Opinion: Is it time for a farmer venture fund?

Opinion: Is it time for a farmer venture fund?

I would love to see a farmer investment fund here, like Fulcrum Global Capital, that is made up of farmers putting together a pot of cash to invest in ideas that will move the industry forward, and from which they should also get a return.


Hallie Shoffner field tests ag tech systems on her farm in Arkansas in exchange for equity in the startups.

Meet the farmers turned venture capitalists

Co-op members trade on-farm data into equity stake in ag tech startups

When Hallie Shoffner runs a trial on her Arkansas farm, she gets an equity stake in the startup whose product she’s testing. She’s a member of AgLaunch, a non-profit focused on boosting agricultural technology development. The equity is part of her reward for participating in their farmer network. “It has always bothered me that ag

A DOT (now OmniPower) autonomous unit at work on the Olds College Smart Farm. (Olds College video screengrab via YouTube)

Smart farm competition encourages farmers to adopt technology

Competition will serve as opportunity to create and develop smart farm networks

The Canadian Agri-Food Automation and Intelligence Network (CAAIN) is seeking applications for a competition geared toward creating or developing new smart farm networks. Funding under this initiative will support collaborative on-farm tech innovations in hopes encouraging farmers to adopt emergent agriculture technology. CAAIN receives funding from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada to address challenges



(LakelandCollege.ca)

Alberta’s Lakeland to offer ag tech degree

College to launch first-in-Canada program in September

East-central Alberta’s Lakeland College is set to offer what’s billed as Canada’s first degree program in agriculture technology, as a two-year post-credential program, starting in September. The program, announced Wednesday, will consist of full-time studies at Lakeland’s campus at Vermilion, about 180 km east of Edmonton, plus “experiential learning practicums” off campus, en route to


“We don’t even know what the potential is when we let people do what they’re good at and what they enjoy.” – Teresa Vallotton.

Ag tech needs farm kids

Our younger generation needs to know its skills are needed in more areas than just a combine cab. This is where Teresa Vallotton’s coding camps come in

In a room overlooking a bustling trade show, 20 kids huddle over laptops. They’re trying to catch a thief. Teresa Vallotton flashes pictures across the screen at the front of the room and asks them — is this the person who’s been stealing fuel from the tank on her yard? The kids run facial recognition

Meeting the farm worker shortage in Manitoba is a big – and fast-growing challenge.

Working it out: Manitoba needs a farm labour plan

The province sees the highest cost for unfilled positions

The farm labour shortage is expected to hit Manitoba harder than any other province because of its diversity of agricultural products. That’s according to Portia MacDonald-Dewhirst, executive director of the Canadian Agricultural Human Resources Council, who spoke last week at the Keystone Agricultural Producers annual meeting in Winnipeg. “Because of the product mix that you