RDAR and FCC Join Forces to Boost On-Farm Support with New AI Tool

In a move that could transform the way Canadian producers access critical information, Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR) has signed a memorandum of understanding with Farm Credit Canada (FCC) to expand the reach and functionality of Root, FCC’s free generative AI tool designed specifically for agriculture.

Root provides fast, reliable, and expert-backed support anytime, anywhere—streamlining decision-making for farmers and ranchers using just their smartphones, the organizations said. The new collaboration with RDAR will connect Root to additional data sources and support real-world testing to ensure the tool evolves alongside the needs of producers.

“It is intended that Root will play an important role in bridging gaps in extension services by delivering accessible, expert-backed guidance to producers without requiring complex data inputs,” RDAR and FCC said in a joint release. “The tool translates decades of research, field experience and proven practices into practical, timely advice producers can use immediately.”

Root aims to reduce trial-and-error, accelerate productivity, and simplify the adoption of new practices—particularly as traditional local advisory networks have dwindled in recent years.

“Root is more than a technology solution, it’s part of a broader effort to bring back something Canadian agriculture has lost: accessible, trusted, and timely insight,” said Justine Hendricks, FCC President and CEO. “With the decline of local advisory networks [extension services], too many farmers and ranchers have had to rely on fragmented information or go it alone. By partnering with RDAR, we’re helping producers access the kind of expertise that once came from decades of community-based knowledge sharing and we’re doing it in real time, at the pace of modern farming with trusted advisors.”