Grant: Technology Access Centre

Building on thirty years of applied research in agriculture, coupled with a strategy to improve the competitiveadvantage of Small Medium Enterprises in southern Alberta, Lethbridge College proposes to establish the IntegratedAgriculture Technology Centre (IATC). Agriculture is one of the largest sectors in the Lethbridge region, with morethan 900 farms and more than 120 established agri-food processing businesses. Numerous challenges threaten thelong-term growth and sustainability of this sector, including consumer and regulatory pressure to minimizeenvironmental impact and water usage. Thus, there is a growing need for innovative technologies to help theagricultural industry stay competitive and environmentally sound amidst shrinking profit margins.The IATC will connect agricultural businesses with innovative technologies and capabilities that are essential for thehealth of the regional economy. Based on Lethbridge Colleges core areas of expertise in Aquaculture, CropProduction, and Wet Processing, the proposed centre will enable and accelerate Ag-tech, greenhouse, aquaculture,food processors, and largescale crop producers through access to expert consultants, customised services, specialisedequipment and facilities, and unique technologies. The three valuable service streams of Applied Research andDevelopment; Technical and Consulting; and Training and Education will meet the needs of local industry. TheIATC also brings together proven multi-disciplinary research experience, skilled students, state-of-the-art facilities,and an extensive innovation ecosystem to benefit Canadas integrated agriculture industry.