CDA creates new industry partner program

(Press-News.org) The University of Illinois Center for Digital Agriculture (CDA) has launched a new partnership program for industry members to strengthen their ties to academia, technology, multidisciplinary research and professional development in a joint effort to tackle the globe’s most pressing agricultural challenges.

Unveiled in June, the CDA Industry Partner Program (IPP) offers members the opportunity to collaborate with world-renowned researchers and field experts to solve complex problems facing the industry, whether they stem from a changing climate, personnel shortages or any other hurdles that spring up. IPP members also have access to innovative technologies, cutting-edge research and other state-of-the-art tools to advance their strategic goals.

“It’s important for CDA to offer these opportunities for our industry partners,” said CDA Executive Director John Reid. “The union between academia and industry has influenced the course of human history in numerous ways, including the evolution of agriculture and food production. We’re excited to continue that collaboration and advance the field even further, together.”

The CDA program is a new component of the NCSA Industry Partner Program that has helped organizations overcome their biggest obstacles for more than 35 years.

CDA’s expertise combined with collaborations in applied research with agriculture companies is a perfect marriage with NCSA’s industry outreach. CDA brings faculty expertise, student talent and research in digital agriculture to address grand challenges that NCSA’s team of data science and genomics experts utilize to help these partner companies be as competitive globally.

Brendan McGinty, NCSA Industry Director The CDA was created to help agricultural producers, researchers and industries keep pace with the ways technology is transforming how we feed and support a growing global population. By leveraging connections with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, the Grainger College of Engineering and the National Center for Supercomputing Applications, the CDA focuses efforts on increased global productivity and sustainability that requires technical innovations surrounding automation, data, animals and crops, and people.

The IPP is another key element in CDA’s collaboration network.

“Dr. Reid’s experiences on both sides of the fence – in corporate and academic leadership roles – has made this partnership possible thanks to his deep understanding of how public-private partnerships can be made a reality,” McGinty said.

Industry partners have access to tiered member benefits, complimentary registration to CDA-sponsored events and options to direct membership fees to influence research, education and outreach. Interested parties can contact digitalag@illinois.edu for more information.

ABOUT THE CENTER FOR DIGITAL AGRICULTURE

The Center for Digital Agriculture (CDA) draws on Illinois’ historic land-grant pillars of agriculture and engineering to shape the future of the agriculture industry. The center brings together researchers, educators, industry and agricultural producers to transform how we feed and support a growing global population through innovative approaches. CDA also boasts a Master’s of Engineering in Digital Agriculture and six certificate programs that address the profound workforce shortage in this field by providing graduates and working professionals with in-depth knowledge and technical skills. CDA is a multidisciplinary effort at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign between the Grainger College of Engineering, the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, the National Center for Supercomputing Applications and the Institute for Genomic Biology. CDA also leads the Artificial Intelligence for Future Agricultural Resilience, Management, and Sustainability (AIFARMS) Institute which is supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the National Science Foundation.

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