A Salmon Arm company has secured a $1.47 million grant for a pilot project involving AI-enabled harvesting robots. 

B.C.'s Ministry of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation recently announced 19 projects that will be receiving funding through the B.C. Centre for Agritech Innovation (BCCAI).

"The goal of these projects is to help companies generate commercially viable products that meet the needs of the agricultural sector while reducing adverse effects on the environment and climate," reads a media release from the ministry about the more than $15 million investment. 

4AG Robotics Inc. is spearheading one of the projects. The Salmon Arm-based company is receiving $1.47 to work with Champ's Mushroom Farms to pilot fully autonomous, AI-enabled mushroom-harvesting robots "that boost yields by 15 per cent and halve production costs."

香蕉视频直播淲e are super excited to be partnering with BCCAI on this project," said 4AG CEO Sean O'Connor. "As an ecosystem, we can build global leading companies here in British Columbia, while helping increase the quality and quantity of fresh cultivated food in the province.

"We are excited to be one of the projects selected to harness AI and robotics to improve the profitability and stability of B.C.-based mushroom businesses.香蕉视频直播�

Beginning in 2022, BCCAI supports farmers, producers, and small and medium enterprises in meeting their innovation needs. 

In 2023, 4AG, formerly TechBrew Robotics, announced it had secured $17.5 million to accelerate the development and deployment of cutting-edge robotic solutions for mushroom harvesting. In 2024, the company successfully completed the first-ever commercial deployment of its mushroom-picking robots.

," reads a B.C. government bio of 4AG.