By Christina Stroud, Head, Corporate Affairs Canada
2025 Vecteezy
Have you noticed the surge of AI coverage in the media? I initially suspected my perception was skewed by frequency illusion, given my current coursework in digital and data science. However, the data confirms it is not just a perception. A media trend analysis for ‘AI and digital’ reveals a consistent upward trajectory globally over the past year, mirrored in both the United States and Canada (Table 1). Yet, when ‘agriculture’ is added to the search, an interesting anomaly emerges: the trend reverses, but only for Canada.
Table 1
Key Word Mention Trend
Key Word Search |
Canada |
Global |
U.S. |
|---|
AI. Digital |
+40.8% |
+48.5% |
+34.9% |
AI. Digital. Agriculture |
-29.1% |
+45.2% |
+38.8% |
Note: Meltwater search date November 23, 2025. Source types: news, X, YouTube.
Time: over the last year. Language: English
The lack of association between Canadian agriculture and AI is concerning, particularly given the sector’s vital role in our economy and food security. Bridging this gap requires a unified effort across the entire ecosystem - farmers, agribusiness, researchers, and advisors - to position our industry at the forefront of innovation.
A Vision for What is Possible
In an industry where risk and unpredictability are constant, the potential application of AI in agriculture is compelling. The sector is uniquely suited for agentic AI and multimodal integration due to its diverse data types, such as field imagery and climate records. According to Tara McCaughey, Head, Technology Solutions and Sustainable Agriculture at Syngenta Canada, “artificial intelligence represents a transformative frontier for agriculture, offering the opportunity to connect and integrate data resources. This has the potential to unlock insights and accelerate decision making at the farm-gate, ultimately contributing to enhancing the productivity of agriculture in Canada”.
Both McKinsey & Company and Syngenta highlight several key use cases, including predictive analytics and technology design, while the World Bank offers five ‘What If’ scenarios that demonstrate the future as both inspiring and within reach.
World Bank ‘What If’ Scenarios
Turning Agriculture’s AI Lag into a LeadThe correlation between AI investment and corporate growth, driven by product innovation and operational efficiency, is undeniable1. Yet, despite this clear ROI, the Canadian agriculture sector faces a critical adoption gap2.
While broader Canadian business adoption climbed to 12.1% in Q2 2025 (a 6.1% year-over-year increase), agriculture remains low at a mere 1.8%3. When we contrast this with other sectors like Information and Culture (35.6%) or Finance (30.6%), it becomes clear that agriculture is leaving significant efficiency gains on the table.
Addressing the AI Adoption GapRealizing the full potential of AI in agriculture requires more than just adopting new tools; it demands a systemic transformation. To move from potential to practical application, we must address several barriers currently prohibiting the industry. The following framework outlines four critical pillars necessary to close the AI gap and secure a competitive future for the sector.
| Standardize and Digitize: Address the lack of standardized data by digitizing existing research and generating new datasets. Fine-tune existing Large Language Models with specific agricultural data to improve efficiency2. |
| Expand Connectivity: Improve broadband and satellite access, as only 54% of rural Canadians currently have high-speed internet4. Build interoperable, user-friendly digital public infrastructure to support AI tools. |
| Attract High-Tech Talent and Investment: Position agriculture as a high-tech sector. Focus on recruiting for digital literacy, product design, and data analytics capabilities5. Establish sound financial policy to attract capital and resource investments. |
| Foster Buy-In: Mitigate resistance and fear by framing AI as a tool for role augmentation rather than replacement6. Build trust through transparent policies and employee training7. |
Ensuring Agriculture Isn’t Left Behind in the AI Race: Government’s RoleAgriculture is a cornerstone of the Canadian economy (7% of GDP8), and its future competitiveness relies on a digital transformation9,10 Policymakers must advance a pan-Canadian AI strategy that explicitly prioritizes our sector and addresses our AI-adoption gap.
The Canada Strong Budget 2025 outlines a $925.6 million commitment toward AI and a desire for Canada to become an active builder of “sovereign capacity” in infrastructure and internal tools. For agriculture, the practical application of this funding is critical. Currently, the only explicit agricultural AI commitment targets bureaucratic bottlenecks within the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Using AI to streamline trade certificates is a strategic move to unblock export potential, but the industry requires broader support.
Fortunately, there are some positive federal efforts underway that could address the AI adoption gap, including:
Accelerating rural broadband- Lowering costs by mandating fiber installation alongside major projects through the “dig once” mandate.
- Financing digital infrastructure to bolster trade logistics through the $5 billion Trade Diversification Corridors Fund.
Making commercial expansion attractive- Raising the Scientific Research and Experimental Development tax incentive limit to $6 million and using AI to cut CRA review times by half.
- Allowing the immediate expensing of data network infrastructure and computers through the new “Productivity Super Deduction”11.
Focusing on human capital- Securing top-tier talent through the $1.7 billion recruitment investment allocation.
Building trust- Allocating $25 million to Statistics Canada to track workforce shifts.
- Revising the 25-year-old data and privacy regulations.
According to Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation, the government is checking off all the right boxes through investment and a pan-Canadian sovereign approach. In his CBC interview, Minister Solomon, who mentions agriculture in his interview, expresses great confidence in Canada’s ability to be AI leaders and acknowledges that a lack of trust in AI remains an impediment to its adoption, noting that “adoption moves at the speed of trust”.
In ClosingCanadian agriculture stands at a critical juncture. While current AI adoption lags at just 1.8%, the “What If” scenarios envisioned by the World Bank prove that a transformed, efficient future is within reach. I remain hopeful that a unified effort across our ecosystem will bridge the AI gap. However, I worry that government support may not move fast enough. Even though federal commitments to infrastructure are promising, we need immediate, targeted action to ensure policy keeps pace with innovation.
Syngenta will continue to use AI to better understand and serve our customers and to support the delivery of new technologies. We are encouraged by the future possibilities created by narrowing the AI gap.
