by SUSAN MANN
The University of Guelph is working to improve its relationship with the agricultural community and long-time supporters in Ontario, says Malcolm Campbell, vice-president of research.
“I know the relationship that we’ve had in recent years has not been a stellar one and it’s one that we’re looking to improve right across the province by working together with communities,” he told delegates at the Dairy Farmers of Ontario annual meeting Wednesday in Toronto. “I hope you see a difference in years to come.”
Delegate Paul Henderson said during a question period he feels the university had lost its way and now he feels it’s “coming back home to the farm.”
Campbell told meeting participants the university’s new leadership team is involved in developing a new vision for the university, and what is emerging from that process is the importance of the agri-food sector.
The last time the university developed a strategic plan was 1995, Campbell said. “We were well over-due” to devise a new one.
The university of Guelph is the only university in Ontario that has a focus on agriculture and that “runs through the DNA of our particular institution,” he said. “It goes back to our founding colleges, the Ontario Agricultural College, Ontario Veterinary College and Macdonald Institute and also to when the university was formally founded in 1964.”
Henderson, a member of the Agricultural Research Institute of Ontario, which advises the provincial agriculture minister on strategic directions for research, said he realizes a critical mass is needed “for students to enjoy the university or college experience.”
However, “I really didn’t like the fact that Kemptville College was closed,” he noted. And “I do think it will lead to a lot of people in eastern Ontario being unable to” get the college experience.
The college was operated by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs as an agricultural college until 1997 when the campus operations and delivery of academic and skills training programs were transferred to the university. In March 2014, the university announced it was closing the college due to low enrolment, inefficient program delivery, aging buildings and low research output.
Henderson also stressed the importance of eastern Ontario to the province. There are far fewer farmers in the region now than when Kemptville College began in 1917 but “I don’t think we should forget eastern Ontario is down there and is still an important part of Ontario.” BF
Comments
I look forward to seeing what this means to the future of their relationship with Ag. Media.
To be accurate Mr. Campbell can not claim exclusivity for U of G in the field of ag research in this province. It should be noted that Trent University does good agricultural research and last time I checked Trent was still located in Peterborough ON!!
Agree with your statement but also there is more happening at other universities across the province .
I have toured Trent and others and the fact is field crops which are plants are studied intensely at other university campuses .
Thank you very much for pointing to the excellent agriculture-related research that is done at Trent University. You are absolutely correct. Several other universities and colleges in the province do some research, and some teaching, related to agriculture.
The DFO AGM talk focused on the University of Guelph. As such, the talk highlighted important features of U of G. These include both its 140+ year history in the crucial agriculture sector, and the University of Guelph Act - the provincial act that established the university in 1964 - that specifically placed agriculture as a core mandate for the University of Guelph 52 years ago. Agriculture research remains core business at U of G today - it comprises more than $90M of the $140M U of G research budget, and involves supporting agriculture research across its campuses, and 20 field stations, in collaboration with OMAFRA, throughout the province. These features do set U of G apart from other Ontario universities, notwithstanding the excellent research done by colleagues, generally in partnership with U of G, at other post-secondary institutions. In keeping with this, and precisely to your point, no claim was made to exclusivity by U of G in conducting agriculture-related research.
Please do let me know if you have other questions or comments about the research at U of G. We are always working to improve what we do, for our many stakeholders. Contact details can be found in the "Research" section of the U of G website (http://www.uoguelph.ca/research/)
I hope that this is helpful.
All the best,
Malcolm Campbell
The world of Agriculture is changing along with Government Policies, Who would ever think 10 years ago POT would be a legal crop to grow!This will open the door for young people to become farmers in a highly profitable market. Not only a domestic market that grows every second but a huge EXPORT market that now can be filled Legally by Canada's New Farmers. What a opportunity this is for U of G to introduce courses to grow ,cultivate and harvest medical Pot ,Research and develop new varieties aimed a curing cancers ,ALS and all other illnesses that modern medicine can not cure! Can you believe the business U of G can grow ,hopefully they will be leaders in this new industry, MEDICAL POT,GROW THE CURE! Bill Denby , OWNER of GROW THE CURE
Bill your Grow the cure is not correct . I don't think that smoking pot actually cures any thing but does help people to cope with their problem .
Now what about the bad side effects of pot ? Does it cause cancer ? Also as Dr Phil pointed out to a guest yesterday there are still the affects it has on ones brain cells . Evidence as shown by some posters here on BF !
Our son has ALS and has been using Medical pot for over a year ,he is now going to start using oil! It has slowed down the illness to a stand still ,he has started his recovery! Their are over 100's of different types of medical pot ,we have seen the results! We have spent a lot of money trying modern ways used by Doctors and they do not work. Medical pot gives people hope and a natural treatment, with no side effects! We have the living proof, Our Son ,Paul ,DO NOT BELEIVE always what you see on TV or the internet. Dr. Phil is not even a doctor ,he is a talk show host, like all the other phonies on TV! We grow the cure, Medical POT ,it works ,the pill pushers and pill manufactures will be out of business ,when people with a killing illness survive the death sentence using medical pot! Thanks for your comment. Bill Denby/ owner of GROW THE CURE
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