Protein Industries Canada has announced two new artificial intelligence projects designed to strengthen productivity, sustainability, and safety across Canadian agriculture. Together, the initiatives represent a total investment of CAD$4.9 million, including up to CAD$2.2 million from Protein Industries Canada. The projects focus on predicting disease risk for pulse crops and improving grain storage measurement with advanced sensing technology.
Investment Overview
The federal government is supporting the projects through Protein Industries Canada and the Pan-Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy, which drives responsible AI adoption across the economy. The investments are intended to help farmers use made in Canada AI tools that solve practical challenges in field operations and inventory management. Minister of Industry Mélanie Joly said the initiative will help producers protect yields, optimize inventory management, and make informed business decisions.
AI-Powered Disease Prediction
The first project is led by Ukko Agro in partnership with Metos Canada and Rocky Mountain Equipment. It will develop an AI-powered tool to help growers predict and manage the risk of Ascochyta blight, a fungal disease that can reduce yields in key pulse crops. The total project value is CAD$2.6 million, with Protein Industries Canada contributing up to CAD$1.1 million.
Practical Benefits for Growers
By combining crop and disease data with localized weather information, the tool will forecast disease risk at regional and field levels and help identify optimal times for scouting and fungicide application. Ukko Agro Founder Ketan Kaushish said the project gives producers confidence to spray only when it matters and to apply fungicide correctly in any situation. The approach supports sustainable agriculture practices and helps Canadian farms remain competitive on a global scale.
Safer Grain Inventory Measurement
The second project brings together Super GeoAI Technology Inc. and Southview Farms to build an AI-enabled drone and LiDAR solution for measuring grain volumes. The technology uses three-dimensional scanning to provide quick and accurate inventory data for on-farm bins. The total project value is CAD$2.4 million, with Protein Industries Canada contributing up to CAD$1.1 million.
Project Leader Perspective on Grain Technology
Super GeoAI Technology Inc. Founder and CEO Dr. Weiping Zeng said grain inventory management still relies on manual processes that can be time consuming, labour intensive, and potentially hazardous. The system is designed to reduce manual bin climbing, improve worker safety, and create consistent audit-ready documentation for farm management and verification needs. The partnership will validate these technologies in real world farm environments and accelerate their development into practical solutions for the broader agrifood sector.
Supporting Rural Development and Competitiveness
Secretary of State for Rural Development Buckley Belanger said the projects combine agriculture and innovation to give farmers practical tools that can lower costs, improve safety, and increase productivity. Protein Industries Canada CEO Tyler Groeneveld noted that AI is becoming a foundational tool for the future of agriculture. He said applied AI can help producers manage risk, improve safety, and make better decisions with real time data while strengthening Canada's position as an innovation leader.
The announcement highlights how advanced technologies are moving from concept to practical use across Canada's food production and value-added agriculture sector. These investments support a modern and competitive agriculture industry that contributes to Canada's economic strength and long-term food security. By scaling made in Canada AI solutions, Protein Industries Canada is advancing its broader vision to grow the plant-based food, feed, and ingredient sector into a 25 billion dollar industry.