Protein Industries Canada invests in AI technology to boost on-farm productivity and bring new solutions to farmers

Western Canadian partnerships will advance competitiveness across the food system and accelerate adoption of made-in-Canada AI tools

Regina, SK, Sept. 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Protein Industries Canada is investing in two new artificial intelligence (AI) projects to help Canadian farmers and the value-added agriculture sector improve on-farm productivity with new tools, supporting a stronger, more sustainable and competitive food system.

Together, the projects represent a total investment of $4.9 million, including up to $2.2 million from Protein Industries Canada, and will help growers act earlier on disease risk, and improve safety and accuracy in grain storage.

“Canadian farmers are increasingly adopting cutting-edge technologies to strengthen productivity, sustainability and global competitiveness,” said the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions. “Through Protein Industries Canada, one of Canada’s global innovation clusters, we are investing in made-in-Canada AI solutions to help producers protect their yields, optimize inventory management and make informed business decisions. By reducing risk and enhancing efficiency, this initiative is helping build a stronger, more resilient future for Canada’s agriculture and agri-food sector.”

“These projects bring together two things Canada does exceptionally well—agriculture and innovation—to give farmers practical new tools that can lower costs, improve safety and increase productivity,” said the Honourable Buckley Belanger, Secretary of State for Rural Development. “By backing homegrown innovation and getting it into the hands of farmers, we’re strengthening agriculture here in Saskatchewan and across the country.”

Protein Industries Canada helps move Canadian innovation from ideas to real-world use, bringing companies, researchers and producers together to turn promising technology into practical solutions. These investments support Canada’s priority to accelerate responsible AI adoption by scaling made-in-Canada tools that solve day-to-day challenges on farms and across the value chain.

“AI is becoming a foundational tool for the future of agriculture, and Canada has an opportunity to lead by turning world-class innovation into solutions that work on farms and in the field, and further up the value-chain,” CEO of Protein Industries Canada Tyler Groeneveld said. “These projects show how applied AI can help producers manage risk, improve safety, and make better decisions with real-time data—strengthening Canada’s position as a leader in innovation, while growing the value of our agriculture and food production sector.”

The first project, led by TerraVision360—the new public-facing brand of Ukko Agro—in partnership with Metos Canada and Rocky Mountain Equipment, will develop an AI-powered tool to help growers better predict and manage the risk of Ascochyta blight. By combining crop and disease data with localized weather information, the tool will forecast disease risk at both regional and individual-field levels, helping growers identify the best times to scout their fields and apply fungicides. This will support more targeted disease management, reduce unnecessary spraying, and lower input costs for growers of key pulse crops.

“Every fungicide pass a grower doesn't need to make is money back in their pocket. This project is about giving growers of key pulse crops the confidence to spray only when it matters, and to spray it right when they do, removing the guesswork so they get a high-ROI outcome every time, in any situation, not just the ideal one. This is another step forward in sustainable agriculture practices that keeps Canadian farms competitive on a global scale,” TerraVision360 CEO Avi Bhargava said.

Throughout the second project, partners Super GeoAI Technology Inc. and Southview Farms will build an AI-enabled drone and LiDAR (3D scanning) solution to measure grain volumes in on-farm bins quickly and accurately. The system is designed to reduce the need for manual bin climbing, improve worker safety, and provide consistent, audit-ready documentation that can support farm management decisions and verification needs across the value chain.

“Grain inventory measurement and management continue to rely heavily on manual processes that can be time-consuming, labour-intensive and potentially hazardous. Through this project, we are integrating AI, LiDAR, drone technology and 3D digital twins to make grain inventory measurement safer, faster and more accurate, while providing producers with actionable insights for better inventory management and operational decision-making. Our partnership with Protein Industries Canada and Southview Farms will enable us to validate these technologies in real-world farm environments and accelerate their development into practical solutions that improve farm operations and support Canada’s broader agrifood sector,” Super GeoAI Technology Inc. Founder & CEO Dr. Weiping Zeng said.

These investments reflect the innovative nature of Canada’s food production and value-added agriculture sector and how industry is adopting advanced technologies to improve productivity, reduce risk, and operate more safely and efficiently. By scaling made‑in‑Canada AI solutions that deliver real‑world impact, Protein Industries Canada is supporting a modern, competitive agriculture sector that contributes meaningfully to Canada’s economic strength and long‑term security.

Protein Industries Canada’s artificial intelligence stream is funded as part of the Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy (PCAIS), through which the Government of Canada is investing in efforts to drive the adoption of artificial intelligence across Canada’s economy and society.

Protein Industries Canada is one of Canada’s five Global Innovation Clusters. These projects are part of Protein Industries Canada’s broader effort to support domestic innovation and drive forward The Road to $25 Billion—a national vision to grow Canada’s plant-based food, feed, and ingredient sector into a $25 billion industry and make Canada the leading provider of plant-based ingredients. This work builds on the industry's efforts to Make It Here, a Protein Industries Canada initiative to help bring more value and opportunity to Canada's crops, economy, food sector and families across the country.

Miranda Burski
Protein Industries Canada
306-581-1340
miranda@proteinsupercluster.ca