Saskatoon, SK., June 4, 2020 – Organizers of the new Ag in Motion Discovery Plus digital event are offering a way for producer groups, researchers and academics to bring their field crop research to farmers through a new online platform.
“COVID-19 has hit everyone in agriculture hard, and that is particularly true in the area of canceled summer farm field tours,” says Laura Rance-Unger, Vice President of Content at Glacier FarmMedia. “Field tours are such an important way to keep farmers posted on the latest varietal and crop protection research in the field. In the absence of field days, we’re inviting applied and farmer-directed research groups to reach their farmers through Ag in Motion Discovery Plus.”
Ag in Motion has been reimagined this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic causing restrictions for gatherings of large groups of farmers. With Ag in Motion Discovery Plus, there’s now a comprehensive online meeting place where Western Canadian farmers can find the latest in agriculture products, important crop and livestock information, equipment comparisons, news and more.
The online Living Labs area of Ag in Motion Discovery Plus will include presentations from participating research-based groups to share results from on-the-ground research across the prairies. A schedule of sessions will be posted so producers can log into the online platform and bookmark the particular research they are interested in hearing about. They will also be able to ask questions during the presentation, connect directly with researchers through the platform and share their input during sessions with other participants through session chats.
Ag in Motion Discovery Plus organizers are calling on groups such as crop commissions, research farms and producer-led groups enrolled in the Agriculture-Applied Research Management (Agri-ARM) program to participate in this free Living Labs opportunity. Interested parties must apply by Monday, June 22, 2020 by contacting [email protected] for details on how to apply. Spaces are limited, so it’s best to apply early.
“We’re really excited to join with researchers and their partners in the field to offer timely information from prairie research projects through our online platform. While we can’t replace the field tour experience, we can play a role in keeping researchers and farmers connected,” says Rance-Unger. “Ag in Motion Discovery Plus is really reimagining what collaboration can look like among farm groups, academics, researchers and industry partners across Western Canada.”
Ag in Motion Discovery Plus takes place July 21 – 25, 2020 as a free online event for farmers to get a unique vantage point on current agricultural information. Topics include farmer-led research, virtual crop and livestock tours, results from the Glacier FarmMedia Discovery Farm, farm equipment and technology demonstrations, new product launches and high-profile keynote speakers.
Pre-registration for Ag in Motion Discovery Plus is available at aginmotion.ca and early registrants can get 40% off a one- or two-year subscription to Western Producer.
For more information:
Amanda Macfarlane, Communications Manager | [email protected] | 519-240-7849 (cell)