The Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries will collaborate with McCain Foods, the University of New Brunswick (UNB), the McKenna Institute, and ResearchNB to create a chair in digital agriculture at UNB.
The chair will oversee a range of research initiatives focused on improving the use of digital technologies in an agricultural setting. By providing the right knowledge and technologies to help New Brunswickers in agriculture, the chair seeks to assist farmers to help increase productivity through farming techniques while minimizing the impact on the environment.
Through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries are investing $240,000 in the initiative.
The Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership is a five-year, $3.5-billion investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen competitiveness, innovation, and resiliency of Canada’s agriculture, agri‐food and agri‐based products sector. This includes $1 billion in federal programs and activities and a $2.5-billion commitment that is cost-shared 60 per cent federally and 40 per cent provincially/territorially for programs that are designed and delivered by provinces and territories.
McCain Foods will contribute $760,000 and Research NB will provide $500,000 for a total of $1.5 million. Additional funds from the McKenna Institute and McCain Foods will be dedicated to the development of digital agriculture at UNB.