b"3 INNOVATORS TO WATCHDAWN TRAUTMANGET SMART Dawn Trautman is poised to help usher in the next Green Revolution through artificial intelligence.DAWN TRAUTMAN KNOWS theres a lot of promises behind Smart Agriculturethe emerging field of applying real-time artificial intelligence in the field, in greenhouses and harnessing the use of big data analytics in real time.The key is speeding adoption. The way to do that, of course, is to create smart solutions to help growers adopt it.The idea is to bridge the gap between the potential and the reality. Right now, theres a gap, and a large one. Its like the Green Revolution. Before that there was a set level of activity, and afterward was a big bump. All of a sudden peoples best became a lot better, says the 34-year-old Edmonton, Alta., resident and manager of Smart Agriculture and Food with Alberta Innovates.Plant breeding plays a huge role in that, she notes.Were still learning about the potential of plants and the interaction of genetics, environ-ment and management. If you have good genet-ics but poor management and poor environment,Australia as part of her scholarship-related work.you dont get much out of the plant. WithoutTheres more uncertainty in our food supply, good genetics, even with good environmentalABOUT DAWNespecially with COVID. Supply chains are conditions, you dont get a good yield. TRAUTMAN disrupted, people are staying home. Its bring-The key, she says, is to think about planting instability, and ag is an industry vital to the breeding, seed and agriculture not in terms ofBIRTHPLACE:wellbeing of society. It might not be, Oh I wish I EDMONTON, commodities, but in terms of foodand toALTA. had only organic food to eat. Maybe its, I wish think about the people buying that food. I had any food at all, she says.Consumers are increasingly disconnectedFAVOURITEThat uncertainty only breeds more mistrust, MOVIE: I LIKE from their food sources but have an increasedMOVIES, BUTwhich is something Smart Agriculture can help interest in health, sustainability and transpar- I CAN'T SAYwith.THAT I HAVE ency. This is where technology can play a role inAN ABSOLUTEStacy Felkar is event co-manager for Olds bridging the smart agriculture gap. FAVOURITE! Colleges AgSmart, a two-day event focused on Thats because Smart Agriculture can alsoFAVOURITEdata and technology across the agriculture sector provide information that consumers wantinfoFOOD: DARKthat held its first event in 2019. Felkar worked on traceability and farming methods used. CHOCOLATE :) with Trautman to glean key insights that would As part of the Nuffield Scholarship program,WORDS TO LIVEallow AgSmart to showcase technology thats she plans to study the barriers for smart agricul- BY/MOTTO: DOvital to the future of Canadian plant breeding.ture adoption for producers while also expand- THE BEST YOUDawn was key to helping us pull off what we CAN UNTIL YOU ing on opportunities for technology companiesKNOW BETTER.want to be a truly valuable exhibition. Shes very to develop and integrate made-in-Canada solu- THEN WHENforward thinking looking at the role this tech-YOU KNOW tions for sustainable production.BETTER, DOnology will play, Felkar says. Were based on She sees a silver lining in the pandemic,BETTER. the premise that we need to produce food more which cut short a recent trip she took toMAYAefficiently and sustainably using Smart Agriculture ANGELOU24GERMINATION.CASEPTEMBER 2020"