Western Fair Association Receives Funding to Support the Adoption of New Technology for Ontario Producers
The Western Fair Association (WFA) is pleased to announce that it will receive up to $2.4 million in funding from the governments of Canada and Ontario to support a new subsector of robotics and technologies that meet the needs of Ontario agricultural producers.
WFA’s innovative agri-business hub, The Grove, launched in 2019, focuses on helping the next generation of Canadian agri-business entrepreneurs. Part of The Grove’s work has been in support of a grassroots group founded by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness (OMAFA) and Haggerty AgRobotics that formed in 2021 to review robotics and automation opportunities that could solve critical issues facing the agriculture sector. The AgRobotics Working Group now consists of progressive farmers, academics, technology companies, agribusinesses and other interested parties, with a goal of reducing barriers to robotics and automation adoption.
The funding is being provided over four years through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP). It will allow WFA to support the adoption of sustainable systems by supporting applied research to test robotics and technologies at the commercial field level, sharing experiences from producers with the working group, participating and organizing knowledge transfer events, and connecting and mentoring new AgRobotics companies.
“Ensuring Canadian producers have access to the latest cutting-edge technologies is vital to helping them modernize their operations and be more efficient,” said the Honourable Lawrence MacAulay, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. “This funding, through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, brings innovators together to develop and test these robotics right at the farm level.”
“This investment is just one of the many ways our government is stimulating innovation and boosting productivity for our farmers,” said Rob Flack, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness. “Our bold, 10-year Grow Ontario Strategy will fund new farming tech innovation and modern production methods to improve on-farm output. We’ve also secured $569 million in investments through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership that will flow to Ontario’s
$51 billion agriculture and food industry, so it reaches its full potential to help rebuild Ontario’s $1 trillion economy.”
“This funding allows our team to continue to support the AgRobotics Working Group and a network of farmers trialing robotics equipment and innovation. The goal of this project is to ground-truth many of the agrobotics products that are coming to market, with a goal of reducing risk for the individual farmer who is looking to adopt these technologies, while also encouraging collaboration and innovation within the agriculture sector,” said Reg Ash, Chief Executive Officer, of WFA. “This project is made possible by the support of our partners, Haggerty AgRobotics, and RHA Ventures, who provide support and knowledge to the working group and this project.”
“The working group started as a way to collaborate with others to improve our chances of success, and to avoid duplication of efforts,” said Chuck Baresich, founder and president of Haggerty AgRobotics. “We discovered, with the help of OMAFA staff, that there were many in the sector who were interested in developing the technology but were unsure how to assist. The working group became that vehicle. For the past few years, the founding working group members along with myself have been doing the work, largely off the corner of our desks but it has grown beyond what we could manage properly. This Sustainable CAP funding is a great way to confirm that what we were doing was correct and that it should continue. We are very pleased to have WFA as a supporting partner in administering this project.”
“To develop a sustainable Agriculture Robotics and Automation cluster in Ontario, helping early- stage companies access financing with venture capital and expertise commercializing new innovation to farmers is critical,” said Joe Dales, founding partner of RHA Ventures Inc. “Our RHA team is pleased to provide specialized agtech business management support to the AgRobotics Working Group and has invested in several local agrobotics companies.”
Western Fair District:
As one of Canada’s oldest and largest Agricultural Societies, the WFA is a multi-faceted, not-for- profit agricultural society, based in London, Ontario. The WFA supports the agricultural community with programming and facilities, while also providing educational experiences for today’s consumers.
The Grove:
The Grove is the Western Fair Association’s Agribusiness Hub where participants occupy incubator and accelerator spaces, share resources, and connections to create the right conditions for innovation, education, and growth.
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada:
AAFC is a department of the Government of Canada, providing leadership in the growth and development of a competitive, innovative, and sustainable agriculture and agri-food sector. Visit www.agriculture.canada.ca
Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Agribusiness:
OMAFA is growing Ontario’s agri-food sector and supporting rural communities, helping to create a stronger economy for the province. Find out more about the ministry and its programs. Visit: https://www.ontario.ca/page/ministry-agriculture-food-and-agribusiness-and-ministry-rural-affairs
AgRobotics Working Group:
The AgRobotics Working Group is a membership driven association that seeks to advance the introduction of innovative agriculture and food robotics and automation systems to improve farm productivity and the quality of our food. To join the network, visit www.AgRoboticsWG.com or email arwg@westernfairdistrict.com
Haggerty AgRobotics at Haggerty Creek Ltd.
Haggerty AgRobotics is a leader in the emerging agriculture robotics and automation industry. Chuck Baresich, Founder and President, owns Haggerty Creek Ltd., with his brother Justin Baresich, and AGRIS Cooperative. For more information, visit www.haggertycreek.com
RHA Ventures Inc.
RHA Ventures Inc., is a long-term, value-adding investor for early-stage companies in the agriculture and food sector. It provides capital, experience, network, & support to grow the next generation of leading companies. For more information, visit www.RHA.Ventures
Sustainable CAP:
The Sustainable CAP is a five-year, $3.5-billion investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen competitiveness, innovation, and resiliency of Canada’s agriculture, agri‐food and agri‐based products sector. This includes $1 billion in federal programs and activities and a $2.5-billion commitment that is cost-shared 60 per cent federally and 40 per cent provincially/territorially for programs that are designed and delivered by provinces and territories.