Tens of thousands of people are expected to head just west of Langham this week as Ag in Motion, one of Canada’s largest outdoor agricultural trade shows, gets underway. More than 30,000 producers, industry leaders and visitors are expected to explore the sprawling site over the next three days, where more than 600 exhibitors are showcasing everything from the latest farm equipment to cutting-edge agricultural technology. “When we first started the show, we had 190 exhibitors and 10 food trucks, and now we have over 600 exhibitors, plus several dozen food trucks and concessions,” Rob O’Conner, show director for Ag in Motion told CTV News. While the massive farm machinery continues to be a major attraction, the area focused on drone technology is quickly becoming a crowd favourite. “Drones can be used for literally hundreds of uses. We used to do a presentation called 101 Uses for Drones. We’ve gone way past that one. Every farmer finds a different use,” Land View Drones CEO and President Markus Weber says. Agricultural drones are now being used for a wide range of tasks, including monitoring crop health, spraying fields, treating pests, and collecting valuable field data. The mass flooding this past spring increased the need for drones for treating fields when traditional ground equipment couldn’t be used effectively, according to Weber. He says growing interest in the technology has also been fueled by recent provincial and federal changes to drone licensing, making the technology more accessible to producers. Innovation isn’t limited to technology. Saskatchewan companies are also using the event to introduce new crop varieties aimed at improving productivity. One exhibitor is highlighting a new midge-tolerant wheat variety designed to help protect crops from insect damage while meeting growing current societal demand for higher protein wheat. “AC Walsh is a new registered variety that we’re bringing to market. If you’re looking for that protein bump, it’s definitely a variety that you can look at,” Bray Hudson, with North Star Genetics said. Ag in Motion attracts exhibitors and visitors from across Canada and around the world, including the United States, Mexico and Morocco, making it a global showcase for the latest developments in agriculture.
