The University of Manitoba Resources for Agricultural Engineering (UM-RAE) Office was officially launched in January 2024 to foster collaboration between the Manitoba Agriculture sector and the academic community, while advancing agricultural engineering capacity across the province. Operating within the Department of Biosystems Engineering and supported by the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP), the UM-RAE initiative is built around three strategic goals: i) Strengthening collaboration between Manitoba Agriculture and academic institutions; ii) Attracting and developing Biosystems engineers for Manitoba’s agricultural sector; and iii) Facilitating knowledge transfer through proactive communication strategies. Key personnel include Dr. Uduak Edet (Agricultural Research Extension Engineer), Dr. Donald Petkau (Engineer-in-Residence), and an advisory council with representatives from the Department of Biosystems Engineering (Prof. Danny Mann), Manitoba Agriculture (Van Doan), and PAMI (Lorne Grieger). An "Agricultural Engineering Network" online channel has been created to enable communication, knowledge sharing, and collaboration among professionals from agricultural engineering across the various sectors in Manitoba.
UM-RAE has partnered with industry, PAMI, and Manitoba Agriculture to deliver impactful research projects. Noteworthy initiatives include: i) A feasibility study on flax fibre extraction using a novel drip retting process; ii) An assessment of LED light flickering effects in poultry barns, and iii) Installation of a solar-powered controlled tile drainage demonstration site. Research into the use of thermal imaging to monitor moisture stress in potato fields is ongoing.
Figure 1. Installation of infrastructure for controlled tile drainage demonstration site.
Under Dr. Petkau’s mentorship, the UM-RAE Office has supported students through internships, capstone projects, and research opportunities. Industry-sponsored capstone projects have included the design of a 1/6th scale grain cart, a refrigeration trailer for local meat distribution, and a novel airflow unit for grain drying studies. Internship opportunities continue to expand in partnership with the Price Faculty’s Co-op Office.
Figure 2. Capstone project from 2024-2025 academic year.
UM-RAE actively shares research and innovation through presentations and interactions at various producers’ events such as Ag Days, CropConnect, the Manitoba Egg Farmers' Conference, the Keystone Agricultural Producers meeting, and Manitoba Pork's graduate reception. The office has also produced webinars and podcasts covering a wide range of topics, including digital technologies in livestock farming, controlled tile drainage systems, electric tractors, insect management in stored grains, and career reflections from leaders like Dr. Ying Chen. Complementing these efforts are practical fact sheets that translate technical findings into usable knowledge for farmers and the general public. Topics have included drip retting equipment, LED flicker in poultry housing, managing antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in manure, building aeroponic systems, remote supervision of autonomous machines, and a guide to careers in agricultural engineering. UM-RAE’s digital outreach also includes a growing Twitter presence, sharing updates on innovations, resources, and events.
The early achievements of the UM-RAE Office reflect the value of integrating research, education, and extension to meet the evolving needs of Manitoba’s agriculture sector.
For more information on UM-RAE, its projects, and resources, visit their official website https://umanitoba.ca/agricultural-food-sciences/make/um-rae
