Meeting Notes - Picketa Systems, Xavier Hébert-Couturier - April 11, 2025
New Members:
Wintta Ghebreiyesus – Moon Trade Technologies
Ahmed Mohamed – Benha University
J. Frank Casselman – JFC Farms
Pat Kennedy – Pumpkin Farmer
Ritchie Argue – Potato Farmer
Reuben Stone – Valley Bio Ltd.
Ella Wiggins – Invest Ottawa
Jim Beretta – Customer Attraction
Brennon D’Souza – SkyArc Tech
New members, please be prepared to briefly introduce yourselves and touch on why you joined the group.
Presentations:
Presenter: Xavier Hébert-Couturier
Organization: Picketa Systems
Presentation: 4R Nutrients in Action: Real-Time Tissue Analysis for Season Changing Insights
Conferences/Meetings/Field Tours/Demonstrations
· Thunder Bay Soil & Crop Improvement Association Spring Farm Conference – Thunder Bay, ON – April 8-10, 2025. https://www.facebook.com/thunderbayscia?locale=ku_TR
· Earlton Farm Show – Earlton, ON – April 11-12, 2025. https://ofa.on.ca/event/earlton-farm-show-2025/
· Grand River Agricultural Society Spark V4 Symposium – April 15, 2025. https://gras.blitzen.com/form/SPARK-V4?_kx=gv4KhsjF7Taf829EsAP_FBSQc6SwAbP_wM0LpF8ox-PLjhd-etCIX4l20HUQLINo.UUrNv6
· Discovery X – Toronto, ON – April 16-17, 2025. https://www.discoveryxconference.ca/home
· Jelly Academy Digital Marketing Bootcamp – Begins April 16, 10 weeks -https://jellyacademy.ca/digital-marketing-bootcamp-funding-2025 Deadline to Apply April 15
· AgRobotics Working Group Demo Day – Bradford Research Station – July 8, 2025. Registration
· ASABE Annual International Meeting – Toronto, ON – July 13-16, 2025. https://www.asabemeetings.org/#two
· AgRobotics Working Group Demo Day – Simcoe Research Station – July 22, 2025. Registration
Attendees at recent conferences, please be prepared to provide a brief update to the group.
Project Updates
We have reached 400 members!
We are beginning to plan our outreach activities for the AgRobotics Working Group next year. If there is an agricultural or robotics focused event that you think should be on our radar, please send it to Bridget or Dan.
Western Fair District, on behalf of Innovation Farms Ontario has contracted with OCTE (Ontario College of Technology Educators) to build a student agrobotics competition, with a goal of it being launched in September 2025 in London-area school boards first, with the option for future scalability. This initiative is funded by FCC through Innovation Farms Ontario. If you would like to be involved in the program design, please reach out to Bridget.
Action Items From Previous Meeting(s)
Job Board
If you know of any job opportunities, please send the information to us so that we can add them on our website at the below link.
https://www.agroboticswg.com/job-board
Funding Announcements/Opportunities –
· Canada Business App https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/ised/en/canada-business-app
· Canadian Agricultural Strategic Priorities Program https://agriculture.canada.ca/en/programs/canadian-agricultural-strategic-priorities - Open until March 2029
· COLLABORATE 2 COMMERCIALIZE https://www.oc-innovation.ca/programs/collaborate-2-commercialize/ - Ongoing
· Agri-Innovate - AgriInnovate Program: Step 1. What this program offers - agriculture.canada.ca - Open until March 2028
· OMAFRA/SCAP Funding Announcement and Program Details Link - Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership | ontario.ca - Open until March 2028
· OCI Critical Industrial Technologies Initiative - https://www.oc-innovation.ca/programs/cit/ - Ongoing
· CAAIN Open Competition - https://caain.ca/funding-calls/2024-open-competition/ - Open Intake
· FoodTech Next Program – Program Guide – Intake opens February 24, Deadline May 26, 2025
· THRIVE Global Impact Challenge - https://thriveagrifood.com/thrive-global-impact-challenge-2025/ - Deadline May 25, 2025
Round Table
Other Items/Articles
Penn State’s Agribot Club: Where technology meets agriculture
Farm robotics developing at rapid pace
In Egypt, AgriCan’s robots make farming smarter, one field at a time
How can new agricultural technologies reach an aging farming population?
World is changing; agriculture must do the same
Orbiba Robotics develops affordable EcominoS field robot for organic and regenerative farmers
The future of autosteer retrofit kits: market shifts, innovations, and new players
Inspiring students at AgTech Expo
Penn State’s Agribot Club: Where technology meets agriculture
Meeting recordings will be posted to our website approximately 4 weeks later. https://www.agroboticswg.com/meetings
*Call for speakers/presentations – If you are interested in giving a presentation or have a recommendation of someone who you think would be a valuable speaker, please email Dan or Bridget.