Reading Time: 3 minutes Following your appointment as Alberta’s agriculture minister, you were praised for being “smart, grounded, and ‘a stand-up guy.’” Let’s hope everything I’ve read about you will prove true. But based on past experience, I am somewhat cynical, as I have asked your predecessors to take action on embedding effective farm safety within the elementary curricula… […] Read more

Opinion: An open letter to Agriculture Minister Devin Dreeshen
To be effective, farm safety education must be part of the regular curriculum in elementary schools
Canadian Agri-Business Education Foundation scholarships awarded
Reading Time: < 1 minute Emily Gross of Bow Island is one of six recipients of this year’s $2,500 Canadian Agri-Business Education Foundation scholarship. The scholarships are awarded to students entering or currently pursuing an agricultural or agri-food-related program at a Canadian college, university or technical institution. They are awarded based on a combination of leadership attributes, and an essay […] Read more

New program will encourage 4-H’ers to develop STEM skills
Reading Time: < 1 minute A new initiative will give 4-H’ers the opportunity to develop their skills and interest in the area of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics — a group of subjects known as STEM. For the first year of this initiative, 4-H clubs will take part in a science experiment ‘in a box.’ “With this initiative, our goal […] Read more
Educators invited to Ethiopia to learn about global hunger
Reading Time: < 1 minute Applications are being taken for a Canadian Foodgrains Bank’s youth educators’ tour to Ethiopia in August. Anyone who is an educator of youth or young adults is welcome to apply, including, school teachers, 4-H leaders, and church youth leaders. The delegation will learn about food security issues in Ethiopia, visit communities receiving support from the […] Read more
4-H scholarships open until May 31
Reading Time: < 1 minute There are a number of 4-H Canada scholarships available and applications are being accepted until May 31. The Leadership Excellence Awards of Distinction is open to senior youth members who have “outstanding accomplishments” in leadership. The scholarships, sponsored by CN Rail, are worth $20,000 over four years. There are 15 John Deere Canada scholarships, for […] Read more

New type of school offers fresh air and fresh thinking
Reading Time: 3 minutes Every day for the past six years, Lindsey Morrison’s son has asked her, ‘Mommy, do I have to go to school today?’ “I started to think of school as a jail sentence for him,” said the Airdrie-area mother. “For him, it’s just not a good fit for how he learns. It’s not a good fit […] Read more
New post-diploma program for agriculture technology
Applications open in fall 2019
Reading Time: < 1 minute The province has approved Olds College to offer a new post-diploma certificate in Agriculture Technology Integration. Designed for students who already hold a diploma or degree, the new certificate will provide them with an understanding of how related technologies and components interact to provide accurate information and real-time monitoring and controls to the agriculture producer. […] Read more
Scholarships for students pursuing an ag education
Application deadline is April 30
Reading Time: < 1 minute Applications are now open for scholarships offered by the Canadian Agri-Business Education Foundation. There are seven Pathways to Agri-Food Scholarships awarded across the country, including one in Alberta. They are given to students entering or currently pursuing an agricultural or agri-food-related program at a Canadian college, university, or technical institution. The scholarships are worth $2,500 […] Read more

Hemp-growing course offered online
Reading Time: < 1 minute Thinking about farming hemp for the first time or growing a small test plot? Norquest College is now offering an online Hemp Farming Course for both conventional or organic production with a special emphasis on harvesting methods, which are determined by what hemp product market is being targeted. The course has five modules and takes […] Read more

A new age of ag education is underway, says Olds College research director
Joy Agnew says ‘digital ag’ is revolutionizing how students are being trained in agriculture
Reading Time: 3 minutes Joy Agnew says her first few days at her new job were totally overwhelming — in a good way. After a nearly 10-year stint at the Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute, Agnew began her new job as director of applied research at Olds College in early January and hit the ground running. “The shift to digital […] Read more