Manitoba positioned to champion agricultural innovation (Winnipeg Free Press)

Read EMILI Managing Director Jacqueline Keena’s opinion piece on Manitoba’s unique position to champion agriculture innovation, published in the July 8 edition of the Winnipeg Free Press.

Before June’s G7 summit in Kananaskis, Alta., the national farm organizations from each member country released a joint statement. The text emphasized how G7 farmers find themselves at the crossroads of numerous global challenges — “maintaining productivity in the face of market instability, ensuring food security amid geopolitical uncertainty, and adapting to climate imperatives without sacrificing competitiveness.”

However, “with the right tools, policies, and support,” said Keith Currie, the president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, “farmers can continue to lead the way toward a more sustainable and secure future for all.”

Manitoba can, and should, be at the forefront of these efforts.

We are also home to one of Canada’s only full-scale commercial smart farms. Since launching Innovation Farms powered by AgExpert in 2022, EMILI has seen first-hand the importance of supporting technology that empowers producers and increases economic and environmental sustainability across the Prairies.

If Canada is to realize its place as a global leader in digital agriculture, the time to act is now.

One reason is necessity: agriculture and agri-food are central to our province’s economy and communities. When combined, they are responsible for the majority of provincial exports and one in 20 Manitoban jobs.

Another reason is timing: discussions are already underway between federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) governments to craft a successor to the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, or S-CAP. Originally scheduled to be held in Winnipeg this July, in-person FPT meetings have been postponed till fall due to wildfire complications, with the Manitoba government convening virtual discussions in the interim.