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Technology, innovation to be featured at ag conference

Technology and innovation will figure prominently in an agricultural conference planned for Red Deer next week.

Technology and innovation will figure prominently in an agricultural conference planned for Red Deer next week.

Visions 2013, which is being organized by the Alberta Agricultural Economics Association, will take place May 2 and 3 at iHotel 67th Street. This year’s event, the 30th annual, is entitled Technology & Innovation in Agriculture: Leading the Way to a Secure Food System.

Three broad topics will be covered: attitudes and behaviors towards technology in the food chain; science and economics: addressing challenges, searching for solutions; and business management perspectives on innovations. Within these subjects will be presentations on new methods of food production, and producer and consumer reaction; climate change and its effects; Alberta’s bioeconomy; the economic potential of new ag technologies; factors affecting the adoption of new technologies; modelling ag markets and optimum crop production. Speakers will include of academics from universities across Canada, as well as government and private ag experts.

A Thursday evening banquet will feature a keynote address on the issues and implications of a Canada-EU trade agreement, by William Kerr of the University of Saskatchewan.

The Alberta Agricultural Economics Association is run through the University of Alberta’s department of rural economy. Its members include academics, producers and professional agrologists.

The cost to attend Visions 2013 is $210 for registrations by April 30, and $240 thereafter. There are reduced rates for students and those attending only a portion of the conference.

Registrations can be completed online at the Alberta Agricultural Economics Association website at www.aaea.ab.ca, where additional information about the conference can also be found.