EMILI has expanded the footprint of Innovation Farms to demonstrate innovative technologies on more Manitoba crops and fields thanks to a recently announced multi-year partnership with Farm Credit Canada (FCC).
This means EMILI is now able to gain and share insights into technology used to grow and store potatoes.
With the launch of a second Innovation Farms location in MacGregor, Manitoba, EMILI is able to demonstrate whether or not these technologies can effectively address challenges at a commercial scale.
“Innovation is key to the future success of this industry, so when I heard about what EMILI was doing, testing and validating technology at Innovation Farms, I knew it was something I wanted to contribute to in the potato industry,” said Sheldon Wiebe, owner of J.P. Wiebe Ltd., the farm that EMILI’s Innovation Farms MacGregor site is located on.
“This second site allows us to better understand how cutting-edge technologies can provide farmers with solutions that meet the unique needs of their farm operation, including different crops, weather patterns, and soil types,” said EMILI Managing Director Jacqueline Keena.
Agi3, Arable, and Cellar Insights are three agtech innovators that EMILI is working with at its MacGregor site (Photo credit: EMILI)
Since launching its Innovation Farms MacGregor site, EMILI has installed an Arable station and Crop Sentry system in a potato field to monitor crop conditions, and equipped potato storage bins with various Cellar Insights sensors to monitor the storage environment.
Cellar Insights uses predictive analytics and smart storage monitoring to deliver early warnings on spoilage risk to reduce losses for growers. CEO Terry Sydoryk shared a presentation on the potential of this technology with attendees at EMILI’s recent Innovation Demo Day event.
Another technology installed in potato crops at EMILI’s Innovation Farms MacGregor site is Agi3’s Crop Sentry system. The technology is also deployed in field pea, canola, oat, soybean, corn, and spring wheat crops at EMILI’s Innovation Farms Grosse Isle site. The data being collected by EMILI is being used to test Crop Sentry’s ability to monitor crop performance, predict yields based on in-season changes, and refine machine learning algorithms.
The Arable Mark 3 is collecting field-level irrigation and crop performance data from one of Innovation Farm’s fields in MacGregor. The solution aims to reduce water use, energy costs, and nitrogen leaching, while improving yield and quality.
FCC and EMILI celebrate the announcement of expanding Innovation Farms (Photo credit: EMILI)
“World leading innovation is essential to helping Canadian farmers keep pace in a highly competitive global industry. New methods and technologies in the ag and food industry keeps Canada’s economy resilient and strong” said Justine Hendricks, president and CEO of FCC. “FCC’s Innovation Farm Network and its partners are critical to delivering this vital innovation to Canadian producers when they need it the most.”
“EMILI is grateful to Farm Credit Canada for their ongoing investment in agtech. Their multi-year commitment allows us to connect with more farmers and support more innovators to increase the development and adoption of on-farm technologies,” said Keena.
The addition of EMILI’s Innovation Farms MacGregor site builds on the success of its Grosse Isle site, which EMILI launched in 2022. In the 2025 season alone, EMILI has welcomed hundreds of visitors on field tours, welcomed more than 50 farmers on-site, and partnered with close to 30 innovators. EMILI is committed to providing access to leading-edge equipment, technology, and production practices to increase productivity, sustainability, and profitability across the agriculture and agri-food sector. Learn more about Innovation Farms.