Olds College faculty and students returned from Hannover, Germany this fall with renewed energy, fresh ideas and strengthened international connections after attending Agritechnica — one of the world’s largest agricultural technology exhibitions.
The week-long trip offered a rare opportunity for students and faculty to engage directly with global industry leaders, explore cutting-edge innovations and experience European agriculture first-hand. Through visits to Agritechnica, the CLAAS tractor factory, local farms, and historical and cultural sites, the group gained a deeper understanding not only of emerging agricultural technology, but also of agriculture’s role within the global community and across diverse landscapes.
For faculty, one of the most valuable outcomes of the trip was the opportunity to form new relationships with international institutions and technology companies.
“The biggest takeaway for me was the partnerships,” noted Jay Steeves, Dean, Werklund School of Agriculture Technology, who emphasized the significance of connecting with German educational institutions, research organizations and ag-tech businesses. “Many companies are eager to test their technology in a Western Canadian setting. There’s huge potential to bridge these relationships back to Olds College.”
Both Steeves and Dustin Farr, Instructor, Ag Management, indicated the strong interest in collaborative research, internships and future memorandums of understanding (MOU) — opportunities that could open doors for students to study, work or gain hands-on experience abroad.
“These connections could greatly expand our students’ understanding of global agriculture,” stated Farr. “It reinforced that we’re on the right track with our focus on agricultural technology, but it also highlighted that many producers still face barriers to adopting these technologies. It raises an important question for us as a College: how can we better support broader technology adoption among Canadian producers?”
The show floor at Agritechnica highlighted the acceleration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning in agriculture. Faculty pointed to equipment — such as electric and hybrid tractors, the Nexat autonomous platform, robotics and laser weeding systems — as technologies that could influence the future direction of programming and applied research at the College.
The group also took interest in Väderstad’s cultivation and seeding technology — particularly the Tempo unit — which offered a clear example of how precision controls continue to evolve. Student Maxwell Olson was particularly struck by the Garford mechanical weed control system, which uses AI-driven cameras to identify and remove weeds between crop rows.
“It was probably the most interesting piece of new technology I saw,” Olson exclaimed. “We already use advanced systems like WEED-IT at Olds College, but it was a cool experience to see the systems that we have heard about or seen tested on the Smart Farm in the real world. It shows that these technologies will certainly have use in the future of farming in North America.”
Olson also noted that some technologies — like variable rate and sectional control — appeared even more widespread in Europe than in North America.
For many students, the experience extended far beyond the technology.
“The most valuable part was watching our students fully engage with everything Germany had to offer,” reflected Farr. “Their curiosity, whether at the show, in the CLAAS factory or on the farm tours, was incredibly rewarding.”
Olson agreed, noting that seeing European farming practices, shaped by unique culture and policy, was eye-opening and helped to enrich his college experience.
Attendees also highlighted the impact of the cultural components of the trip, including time at Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, a guided tour of the historic city of Bremen and being present in Germany on Remembrance Day. These were both emotional and powerful experiences that grounded the trip in context and history.
“The cultural experiences were just as important as the agricultural ones,” Olson declared.
Several participants remarked on the sheer size of Agritechnica.
“I was told how big it was, but I still wasn’t prepared,” said Olson. “I don’t believe any event in Canada compares.”
Farr, attending for the second time, continued to be struck by the dramatic differences in equipment scale around the world. While Canada, the U.S., Russia and Australia rely heavily on large machinery, much of the world uses smaller equipment adapted to their regional needs.
For Steeves, one of the most surprising — and rewarding — moments was simply watching students interact confidently with global industry partners.
“Seeing our students in conversation with industry members on a global stage was huge,” Steeves emphasized. “It reinforced how important this level of exposure is, not only for their future careers but for our growth as an institution.”
As Olds College continues to grow its digital agriculture programming and global partnerships, experiences like Agritechnica play a key role in preparing students for a rapidly evolving agricultural landscape. The insights, relationships and inspiration brought home from Germany will help shape future programming, applied research and international opportunities for years to come.
And for students who stood in the heart of the largest ag-tech showcase in the world, this was more than a trip — it was the beginning of a global perspective they’ll carry into their careers.