Ellery Burton, a graduate of the Royal Military College (RMC) Class of 2008, began his career as a varsity hockey player and mechanical engineering student, earning the prestigious A.C. Leonard award for the top fourth-year thesis. Burton’s research contributed to the life extension project for the CF-18 aircraft, focusing on cyclical fatigue and crack prevention—an early sign of his commitment to solving complex, real-world problems.
After serving as an engineering officer and pilot in the Canadian Armed Forces, Burton transitioned from the cockpit to the farm, founding Alterra Innovation. As President and CEO, Burton leads a company dedicated to developing advanced technologies for agriculture and clean energy. Their inventions, including the CleanTrace livestock traceability system, the Javelin firefighting device, and the GrainTracker platform—have made a significant impact on farm productivity, food safety, and environmental protection.
GrainTracker, one of Burton’s flagship innovations, is a digitized crop management and traceability system powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning. By collaborating with industry leaders like Phason, Elmer’s Manufacturing, and TheoryMesh, Burton has accelerated the development and deployment of GrainTracker across Canadian farms. The technology enables farmers to track every movement of their grain, automate inventory records, and optimize crop value and quality year after year.
Burton’s journey from RMC graduate and military pilot to CEO and agricultural innovator exemplifies a passion for leadership, teamwork, and problem-solving. Today, he continues to push boundaries—expanding GrainTracker’s reach to new crops, markets, and even international applications, while pursuing a Ph.D. in Biosystems Engineering to further advance smart farming and automation.
Learn more about Ellery Burton and the GrainTracker story: