As artificial intelligence reshapes industries across the globe, Ontario’s agriculture sector is cautiously stepping into the digital age.
At the University of Guelph, researchers are leading that shift through AI4Food, a technology hub designed to study and support AI adoption in agriculture and food systems. The initiative, directed by Dr. Rozita Dara, brings together experts in computer science, engineering, law and even philosophy to explore how data-driven tools can make farming more efficient and sustainable.
“AI isn’t going away,” Dara said. “It’s going to impact almost every sector, agriculture and food included. But adoption is slow, and for understandable reasons.”
Dara told The Observer that while AI applications in agriculture are certainly advancing, their integration on Canadian farms faces several hurdles. Between high equipment costs, poor rural connectivity, and the steep learning curve for farmers without technical backgrounds, digitizing faces several accessibility challenges.
“Many of these technologies are expensive, especially those involving robotics or embedded systems,” she explained. “Even 20 kilometres outside Guelph, connectivity becomes an issue. If farmers don’t find it relevant, or if they feel it’s just extra work to adopt this technology, the return of investment is quite low.”
At Stevanus Family Farm in Bloomingdale, AI has already found a foothold. Aaron Stevanus uses artificial intelligence through crop analysis tools to monitor plant nutrition and boost yields.
“We take a tissue sample at a certain time, and then we send it into the lab to get an analysis of what’s in the plant,” Stevanus explained. “We give it to this company, NutriAg, which analyzes it and then uses an AI model that takes all these different yield parameters into effect and says what your crop needs.”
As AI becomes more common in agri-food production, data ownership has emerged as one of the thorniest issues. AI systems rely on massive datasets to make accurate predictions, raising questions about who truly “owns” the information once it’s collected, processed, and fed into predictive models.
Farmers have greater access to their own data now, even John Deere allows data downloads these days, but the legal landscape still lacks clarity.
“We need fair, transparent agreements to ensure data isn’t misused,” Dara said. “Expecting full control isn’t realistic, but farmers deserve accountability and trust.”
Dara also noted a growing divide between generations of farmers when it comes to embracing digital tools.
“Younger farmers are much more open to AI,” she said. “They express interest in these tools, and they often say they’re not worried if their data is integrated as long as they understand how it’s being used.”
Some of the most common questions revolve around how long data is retained and what happens when a contract with an AI company ends. In the case of AI4Food, data is anonymized after a contract is terminated.
For now, adoption may be gradual, but both researchers and farmers agree that digital tools will play a massive role in the future of Canadian agriculture.
AI can’t replace the farmer’s eye or instinct, but it could help farmers understand their crops better. To this end, AI4Food is hoping to hold future workshops to connect with farmers and add farmers’ voices to the discussion.
