The B.C. Ministry of Agriculture and the BC Innovation Council awarded $20,000 each to the businesses that developed the following novel solutions to agricultural problems.
- Compostable yarn developed for greenhouse use by Gordon Shank Consulting. The yarn is extremely strong and capable of replacing the synthetic ropes and twine used to suspend and train plants in greenhouses. At the end of the season, however, farmers don’t need to separate the used twine from the plant residue. BioMid yarn is made from cellulose derived from forest product waste and can be composted along with the plants.
- Boost Environmental Systems’ simple anaerobic digester for dairy farms. The system is easy to use and derives energy and a phosphorus-rich soil amendment from manure slurry.
- Drones developed by gUAVas that fly over berry fields and orchards using light and noise to scare birds.
- Robots that assess plant health in greenhouses and send reports to the farmers’ cell phone or computer – technology developed by Ecoation Innovation Solutions.
- Janet Wallace