East-central Alberta’s Lakeland College is set to offer what’s billed as Canada’s first degree program in agriculture technology, as a two-year post-credential program, starting in September. The program, announced Wednesday, will consist of full-time studies at Lakeland’s campus at Vermilion, about 180 km east of Edmonton, plus “experiential learning practicums” off campus, en route to […] Read more
Alberta’s Lakeland to offer ag tech degree
College to launch first-in-Canada program in September
Pandemic brings trials and triumphs for ag students
Despite the difficult launch to their careers in the industry, students see bright future ahead
Reading Time: 6 minutes Brianna Dyck was supposed to be celebrating her college convocation the first weekend in June. But with post-secondary institutions shuttered by the pandemic, graduation was a small family affair. “My family has done a great job of trying to make it a big deal, but it feels like the school year should still be going […] Read more
Lethbridge College gets federal funds for Technology Access Centre
Reading Time: 2 minutes Lethbridge College is ready to help the agriculture industry after receiving one of the most significant applied research grants in the college’s history. The college was awarded one of just six new Technology Access Centres (TAC) across Canada by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) on May 19. The $1.75 million five-year renewable […] Read more
Ag dean receives dairy award of merit
Reading Time: < 1 minute Lakeland College’s dean of the School of Agricultural Sciences is this year’s winner of the John J Kennelly Western Canadian Dairy Seminar Award of Merit. The award was presented to Josie Van Lent at the Western Canadian Dairy Seminar last month. The award recognizes those who have made a substantial contribution to the western Canadian […] Read more
From the Alps to Alberta: This couple pays it forward
Reading Time: 3 minutes Last month, Armin and Rita Mueller donated $4 million to Lakeland College to purchase land and establish a bison herd at the college. Lakeland plans to offer a bison production course by September 2021 and the donation will allow it to expand its training in sustainable range and forage management. The following is a story […] Read more
It came from outer space, but now resides near Camrose
Researchers are trying to find a chunk of an asteroid that likely landed in a farmer’s field near the town
Reading Time: 3 minutes It’s not every day that researchers come to your field to look for space rocks. But that’s what happened to Camrose producer Rod Ross, after a meteor flew across the sky towards his farm on the last evening in August. “We had a rock that was about 50 kilograms, that might have been about the […] Read more
Small cheque and big excitement for animal science students
Reading Time: 2 minutes An $18.52 cheque caused excitement among Lakeland College animal science technology students earlier this year. Students involved in the commercial beef unit of the student-managed farm received the payment in March after an animal they sold was processed through certified sustainable operations of the beef-supply chain. That triggered Lakeland’s first cheque through the Canadian Beef Sustainability Acceleration […] Read more
Feds back $108-million push to automate farming
A consortium of groups, including three from Alberta, want to usher in a new era of advanced ag technology
Reading Time: 4 minutes It may not seem a priority given the weather and trade challenges farmers are facing — but now is the time to launch a new era of smart farms, AI, and robotics, say backers of a new $108-million tech fund. Ottawa is giving $49.5 million to the Canadian Agri-Food Automation and Intelligence Network (CAAIN), and […] Read more
Student-managed farms at Lakeland College work to reflect the industries they serve
No ivory towers when students are running the show
Reading Time: 3 minutes Students are running the show at Lakeland College, and that’s just how they — and their prospective employers — like it. “Our student-led model has really been our big success at the college,” said Geoff Brown, associate dean of agricultural sciences. “On our student-managed farms, we really try to mimic the industries we’re in. We’re […] Read more
Donation helps college expand its student-managed farm
Reading Time: 2 minutes When Roy Kubica retired from farming, he thought of his alma mater. Earlier this month, the Class of 1966 Lakeland College alumnus donated $500,000 to buy land for the college’s student-managed farm. “I have put it in my mind that I am giving away a farm,” said Kubica, who retired from farming with his brother […] Read more
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