These days, producers are navigating tighter margins, unpredictable weather patterns and increasing pressure to meet sustainability goals.
That’s where technology is starting to make a real difference.
This shift is the focus of the Canadian Forage and Grassland Association’s (CFGA) annual conference, happening November 18 to 21 in Fredericton, New Brunswick, and being organized in partnership with the New Brunswick Soil and Crop Improvement Association.
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With the theme Greener Horizons: Technological Innovations in Forage and Grassland Management, the event brings together producers, researchers and industry leaders to look at how technology is reshaping grassland and forage management, from improving yields and soil health to tracking carbon and building resilience in the face of climate change.
Pre-conference workshops
The conference kicks off with concurrent workshops, including an advanced grazing mentorship workshop and a grassland stakeholders workshop.
The advanced grazing mentorship workshop is being held in partnership with the New Brunswick Soil and Crop Improvement Association. It will focus on leadership in advanced grazing to equip experienced rotational graizers and extension specialists with strategies and tools to drive sustainable land management and advanced rotational grazing practices through mentorship in their communities.
The workshop will include a section on adapting standard plans and concepts to specifically target producer goals and advance their grazing operations strategically, said Kaylee Healy, CFGA communications and knowledge technology transfer logistics manager. It will also focus on developing soft skills for mentorship. It’s designed to be informal and practical, with tips for marketing, self-promotion and transitioning into a professional advisory or mentorship role.
This workshop is available in-person only. Registration is available on the CFGA website.
The grassland stakeholders workshop will include high-level discussion and collaboration around grassland sustainability efforts. It is a two-part, hybrid workshop that will have translation available so people can join in person or online and participate in the language of their choice.
The agenda also includes an overview of the Tomorrow’s Prairies project, a three-year research project the CFGA is working on with Nature United that aims to understand trends in the condition and extent of Canadian grasslands.
The afternoon will be dedicated to the Grassland Learning and Knowledge Hub, a five-year research project focused on the economic, social and policy components of grasslands in the Canadian Prairies. The initiative is led by the University of Alberta with the CFGA, Ducks Unlimited and the Restore Assert Defend Network as key partners.
The grassland stakeholders workshop is an invitation-only seminar. Anyone interested in participating can email Healy at [email protected].
Expert-led sessions
Conference topics will address key challenges such as integrating technology into farming and extension efforts, improving market reach and intergenerational farm transfer.
Wednesday begins with Lactanet’s Jean-Philippe Laroche. Laroche will speak about the importance of forage data in production models and technology used to make management decisions.
There will also be highlights on new technology being used across Canada and how it is affecting producer and extension efforts. Day one will close out with a speaker on digital agriculture and the challenges, opportunities and examples found across Canada.
The CFGA Leadership Award dinner will take place Wednesday night, featuring a speaker on intergenerational farm transfer and succession planning, how technology and innovative strategies are key and how it’s one of the main challenges facing Canadian farms and extension efforts.
Thursday’s sessions feature forage management innovations, including a keynote on nitrogen management in forage systems and a session by John Winchell with Alltech on forage quality and advanced management strategies.
Following that, the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute’s Tyler McCann will discuss opportunities for Canadian agriculture to use yield variability and yield data in economic decision-making. There will then be a technical representative speaking on the latest forage management data technology and innovations producers can expect, followed by a producer sharing a boots-on-the-ground view of integrating these innovations into daily operations.
The afternoon will begin with Josh Callen with the Hoyt Report discussing how policy and trade decisions, along with tech advances, are shaping the forage market. BMO’s Aaron Goertzen will provide a financial update and economic outlook and an Export Development Canada representative will discuss market volatility and support for marketers and exporters.
In the evening, there will be a Building Bridges social, a networking event designed to foster collaboration among organizations across the Maritimes.
Wrapping up the conference is the always popular farm tour. It is an opportunity to see the innovative practices and farming operations that New Brunswick has to offer.
Registration at www.canadianfga.ca.
