CAAR members can help develop credible metrics on the state of development and adoption of precision agriculture techniques among Western Canadian Ag Retailers by taking 15 minutes to fill out the "2019 Precision Agriculture Dealership Survey," currently being developed in partnership between The University of Guelph and Purdue University. Read more for the purpose behind the survey, how to take the survey and how CAAR participated in its creation. 

The purpose of the survey is to take a clear snapshot of the state of precision agriculture services among Western Canadian ag retailers. CAAR provided input and review into the survey's creation and is helping to facilitate its execution. The survey is currently being finalized, CAAR is informing members to stay tuned for an email invitation to take the survey, and for a direct link which will be posted on caar.org when available. 

CAAR’s participation in this initiative is a demonstration of how the breadth of CAAR’s membership and the association’s strong relationships with industry partners puts the association in a unique position to gather and share aggregated data. 

The survey results will have multi-fold purposes and provide value to numerous stakeholders including CAAR as an association, its members, farmer customers and academics.

This information will serve to:

  • provide CAAR members with valuable benchmarking tools;
  • guide CAAR’s future activities on behalf of members regarding precision agriculture; 
  • provide academics with a reference to guide future research and study; 
  • help farm customers better understand capabilities of ag retailers. 

All CAAR members should soon be receiving an email invitation from the University of Guelph to submit your feedback. CAAR has signed an NDA with the University of Guelph, and all identifying information will be kept strictly confidential. 

This survey is new to Western Canada but not a new concept. Purdue University and CropLife America have partnered on a survey of the adoption of precision agriculture among American ag retailers since 1981. Two years ago, the University of Guelph and the Ontario Agri-Business Association undertook a similar survey for Ontario retailers. (Another iteration of the Ontario survey will be released later this year.)

The U of G, Purdue and CAAR recognize that it is time to start gathering the same level of information about agriculture techniques here in Western Canada.

CAAR members have been identified as one of three key target groups, which include:

  • CAAR members, suppliers and partners;
  • Western Canadian CCAs;
  • Canadian equipment dealers.

CAAR urges all members to participate, and to encourage peers within the industry to do the same. Developing credible metrics on industry trends and directions will be a huge asset to the industry. CAAR will distribute results of the survey to members after it closes. Watch @CdnAgRetail on Twitter and future editions of The CAAR Network for more information. 

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