INNOVATION

A Kroeker farmer lives by the motto 'Immer Besser' - always better. Our teams are striving for continuous improvement in all aspects of our work. We are constantly evaluating new technologies and ideas, and implementing those that are useful.

• On-farm research is a priority – every year we conduct field trials across the farm testing new varieties, new production methods, and new products.
• Geographical Information System (GIS) software is used to map every field boundary, locate irrigation pipe, and crop performance is displayed geographically to help our team make better decisions for the following year.
• The use of Real Time Kinetics (RTK) GPS technology on our machinery allows us to farm “to the inch,” minimizing the use of fuel and time, and helping use our fields more efficiently. It also monitors topography, allowing us to plan drainage on our fields before problems arise.
• By investing in new and innovative equipment, we are able to plant, grow, and harvest better quality potatoes, onions and hemp. For example, our “straight-thru” harvester allows us to dig our potatoes more gently, cultivators equipped with cameras can remove weeds very close to organic hemp plants, and propane powered infra-red flames destroy germinating weeds in our organic onions.
• The conventional potato and onion programs are continually learning from the sustainable practices developed on our organic Poplar Grove Farm, including biological pest control, improved crop rotations, and the use of manure and compost soil amendments.
• Quality control staff inspect and assess all of our potatoes and onions - at harvest, in storage and before shipping.
• Our wash plant is equipped with optical grading technology and foreign object removal systems that allow us to identify internal defects such as hollow-heart before the potatoes are bagged and shipped.
• Traceability from harvest through storage, washing, packing and shipping right to our customers door is provided by our unique software system.
• Kroeker Farms relies on its fabrication shop to manufacture new equipment and modify existing equipment in ways that improve our ability to produce top-quality crops. Most of the equipment used on the farm has been improved upon by the technicians in the fabrication shop.