13 Like Us on Facebook: BetterFarmingON Better Farming | October 2024 motional event to showcase this technology to local farmers. “That kind of grower cooperation and community participation is extremely valuable to a project like this,” McDonald says. Tackling ag labour shortages The Canadian Agriculture Human Resource Council predicts that onethird of the agricultural workforce will retire by 2030. This means 100,000 jobs will need to be filled. As McDonald notes, the cost of labour and the difficulty in fulfilling roles from temporary workers are large challenges that automation can help address. Weeds are also becoming increasingly herbicide-resistant, McDonald says. Some crops don’t even have approved herbicides. Orio can be equipped with a mechanical weeder that is herbicide-free. McDonald stresses that these robots will not replace human workers. “Having additional technology takes stress from the tractor operators,” she says. “We anticipate that these robots are going to be an integral part of the operation. That allows you to use your human resources in a different way.” McDonald adds her team of students hired to work on the farm and her research technicians have had valuable experiential learning opportunities through this project. “Getting academia and industry to collaborate in innovative ways, right on the cutting edge, has been one of many positive things about this study,” she says. BF Dr. McDonald’s project is funded by the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance, a collaboration between the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness and the University of Guelph. Also contributing to the project are Haggerty AgRobotics, Picketa Systems and the AgRobotics Working Group. The Ontario Crops Research Centre is owned by Agricultural Research and Innovation Ontario and managed by U of G through the Alliance. Research 1-866-267-6255 CALL TO ACCESS FREE, UNLIMITED COUNSELLING Stress on the farm Family or relationships Financial pressure Anxiety or depression Managing your workload Substance use Loneliness or isolation Supporting loved ones Processing traumatic events FREE MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT FOR ONTARIO FARMERS, FARM WORKERS AND THEIR FAMILIES FARMERWELLNESSINITIATIVE.CA SCAN THE BAR CODE TO ADD THE LINE TO YOUR CONTACTS
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