I had several interactions recently that raised the issue of trust or social licence for agriculture to me again. I continue to be struck by the fact that many in agriculture think that if we just tell the public how good we are, they will trust and like us and give us the “licence,” or […] Read more
Tag Archives University of Guelph — page 7
Opinion: Agriculture needs a social contract with consumers
A conversation with consumers should be a reality for many agriculture markets
Early reporting and biosafety protocols needed for disease control
Farmers are generally the first to notice emerging infectious diseases and viruses
Farmers are at the front line of disease identification, a role that’s not always recognized. Why it matters: Infectious diseases pose a risk to animal and human health, farm production and have trade implications. “I think this year has shown us why we pay attention to infectious diseases,” said Dr. Scott Weese, professor at Ontario […] Read more
Artificial ingredients could reach dairy market first
The dairy sector will have challenges coming soon, especially as they relate to artificially created dairy proteins. Evan Fraser, director of the Arrell Food Institute at the University of Guelph, told the recent Dairy Farmers of Ontario annual meeting that there will be several issues for dairy farmers and regulators to grapple with. A San […] Read more
New agricultural worker safety course launched
The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) is launching an online training program for workers new to the agricultural sector, created in partnership with the University of Guelph — Ridgetown Campus Business Development Centre. The Ontario Agriculture Worker Safety and Awareness Certificate is geared towards helping job seekers become more familiar with on-farm safety, while making […] Read more
New meat scientist joins University of Guelph faculty
Latest hire continues rejuvenation of Guelph’s Animal Biosciences department
Professor Marcio Duarte is expected to soon join the University of Guelph’s Department of Animal Biosciences as assistant professor in meat science and muscle biology. Duarte is currently an assistant professor in animal science at the Universidade Federal de Viçosa in Brazil. Beef cattle are his main focus, although he also collaborates on swine research […] Read more
Agriculture investor partners with University of Guelph
SVG Ventures is considered the largest investor in agriculture startups in the world
The University of Guelph and SVG Ventures | Thrive, one of the world’s largest funders and accelerators of agriculture innovation, have announced a partnership. SVG Ventures | THRIVE is a Silicon Valley company that is connected to 5,000 startup companies in agriculture and food from 100 countries. It has made 40 investments in agriculture technology, […] Read more
Soybeans the key to Ontario’s plant protein future
Access to funding is a barrier to new processing investment
The burgeoning global market for plant proteins presents a huge opportunity for Ontario soybeans, but new investments in research and local processing will be key to capturing that potential, industry officials say. “We really want to drive towards more branded food products in Canada from the ingredients we produce here… As we get into this, […] Read more
The challenge with Bt
Insects are developing resistance to the formerly bulletproof building block of corn hybrid traits
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is considering a ban on some Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn and cotton hybrid traits in an effort to slow the proliferation of resistant pests. In Canada, where the number of control options is limited, this move might be a cause for concern. Why it matters: Tools to control […] Read more
Cover crops reduce nitrate leaching
40-year rotation trials find diverse rotation makes for more resilient crops
Research findings released recently from the Soil Health Monitoring Station at Elora, Ont. suggest including cover crops in a rotation could significantly reduce nitrate leaching. Using soil lysimeters installed at the Soil Health Monitoring Stage in 2016, researchers are exploring how crop rotations impact soil emissions. The lysimeters are large steel drums installed in ground […] Read more
Agriculture education evolves to fit modern needs
Colleges are offering shorter courses in regional settings to help fill the need for practical skills
Colleges are offering shorter courses in regional settings to help fill the need for practical skills
Post-secondary agriculture education in Ontario is diversifying to meet the labour and skill needs of the industry. Shorter, concentrated offerings are expected to help fill the need for more employees in agriculture. Why it matters: Agriculture education options for practical training have been limited, especially in the regions where potential farm workers live. Much has […] Read moreCyber-Savvy Farmer
