transition to a low carbon economy”
Dr. Joy Agnew, Olds College Centre for Innovation
August 10: 1 pm – 1:30 pm
August 11: 11 am – 11:30 am

CEU Credit: 0.5

This session will be a high level overview covering topics such as the carbon footprint of agriculture, soil carbon sequestration, emission reduction targets, and the role of technology and smart farms in the development of a carbon offset program for agriculture.

As Associate VP Applied Research, Joy oversees the applied research activities in crop production, livestock production, turfgrass production, environmental stewardship, and technology integration while supporting the College’s innovation and entrepreneurship activities, smart farm operations, and the barley and triticale breeding program at Lacombe. Joy also holds a leadership role in the development of the College’s Smart Ag Ecosystem, bringing together the academic programming, applied research, strategic partnerships, smart farm operations, and extension & communication activities to help the College meet its goal to be a leader in Smart Agriculture.

Mazen Aljarrah

Field Crop Development Centre, Olds College

“Triticale, the man-made crop: potential and prospects for western Canada”
Mazen Aljarrah – Field Crop Development Centre, Olds College
August 10: 11 am – 11:30 am

CEU Credit: 0.5

The triticale breeding program at Olds College – Field Crop Development Centre is mainly focusing on developing dual purpose promising lines suitable for forage and feed grain.

In western Canada both spring and winter triticale types have the potential to be used in multiple farming systems as annual forages for ruminant animals and biofuel production.

The genetic base of triticale in narrow, widening the germplasm is important, we conduct a wild hybridization between wheat and triticale with the hope of incorporating useful genes from both species.

Mazen Aljarrah has been the triticale breeder at Field Crop Development Centre (FCDC) at Olds College since 2008. He holds a M.Sc. in Plant breeding, B.Sc. in Agriculture, and certificates in Applied Plant Breeding, Doubled Haploid technique in Wheat, and DNA and Molecular Marker Techniques for Improving Field Crops.

Mazen has Plant Breeder Status from the Canadian Seed Growers’ Association (CSGA) and is a member of the Prairie Recommending Committee for Wheat, Rye and Triticale (PRCWRT). He is Coordinator of the pre-registration Western Spring and Winter Triticale Coop Trials in western Canada. Mazen spent over 20 years as a Research Associate at the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) in Syria. ICARDA is one of 15 centers supported by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR).

The Field Crop Development Centre has been developing new barley and triticale varieties for malting, feed, and forage uses since 1972. The breeding programs are supported by quality, pathology, and biotechnology laboratories. FCDC transitioned to Olds College from the Alberta Government in January 2021.

Lander Anderson

Digital Ag Lead, Vantage Canada

The True Cost of Operational and Agronomical Inefficiencies
Lander Anderson – Vantage Canada
August 10: 11 am – 11:30 am

CEU Credit: 0.5

To know improvement first one must know the baseline in which they are comparing too. We will guide you through a better understanding of how to calculate your baseline, the tools to improve your baseline and a better way of understanding the true cost.

Lander Anderson has been involved in Agriculture his whole life, after completing his degree at the University of Saskatchewan he began working for equipment dealers on delivering Precision Agriculture advise where he focused on Machine and Technology optimization. Most recently Lander has began working with Vantage Canada as their Digital Ag Lead. Lander and his family live and help work on the family farm in Northern Saskatchewan.

Wes Anderson

VP of Agronomy, Croptimistic Technology Inc.

Agronomy at a High Resolution
Wes Anderson – Croptimistic Technology Inc.
August 10: 1 pm – 1:30 pm

CEU Credit: 0.5

Precision agronomy tools have come a long way in the past decade, and the future of sensors and various agronomy tools and technology looks bright. This session will dive into some of the tools being used in North America today for successful allocation of crop inputs for better ROI and environmental benefits, and why they should be considered on your farm.

Wes is the VP of Agronomy for Croptimistic Technology Inc. based out of Beaumont, AB.  He currently works with farm clients using SWAT MAP variable rate technology, and supports the rest of the Croptimistic staff and third-party agronomists around the world that are using the SWAT Ecosystem of products.

Wes grew up on a mixed farm near Theodore, SK and obtained his degree in Agriculture from U of S in 2001.  Since then he’s worked in various agronomy roles in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and more recently in southern NSW, Australia.  As a member of the Alberta institute of Agrologists, Wes is passionate about using technology in agriculture to improve the economic viability and environmental sustainability of farms.  He has a wife and three kids that keep him busy in his spare time and graciously put up with his infatuation for agronomy.

Dr. John Basarab

Head of Beef Operations, Livestock Gentec

“Use of genomic tools to improve production efficiency, health resilience and carbon footprint of beef production.”
Dr. John Basarab, Livestock Gentec
August 11: 11 am – 11:30 am

CEU Credit: 0.5

The aim is to present independent validation studies that demonstrate the benefits of innovative genomic tools such as genomic breed composition, genomic retained heterozygosity, genomic enhanced expected progeny differences (gEPDs) for feed efficiency and carcass traits. Other innovations such as DNA pooling show potential for cheaper genotyping while providing important information on pooled records related to sire contribution, heterosis, performance and health as influenced by genetics and management. The application of these genomic tools has potential to improve calf crop percentage, general health resilience, and retail yield of slaughter cattle while decreasing the carbon footprint of beef production.

John has over 30 years experience in beef cattle production and management. His current areas of work include improving feed efficiency, delivering genomic and production technologies to the beef industry, and greenhouse gas mitigation in beef cattle. Work completed has included the development of one of the largest genotype-phenotype databases for beef cattle in Canada, and for genetic marker discovery, global collaborations, and validation of the genomic tools like EnVigour HXTM. He is a Research Scientist at the University of Alberta, Head of Beef Operations for Livestock Gentec, and past Associate Editor for the Canadian Journal of Animal Science. He is also the author or co-author of more than 300 scientific and extension articles and is the winner of the 2010 Canadian Animal Industries Award in Extension and Public Service. John received his Ph.D. degree in Animal Genetics and Biochemistry in 1981 from the University of Alberta.

Dr. Shabeg Briar

Research Agronomist, Olds College

“Performance and Cost Benefit of Optical Spot Spraying Technologies in Conventional, Dryland farming in Western Canada”
Dr. Shabeg Briar & Daniel Stefner, Olds College

August 11: 10 am – 10:30 am

CEU Credit: 0.5

Optical spot spraying technology is becoming increasingly popular in Western Canada. With enhancements in the practicality and user-friendliness of this technology, accompanied by purported benefits such as the ability to effectively reduce overall chemical usage, optical spot spraying is seemingly a feasible, viable option for farmers in modern day agriculture. Olds College is currently in the second year of an applied research project focused on testing and evaluating the performance and impacts associated with WEED-IT Quadro precision spraying technology. Olds College Centre for Innovation (OCCI) will share the outcomes and learnings from the evaluation of this technology over the past year. In addition, this session will feature details pertaining to current and future field trials, including pre-seed spray treatments, weed assessment protocols and procedures, remote sensing yield predictions, through to the intercomparison of the effects of the different pre-seed spray treatments on yield at harvest.

Shabeg Briar earned his B.Sc. degree in Agronomy and a Ph.D. in Plant Pathology and Nematology from Ohio State University, USA. Currently in his role as a Research Agronomist, he is responsible for conducting small plot crop trials related to herbicide efficacy, crop variety evaluation and pest management studies. He is a certified professional agronomist and possesses a pesticide applicator license. Prior to this, he was working as a Research Scientist with Montana Ag. Exp. Station. During his Ph.D. work at the Ohio State University, he focused on soil health of farming systems and studied bio-indicators and their role in the soil food web. He has published several peer reviewed journal articles, book chapters and extension articles.

Dr. Flavio Capettini

Field Crop Development Centre, Olds College

Superior malting barley varieties by design at Olds College
Dr. Flavio Capettini, Field Crop Development Centre, Olds College

August 10: 10 am – 10:30 am

CEU Credit: 0.5

In this session Dr. Flavio Capettini will give a glimpse of what it takes to create a malting barley variety at the Field Crop Development Centre at Olds College. The technologies and activities used to obtain enhanced varieties with better yield, agronomics, disease resistance, quality, and even flavor, will be presented. Classic and contemporary techniques for creating varieties that work for farmers and the malting, brewing, and distilling companies in Canada and worldwide will be discussed.

Dr. Flavio Capettini is a Two-row Barley Breeder focusing on malting barley at the Field Crop Development Centre (FCDC) at Olds College. Flavio specializes in finding novel traits in worldwide germplasm and introgressing it into locally adapted cultivars. Flavio has been breeding cereals since 1988, releasing over 65 varieties in 12 countries, and developing superior germplasm that’s been shared with over 75 countries.

Before joining FCDC in 2013, Flavio led the Global Barley Enhancement Program of the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) in Syria, and the Latin American Regional Program carried out jointly between ICARDA and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT). Flavio was previously an adjunct professor at North Dakota State University, and Head of Barley Breeding at the National Agricultural Research Institute of Uruguay (INIA). He earned his Ph.D. and M.Sc. from the University of Minnesota and his B.Sc. from the University of the Republic of Uruguay.

The Field Crop Development Centre has been developing new barley and triticale varieties for malting, feed, and forage uses since 1972. The breeding programs are supported by quality, pathology, and biotechnology laboratories. FCDC transitioned to Olds College from the Alberta Government in January 2021.

Garth Donald

Manager of Agronomy, Decisive Farming by TELUS Agriculture.

“More than yields: assessing the return on investment of variable rate technology”
Garth Donald, Decisive Farming by TELUS Agriculture
August 10 & 11: 2 pm – 2:30 pm

CEU Credit: 0.5

When you invest hard-earned dollars into new farm technologies, getting value back in terms of profit, efficiency and productivity matters. Join Garth Donald, Manager of Agronomy with Decisive Farming by TELUS Agriculture, for a look into how to evaluate a true return on investment of variable rate technology. Garth will also explore a few key ways you can measure the success of your variable rate program and factors such as zone and field changes, environmental conditions and individual implementation that may influence your assessment.

Garth Donald is a founder, former Director and the Manager of Agronomy at Decisive Farming by TELUS Agriculture. Garth has been instrumental to the agronomic development and in the field application of Optimize RX® with farmers across Western Canada. He is responsible for ensuring that every soil test and agronomic recommendation is provided to the customer at the highest standards. Raised on a mixed grain farm in Manitoba, Garth applied his passion for agriculture and problem solving to earn his diploma in Agribusiness at Assiniboine Community College.

Dr. Rosie Dwight

Field Product Specialist, Climate FieldView

“FieldView: Making Your Data Work for You”
Dr. Rosie Dwight, Climate FieldView
August 11: 1 pm – 1:30 pm

CEU Credit: 0.5

Digital tools played a big part in farming while we weren’t able to see each other face to face. Helping you make sure your data is all in one place, easy to access and easy to share with your farm team is what FieldView does best. We want to show you how to keep track of what’s where on your farm, compare those new inputs your retail is talking about and keep an eye on your crops all season long. We also have some exciting new updates to share with you, the pandemic didn’t slow us down!

Rosie is the Climate FieldView Field Product Specialist for Western Canada. In this role, Rosie focusses on leading and developing projects with Climate Science and Product for Canada. Rosie was born and raised in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. After completing her Master’s in Geography at Rhodes University, South Africa, she moved to Texas to do her PhD in Geography at Texas A&M University. While at Texas A&M she met and married her husband, Cameron, a Calgary native. Cameron and Rosie live on the Olson family farm southeast of Calgary where they help their parents manage and run a small cow-calf operation.

Emilie Edgar

Olds College

“Floating Island Technology for Livestock Water Remediation”
Emilie Edgar & Krista Pick, Olds College
August 11: 1 pm – 1:30 pm

CEU Credit: 0.5

Floating islands are a low cost, water treatment technology that effectively use native plant species to remove contaminants from polluted water, enabling the water to be utilized in compliance with provincial water quality guidelines. In a controlled trial, Olds College and Tannas Conservation Services Ltd. evaluated the effectiveness of various wetland plants in removing contaminants from feedlot runoff water. Based on the successful outcome of the trial, Olds College is proceeding with a 3-year pilot study with livestock producers in Central Alberta. This presentation will showcase the successful outcome of the controlled trial and a snippet of the pilot study.

Emilie is a fourth year Olds College student who graduated from the Agriculture Management program majoring in production in 2020, and is currently in the Bachelor of Applied Science – Agribusiness Program. Emilie is completing her Directed Field Study at Olds College Centre for Innovation as a Research Technician.

Shea Ferster

Business Advisor, MNP’s Agricultural Services

“Are you a good or a great farmer? And do you know the difference?”
Shea Ferster, MNP
August 10: 2 pm – 2:30 pm

CEU Credit: 0.5

This is around the Ag analytics program MNP is running.
• It is relevant because it is trying to drive engagement.
• It is completely educational, we have nothing to sell.
• Our team talks about the facts – what is causing this difference. This is what we are seeing.

A conversation that will catch everyone off guard because it is not what you would expect to hear from an accounting firm.

Shea Ferster, CPA, CA, is a Business Advisor with MNP’s Agricultural Services team. Based in Saskatoon, Shea has 12 years of public practice experience and is actively involved in the operations of his family farm. He works primarily with owner-operated agriculture businesses, including the Hutterian Brethren. In addition, he is the coordinator of MNP’s Farm Income Support Programs group for the Saskatchewan region.

Drawing on his extensive knowledge of agriculture and the various farm income programs available, Shea helps clients manage their risk and identify unique opportunities for increased success. His aim is to help create customized solutions for Ag producers so that they can positively impact profitability and achieve their business and personal goals.

Shea was designated a Chartered Accountant (CA) in 2002 after graduating from the University of Saskatchewan with a Bachelor of Commerce degree. A proud community supporter, he sits on the board of directors for the Saskatoon Partnership, the Downtown Business Improvement District, and the Saskatoon Golf & Country Club.

Giorgio Furlanetto

Mobile Applications Sales Specialist, SICK Canada

“LiDAR for Agriculture Automation”
Giorgio Furlanetto – SICK Ltd.
August 11: 10 am – 10:30 am

CEU Credit: 0.5

The world population is growing, but productive areas on the planet are not. To satisfy the increasing need for food, we need to increase the yield of a given productive area, at the same time using more environmentally friendly methods. This can be achieved with automation; the session will show examples of automation in agriculture and how LiDAR is at the center of the sensor suite of automated or autonomous agricultural vehicles.

SICK is a technology and market leader which provides sensor intelligence and application solutions, creating the perfect basis for controlling processes securely and efficiently, protecting individuals from accidents, and preventing damage to the environment. SICK is a global presence, with over 50 subsidiaries and numerous agencies around the world. In 2019 SICK had more than 10,000 employees worldwide and a group revenue of around 1.8 billion Euros. Giorgio is the Mobile Applications Sales Specialist for SICK Canada, with more than two decades of experience in the sectors of Industrial Automation and Sensors. His role within SICK is to promote the use of SICK solutions on mobile equipment such as tractors, harvesters, AGVs, trucks, etc.

Susan Groeneveld

Partner, WS

“AgSmart Upstream/WS Farm Forward Event: A Real Conversation about the Reality of AgTech”
Shane Thomas, UpStream, Susan Groeneveld, WS & Steve Larocque, Beyond Agronomy
August 10 & 11: 3:30 pm – 4 pm

CEU Credit: 0.5

There’s a great deal of attention these days in the AgTech space on Farm Technology. GPS-controlled tractors, soil sensors and satellite imagery are no longer a vision of the future but a practice of today. Technology is rapidly transforming the farm landscape.

But, as we read about, watch demonstrations and research options in the Agriculture Technology space, how do we balance practicality versus flash? With so much new information coming at us daily, what makes sense and what is most practical to those that are literally in the field and on the ground?

Join Shane Thomas, a cultivator of strategic insights for agribusiness leaders and Author of Upstream Ag Insights and Steve Larocque of The Spark & Beyond Agronomy along with Susan Groeneveld, Chief Intelligence Officer and co-creator of WS, a Marketing Practice that Specializes in Agriculture, as they engage in a discussion on the reality of AgTech from the Farmers and Growers position. This panel will share their expertise and exchange bold ideas with those on the farms and in the business.

Growing up on a ranch and experiencing the natural circle of life from an early age, armed Susan with a fearless and curious determination to create significant positive contributions for others. Her 25 plus career in marketing has contributed significantly to economies in North America and Japan. Susan co-created WS (simplyws.com) 18 years ago, with the goal to create measurable marketing success for WS clients located across North America. A co-creator of multiple, globally recognized, award winning companies; she is an expert in marketing consultancy, business model development and marketing outcome approaches. Susan has worked with Bayer, Vive, Roche, Elanco, Canadian Lentils, Royal Canin, General Mills, Federated Co-operatives, UPL and Anuvia to name a few. Susan wonders about the problems we can solve and is inspired by the power of humanity to do good.

Trent Hamans

Vice President, ATB Wealth

“The Necessities to a Successful Intergenerational Wealth Transfer”
Trent Hamans, ATB Financial & Amanda Vella, ATB Financial
August 11: 11 am – 11:30 am

CEU Credit: 0.5

Operating a successful business has always relied on data and planning.  Entrepreneurs have long focused on analyzing their income, identifying who are their best clients, how to source new markets and where to manage expenses.  Like operating a business, a successful intergenerational wealth transfer experience requires data and planning.  Join Trent Hamans and Amanda Vella of ATB Wealth on August 11th to learn more about the key attributes that can lead to a successful intergenerational wealth transfer.

As ATB Wealth’s Vice President of Private Banking and Wealth Planning, Trent is passionate about building relationships and believes that trust is key for growing and nurturing those relationships.

His experience in private banking, wealth planning, insurance and estate and trust solutions gives him a unique understanding of what clients need throughout a lifetime. It is not uncommon for two, three and sometimes even four generations of family members to require harmonized wealth management.

Since joining ATB in 2018, Trent guided the development and implementation of a robust wealth planning program. He also spent several years developing technology for estate settlement which has since been piloted and licensed by a Canadian bank.

Trent is a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (TEP). He’s also a Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA), providing guidance to business owners on how to maximize the value of their business.

When not working with Albertans to create and preserve their wealth, you can often find Trent at the rink or spending time with his family. He enjoys working part-time as an off-ice official with the NHL in Edmonton, where he does statistics and works the penalty box during games.

Abby Hodder

Graduate Student, U of C

“Health impacts of optimized pre-conditioning in beef cattle”
Abby Hodder & Morgan Louden, U of C
August 10: 3:30 pm – 4 pm

CEU Credit: 0.5

Prepare your calves! A dive into the behavioral and immunological aspects of preconditioning cattle

Abby Hodder was born and raised in Newfoundland and moved to Truro in 2013 to study animal science at Dalhousie University. After graduating with her agriculture degree, she moved East to study animal welfare and behaviour at the University of Guelph, where she discovered her passion for research. With a background in companion animals and horses, Abby decided that she wanted to broaden her knowledge and experience in production systems, which lead to pursing a graduate degree at the University of Calgary in Veterinary Medical Sciences, under the supervision of Dr. Karin Orsel. Her current project focuses on the impact of early feed bunk exposure at the ranch, on the activity and behaviour of preconditioned beef calves at the feedlot.

Dr. Yadeta Kabeta

Field Crop Development Centre, Olds College

“Breeding better barley for feed: playing the old game with new tricks”
Dr. Yadeta Kabeta, Field Crop Development Centre
August 10: 3:30 pm – 4 pm

CEU Credit: 0.5

Through innovative plant breeding work, new barley genetics with clear yield advantages have hit the western Canadian market in recent years. These varieties also have enhanced quality, disease resistance, nitrogen use efficiency, and better drought tolerance in the brown soil zone. Applying genomic and phenomic technologies and constantly refining the process has allowed breeders to reduce costs and improve efficiency and precision to breed better varieties. Some of the recent achievements in feed barley breeding in western Canada and the application of technologies to accelerate breeding progress will be discussed.

Dr. Yadeta Kabeta leads the Feed and Forage Barley Program at the Field Crop Development Center (FCDC) at Olds College, developing germplasm and barley varieties for feed and forage utilization. Yadeta collaborates with other public and private breeding programs here in Canada and around the world, working closely with industry stakeholders such as producer commissions and seed growers. Yadeta sits on the Prairie Recommending Committee for Oat and Barley and is Coordinator of the Western Canadian Feed and Forage Barley Cooperative Trials.

Yadeta has been with FCDC since 2008. Earlier in his career, he was a pulse breeder and program lead for the Ethiopian Agricultural Research Organization, Ethiopia. Yadeta has been a senior author on many pre-reviewed articles, authoring or co-authoring 50+ journal articles and conference proceedings on cereals and pulses. Yadeta obtained Ph.D. in plant breeding/genetics from the University of Saskatchewan, and M.Sc. and B.Sc. in Plant Sciences from Almaya University of Agriculture, Ethiopia.

The Field Crop Development Centre has been developing new barley and triticale varieties for malting, feed, and forage uses since 1972. The breeding programs are supported by quality, pathology, and biotechnology laboratories. FCDC transitioned to Olds College from the Alberta Government in January 2021.

Lesley Kelly

High Heels & Canola Fields

“When Stress is More Than a Season”
Lesley Kelly – High Heels & Canola Fields 
Presented by AFSC
August 10 & 11: 2 pm – 2:30 pm

CEU Credit: 0.5

Farming can be both a rewarding and demanding occupation where farmers experience highs and lows and mounting stress. Everyone feels stress and there can be lots of negative stress on the farm. As farmers, we know how to recognize stress in our livestock, crops, and equipment. But do we know how to recognize when stress is too much for us and what we can do to help get through those stressful times?

Lesley Kelly actively farms with her family at Watrous, Saskatchewan.

Lesley is the head and heart behind the alias High Heels & Canola Fields where she dispels myths about agriculture and brings consumers and farmers together. Lesley’s goal in being involved in agriculture beyond the farm is to build community and bring people together, create conversation, collaborate and identify solutions that help both the industry and consumers.

Lesley has been a leader in advocating for mental health in agriculture. She’s been a part of the national Bell Let’s Talk campaign and co-founded the Do More Agriculture Foundation whose mission is to break barriers and support all farmers and ranchers in taking care of their mental well-being. She was recognized by the Regina YWCA with the Women of Distinction award for this work.

When Lesley isn’t in the field, she is also is a Director for Sask Wheat and Farm and Food Care Saskatchewan and you can find her running to the hockey rink with her boys, taking pictures, going for a run on country roads, learning how to cook for a harvest crew and spending time with her husband.

Dr. Natasha Kutryk

Professional Services Veterinarian, Feedlot Health Management Services by TELUS Agriculture

“Applications of technology in beef production: past, present, and future.”
Dr. Natasha Kutryk – Feedlot Health Management Services by TELUS Agriculture
August 10: 2 pm – 2:30 pm 
August 11: 3:30 pm – 4 pm 

CEU Credit: 0.5

The presentation will explore where technology has been used in beef production in the past, where it is currently being implemented, and opportunities for the future.

Dr. Natasha Kutryk grew up on a farm near Beauvallon, Alberta. The youngest of four children, she was always highly competitive with her older siblings, and it was no surprise when she started her post-secondary career at the University of Alberta in the College of Agriculture. Natasha obtained her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Degree from the Western College of Veterinary Medicine in 2014. Since graduating, she has worked in beef and dairy practices in New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Canada. She is currently a Professional Services Veterinarian at Feedlot Health Management Services by Telus Agriculture in Okotoks, Alberta. Outside of work, Natasha farms with her husband in North Eastern Alberta and enjoys pursuing her passion for travel. She is a member of the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association’s Council and Lakeland College’s Agriculture Technology Degree Advisory Committee.

Steve Larocque

Owner, Beyond Agronomy

“AgSmart Upstream/WS Farm Forward Event: A Real Conversation about the Reality of AgTech”
Shane Thomas, UpStream, Susan Groeneveld, WS & Steve Larocque, Beyond Agronomy
August 10 & 11: 3:30 pm – 4 pm

CEU Credit: 0.5

There’s a great deal of attention these days in the AgTech space on Farm Technology. GPS-controlled tractors, soil sensors and satellite imagery are no longer a vision of the future but a practice of today. Technology is rapidly transforming the farm landscape.

But, as we read about, watch demonstrations and research options in the Agriculture Technology space, how do we balance practicality versus flash? With so much new information coming at us daily, what makes sense and what is most practical to those that are literally in the field and on the ground?

Join Shane Thomas, a cultivator of strategic insights for agribusiness leaders and Author of Upstream Ag Insights and Steve Larocque of The Spark & Beyond Agronomy along with Susan Groeneveld, Chief Intelligence Officer and co-creator of WS, a Marketing Practice that Specializes in Agriculture, as they engage in a discussion on the reality of AgTech from the Farmers and Growers position. This panel will share their expertise and exchange bold ideas with those on the farms and in the business.

Steve is an independent crop advisor based out of Three Hills, Alberta. As owner of Beyond Agronomy, he manages over 30,000 acres of cropland and publishes The Spark, a weekly e-newsletter that focuses on innovations and new ideas gleaned from around the world. He is also a first generation grain farmer who farms north of Drumheller and one of the first to implement a full controlled traffic farming and inter-row seeding system in Western Canada.

Steve has been working with producers for over fifteen years. He is a Certified Crop Advisor, has a diploma in Crop Advisory from Olds College and a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture from the University of Lethbridge. Steve is a 2007 Canadian Nuffield Scholar and spends much of the off season travelling internationally to speak to farm groups and scouring the globe for innovative crop production techniques to bring home to Western Canada.

Morgan Louden

Graduate Student, U of C
“Health impacts of optimized pre-conditioning in beef cattle”
Abby Hodder & Morgan Louden, U of C
August 10: 3:30 pm – 4 pm
CEU Credit: 0.5

Prepare your calves! A dive into the behavioral and immunological aspects of preconditioning cattle.

J. Morgan Louden was born and raised in Calgary before leaving briefly to pursue an undergraduate degree at the University of British Columbia’s Okanogan campus. Once in Kelowna, she obtained her undergraduate in anthropology and biology with a specialization in microbiology. After graduating, Morgan moved back to Calgary and started her graduate degree in September of 2019 at the University of Calgary with Dr. Frank van der Meer. Currently, she is pursuing her MSc in veterinary medicine by working on a preconditioning study in beef calves. Morgan’s role in this study is to analyze the antibody response to vaccination starting at spring processing until day 40 on feed in order to determine if preconditioning leads to a higher proportion of calves with detectable antibodies compared to auction-bought calves.

Tanya McDonald

Senior Executive Advisor, Lakeland College

The Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network
Dr. Joy Agnew, Olds College Centre for Innovation, Tanya McDonald, Lakeland College & Blake Weiseth, Glacier FarmMedia Discovery Farm
August 11: 3:30 pm – 4 p.m.

CEU Credit: 0.5

The overall goal of the Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network is to build a collaborative framework among Canada’s Smart Farm initiatives for sharing of data and expertise to help farmers, industry and technology developers better understand, utilize, and develop smart agriculture technologies and systems. This session will provide an update on the development and launch of the Smart Farm Network and include key participants from the three initial sites: Olds College, Lakeland College, and Glacier Discovery Farm.

Ms. Tanya McDonald (M. Sc. Civil Engineering, University of Calgary; B.Sc. Science, Athabasca University) is a transformational leader in post-secondary administration and a communications expert. She currently holds the position of Senior Executive Advisor at Lakeland College in Vermilion, Alberta. She previously was a research consultant and worked for more than 16 years at Olds College. Her vast experience extended throughout the advancement, academic and applied research departments of Olds College, where she has held various positions, including Vice President, Research and External Relations and Director for the Centre for Innovation.

Throughout her career, Mrs. McDonald has developed a unique blend of research expertise in agriculture and the environment, large scale project management experience, as well as leadership, policy development, strategic planning and budget management experience. She is experienced with leading large initiatives, such as $5M+ of research ventures as a Project Manager, and a $40 million capital campaign. She has authored or co-authored six scientific publications.

Roy Maki

Olds College

“Path to Autonomy”
Roy Maki – Olds College
August 10 & 11: 10 am – 10:30 am

CEU Credit: 0.5

Overview of the “Evaluation and improvement of economic, environmental, and logistical benefits of autonomous agricultural equipment for broad acre crop production” project.

Roy Maki shares Olds College’s passion for using technology to improve Canadian Agriculture. Roy attained his experience and knowledge in the agricultural industry through first, being raised on a mixed family farm in SE Saskatchewan and second, being employed in the Agricultrual Research and Testing community where he led or contributed to 100+ agriculturally based projects ranging from spray deposition studies to combine harvester testing, air seeder performance, grain drying, cattle RFID ear tag retention and Anaerobic digestion/methane gas production. Roy holds an B.Sc Agricultural Engineering degree from the University of Saskatchewan and a MSc degree from the University of Alberta specializing in embedded computer systems and controls.

Rachael Melenka

Client Success Manager, 20/20 Seed Labs Inc.

“How Technology Changed the Way We Look at Seed Testing Results”
Rachael Melenka, 20/20 Seed Labs Inc.
August 10: 2 pm – 2:30 pm

CEU Credit: 0.5

Using seed and disease  testing data  to assist in best farm management practices. Learn how mapping sample results can provide useful information for crop rotation, disease management and seed selection.

Rachael is the Client Success Manager at 20/20 Seed Labs Inc. in Nisku, Alta. She grew up on her family grain farm near Warwick, Alta. and graduated from the University of Alberta with a B.Sc. in Environmental Sciences. She is pursing agronomy and working towards her P.Ag. to be able to help producers make better agronomic decisions. Her favourite part about working in agriculture is the ag community and being able to learn from research, innovation in the industry, and other farming operations.

 

Alex Melnitchouck

Chief Technology Officer, Olds College

“OC’s digital Ag strategy and the HyperLayer data concept”
Alex Melnitchouck – Olds College
August 10: 10 am – 10:30 am

CEU Credit: 0.5

Data is an important component of contemporary agriculture and a tool empowering agronomists and helping them to make better decisions. This presentation will outline the digital Ag strategy at Olds College, and cover practical examples of implementing that strategy on the Olds College Smart Farm though the HyperLayer data concept.

 

“Yield and green biomass prediction using satellite imagery, drone imagery, and ground samples”
Alex Melnitchouck – Olds College
August 11: 1 pm – 1:30 pm

CEU Credit: 0.5

Using remote sensing data, such as satellite and UAV imagery, in combination with ground truthing data for site-specific yield prediction in small grain crops and for yield estimation of green biomass will be discussed.

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 2,800 acre, technology enabled applied research and learning environment.

Sasha Musij

Director, ATB Financial

“Is there value in your Farm Management System provider communicating with your Financial Institution?”
Jonathan Neutens, ATB Financial, Remi Schmaltz, Decisive Farming by TELUS Agriculture & Sasha Musij, ATB Financial
August 10: 10 am – 10:30 am

CEU Credit: 0.5

Data is sparking a new revolution in agriculture. Operations across Alberta collect massive amounts of data daily, but to what purpose? Who interprets it, and how is it changing the game? Join ATB and Decisive Farming by TELUS Agriculture for a conversation about the real-time benefits of farm data, and how producers are leveraging it today, and in the future.

A passion for pioneering growth in Alberta’s evolving agricultural and agrifood landscape plays a key role in Sasha’s approach to building the most effective financial solutions for ATB’s agribusiness clients. This includes everything from pre-farm sciences and technologies through to post-farm gate production, manufacturing and all the innovation within. As a part of ATB’s Agribusiness and Agrifood team Sasha’s support extends to being a thought leader, connector, catalyst and lender to the full ecosystem throughout Alberta and Canada.

His deep knowledge of the challenges, innovations, overall industry economics and ability to assess opportunities to identify top performers are all part of his efforts to work alongside industry and build out the emerging areas of this unique sector .

Lance & Karyn Neilson

Neilson Cattle Development

“Effects of handling acclimation procedures prior to breeding on reproductive performance, handling reactivity and stress in beef heifers”

Laio Silva Sobrinho – Olds College and Lance & Karyn Neilson, Neilson Cattle Development
August 10: 11 am – 11:30 am

CEU Credit: 0.5

Neilson Cattle Development (Neilson) approached the Olds College Technology Access Centre for Livestock Production (TACLP) seeking to optimize their management practices and ultimately improve the reproduction efficiency, health and welfare of their herd. TACLP proposed to conduct an applied research project on the effect of acclimation to handling as a form of achieving Neilson’s goals. Acclimation to handling is a low-cost, easy-to-adopt, and scientifically proven approach that has been reported to reduce the stress levels of beef cows at handling while increasing their pregnancy rate. TACLP conducted the study in 2020/2021, with the variables measured being (1) pregnancy rate, (2) salivary cortisol (physiological indicator of acute stress), and (3) reactivity parameters. The results from this study will be presented by Laio Sobrinho (TACLP Research Associate) at AgSmart. Lance and Karyn Neilson (owners of Neilson Cattle Development) will talk about their experience when working with the TACLP, including what were the benefits and challenges found from the research trial that took place at their ranch.

Lance Neilson: owner of Neilson Cattle Development, he holds a certificate in Agriculture Business and an AI training certificate, and has 25 years’ experience in cattle production by selecting cattle for superior genetics.
Karyn Neilson: owner of Neilson Cattle Development, she holds a certificate in Agriculture Finance and has 20 years’ experience in cattle production.

Brent Nicol

Precision Ag Manager, Cervus Equipment
“Data to decisions- John Deere Operations Center”

Brent Nicol, Cervus Equipment
August 10: 11 am – 11:30 am
August 11: 1 pm – 1:30 pm

CEU Credit: 0.5

John Deere Operations Center continues to be one of the most leading-edge pieces of Precision software in agriculture. With now being available on any mobile device, more features available than ever before and JD Link services now being free in 2021. Let us show you how the Operations Center can help you make decisions moving forward.

Please feel free to bring your laptops or mobile devices to the session or come by the Cervus John Deere booth space and we would be more than happy to help you get setup with Operations Center.

Brent is a proud Olds College Graduate and is currently the Canadian Precision Ag Manager with Cervus/John Deere In his role, Brent leads a team of talented Precision Ag Specialists with the goal to show growers, agronomists and retails how innovative digital tools can improve & automate crop production as well as showcase how tech can aid is day to day business practices.

Brent is still active on his family farm and ranch near Lethbridge but also has over 10 years of experience in the digital farming space, with key roles in product development, equipment, customer service, sales & commercialization. During his career Brent has experienced the exponential growth of digital agriculture firsthand, seeing the advancements from both in the tractor cab & in the digital product development.

Jonathan Neutens

Vice President, Agriculture – ATB Financial

“Is there value in your Farm Management System provider communicating with your Financial Institution?”
Jonathan Neutens, ATB Financial, Remi Schmaltz, Decisive Farming by TELUS Agriculture & Sasha Musij, ATB Financial
August 10: 10 am – 10:30 am

CEU Credit: 0.5

Data is sparking a new revolution in agriculture. Operations across Alberta collect massive amounts of data daily, but to what purpose? Who interprets it, and how is it changing the game? Join ATB and Decisive Farming by TELUS Agriculture for a conversation about the real-time benefits of farm data, and how producers are leveraging it today, and in the future.

Jon Neutens is a proven leader, a strategic thinker that guides ambitious aspirations and develops capabilities and systems to obtain results.

Raised in a family ag-retail business (a Cargill joint venture) in south-western Ontario, Jon has roots servicing primary agriculture.  He has owned a software company providing accounting and business operations systems to grain and crop inputs companies, but spent the bulk of his career in the pesticide, seed & biotech industry.  He has held various commercial leadership roles with multinationals such as Syngenta, and more recently served as President & GM for Nufarm Canada, where he developed and led a successful differentiation strategy growing Nufarm into the sixth largest in Canada.  Jon has served on the industry boards of both CropLife Canada and CleanFarms Canada, in executive and committee chair capacities.  Prior to joining ATB, Jon provided advisory services to international AgTech companies developing research-driven sensor, IoT, analytics, and decision support solutions for agribusiness.  He holds a B. Sc. from the University of Guelph, and an MBA from the University of British Columbia.

Jon joined ATB in August 2019 as Vice President, Agriculture, where he leads their strategy and commercial efforts for Agriculture, Agribusiness, and Agri-Food.

Lori Oatway

Research Scientist, Field Crop Development Centre

NIRS: Hitting the easy button on grain quality
Lori Oatway – Field Crop Development Centre
August 11: 11 am – 11:30 am

CEU Credit: 0.5

Have you heard about Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) and want to know how it plays an important part in our industry? NIRS can support the changing agricultural landscape offering new solutions to industry concerns. Lori Oatway has over 28 years of experience developing NIRS technology to support the agriculture industry. We will discuss the basis of NIRS, looking at how it has been an integral part of new variety development at FCDC. We will go even further and look at the potential for this technology in agriculture and other industries.

Lori Oatway is a Research Scientist at the Field Crop Development Centre (FCDC) at Olds College in Lacombe where she focuses on Grain Quality for the plant breeding programs. Lori started with the FCDC in 1993 after graduating with a B.Sc. in Animal Nutrition. She later obtained her M.Sc. in Animal Nutrition working on the detection of mycotoxins in grain using Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS).

Over the last 28 years, Lori has developed NIRS to expand the quality program to include feed, forage, food and malting characteristics. She screens all of the new varieties and lines from FCDC for grain quality potential, and works with industry to determine traits for new markets and applications. In addition to her work at Olds College, Lori, her husband Ward and their two daughters farm just south of Clive, producing and selling pedigree seed. This provides a practical application to the research that Lori works on daily.

The Field Crop Development Centre has been developing new barley and triticale varieties for malting, feed, and forage uses since 1972. The breeding programs are supported by quality, pathology, and biotechnology laboratories. FCDC transitioned to Olds College from the Alberta Government in January 2021.

Krista Pick

Olds College

“Floating Island Technology for Livestock Water Remediation”
Emilie Edgar & Krista Pick, Olds College
August 11: 1 pm – 1:30 pm

CEU Credit: 0.5

Floating islands are a low cost, water treatment technology that effectively use native plant species to remove contaminants from polluted water, enabling the water to be utilized in compliance with provincial water quality guidelines. In a controlled trial, Olds College and Tannas Conservation Services Ltd. evaluated the effectiveness of various wetland plants in removing contaminants from feedlot runoff water. Based on the successful outcome of the trial, Olds College is proceeding with a 3-year pilot study with livestock producers in Central Alberta. This presentation will showcase the successful outcome of the controlled trial and a snippet of the pilot study.

Krista started working at the Olds College Centre for Innovation in 2014 as a Research Technician for the Prairie Turfgrass Research Centre. Since 2019, her area of focus is with Environment – Land & Water. Krista has been involved with fertility, weed and varietal trials, physiology/plant stress/winter injury studies and most recently, the use of native wetland plants on floating island systems for the Phyto- remediation of water with excess nutrients. Krista’s current project is Phyto-remediation of water from livestock feeding operations, farmlands and residential areas using native wetland plants and associated new technology. Prior to this, Krista spent over 10 years in the Golf Course Industry working across Canada in 4 different Provinces, specializing in Turfgrass maintenance as a Lead Technician and Horticultural Manager.

Robert Saik

Founder & CEO, AGvisorPRO
“Until We Have Star Trek Transporters”

Robert Saik – AGvisorPRO
August 11: 1 pm – 1:30 pm

CEU Credit: 0.5

How can we take the knowledge and wisdom of an Agrologist and stretch it thousands of miles or over millions of acres? Well, all you need is a transporter…but wait, one does not exist … yet. However, the one thing that COVID-19 has taught us is that we can use technology to shrink time and space in brand new ways. The world has profoundly and forever changed. This will affect how PAg’s interact with society and their clients. Rob will take us on a journey of what this technology “convergence” means for our industry; We are going to look at how you can be on the farm, in the barn or in the greenhouse without leaving your home…and he will share a new way to monetize your brain.

All this while we wait for the magic words “Beam me up Scotty”.

Robert Saik, an Agrologist, Certified Agriculture Consultant and agriculture entrepreneur, is founder & CEO of AGvisorPRO, a global connectivity platform providing instantaneous linkage between farmers and experts effectively putting advisors on the farm without being on the farm. Rob has international experience working globally in the farming and agriculture technology sector. He has authored two books, the latest being “FOOD 5.0 – How We Feed The Future” which tackles the question “how do we ensure agriculture is infinitely sustainable?” Rob has founded/partnered in many ventures including Agri-Trend/Agri-Data (a consulting and data management network; now Trimble Ag) as well as partnering in a farming operation in Uganda. He has been involved in agricultural projects in Kenya, Nigeria, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Australia, South America and Europe. An agriculture thought leader, he has been sought as a keynote speaker on issues surrounding agronomy, sustainability, precision agriculture, robotics, data management, remote sensing and technology integration. His TEDx talk “Will Agriculture Be ALLOWED To Feed 9 Billion People” has been viewed over 162,000 times. He is also the founder and leader of the PowerFarm peer group providing business leadership to leading edge growers. Residing in Olds, Alberta, Canada he has 4 children and 7 grandchildren.

Remi Schmaltz

CEO, Decisive Farming by TELUS Agriculture

“Is there value in your Farm Management System provider communicating with your Financial Institution?”
Jonathan Neutens, ATB Financial, Remi Schmaltz, Decisive Farming by TELUS Agriculture & Sasha Musij, ATB Financial
August 10: 10 am – 10:30 am

CEU Credit: 0.5

Data is sparking a new revolution in agriculture. Operations across Alberta collect massive amounts of data daily, but to what purpose? Who interprets it, and how is it changing the game? Join ATB and Decisive Farming by TELUS Agriculture for a conversation about the real-time benefits of farm data, and how producers are leveraging it today, and in the future.

A proven Agtech entrepreneur with two agriculture exits. Most significant startup tech transaction of 2020, 40 under 40, and Astech awards. Experienced in driving meaningful revenue and value in agriculture, raising capital, structuring strategic partnerships, b2b sales, board of directors, corporate governance and building businesses.

A Family Dedicated to Advancing Agriculture

The Schmaltz Family has been involved in Ag Business for over 100 years and 4 generations; always leading agriculture to the next level of efficiency and profitability. It all started with the Schmaltz’s farming in the late 1800’s in the Beiseker, Alberta area. The farm soon evolved into selling short line farm equipment and then Remi’s great grandfather expanded into a Ford and Massey Harrison farm equipment dealership called Beiseker Motors. Remi’s grandfather Felix joined Beiseker Motors and soon found the next innovation on the farm; fertilizer. That side business grew quickly and Felix soon opened DynAgra Corp, an Ag-Retail selling fertilizer, chemical and seed. In the 70’s, Remi’s father Bruce took over the business and expanded it to 4 locations, Remi and Tash Schmaltz took over management in 2006 and subsequently sold it in 2012 to CHS Inc after growing revenue to over $30MM. Prior to the sale of the DynAgra Corp, Decisive Farming Corp was launched in 2011 to develop and commercialize agricultural technologies. After successfully building the team and technology, raising venture capital and generating significant revenue TELUS acquired the business in 2019. Today, Remi continues to lead the charge in digital agriculture as the CEO of Decisive Farming powered by TELUS Agriculture.

Geoffrey Shmigelsky

CTO, OneCup AI

“How can Computer Vision Help with Livestock Management and Care”
Geoffrey Shmigelsky, OneCup AI 
August 10 & 11: 10 am – 10:30 am

CEU Credit: 0.5

Have you ever wondered about an easier way to raise livestock on your farm? The implementation of computer vision and artificial intelligence at a ranch can feel daunting and expensive. We are here to help you understand the benefits of using new technologies to enhance your production. We can help unlock the potential of precision livestock monitoring without stress. Learn the basics of AI and what opportunities are available with automated data collection and analysis.

OneCup AI began over a discussion around a campfire. The ranchers were curious to discover if an AI could identify their cattle. Even the black Angus breed. After some preliminary tests, our core technology, BETSY, was born. BETSY, or Bovine Expert Tracking Surveillance, uses facial recognition software to identify cattle and upload the data into a cloud system for producers to access by iPhone, iPad or Desktop on our customer-facing Portal. BETSY then assesses the animals for other important characteristics to the producer, such as calving, movement, and activities. OneCup’s overarching vision and mission are to address challenges in Agriculture, specifically in livestock health, traceability, and food safety.
Geoffrey Shmigelsky, our CTO has a distinguished career leveraging cutting-edge technologies with several startup exits. Accolades include Entrepreneur of the Year and Associate Founder, Singularity University. He holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science from GeorgiaTech, with a specialization in Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning and a 4.0 GPA. Geoffrey has helped start and invest in several startups with multiple successes. His first company became Calgary’s largest ISP, acquired in 2000. In 2012, was part of a small company acquired by 23andMe. Geoffrey has a strong record in both technology and business.

Laio Silva Sobrinho

Research Associate, Olds College

“Effects of handling acclimation procedures prior to breeding on reproductive performance, handling reactivity and stress in beef heifers”

Laio Silva Sobrinho – Olds College and Lance & Karen Neilson, Neilson Cattle Development
August 10: 11 am – 11:30 am

CEU Credit: 0.5

 

Neilson Cattle Development (Neilson) approached the Olds College Technology Access Centre for Livestock Production (TACLP) seeking to optimize their management practices and ultimately improve the reproduction efficiency, health and welfare of their herd. TACLP proposed to conduct an applied research project on the effect of acclimation to handling as a form of achieving Neilson’s goals. Acclimation to handling is a low-cost, easy-to-adopt, and scientifically proven approach that has been reported to reduce the stress levels of beef cows at handling while increasing their pregnancy rate. TACLP conducted the study in 2020/2021, with the variables measured being (1) pregnancy rate, (2) salivary cortisol (physiological indicator of acute stress), and (3) reactivity parameters. The results from this study will be presented by Laio Sobrinho (TACLP Research Associate) at AgSmart. Lance and Karyn Neilson (owners of Neilson Cattle Development) will talk about their experience when working with the TACLP, including what were the benefits and challenges found from the research trial that took place at their ranch.

Researcher associate Laio Silva Sobrinho is about to defend his MSc degree at the University of Alberta. In his thesis, Laio studied the ecological benefits rotational grazing systems can bring to the Canadian grasslands; In the study conducted at Neilson Cattle Development, Laio assisted with data collection, data analysis, and interpretation of results.

Kyle Sinclair

Founder & CEO, Producer Profit
“Farm Focus with Producer Profit”

Kyle Sinclair, Producer Profit
August 10: 1 pm – 1:30 pm

CEU Credit: 0.5

Farm focus is the first platform of its kind that utilizes your farm’s data to create a custom marketing strategy for your farm!

With text messaging & daily blog posts on market trends, your market analyst can render & send reports on market snapshots, % sold, average price, cash flow windows, upcoming contracts basis or futures.

These are all elements of our platform that are unique to grain marketing & are crucial to being able to make confident & informed decisions.

Featuring the applications our platform handles from commodities, bins, contracts & to what is left to sell & more!

Producer Profit are Independent Grain Marketing Analysts who aim to increase profitability on the farm through Market Analysis, Price Discovery & Market Strategies. They are independent, meaning, their interest is your bottom line!

Market Analysis: Sometimes your best price is outside of your typical market region. Save time! Following markets can eat into your day, & often is not the priority. Producer Profit looks to keep you informed!

Price Discovery: Certainly can be a moving target as grain sales are based on far more than just a generic bid! We look at grades, protein levels, buyer discounts schedules, & freight backoffs to find the option that is best suited to the farm!

Market Strategies: There is no generic marketing plan that can work for every farm. All farms are different & every harvest presents unique challenges. We look to assist in marketing based on farm needs, while presenting strategies that reduce risk while maintaining value.

Founder & CEO, Kyle Sinclair takes the lead on the market analysis & recommendations. Driven to bring additional profit to farms after working on the buying side of grain for 6 years keeps him motivated to assist farms throughout central & southern Alberta.

Dr. Chandra Singh

Applied Research Chair, Lethbridge College

“Improving in-bin grain drying with automated fan and heater control”
Dr. Chandra Singh, Lethbridge College Presented by OPIsystems
August 10: 3:30 pm – 4 pm

CEU Credit: 0.5

Learn about why appropriate aeration system design is critical for in-bin natural air drying. Explore how good quality air with drying potential in right quantity is key for successful drying and why supplemental heat should be added only when needed.

Dr. Chandra Singh is Applied Research Chair in Agricultural Engineering and Technology at the Lethbridge College in Alberta, Canada. He conducts research on postharvest storage and handling of grains, sugar beets and potatoes, natural air drying, aeration, mathematical modelling, sensing, automation, machine learning, and non-destructive quality evaluation of agri-food products using NIR hyperspectral imaging.

Prior to joining Lethbridge College, he was Associate Professor of Stored Grains Facilities in the School of Engineering at the University of South Australia. Earlier he worked as a Principal Engineer-Grain Management with a Calgary-based world-leading advanced grain management technology company. Dr. Singh obtained his Ph.D. in Biosystems Engineering from the University of Manitoba. He completed his masters in Postharvest Engineering from IIT Kharagpur and bachelor in Agricultural Engineering from G.B Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar, India

Rav Singh

Olds College

“Cloud Integration to Learning and Research”
Rav Singh – Olds College 
August 11: 2pm – 2:30 pm

CEU Credit: 0.5

At Olds College in the Werklund School of Agriculture Technology, We have a few courses that teach students about Water, Soil and Plant from an agronomy standpoint. We use Cloud enable Remote Monitoring and Data Gathering to visualize trends in the Growth patterns, and Do advanced data analysis. We do that by using our cloud based platform called OCRAE.

OCRAE enables us to grow the plants ( Canola, Barley, Peas, and wheat) in small pots that contain soils from different zones. We then monitor the plant using Cameras, Soil sensors, Ambient Light sensors, Humidity and temperature sensors. We also capture an image of a plant growing every 15 minutes, and compile them into videos. After overlaying the video with the Sensor data trends for over 3 months, we are able to visualize some interesting trends in plant growth.

Rav is a Mechanical Engineer with over 14 years of experience in the industry, in various system engineering & Lead Engineering roles.
A Few roles Rav has had over the years :
Lead Engineer – System Integration ( Applied Industrial Technologies) Engineering Specialist – Parker Hannifin Canada. Subject Matter Expert, Embedded Control Systems, Cloud Integration – Olds College, Alberta Instructor – Werklund school of Agriculture Technology, Olds College, Alberta Chief Technology Officer – TRS Systems
Rav is a Professional Engineer (ME), and has a Advanced diploma in Electro-Mechanical Engineering (Robotics and Automation). He is also a IEC61131-3 (Pro-FX) Certified Programmer ( Eaton Corporation). In past he was the Application Engineer and Trainer in Parker IQAN™ with Parker Hannifin, Canada. He is also a Certified Fluid Power Hydraulic Specialist ( CFPHS), Electronic Control Specialist ( CFPECS), and System Designer ( CFPSD). He is also a Co-Founder, and Chief Technology officer at TRS systems, (www.trs-systems.com), a CODESYS System Partner company in Canada.

Daniel Stefner

Research Technician, Olds College Centre for Innovation

“Performance and Cost Benefit of Optical Spot Spraying Technologies in Conventional, Dryland farming in Western Canada”
Dr. Shabeg Briar & Daniel Stefner, Olds College

August 11: 10 am – 10:30 am

CEU Credit: 0.5

Optical spot spraying technology is becoming increasingly popular in Western Canada. With enhancements in the practicality and user-friendliness of this technology, accompanied by purported benefits such as the ability to effectively reduce overall chemical usage, optical spot spraying is seemingly a feasible, viable option for farmers in modern day agriculture. Olds College is currently in the second year of an applied research project focused on testing and evaluating the performance and impacts associated with WEED-IT Quadro precision spraying technology. Olds College Centre for Innovation (OCCI) will share the outcomes and learnings from the evaluation of this technology over the past year. In addition, this session will feature details pertaining to current and future field trials, including pre-seed spray treatments, weed assessment protocols and procedures, remote sensing yield predictions, through to the intercomparison of the effects of the different pre-seed spray treatments on yield at harvest.

As a Research Technician within the Smart Ag Applied Research department of the OCCI, Daniel is very involved in numerous projects including: optical spot spraying trials, autonomous ag equipment research, in-field sensor assessments, and farm management platform evaluations. He started as an Agriculture Management student at Olds College, and then completed the Bachelor of Applied Science program with a major in Agribusiness, he also has a diploma in Digital Media and IT specializing in Business Analysis at NAIT. Daniel brings to the research team many seasons of farm experience from not only his family’s farm, but he also worked for a large farm operation northeast of Edmonton as an equipment operator and assistant manager.

Shane Thomas

Upstream

“AgSmart Upstream/WS Farm Forward Event: A Real Conversation about the Reality of AgTech”
Shane Thomas, UpStream, Susan Groeneveld, WS & Steve Larocque, Beyond Agronomy
August 10 & 11: 3:30 pm – 4 pm

CEU Credit: 0.5

There’s a great deal of attention these days in the AgTech space on Farm Technology. GPS-controlled tractors, soil sensors and satellite imagery are no longer a vision of the future but a practice of today. Technology is rapidly transforming the farm landscape.

But, as we read about, watch demonstrations and research options in the Agriculture Technology space, how do we balance practicality versus flash? With so much new information coming at us daily, what makes sense and what is most practical to those that are literally in the field and on the ground?

Join Shane Thomas, a cultivator of strategic insights for agribusiness leaders and Author of Upstream Ag Insights and Steve Larocque of The Spark & Beyond Agronomy along with Susan Groeneveld, Chief Intelligence Officer and co-creator of WS, a Marketing Practice that Specializes in Agriculture, as they engage in a discussion on the reality of AgTech from the Farmers and Growers position. This panel will share their expertise and exchange bold ideas with those on the farms and in the business.

Shane brings a decade of agribusiness experience with a diverse skillset across numerous areas of the agriculture landscape. After graduating from the University of Lethbridge with a degree in Agriculture, Shane started out as an agronomist in Saskatchewan and Alberta optimizing farmers decisions to achieve higher yields and profits. He then advanced to become a senior agronomist, training agronomists and ag retail sales staff on the fundamentals of crop production and progressive agronomic practices. With a drive to take on new challenges, Shane seized the opportunity to oversee marketing and distribution functions for a large ag-retail across the prairies that involved developing go-to-market strategies, streamlining logistical processes and championing ag-tech initiatives. Shane currently publishes Upstream Ag Insights, a newsletter read globally by leaders in agriculture that includes agtech and agribusiness news and analysis.

Shane is passionate about approaching different areas of agriculture with an open mind and a dynamic ability to integrate them all together. Taking concepts from science, psychology, economics and more, he endeavours to enhance the way we approach agribusiness and contribute positively to the rapidly changing industry.

Sean Thompson

Manager, Technology Access Center for Livestock Production (TACLP)

“Smart Ranch Innovations – the Pitstra Regenerative Agriculture Demonstration”
Sean Thompson – Technology Access Center for Livestock Production (TACLP)
August 10: 1 pm – 1:30 pm

CEU Credit: 0.5

Implementing grazing strategies that maximize soil, plant, and animal health can require intensive management. Labour shortages, increasing production costs, and remote locations are current challenges to Alberta beef producers. Being able to remotely monitor cattle activity, water availability, weather conditions and soil parameters using innovative technologies has the potential for significant cost savings.
This session will provide an update on an Olds College demonstration evaluating remote monitoring technologies at their Pitstra pasture location. Further, it will describe the first three years of regenerative agriculture practices being employed at the Pitstra location, including initiatives undertaken thus far and future plans.

Sean Thompson is the Manager of the Technology Access Center for Livestock Production (TACLP). In his current role, Sean provides oversight to the TACLP, with emphasis on technical advisory, project management and maintaining client relationships. Sean has significant expertise in beef cattle management, nutrition and genetics. Further, he has extensive experience managing research projects at post-secondary institutions. Sean holds an MSc in beef cattle nutrition from the University of Manitoba. Prior to joining Olds College, Sean served as Feed Industry Liaison at the University of Saskatchewan, as well as a livestock extension specialist with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture. The TACLP offers resources and services required to move the livestock industries technology needs forward, focusing specifically on issues related to production efficiency, animal health and welfare, and environmental sustainability. These issues are addressed by giving livestock producers, technology developers, and SMEs access to expertise, facilities, testing services, training, and emerging smart agriculture technologies. To facilitate and accelerate the Canadian livestock industry’s adoption of new technology, The TACLP provides field-testing and improvement of emerging technologies in farm-like conditions, assisting companies with the testing of feed, genetics, and precision livestock farming technology.

Amanda Vella

ATB Financial

“The Necessities to a Successful Intergenerational Wealth Transfer”
Trent Hamans, ATB Financial & Amanda Vella, ATB Financial
August 11: 11 am – 11:30 am

CEU Credit: 0.5

Operating a successful business has always relied on data and planning.  Entrepreneurs have long focused on analyzing their income, identifying who are their best clients, how to source new markets and where to manage expenses.  Like operating a business, a successful intergenerational wealth transfer experience requires data and planning.  Join Trent Hamans and Amanda Vella of ATB Wealth on August 11th to learn more about the key attributes that can lead to a successful intergenerational wealth transfer.

Amanda is focused on providing tailored advice to clients on business valuation, value acceleration, effective exit strategies and long-term financial preparation for a business transaction.

Amanda has over 17 years of experience in finance leadership, business advisory, strategic and financial planning, corporate finance and business valuations. Amanda is a Chartered Professional Accountant, Chartered Business Valuator, Certified Exit Planning Advisor and a Certified High Performance Coach.

Amanda is actively involved in the community serving as President of the Edmonton Chapter of FEI, Vice Chair of the FEI Private Company – Entrepreneur Succession – Thought Leadership Group, the Board of Directors of the CBV Institute and the Board of Directors of the Lung Association of Alberta and NWT. In 2014, Avenue Magazine recognized Amanda as being one of Edmonton’s Top 40 Under 40.

Jessica Watson

Conservation Agriculture & Extension Program Coordinator, West-Central Forage Association

“Evaluating Sire-Progeny Links, Breeding Plans and Information Management in Multi-Sire Breeding Scenarios on Commercial Herds”
Jessica Watson – West-Central Forage Association
August 11: 2 pm – 2:30 pm

CEU Credit: 0.5

West-Central Forage Association, Lakeland College & Olds College have been collaborating on a multi-year project evaluating the use of DNA testing to link sires with their offspring in commercial beef herds utilizing multi-sire breeding groups. This session will discuss some of the early results, and the potential benefits of using herd performance information, including sire-progeny links, to inform breeding decisions to generate measurable productivity & profitability improvements.

Jessica graduated from the University of Alberta with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, majoring in Animal Science, in 2015. Having grown up on a cow-calf operation, pursuing a degree in Agriculture was a natural fit, and she has been lucky enough to get the opportunity to remain actively involved in this industry both personally and professionally. She has been a member of the West-Central Forage Association team as the Conservation Agriculture & Extension Program Coordinator for nearly four years and is privileged to work alongside some incredible people. Her role has given her many amazing opportunities, including working on the Sire-Progeny Links in Multi-Sire Commercial Herds project. Her and her soon-to-be husband reside in Barrhead, AB and have started to grow their cattle herd, alongside her in-laws. She has a passion for all things Ag, but if you ask her to choose between plants and cows, cows win every time.

Felix Weber

Technical Agriculture Specialist, Ag Business & Crop Inc.

“Get a return on soil and crop data”
Felix Weber, Ag Business & Crop Inc.

August 10: 11 am – 11:30 am

CEU Credit: 0.5

Join Felix to learn about collecting a repeatable soil sample to make trendlines and analysis while getting an understanding of what information is important to collect with every set of information. If it is soil sampling, application, crop scouting or a yield map. What makes this data more valuable to help you make an informed decision.

President and founder of Ag Business & Crop Inc. as well as co-founder and Vice President of CartoCanada, Felix has been involved with GIS and Geomatics in Agriculture and other industries for years specializing in effective drone use in agriculture. Initially a Farmer and consultant, he was an early adopter of new technologies to help clients with their Agriculture operations. Felix has been a requested presenter at numerous events across the country, including Unmanned Systems Canada, Farm Shows and professional seminars. The company has broadened their scope to have the Wintex automated soil samplers from Denmark and a variety of other equipment. ABC was named a regional winner in the Globe and Mail Small Business Competition. Felix was named the first recipient of the Builders Award at the Precision Ag Eastern Conference. His company is fortunate to have a great team that loves to help clients across the country find the best solutions for their success.

Blake Weiseth

Applied Research Lead, Glacier FarmMedia Discovery Farm

The Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network
Dr. Joy Agnew, Olds College Centre for Innovation, Tanya McDonald, Lakeland College & Blake Weiseth, Glacier FarmMedia Discovery Farm
August 11: 3:30 pm – 4 p.m.

CEU Credit: 0.5

The overall goal of the Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network is to build a collaborative framework among Canada’s Smart Farm initiatives for sharing of data and expertise to help farmers, industry and technology developers better understand, utilize, and develop smart agriculture technologies and systems. This session will provide an update on the development and launch of the Smart Farm Network and include key participants from the three initial sites: Olds College, Lakeland College, and Glacier Discovery Farm.

Blake obtained Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Soil Science from the University of Saskatchewan and holds a Professional Agrologist (PAg) designation with the Saskatchewan Institute of Agrologists. Blake has professional experience in both the public and private sectors. He served as Research Specialist with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture managing a diverse portfolio of over 50 active bioscience research projects totaling several million dollars in committed funds and currently holds a Research Chair position with Saskatchewan Polytechnic. In the private sector as Applied Research Lead with Glacier FarmMedia Discovery Farm, he oversees its applied research and demonstration program, annually bringing together a diversity of stakeholders including over 15 private sector partners, producer associations, and government agencies across a number of projects.
Blake is currently a PhD Student under the supervision of Drs. Jeff Schoenau and Jane Elliott at the University of Saskatchewan. His project is broadly exploring the impact that various agricultural management practices have on influencing nutrient and water use efficiency across the agricultural landscape.

Kent Wingert

Product Manager, OPIsystems

“Maximizing Profit by Connecting, Protecting and Optimizing Your Stored Grain”
Kent Wingert, OPIsystems

August 11: 10 am – 10:30 am

CEU Credit: 0.5

Join Kent Wingert to discuss the challenges of grain storage management. Learn how to maximize profit and your return on your investment and how to leverage OPIsystems technological solutions.

Kent Wingert has been working at OPIsystems Inc. for 10 plus years. He spent his first 6-years as the Customer Success Manager and in 2017 moved into a Product Manager role. He has a strong passion and understanding of “grain management best practices”, and a firm belief that technology plays a key role in simplifying the entire process by creating efficient and effective means to optimizing grain quality to maximize a grower’s profit.

Matt Wirzba

Director – Outside Sales, Southern Irrigation

“Subsurface Drip Irrigation: Irrigate, Fertigate, Conserve “
Matt Wirzba – Southern Irrigation
August 11: 2 pm – 2:30 pm

CEU Credit: 0.5

Subsurface drip irrigation is a variation on traditional drip irrigation where the dripline is buried beneath the soil surface, rather than laid on the ground, supplying water directly to the roots of your crop. SDI is more than an irrigation system; it is a root zone management tool. Fertilizer can be applied to the root zone as required when it will be most beneficial to your crop – resulting in greater use efficiencies and better crop performance.

Southern Irrigation is Western Canada’s leader of irrigation solutions with almost 35 years of experience. Southern Irrigation pioneered drip irrigation in Canada and is now currently leading the introduction of subsurface drip irrigation, which will revolutionize the industry once again.

Southern Irrigation has prided itself on supplying and installing superior products that are designed for high performance and reliability, year after year. Their extensive irrigation experience also allows them to serve their customers with more than just the supply of quality products. Their team is fully equipped with certified designers, tools, and the manpower needed to provide complete solutions for any size irrigation job.

Southern Irrigation has 6 fully-stocked locations across BC and Alberta, with a seventh Saskatchewan location opening in 2022. Their convenient locations make it easy to get everything their customers need for their projects.

Southern Irrigation has expanded their portfolio to include all products related to the transportation of water, including:
• Agriculture irrigation
• Dust suppression
• Fire suppression
• Pump systems
• Residential irrigation
• Water treatment
• Septic
• Drainage
• Waterworks

Mike Witkowicz

Vice President Strategy and Business Development Ag Exchange Group

“Adopting Digital Technologies in an Digital App Overloaded World”
Mike Witkowicz, Ag Exchange Group
August 10: 1 pm – 1:30 pm

CEU Credit: 0.5

Adopting digital technologies can be fun and can be daunting. You have the best of intentions, you go and download another app, things work but then the inevitable happens and something goes astray. It happens with all the apps. You also end up with many screens of apps and you go back and try and figure them out or have forgotten your password, or it just doesn’t work anymore. How do we adopt digital technologies in a digital app overloaded world? Mike will go into strategies for technology adoption, some tips on making the decisions to narrow down what you keep, what you sign up and what you drop. As he likes to say “Technology should enable us to be efficient, but not govern our life, so we need to make decisions.” Join Mike for a fun and interactive session to cause you to think and do something different with technologies.

Mike was born and raised in a small town outside of Saskatoon and has been involved in agriculture all his life. Mike was part of many technological changes that have happened in the last two decades and sees the need for evolutionary change in the way grain is bought and sold. After 22 years with multi-national corporations Mike joined Ag Exchange Group because of the CXN360 service they were bringing to market. The CXN360 service brings more connections to grain buyers and growers in a transparent commission free environment. Using a membership model CXN360 allows both parties to know who they are interacting with through the whole process. CXN360 connects buyer and growers online to buy/sell grain quickly and efficiently, it is the place where business is done! It is Canada’s largest online grain marketplace. Mike is very active in his local community coaching baseball and hockey as well as leading fundraising efforts for the minor baseball club and being a convenor for the minor hockey club. He also very much enjoys camping, boating and traveling this great nation with his family.

Tom Wolf

Agrimetrix Research & Training

Simple is best when working with tech
Tom Wolf – Agrimetrix Research & Training

Presented By Alberta Wheat Commission
August 10 & 11: 3:30 pm – 4 pm

CEU Credit: 0.5

Navigating the wide array of digital applications can be a rough road for farmers. During this session, technology expert Tom Wolf will guide your way and provide an insider view on which applications are best for daily farming tasks.

Tom Wolf grew up on a grain farm in southern Manitoba and has spent his whole life farming or working for farmers. He obtained his BSA (1987) and M.Sc. (1991, Plant Science) at the U of M, and his Ph.D. (1996, Agronomy) at the Ohio State University, where he specialized in spray application technology. He is a professional agrologist, a member of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers and a member and past president of the Canadian Weed Science Society. Tom’s expertise is spray drift, pesticide efficacy, and sprayer tank cleanout, and he has published and spoken extensively on national and international stages on these topics.

Dr. Jennifer Zantinge

Field Crop Development Centre, Olds College

Cracking the genetic code for better barley
Dr. Jennifer Zantinge – Field Crop Development Centre, Olds College

August 11: 3:30 pm – 4 pm

CEU Credit: 0.5

Molecular biology and genetics can be used to improve the efficiency of developing better varieties. By looking at the DNA, we can identify regions in the plant’s genome that contribute to how the plant looks in the field or reacts to a pest. With the explosion of new technologies involving genetics and molecular biology, the Field Crop Development Centre breeding program uses many of these to enhance the both the quality of trait selection and speed of variety development.

Dr. Jennifer Zantinge comes from a diverse background. She grew up on a dairy farm and then attended the University of Guelph graduating with degrees in molecular biology, microbiology, and pathobiology. Jennifer has 20 years of experience leading the molecular genetics/biotechnology laboratory within the Field Crop Development Centre (FCDC) at Olds College. Her research has included the application of molecular/lab-based techniques to enhance variety development and supporting the cereal pathology lab by utilizing molecular genetics to improve pathogen surveillance.

The Field Crop Development Centre has been developing new barley and triticale varieties for malting, feed, and forage uses since 1972. The breeding programs are supported by quality, pathology, and biotechnology laboratories. FCDC transitioned to Olds College from the Alberta Government in January 2021.

Join us for our Digital Plenary Event including plenary sessions & on-demand educational videos, launching 7 pm, August 9.

*Speakers and Schedule are Subject to Change

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