Nufarm Canada expands innovation and development with Olds College Smart Farm

Nufarm Canada is doubling down on its commitment to provide growers and those who support them with the powerful tools they need to continue enhancing yield and quality through a collaboration in the research, development, and testing of agriculture technologies and products at the Olds College Smart Farm. The announcement was made during Olds College of Agriculture & Technology’s annual AgSmart event. This agreement marks a significant milestone in the advancement of Nufarm’s commercial scale-applied research in support of Canadian growers.  

The Alberta-based technology development station will provide Nufarm researchers with access to up to 80 acres of land for trials, as well as access to Olds College expertise and leadership in ag tech research. The renowned Olds College Smart Farm is made up of 3,600 acres of land for crop and forage production including state-of-the-art equipment and technology, access to greenhouses, labs, incubator space, plus additional infrastructure. The Smart Farm creates a place for producers, industry partners, students, and faculty to look at the opportunities and challenges facing the agriculture industry and investigate solutions to evolve agriculture practices. Nufarm expects to begin research and development trials for the 2024 growing season.

Nufarm Canada has made significant investments in the innovation required to develop and offer a wide range of leading-edge crop protection products, seed genetics, and other solutions tailored to the specific needs of farmers based on crop variety and soil zone. The Olds partnership establishes a strategic framework for the development and testing of agriculture technologies, plot trials of chemistry and biological technologies, seed genetics, agronomic training, and applied research projects related to smart agricultural technology.

Boyd Bergstrom, country lead, Nufarm Canada, said the development signals Nufarm Canada’s continued growth as a credible provider of innovative technologies as growers face increased weed resistance issues, weather and soil pressures, and evolving sustainability practices.

″We are thrilled to partner with Olds College, a renowned institution with a strong commitment to agricultural excellence, as we make significant investments in our applied research on behalf of the growers we serve,″ said Bergstrom. ″Nufarm’s expertise in crop protection and seed technologies, combined with Olds College’s innovative approach creates a powerful synergy to drive the development and adoption of cutting-edge agricultural solutions.″

Graham Collier, product success lead for Carinata with Nuseed, said with this agreement Nufarm’s innovation and development capability more than doubles in western Canada, adding to its existing research footprint in Saskatchewan, as well as co-op trials throughout the region. ″Our innovation program is growing rapidly as we develop new crop protection products and invest in new segments like biologicals. Our efforts are focused on providing growers with soil-specific solutions and using our data to support local, regional, and global projects that advance our crop yields and quality.″

Farmers in western Canada have faced prolonged drought, resulting in significant kochia pressure again this season, said Collier. ″One of the most exciting results from our localized approach to research is a powerful new herbicide you will be hearing a lot about later this fall. We have a unique solution to help farmers take back control in the fight against weed resistance, specifically kochia.″

Dr. Ben Cecil, President, Olds College, commented, ″Nufarm shares our commitment to advancing agricultural innovation, and together we will harness the full potential of our Smart Ag Ecosystem. Through collaborative research, transformative education, and sustainable practices, we will shape the future of Canadian agriculture.″