Thank you.
Good morning. I'd like to thank the standing committee for the opportunity this morning to discuss technology in agriculture that can support Canadian exports—in our case, Saskatchewan exports.
My name is Ray Orb. I am the president of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, known as SARM. Incorporated in 1905, SARM has been the voice of rural Saskatchewan for over 100 years. We represent all 296 rural municipalities in our province. Our RMs cover 53% of the province's land mass. Our smallest rural municipality serves a population of 76, while our largest serves over 8,000. We work on behalf of our member municipalities to help identify solutions to the challenges in rural Saskatchewan.
As an association, we are mandated to work in agriculture, and agriculture is an important sector in our province. Saskatchewan is a key producer of Canada's wheat, oats, flaxseed and barley, and is also home to grain farms, cattle ranches, and dairy production. Our province also boasts a thriving microbrewery industry. According to a recent report by Economic Development Regina, craft beer was a multi-million dollar industry in Saskatchewan in 2017 and is expected to be on the rise, and that's not surprising. Agriculture is a way of life in our province.
Our landscape has changed over the course of the last century. Advancements in technology have created a huge opportunity for farmers, ranchers and rural Saskatchewan, but right now most of rural Saskatchewan does not have the broadband infrastructure to support technology and technology adaptation. Rural broadband is an essential investment that would allow farmers and ranchers to capitalize on technological advances. For our producers looking to compete in the global marketplace, broadband, smart phones and technologies are critical.
We see huge opportunity for technology in the agriculture industry—for example, in precision farming. Precision farming provides diagnostics and sensor technologies that ensure just the right amount of input from water, fertilizer, medicines and crop protection products. This enhances crop quality and animal welfare and improves yields. Precision agriculture better targets inputs and increases yields, and it allows for better planning and decision-making. Without reliable broadband service, it is impossible for producers to use these technologies to their fullest extent.
An additional opportunity for technologies in agriculture exists with GPS capacity and capabilities. GPS-controlled tractor steering and optimized route planning minimize soil erosion and compaction while improving crop yields, but we have yet to see mainstream use of autonomous self-driving tractors. The first hands-free crop has already been grown in a project in the United Kingdom. Also in the U.K., livestock farmers are already benefiting from technology that can help them optimize their cattle's diet and monitor fertility and calving actively, so that both beef and dairy herds will be healthier and more productive. Mortality rates during calving could be reduced by up to 80%.
Again, it comes back to the need for reliable high-speed Internet access in rural areas that would have farmers and ranchers connected to their farms, each other and the globe. If agriculture producers had access to existing agronomic tools tailored to individual farms and fields, it would allow them to get forecasts and agronomic insights to make sustainable decisions and their operations seamless.
Another area important to agriculture and technology is plant science: the study of plant systems. Western Canada has a short, dry growing season, which makes efficient plant growth critical to prairie producers. The University of Saskatchewan's department of plant sciences is the only plant science department in Canada capable of offering such diverse experience in plant studies.
Scientists at the department of plant sciences and the crop development centre conduct research to develop new crop varieties that will thrive under prairie growing conditions. Current innovation studies include the creation of tools that protect crops from insects, weeds and diseases, as well as developing stronger, healthier, and more useful varieties of crops.
The university works with institutions such as the plant biotechnology institute at the National Research Council, the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada research station, the protein, oil and starch pilot plant, and the Canadian Light Source, all of which allow for interdisciplinary research to support innovation. These types of innovations help farmers to sustainably grow healthy foods both for Canadians and for other countries, which feeds the world and drives economic growth.
It all comes down to good connectivity. Without a reliable, consistent and affordable high-speed Internet connection, these technologies are just not available. In 2016 it was reported that 82% of Canadians had access to broadband. The remaining 18% were largely in rural communities, leaving many producers without reliable access.
As the chair of the rural forum of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, I note that the FCM has long advocated for increased federal involvement in developing the telecommunications infrastructure that is critical to the vibrancy of Canada's rural communities. Broadband Internet access has become fundamental to modern life and has the power to transform rural Canada. Modern networks contribute to economic growth by improving productivity, providing new services, supporting innovation and improving market access, especially in the agriculture industry.