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(Image Credit: CAAIN)
By Josh Hall
federal contribution

Canadian Agri-Food Automation and Intelligence Network receives $50 million

Aug 26, 2026 | 7:41 PM

Federal funding has been renewed for the Canadian Agri-Food Automation and Intelligence Network (CAAIN) to the tune of $50 million.

The money will allow CAAIN to continue its programming, which carries a primary mandate of funding the development and adoption of innovation for the purpose of increasing the productivity, profitability, and/or sustainability of Canada’s agricultural producers, a media release states.

The last six years have seen the organization commit $42 million from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) to 56 projects with a total value over $133 million.

Thirty of those projects have completed their funding cycle and have successfully gone to market, proving it a viable endeavour for ISED to continue funding, officials say.

“Canadians deserve a food system that is strong, resilient and ready to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow. Through our investment in CAAIN, we are accelerating the commercialization and adoption of innovative agricultural technologies that improve productivity and strengthen food supply chains,” said Melanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions.

“Our government is taking decisive actions to enhance Canada’s food security and support long-term affordability for Canadians.”

Projects from CAAIN span the 10 provinces.

Among them in Alberta is a digital marketplace app to modernize livestock feed procurement, as well as smart barn technology for sustainable swine husbandry, and development of the Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network.

In Saskatchewan, projects include a GeoAI platform for automating manual observation associated with wheat production, a project called VeriGrain, and AI development for autonomous agriculture.

More on the projects can be read about here.

“In the six years since ISED first placed is trust in CAAIN’s mission to seek out and support innovation that will make Canada’s agricultural sector more profitable, productive, and sustainable CAAIN has catalyzed more that $133 million of capital with industry partners to innovatively produce real-world agricultural outcomes,” says Laura Kilcrease, CAAIN board chair.

“ISED’s steadfast commitment to the next phase of CAAIN will further bring new opportunities to create economic value for Canadian farmers who feed the world.”

CAAIN is a not-for-profit that was launched in 2019 with federal government funding.

by Josh Hall