EMILI Innovation Farms Manager, Leanne Koroscil, has the opportunity to bring a unique perspective to The Manitoba Institute of Agrologists as a newly appointed member of the Provincial Council.

“I am pleased to accept the nomination,” Koroscil said, “because it means I get to represent digital agriculture and the entire space within the Council, and bring a unique perspective.”

The Manitoba Institute of Agrologists is a regulatory body that acts to ensure safe, competent and ethical practices in agrology, which is the application of sciences to agriculture and related to resources such as land and water.

As Innovation Farms Manager, Koroscil says she wants to bolster trust and awareness with the public in regards to the role agrology plays in digital agriculture. For example, at Innovation Farms Koroscil uses IoT (Internet of Things) sensors like soil probes to access instant readings on soil moisture, soil temperature, and volumetric ionic content at multiple depths within the rooting zone. These readings can be used to inform an agrologist of optimal moisture and temperature for sowing, or the level of salinity in the soil. 

“Agrologists will never be replaced by technology, but they will be strengthened by it,” Koroscil shared. “I love this idea so much because there is a misconception that innovation in agriculture will take away jobs. But it’s creating jobs and it’s strengthening us as an industry. Being able to bring this perspective to the Council is an exciting opportunity.”