By Blake Jackson
A partnership between the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine (Penn Vet) and Philadelphia-based tech firm AgriGates has earned statewide recognition through Pennsylvania’s inaugural Agricultural Innovation Grants.
This collaboration is advancing the future of animal agriculture by integrating artificial intelligence (AI), sensor technology, and humane animal care practices.
Dr. Thomas D. Parsons, the Marie A. Moore Endowed Chair and director of Penn Vet’s Swine Teaching and Research Center, and Daniel Foy, CEO and co-founder of AgriGates, were honored by Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding for their pioneering work.
The two were among 88 recipients selected from 45 counties to receive a share of $10 million in grants aimed at modernizing Pennsylvania’s agriculture sector.
“Investments in innovation like the ones we are seeing today are essential to keeping Pennsylvania agriculture strong, healthy, competitive, and future-ready,” said Redding. “With industry partners such as AgriGates and Penn Vet’s New Bolton Center, we are ensuring the long-term success and vitality of Pennsylvania’s agriculture industry. Thanks to the leadership of Governor Shapiro and the strong support of the General Assembly, we’re making it possible for farmers to modernize their operations, improve sustainability, and create jobs in rural communities.”
Parsons, who also leads the Center for Stewardship Agriculture and Food Security at Penn Vet, and Foy each received $31,000. Their collaborative project builds on over two decades of Parsons’ research using Electronic Sow Feeding (ESF) systems, which allow pregnant sows to receive individualized nutrition. The ESF technology minimizes food waste and supports animal welfare by reducing aggression and allowing group housing.
Their current work focuses on adapting ESF systems for nursing sows-animals that have the highest nutritional demands. “That’s probably when they have the most nutritional needs,” said Parsons. “This is an important time to be able to drill down and really fine-tune what we feed them and how we feed them.”
AgriGates is also using its grant to develop sensor technologies that collect massive data on animal behavior. “We got the Ag Innovation Grant from the state to help set up a sensor lab so we can build more sensor tools,” said Foy.
This tech, including Fitbit-like devices worn by pigs, gathers 17 million data points daily. “It’s the new frontier of precision livestock farming - understanding the animals,” Foy explained.
The research promises to revolutionize animal welfare, nutrition, and farm efficiency across Pennsylvania.
Photo Credit: istock-songqiuju
Categories: Pennsylvania, Education, Livestock, Hogs