Calgary, Alberta, July 12, 2012 - Canadian grain farmers will soon be able to better monitor conditions in their grain storage containers, which will help them protect their valuable crops. Agriculture Parliamentary Secretary Pierre Lemieux, on behalf of Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz, announced federal support for Mifarm.ag Management Inc. to commercialize a grain management technology that uploads real-time data on grain silo conditions to a cellular network so that farmers can better protect their crops from spoilage and theft.
"This technology will help farmers monitor the quality of their stored grain so they can get the best price for it when it goes to market," said Parliamentary Secretary Lemieux. "In agriculture, knowledge is power, and this investment will give farmers access to an innovative management tool to help improve their bottom line and continue to drive the Canadian economy."
Grain monitoring protects grain value from loss by rot, insects, and theft. A remote monitoring system generates significant savings over traditional on-site inspections and can help deliver a premium to farmers for their product. The project forecasts the manufacturing and installation of 300 systems in 2013 and thousands more by 2016. The project is expected to create 15 full-time positions, mostly in management, marketing, and sales support.
"Thanks to this support from the Government of Canada, Mifarm.ag will be able to offer the grain farming community in Canada a product that will insure the quality of the grain stored," said Gary Gunthorpe, President of Mifarm.ag. "Further, this advanced technology will provide added security for farmers by reducing the risk of theft of their stored grain."
The On-Farm Asset Monitoring Service project will commercialize Mifarm.ag's remote monitoring system. Sensors located in silos monitor grain volume, temperature, relative humidity, and control fans. Information is communicated by means of a cloud-based database that farmers can access via web portal and smart phone applications.
This $750,000 investment is from the Agricultural Innovation Program-a $50-million initiative announced as part of Canada's Economic Action Plan 2011, and it is part of the Government's commitment to help Canadian producers benefit from cutting-edge science and technology. The Program aims to boost the development and commercialization of innovative new products, technologies, and processes for the agricultural sector. For more information about this and other Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada programs, please visit agriculture.canada.ca.
For more information, media may contact:
Media Relations
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
613-773-7972
1-866-345-7972
Meagan Murdoch
Director of Communications
Office of the Honourable Gerry Ritz
613-773-1059
