FOOD, FIBRE, AND BIOINDUSTRIES Workshop & Speaker Series

FOOD, FIBRE, AND BIOINDUSTRIES

Join us for our latest Lessons Learned Workshop and SPARK Speaker Series on Tuesday, April 20 from 9 to 11:30 a.m. MT. This free, online event will showcase and share insights from a series of ERA-funded projects in Alberta’s food, fibre, and bioindustry sectors. It will also include a broader discussion about the future of technology development in agriculture by thought leader and SPARK Speaker Series keynote, Robert Saik. ERA will also announce the winners of its Food, Farming, and Forestry Challenge.

If you are a technology developer, industry member, investor, or government employee interested in Alberta’s agriculture, agri-food, and forestry sectors; have a project in progress or are pursuing a similar technology innovation; this event is for you.

LESSONS LEARNED WORKSHOP

Moderated by Mark Summers, ERA’s Executive Director of Technology and Innovation, this Lessons Learned Workshop will feature presentations from innovators that have completed ERA-funded projects. It will be followed by an opportunity for questions from the audience. ERA’s Lessons Learned Workshops are a way to accelerate technology adoption by sharing insights from project proponents and industry leaders with those who are developing technology.

Panelists and projects include:

Karen Haugen-Kozyra, President, Viresco Solutions
DEMONSTRATION OF REDUCED ENTERIC METHANE EMISSIONS IN GROWING/FINISHING BEEF CATTLE
Viresco Solutions, Royal DSM, and a consortium of Alberta agricultural partners worked together to demonstrate a feed ingredient that reduces enteric methane emissions in cattle.
View the final project report

Dr. Maria Strack, Professor and Canada Research Chair, Geography and Environmental Management, University of Waterloo
IMPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF ROADS AND PIPELINES TO MINIMIZE IMPACT ON PEATLAND GHG EMISSIONS
In partnership with Shell Canada and Canadian Natural, this project outlines ways to protect valuable carbon sinks and help organizations reduce the costs of future peatland reclamation.
View the final project report

John Basarab, Adjunct Professor at the University of Alberta and Senior Research Scientist at Alberta Agriculture & Forestry
METHANE EMISSIONS FROM BEEF CATTLE BRED FOR LOW RESIDUAL FEED INTAKE
This project used non-invasive techniques to accurately measure methane mitigation potential of low-Residual Feed Intake (RFI) herds in real-world settings without disrupting the feed intake and behavior.
View the final project report

SPARK SPEAKER SERIES: KEYNOTE

ERA’s SPARK Speaker Series features thought-leaders from a variety of industries to share their insights, ideas, and experiences. It brings cleantech researchers and innovators together with representatives from the business community, government, and the innovation system to help inspire and accelerate Alberta’s transformation to a low carbon economy.

About Robert Saik:

“We are moving to Agriculture 5.0, which is a convergence of agricultural science with exponential advances in technology.” 

Robert Saik has more than 40 years of experience as an outspoken champion of agriculture, is a distinguished agrologist, professional agriculture consultant, serial entrepreneur and has been hailed as an agriculture futurist with unparalleled insight into where the industry is headed. Beginning his career on a mixed farm in Alberta, he has gone on to found and invest in over 15 companies and is currently the CEO of AGVisorPro, a connectivity and resource platform for agriculture.

An author, keynote, entrepreneur, and thought leader, Saik has been tapped by the likes of Bill Gates, the Minister of Agriculture for Nigeria, and most recently the FAO_UN Committee for World Food Security. There are a few professionals that can combine their passion of agriculture with deep business experience and talk about them in a humorous, energetic, and impactful way.