Agricultural and Environmental Sciences - Alumni News

The little-known—and threatened—orcas of the North Atlantic

��ֱ�� — Tue, 10 Sep 2024 19:01:15 +0000

Anaïs Remili, PhD(AgEnvSc)'23, an ecotoxicologist and postdoctoral researcher, tracks contaminants that threaten the health of North Atlantic orcas. While Pacific orca populations are well studied, little is known about those that swim off the Canadian and European east coasts, and they are less protected.

Feeding Quebecers—alumni-founded Ferme Coopérative Tourne-Sol is thriving

��ֱ�� — Tue, 27 Aug 2024 20:37:25 +0000

Ferme Coopérative Tourne-Sol, founded by five ��ֱ�� graduates, supplies fresh, organic produce to about 700 families, and, with its seed business and planning tools, is giving a boost to fellow farmers and gardeners

By François Shalom for the ��ֱ�� Reporter

“We’re a Quebec business, we feed Quebecers. About 700 Quebec families eat well thanks to us. They eat organic, locally grown food—healthy food—and that’s important.”

The Jean-Martin Fortier phenomenon

��ֱ�� — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 15:24:39 +0000

In a recent article, L'actualité does a deep dive into small-scale farm enthusiast, author, and star of the popular series Les fermiers Jean-Martin Fortier (BA'02). This "rock-star" of organic microfarming in Quebec is highly regarded by many, though some have raised concerns that his presentation of the business as profitable and accessible to all is overly optimistic.

To remove CO2 from the atmosphere, this former ��ֱ�� postdoc's startup looks to biomass

��ֱ�� — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 19:32:50 +0000

In 2019, while doing post-doctoral research in ��ֱ��'s Department of Natural Resource Sciences, Qinhong Cai (better known as Tammy) travelled to Nunavut to join the Oceans Protection Plan, a federal initiative designed to improve marine safety and increase the protection and restoration of coastal and seaway ecosystems. Cai, an environmental engineer, was sent to monitor hydrocarbon contaminants and microbial genomics along the Kivalliq transportation corridor.

2024 inductees selected for Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame, including two former Mac professors

��ֱ�� — Wed, 26 Jun 2024 17:33:25 +0000

Four agricultural champions from across Canada have been selected by the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame as its 2024 inductees. Dr. Bruce Coulman, Dr. Michael Eskin, Paul Larmer and Dr. Charles Vincent will be formally inducted on November 2 at a ceremony during the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto, Ontario.

Louis Robert (BScAgr’82, MSc’86), from agriculture to art

��ֱ�� — Tue, 25 Jun 2024 20:42:57 +0000

There aren’t many agronomists who have a piece of artwork that carries their name, but ��ֱ�� Macdonald alum Louis Robert (BScAgr’82, MSc’86 – Agricultural Science and Plant Science) is one.

In conversation with Jamie Depolla, valedictorian for the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences ‘B’ ceremony

��ֱ�� — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 15:54:28 +0000

"The Mac Campus community is one of inclusivity, kindness and open-mindedness. I have felt loved, encouraged and pushed to do better every day."

In this special series of Q&As, ��ֱ��’s 2024 valedictorians share their insights and perspectives as they reflect on their academic journeys and look back at the moments that defined their time at ��ֱ��, from navigating the challenges of entering ��ֱ�� during the COVID pandemic to finding and fostering a sense of community.

��ֱ�� awards honorary doctorate to Marcel Groleau

��ֱ�� — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 14:53:51 +0000

By Myriam Laplante El Haïli, originally published in La terre de chez nous

On June 5, Marcel Groleau, former president of the Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA), was awarded ��ֱ��'s highest honor, an honorary doctorate. The distinction underlines the important legacy Mr. Groleau leaves to Quebec's agricultural sector.

In conversation with Anna Gleason, valedictorian for the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences ‘A’ ceremony

��ֱ�� — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 21:33:01 +0000

"��ֱ�� made me more comfortable with being myself and it gave me more confidence in both social and academic settings."

Ottawa Valley Farm to Fork finds new revenue stream in growing field of agritourism

��ֱ�� — Wed, 15 May 2024 20:45:44 +0000

What started as a Mac alum and her husband's humble vegetable garden has grown into an Ottawa Valley agri-tourism destination offering everything from accommodation and dining to education and tours, the Ottawa Business Journal writes.

In April, Ottawa Valley Farm to Fork received the new tourism product award from the Ottawa Valley Tourism Association for the farm’s focus on agri-tourism, including its farm-to-table dining events.

Video: AI in milk production

��ֱ�� — Tue, 14 May 2024 15:19:40 +0000

Dairy producers know that the slightest change in the behavior of cows can give an indication of their state of health. But since they can't be everywhere at once, artificial intelligence could help improve and extend the lives of their livestock. In ��ֱ��'s Macdonald Campus farm, researchers are developing tools to detect problems before they occur.

New ECP3 greenhouse unveiled

��ֱ�� — Mon, 06 May 2024 20:46:40 +0000

From left to right: Roseann O’Reilly Runte (Director of CFI, Government of Canada), Hugo Dionne (Québec government representative), Marie-Claude Bibeau (Minister of National Revenue and MP for Compton—Stanstead), Peter Moffett (Director of CORSÈVE), Sébastien Roy (Professor of Biology, Université de Sherbrooke), Anja Geitmann (Dean of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, ��ֱ��), Carole Beaulieu (Dean of Science, Université de Sherbrooke), Pierre Cossette (Rector, Université de Sherbrooke), Catherine Latendresse (Head of Communications, METRO).

Breaking boundaries: Bioresource Engineering shines at ��ֱ�� Design Day debut

��ֱ�� — Wed, 01 May 2024 13:44:46 +0000

Generations of Bioresource Engineering students have participated in the BREE 495 capstone design course. What innovative ideas did this year’s students come up with?

Microgreens: Grow fast, eat young

��ֱ�� — Wed, 01 May 2024 14:06:26 +0000

Pictured above: Greenhouse production of sunflower microgreens in biodegradable containers.

By David Wees, agr., Faculty Lecturer, Farm Management & Technology Program and Dept. of Plant Science, FAES

Ah, spring: that time of year when farmers and gardeners can’t wait to plant. Even apartment dwellers want to see some green, but with most of the world’s population now living in urban areas, space to grow may be limited.

Mac students inspire next-gen scientists at John Abbott Sustainability Through Science Symposium

��ֱ�� — Wed, 01 May 2024 13:41:50 +0000

Pictured (from left to right): ��ֱ��/Mac representatives Ingrid Chiraz and Andrew Churchill; grad students: Jasmine Muszik, Mehtab Singh, Aylish Marshall; JAC representatives Sean Hughes and Karim Jaffer

By Kathy MacLean

In the dynamic landscape of scientific inquiry, effective communication is not merely an option; it's a necessity. Bridging the gap between complex research and broader audiences fosters understanding, sparks curiosity, and drives positive change.

Update from Faculty Leadership

��ֱ�� — Wed, 01 May 2024 21:06:34 +0000

Now that our senior leaders have had a few months to settle into their new positions, find out what’s been happening on campus.

By Professor Anja Geitmann and Acting Dean Valérie Orsat

Chris Buddle: Artist, poet, conservationist

��ֱ�� — Mon, 29 Apr 2024 18:51:15 +0000

Most members of the ��ֱ�� community know Chris Buddle as a professor, an entomologist, a researcher, or a ��ֱ�� administrator. But Buddle is a man of many more talents, which you can read all about in a new ��ֱ�� Reporter article.

On May 22, he will launch A Portrait of Astonishing Nature, a remarkable collection of original poetry and watercolour paintings that pay loving tribute to the plants and animals around us.

Up to the (dairy) challenge

��ֱ�� — Tue, 16 Apr 2024 15:26:08 +0000

When it comes to valuable outside-the-classroom learning experiences, a competition attended by a team of students from ��ֱ��’s Macdonald Campus ticked all the boxes.

Four students in the Farm Management and Technology (FMT) program travelled to California in early April for the 2024 North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge.

Canada and Quebec are preparing for another heavy forest fire season

��ֱ�� — Thu, 11 Apr 2024 20:04:25 +0000

No one can say for sure whether Canada’s 2024 wildfire season will be as devastating as last year, when 15 million hectares of forest burned and over 230,000 people had to be evacuated from their communities, but the relative lack of snow this winter, drought conditions in several regions and an early start to fire season have officials on high alert.

An appetite for business—��ֱ�� experience helped dietetics student build a company that’s true to her values

��ֱ�� — Wed, 10 Apr 2024 16:26:18 +0000

Although Zoey Li, BSc(NutrSc)’17, always had an interest in business, she never expected to launch a company that helps people take charge of their health.

Li, who was recently named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 in the food and beverage category, built her success on her ability to find opportunities, develop new skills and make connections, as an undergraduate and afterward.

Thousands flock to John Abbott to take in solar eclipse

��ֱ�� — Wed, 10 Apr 2024 15:49:42 +0000

On Monday, ��ֱ�� played host to thousands of people for the spectacular solar eclipse with a series of public events at the downtown campus, the Gault Nature Reserve, and on the West Island (with Macdonald Campus collaborating with John Abbott College).

Near perfect weather conditions – especially following last week’s snowfall – drew throngs of Montrealers outside to take part in what will be for many, a once-in-a-lifetime event.

Celebrating our exceptional student leaders

��ֱ�� — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 22:01:31 +0000

Macdonald community members gathered at the Ceilidh on Wednesday, April 3, to celebrate the Gold Key Recipients for 2024. Students, staff, friends, and family listened in as Daniil Batanau, Henry Cordoba Novoa, Sara Kosumi, Philippe Leblond, and Henry Lee shared their inspiring stories of how they became involved in community life at Macdonald Campus and how rewarding it has been for them to give back to their fellow students.

Artificial intelligence in the barn

��ֱ�� — Tue, 02 Apr 2024 19:54:31 +0000

Imagine cows roaming freely in a barn equipped with cameras and sensors linked to artificial intelligence in a system that predicts their mood and lifespan. Implementing such a system is the mission of the new Research and Innovation Chair in Animal Welfare and Artificial Intelligence (WELL-E), created jointly by ��ֱ�� and UQAM thanks to $5 million in funding over five years.

Ottawa Valley Farm Show highlights latest technology and techniques in Canadian farming

��ֱ�� — Thu, 14 Mar 2024 21:15:52 +0000

The Ottawa Valley Farm Show, a cornerstone event for the agricultural industry, not only celebrates the achievements of local farmers but also showcases the latest agricultural products and technologies essential for sustaining industry growth.

Caitlin Allen, a recent graduate of ��ֱ��'s Farm Management and Technology Program, aspires to one day own a dairy farm, but knows that passion and hard work are just part of the puzzle. Innovation is crucial.

Macdonald Campus Farm ranked best managed dairy herd in Vaudreuil−Soulanges

��ֱ�� — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 19:33:35 +0000

Each year, Lactanet recognizes top performing herds and outstanding dairy herd management based on the Herd Performance Index. ��ֱ��'s Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences is very proud to share Macdonald Campus Farm’s results for 2023 and to underline the farm’s ranking:

1 of 29 herds in Vaudreuil−Soulanges
4 of 189 herds in the Montérégie−Ouest region

School of Human Nutrition Student Wins Prix Étoiles Montantes Yves-Deshaies du Réseau CMDO

��ֱ�� — Tue, 27 Feb 2024 21:41:10 +0000

Macdonald Campus student Meryem Talbo (BSc(NutrSc)'17, MSc(NutrSc)'19; pictured above on the right) has been awarded the Prix Étoiles Montantes Yves-Deshaies du Réseau CMDO, revealed during the Joint Scientifique meeting of the CMDO network and the Société Québécoise de Lipidologie, de Nutrition et de Métabolisme (SQLNM) held in February.

Why the price of bananas stays low and steady

��ֱ�� — Tue, 27 Feb 2024 19:39:56 +0000

Although bananas are not immune to price spikes, as seen recently due to poor harvests, the desire of retailers to keep them affordable and an efficient production chain largely explain why the popular fruit remains among the most accessible in the supermarket year round, agronomist and economist Pascal Thériault, ��ֱ�� Farm Management and Technology Program Director, told La Presse.

How ��ֱ�� alum and Canadian wheat warrior Margaret Newton helped fight against a rusty menace

��ֱ�� — Tue, 20 Feb 2024 21:24:43 +0000

In the second installment of their "brief history of wheat" series for Good News Grows, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada tells the story of ��ֱ�� alum Margaret Newton (BSA 1918, MSc 1919) and her rise in the world of Canadian agriculture.

Macdonald Farm: A unique place of learning on the island of Montréal

��ֱ�� — Tue, 20 Feb 2024 20:48:14 +0000

La famille du lait featured our very own Macdonald Campus Farm in their online magazine, speaking to General Manager Janice Pierson.

The organic songs of BSc(Ag.Env.Sc.) Alum Shaina Hayes

��ֱ�� — Tue, 20 Feb 2024 19:47:33 +0000

Ahead of the release of her second album, Kindergarten Heart , expected on February 23, Mac Campus alum Shaina Hayes spoke to Le Devoir about where she finds inspiration for her work and the connection between her farming and her music.

Evan Henry: A Journey of Passion and Impact

��ֱ�� — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 14:47:11 +0000

Evan Henry (BSc(AgEnvSc)'15, MSc (Bioresource Engineering)'16) has recently taken on the role of Associate Director at the ��ֱ�� Sustainable Systems Initiative (MSSI), marking a significant milestone in his career journey. Having traversed from ��ֱ��'s Macdonald Campus as an undergraduate to co-founding a successful beekeeping technology company, Nectar Technologies, and now returning to ��ֱ��, Evan's trajectory epitomizes a blend of academic excellence, entrepreneurial spirit, and dedication to sustainability.

Feeding Hearts, Nourishing Communities: The Mac Shares Meal Event

��ֱ�� — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 14:43:36 +0000

By Kathy MacLean, B.Sc. (Agr)’81, Manager Communications and Planning, Macdonald Campus

In our busy lives, sometimes a moment arises that genuinely connects us, reminding us of the profound impact of community and compassion. Recently, just as I began to yearn for such an experience amidst the virtual meetings and emails, the School of Human Nutrition's Mac Shares Meal Event caught my attention, offering a unique opportunity to give back to those in need.

Farm Management and Technology students celebrate Canada's Ag Day at Future of Food Conference

��ֱ�� — Wed, 14 Feb 2024 21:08:03 +0000

On Canada's Agriculture Day on February 13, year 2 and 3 students in ��ֱ��'s Farm Management and Technology (FMT) program attended the Future of Food conference in Ottawa, thanks to sponsors Farm Credit Canada and CropLife Canada. This one-day event features speakers and industry leaders in Canadian agriculture and food discussing innovation and how Canada can shape the food industry.

Spotlighting ��ֱ��’s women in STEM

��ֱ�� — Thu, 08 Feb 2024 14:43:59 +0000

This Sunday, February 11, marks the United Nation’s International Day of Women and Girls in Science, which promotes full and equal access to science for women and girls.

According to the UN, a significant gender gap persists at all levels of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines all over the world. Even though women have made tremendous progress towards increasing their participation in higher education, most countries, no matter their level of development, have not achieved gender equality in STEM.

Lunchbox specialist Cook it takes refuge from creditors to be bought out

��ֱ�� — Mon, 05 Feb 2024 22:33:34 +0000

Times are tough in the ready-to-eat and boxed meal industries. In order to be able to continue in business, Cook it has taken steps to protect itself from creditors, and is planning to be bought out by British Columbia-based Fresh Prep Foods.

Deglaciated Soils: Microorganisms emerging from melting glaciers

��ֱ�� — Thu, 01 Feb 2024 19:15:13 +0000

Growing up in Minnesota, ��ֱ�� PhD student Scott Sugden spent a lot of time outdoors, particularly canoeing and backpacking in the Arctic.

The Arctic became a landscape that he cared deeply about. It led to work in outdoor education, a high school biology classroom, and now as a researcher in environmental microbiology.

Potential for Chickpea Production in the Northeast

��ֱ�� — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 16:40:51 +0000

In a new article for The Maine Organic Farmer & Gardener, Javed Sidiqi, Eric Bishop Von Wettberg and ��ֱ�� Plant Science Assistant Professor Valerio Hoyos Villegas dive into the potential of the humble chickpea, an increasingly popular legume known for high nutritional value and nitrogen-fixing properties.

A day of learning in the Longhouse

��ֱ�� — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 20:31:38 +0000

On November 22, a delegation of ��ֱ�� senior academic leaders, including Interim Vice-President (Global Engagement) and Department of Plant Science Professor Anja Geitmann, Associate Provost (Teaching and Academic Programs) and Department of Natural Resource Sciences Professor Christopher Buddle, and School of Human Nutrition Professor Treena Wasonti:io Delormier, visited the Mohawk commun

Mac Alum Appointed Deputy Director General-Research at the International Crops Research Institute

��ֱ�� — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 20:15:22 +0000

The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) has announced their appointment of Dr. Stanford Blade (PhD(AgEnvSc)'91) as Deputy Director General-Research. Dr. Blade holds a Ph.D. from ��ֱ�� for plant breeding/cropping systems research, conducted at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and supported by a Government of Canada Doctoral Scholarship.

Mac Alum named Associate Director of ��ֱ�� Sustainable Systems Initiative

��ֱ�� — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 19:48:42 +0000

We are pleased to share that Evan Henry (BSc(AgEnvSc)'15, MSc (Bioresource Engineering)'16) has recently taken on the role of Associate Director at the ��ֱ�� Sustainable Systems Initiative (MSSI). Evan is widely recognized and highly esteemed within the Macdonald Campus community for his active involvement in student life and his contributions to the establishment of the ��ֱ�� Apicultural Association.

Canada's Food Guide may be less accurate for seniors

��ֱ�� — Mon, 22 Jan 2024 20:57:34 +0000

Seniors aged 65 and over who meet the recommendations of Canada's new Food Guide may not be getting enough of some important nutrients, warns a new study published by researchers at ��ֱ��: their diet may not contain enough folate, vitamin D and calcium.

The rise of vertical farming

��ֱ�� — Mon, 22 Jan 2024 18:32:17 +0000

In the contemporary agricultural landscape, interest in vertical farming is surging. This alternative to conventional methods can allow farmer's to cultivate crops in compact spaces, maximizing output without expanding horizontally by instead cultivating crops in vertically stacked layers or inclined surfaces. Increasing land use efficiency is critical as the world grapples with limited arable land, especially in urban areas.

Palm oil giants push out smallholders in Guatemala; deforestation risks remain

��ֱ�� — Wed, 17 Jan 2024 16:03:17 +0000

Guatemala is now the third-largest palm oil producer after Malaysia and Indonesia (which produce 88% of the global supply) and is often seen as a more sustainable alternative. Today, more than 60% of Guatemala’s plantations are certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO). High certification rates are largely attributed to plantations owned by a handful of producers, making it easier to certify large chunks of the industry, according to RSPO.

��ֱ�� Macdonald Campus Student Wins Canadian Plant Breeding Innovation Award

��ֱ�� — Wed, 10 Jan 2024 18:43:58 +0000

For the fourth year in a row, a ��ֱ�� Plant Science student has won one of three annual Canadian Plant Breeding Innovation (CPBI) Innovation scholarships, which recognize up-and-coming young plant breeders.

Do Wild Varieties of Crops Hold the Key To Developing More Resilient Agriculture?

��ֱ�� — Tue, 02 Jan 2024 18:44:11 +0000

As hostile weather intensifies, plant breeding focused on climate-adapted crops has taken on a sense of urgency.

With cultivated crops often suffering from a lack of genetic diversity making them more susceptible to diseases and pests, scientists are now turning to wild varieties, which can offer valuable yet previously overlooked genetic traits. By crossing the wild tepary bean with a black bean or a pinto bean, for example, scientists may be able to breed a new variety that can better endure similar harsh environmental conditions that its relative thrived in.

��ֱ�� Bioresource Engineering student wins Feed Your Future scholarship

��ֱ�� — Fri, 22 Dec 2023 00:35:20 +0000

AgCareers.com has awarded their second Canadian Feed Your Future Scholarship to Sarah Van Heyst, a ��ֱ�� student working towards her M.Sc. in Bioresource Engineering.

AgCareers.com created the Feed Your Future $1,000 Scholarship to financially assist a Canadian post-secondary student studying agriculture or intending to pursue a career in agriculture, in support of the organization's goal to "Feed the World with Talent" by supporting education and career opportunities in agriculture and food.

Macdonald Students Win Awards at Canadian Society of Plant Biologists Meeting

��ֱ�� — Wed, 20 Dec 2023 22:31:33 +0000

At the Eastern Regional Meeting of the Canadian Society of Plant Biologists (CSPB-SCBV) earlier this month, three ��ֱ�� Department of Plant Science students received CSPB-SCBV Director's Awards for their outstanding presentations. University students from all over Quebec and Ontario shared their research in poster and oral presentations. Congratulations to our winners:

Mac Campus dairy takes 2nd place in regional award for milk excellence

��ֱ�� — Wed, 06 Dec 2023 20:09:25 +0000

The Macdonald Campus Dairy Unit has once again been named one of the best in the region at the 35th Agropur Club of Excellence for Milk Quality Awards.

Zoey Li, ��ֱ�� Nutrition alumna, named to Forbes 30 under 30

��ֱ�� — Wed, 06 Dec 2023 15:48:09 +0000

Congratulations to Mac alumna Zoey Li BSc(NutrSc)’17, who has been named to Forbes 2024 30 under 30 list in the food and drink category. This list honours the industry's brightest young entrepreneurs who are redefining the way we eat, drink and think about consumption.

‘Business as usual is not going to cut it’: Niki Ashton on feds’ economic update and wildfires

��ֱ�� — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 20:22:00 +0000

As the ash settles on Canada’s record wildfire season, “business as usual from the federal government is not going to cut it,” NDP MP Niki Ashton told Canada’s National Observer.

From coursework to conservation: how students brought the pollination meadow project to life

��ֱ�� — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 19:40:32 +0000

It's not every day that a university assignment transforms into a real-world conservation initiative. Yet, that's precisely what happened with the Macdonald Campus Pollination Meadow project. What began as coursework evolved into an ecological marvel, all thanks to the hard work and vision of a group of Macdonald students led by Alex Kuijper Dickson BEng’23 (Bioresource) and Heather Brown BSc(AgEnvSc)’24.

Ărramăt Project: harnessing Indigenous wisdom for biodiversity conservation and community well-being

��ֱ�� — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 19:32:22 +0000

Imagine living in a world where the wisdom of Indigenous communities guides our actions towards biodiversity and human health. This isn't just a vision; it's becoming a reality through the groundbreaking initiative known as Ărramăt. This New Frontiers in Research funded project is a pioneering effort to acknowledge and amplify the voices of Indigenous peoples, empowering them to share their knowledge about the environment's role in promoting health and well-being.

Bridging worlds: the Northern Research Knowledges Lab's collaborative approach to conservation in Canada's North

��ֱ�� — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 19:18:57 +0000

As the Arctic wind whistles through Canada's northern wilderness, a unique collaboration is unfolding between scientists and Indigenous communities. Graduate and Postdoctoral students in the Northern Research Knowledges Lab, under the leadership of Dr. Murray Humphries, are redefining how scientific research is conducted.

The hidden value of nature: enhancing our well-being

��ֱ�� — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 18:12:45 +0000

In our busy everyday lives, it's easy to overlook our deep-rooted connection with nature. The connection is not just about the nourishment we derive or the air we breathe; nature subtly but significantly enhances our well-being. This intriguing intersection is where ��ֱ�� Department of Natural Resource Sciences PhD candidate Jackie Hamilton directs her research.

Teaching biodiversity at Macdonald Campus

��ֱ�� — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 17:42:10 +0000

Dr. Murray Humphries (PhD’01), a passionate wildlife biology professor at the Macdonald Campus, spends his days immersed in the fascinating world of biodiversity—the colorful, complex tapestry of life on Earth. At the Macdonald Campus, we don't just study this diversity, we celebrate it.

Expert report imagines possible futures for this ecologically rich slice of Nova Scotia

��ֱ�� — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 18:00:08 +0000

The tidal wetlands and dykelands of the inner Bay of Fundy are critical ecosystems in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, providing essential benefits to human and non-human communities.

These ecosystems offer biodiverse habitats, protection from coastal flooding, and cultural value for Indigenous, Acadian, and other communities. However, they are increasingly threatened by climate change, making their management more complex and their future uncertain.

How the Spike in Farmland Prices is Affecting Canadian Farmers

��ֱ�� — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 17:39:52 +0000

The spike in farmland prices has boosted the equity of farmers all across Canada. Are farmers leveraging this new-found equity to generate new business opportunities or farm wealth? To explore what farmland values mean for farms and farming across Canada, Country Guide sat down with Pascal Thériault, agricultural economist at Macdonald Campus, ��ֱ�� and vice-president of Quebec’s Ordre des agronomes.

The ROI on DNA: Gene Editing a Game Changer for Farmers

��ֱ�� — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 15:38:02 +0000

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency recently approved gene editing for use in breeding new crop varieties, meaning plant breeders can now apply the technology to their work. Gene editing has the potential to quickly develop new varieties with greater accuracy in targeting traits such as drought and disease resistance, with promising agronomic and trade implications for farmers.

AI for data analysis in agriculture

��ֱ�� — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 18:28:24 +0000

In the not-so-far-off future, artificial intelligence could help farmers analyze data to make decisions and improve their outputs.

“The bottleneck right now is that farmers have data but don’t necessarily know what it means. They often need a specialist to figure it out,” says Felippe Karp, a PhD candidate in ��ֱ��'s Bioresource Engineering department and member of the Precision Agriculture and Sensor Systems (PASS) research team led by Professor Viacheslav Adamchuk.

Mac alum named Agriculture in the Classroom Executive Director

��ֱ�� — Wed, 08 Nov 2023 18:30:23 +0000

Agriculture in the Classroom Canada (AITC-C) has named Mathieu Rouleau as their new executive director.

Based in Quebec, Rouleau grew up on a dairy, grain, and maple syrup farm and holds a Bachelor in Agricultural Economics, Agricultural Business and Agronomy from ��ֱ��.

India's millet revival: How the once-neglected seed is making a comeback

��ֱ�� — Mon, 06 Nov 2023 21:33:42 +0000

Millet, once a staple in Indian cooking and agriculture before being superseded by rice, is at the centre of a massive promotional campaign launched by the Indian government.

The healthy and hardy cereal, which thrives in arid and difficult conditions in which other crops cannot survive and requires less water, is being touted as a "superfood" that could force a more nutritious diet on India's population, and also help mitigate the devastating effects of climate change on the South Asian country.

Charles Vincent inducted into the Quebec Agricultural Hall of Fame

��ֱ�� — Wed, 01 Nov 2023 12:48:27 +0000

Photo: La Terre de Chez Nous

The crème de la crème of the agricultural world gathered in the grand ballroom of the Château Frontenac on October 21 to honor three new inductees to the Quebec Agricultural Hall of Fame.

Tributes were paid to André D. Beaudoin, Charles Vincent and Réjean Vermette (pictured above from left to right), under the watchful eye of the dignitaries in attendance, including the provincial Minister of Agriculture, André Lamontagne.

A flood of ideas from ��ֱ��’s Brace Water Centre

��ֱ�� — Wed, 25 Oct 2023 18:54:05 +0000

Located on Macdonald Campus, many would mistake the Brace Water Centre's unassuming office for a private residence. Yet looks can be deceiving – for not only does the Centre boast an extraordinary history, it’s also associated with some of the University’s most exciting scientific researchers.

Birds nesting in agricultural lands more vulnerable to extreme heat, study finds

��ֱ�� — Wed, 25 Oct 2023 18:46:49 +0000

As climate change intensifies extreme heat, farms are becoming less hospitable to nesting birds, a new study found. That could be another barrier to maintaining rapidly eroding biodiversity that also provides benefits to humans, including farmers who get free pest control when birds eat agricultural pests.

��ֱ�� establishes research chair to address climate change in the North

��ֱ�� — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 17:25:13 +0000

As Canadians experience a year of record-breaking wildfires, floods, and extreme heat, experts are warning that these conditions will persist and likely intensify over the coming decades as we experience the escalating effects of climate change and global warming. These impacts are being felt even more acutely in northern regions of the planet, where temperatures are rising at four times the global rate.

From AI to robot butchers, automating the meat packing industry is not cut-and-dried

��ֱ�� — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 15:32:24 +0000

Artificial intelligence, automation and robotics are reshaping many parts of the economy, and experts say the meat-processing sector could benefit from improved technology to overcome labour shortages, improve food safety and remain competitive against alternatives like plant-based proteins.

Change has been slow, but companies are making strides, such as using robotics to transport heavy animal carcasses within a facility, to stack and move boxes for delivery and to optimize transportation loads to reduce the amount of trucking.

2023 Distinguished Alumni announced

��ֱ�� — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 18:54:13 +0000

Congratulations to Marc Bieler DipAgr’58, BA’64, Nicolas Chatel-Launay BSc(AgEnvSc)’14 and B. Pratyusha Chennupati MSc’13 who will receive Macdonald Distinguished Alumni Awards at the Homecoming Lunch on Saturday, October 21.

Social environments are important determinants of nutritional risk among older-aged adults

��ֱ�� — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 14:52:37 +0000

According to a new study published in The Journal of Nutrition by a team including Associate Professor Daiva Nielsen and other researchers from ��ֱ��'s School of Human Nutrition, a supportive social environment may protect against nutritional risk among middle and older-aged adults.

Achieving alternate futures in the Anthropocene

��ֱ�� — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 14:19:23 +0000

A recent article, written by a team which includes Professor Elena Bennett in ��ֱ��’s Department of Natural Resource Sciences, explores the challenges of the Anthropocene, a new geological epoch defined by humans' colossal impact on the environment. To counteract this widescale destruction, the researchers propose that imagination is a hopeful yet complicated tool for creating a positive environmental future.

Your 2023 guide to chasing fall foliage across Quebec

��ֱ�� — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 19:52:34 +0000

Across Quebec, we're already seeing leaves start to transition from bright summery greens to the burnished, coppery hues of Fall—but the changes aren’t happening because the days are chillier. As ��ֱ�� Plant Science Lecturer David Wees told the Montreal Gazette last year, it's actually because the days are getting shorter.

Sports Logging: She'd never touched an axe before coming to ��ֱ��

��ֱ�� — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 19:10:34 +0000

Even though she grew up on a farm, Stéphanie Naud had never touched an axe or saw before studying at ��ֱ��'s Mac campus. As a natural athlete who loved the outdoors and working with her hands, when she heard about our unique inter-university lumberjack club, she was intrigued, she recently told Le journal de Montréal.

Oh my gourd! Giant pumpkins in Lennoxville, QC

��ֱ�� — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 20:44:22 +0000

With fall officially here, it's time for Lennoxville, Quebec's annual Giant Pumpkin Festival, where people can see pumpkins that weigh as much as 680 kilograms.

The festival — which is taking place at the Amédée Beaudoin community centre Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. — is a family event with bouncy castles, a petting zoo, a farmers' market, music and even horse-drawn carriages.

Alexandre Lemire started growing giant pumpkins three years ago after being inspired by festival founder Mike Macdonald's crops. Last year, his biggest pumpkin weighed 704 kilograms.

How can the use of plastics in agriculture become more sustainable?

��ֱ�� — Wed, 27 Sep 2023 20:30:12 +0000

It is impossible to imagine modern agriculture without plastics—12 million tons are used every year. But what about the environmental consequences? An international team of authors, including ��ֱ�� Department of Bioresource Engineering Professor Jan Franklin Adamowski and Department of Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry Associate Professor and Chair Stéphane Bayen, addresses this question in a recent study.

The Impact of Wildfires on Birds in Canada

��ֱ�� — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 16:33:24 +0000

This was the worst year for Canadian wildfires on record and though fire season is not yet over, we can already start to see and look at some of the impact of fires on our ecosystems across the country. One population particularly affected by the fires this summer is birds.

Nationwide tracking sought for rare disease that is spread by canines, fatal if untreated

��ֱ�� — Wed, 20 Sep 2023 16:17:35 +0000

As cases creep upward of a rare disease that spreads to humans from wild canines and dogs, medical experts say it's important to get a better understanding of its incidence across the country.

Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is an infection caused by the parasite Echinococcus multilocularis, which is carried by coyotes, dogs and foxes. The tapeworm common in Europe was first detected in wildlife in Western Canada in 2012; one year later, the first human case of AE was found in a woman in rural Alberta.

Will California floods impact Quebec's food availability and price?

��ֱ�� — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 19:58:36 +0000

“In Quebec, it hasn't been good this year either. We lose California, there's still Florida, there's still Mexico. We hope that it goes well somewhere because we will pay for it, one day," ��ֱ�� agronomist and economist Pascal Thériault told 98.5fm host Luc Ferrandez.

Quebec imports fruits, vegetables, and wine from California.

Climate change made weather conditions that powered Quebec fires twice as likely, scientists say

��ֱ�� — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 19:34:08 +0000

The record-setting wildfires that ripped through Quebec this summer were made more likely and more intense by human-caused climate change, according to a new analysis conducted by 16 researchers within the World Weather Attribution group, from universities and meteorological agencies in Canada, the Netherlands, the U.K. and the U.S.

‘Modernizing agriculture an imperative need for food production’

��ֱ�� — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 19:22:13 +0000

Modernization of agriculture is imperative for food production, Vijaya Raghavan, Distinguished James ��ֱ�� Professor from Canada, said on Tuesday while inaugurating the Eighth Agricultural Graduate Students’ Conference at the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University.

Scientists and agricultural students have a significant role to play in achieving integrated food production, Prof. Vijaya Raghavan emphasized.

Canada’s devastating wildfire season prompts calls for new approach

��ֱ�� — Wed, 16 Aug 2023 18:43:28 +0000

The wildfires that ravaged Canada this summer have some experts calling for a more aggressive approach than the country has applied in the past.

This year, nearly 30 million acres have burned across Canada. In eastern provinces such as Quebec, where blazes are less common, wildfire agencies that are equipped to fight fewer and smaller fires were largely unprepared for the circumstances.

Take a look inside this Montreal restaurant's basement farm

��ֱ�� — Wed, 16 Aug 2023 18:13:04 +0000

A restaurant in Montreal's Southwest borough is taking a more direct interpretation of "farm to table," growing much of their produce in the basement, refurbished with cooling, lighting, and humidity systems.

Café Monk co-owners Peter Simard and Eric Pineault call the refurbished bunker Ferme Fortuna. Since building the farm during the pandemic, when produce prices were spiking and stock was unreliable, they've used the farm to supplement the menu and sell the surplus to nearby restaurants.

Montreal looks to boost lagging participation in food waste collection

��ֱ�� — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 00:02:35 +0000

All residential buildings in Montreal with under nine units now have brown bins—but only 63 per cent actually sort out their food waste, according to a 2021 survey conducted by the city. Meanwhile, the Lachenaie landfill in Terrebonne—the only landfill in the Montreal area—is set to reach its capacity in 2029.

The city says a large-scale food waste awareness campaign will launch later this year to try to boost citizens' participation in separating out organics.

Palm oil plantations and deforestation in Guatemala: Certifying products as 'sustainable' is no panacea

��ֱ�� — Thu, 27 Jul 2023 23:50:15 +0000

Palm oil, which can be found in roughly half of all packaged supermarket products, is notorious for causing deforestation and biodiversity loss. Efforts to curtail the damage have largely focused on voluntary environmental certification programs that label qualifying palm-oil sources as "sustainable."

Natural structures can give rise to stronger, lighter systems

��ֱ�� — Wed, 26 Jul 2023 20:29:50 +0000

In a recent multidisciplinary study published in Advanced Science, researchers build upon the principles of biomimicry by drawing inspiration from the wing of a dragonfly to redesign that of a Boeing 777.

Sollio, ��ֱ�� join forces on novel coated fertilizer study; PurYield is being marketed as a nutrient uptake enhancer

��ֱ�� — Wed, 26 Jul 2023 18:34:17 +0000

Sollio Agriculture has partnered with ��ֱ�� to test the benefits of PurYield, a new coated fertilizer which enhances nutrient uptake by plants. Researchers will compare it to commonly used uncoated urea fertilizer to assess its impact on corn grain growth, yield, and quality, as well as greenhouse gas emissions. Previous trials showed a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The new study aims to validate these environmental benefits over five years, with funding from Sollio and a grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada.

Can a disease-free, drought-proof potato exist? A map of the vegetable’s genes aims to find out

��ֱ�� — Wed, 26 Jul 2023 14:58:08 +0000

A Canadian-led team has assembled the most extensive genetic roadmap of the potato to date, along with its closest relatives, in order to bolster the plant’s ability to cope with climate change and protect its future as a mainstay of global food security and sustainability.

��ֱ�� launches new partnership with the UN International Fund for Agricultural Development

��ֱ�� — Tue, 25 Jul 2023 20:19:22 +0000

On May 31, 2023, ��ֱ��’s Margaret A. Gilliam Institute for Global Food Security (IGFS) and SOCODEVI, in collaboration with the United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), held an event showcasing concrete actions to strengthen sustainable agriculture, improve the living conditions of smallholder farmers and increase the resilience of agri-food systems. This event also launched a new collaboration between IFAD and ��ֱ�� IGFS, including an internship program and IFAD student group.

Experts: WHO's cancer research agency to list aspartame sweetener a possible carcinogen

��ֱ�� — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 15:21:42 +0000

Aspartame, used in products such as diet sodas and chewing gum, will soon be listed as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" for the first time by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the World Health Organization's (WHO) cancer research arm. (Reuters)

Lean times hit the vertical farming business

��ֱ�� — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 20:12:23 +0000

Vertical farming, once touted as the future of agriculture, is currently facing a lean period. Challenges in scalability and energy consumption have cast a shadow on this innovative farming method.

Building a more resilient food system

��ֱ�� — Mon, 10 Jul 2023 22:12:37 +0000

The impacts of climate change, rising fuel costs, geopolitical conflicts, and global supply chain snags make today's delocalized food system—and the 8 billion people who depend on it—increasingly vulnerable.

Part of the solution to building a more sustainable and resilient agrifood system is to improve local, indoor food production. Researchers in ��ֱ��’s Biomass Production Laboratory are doing just that, increasing access to fresh produce year-round.

Des semences de peupliers en abondance à Windsor

��ֱ�� — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 18:11:20 +0000

Si vous habitez les alentours de la ville de Windsor, peut-être avez-vous remarqué des substances blanches semblables à du pollen amassé sur les trottoirs, les pelouses ou les terrasses. Ce sont des semences de peupliers. À l'émission Matins sans frontières, David Wees, enseignant en horticulture à l'Université ��ֱ��, explique l'origine de ces semences, leur importance et comment se comporter vis-à-vis d'elles.

New research will look at dairy welfare and technology

��ֱ�� — Mon, 03 Jul 2023 17:30:52 +0000

A new research collaboration at ��ֱ�� and the University of Quebec in Montreal will explore the role of artificial intelligence in promoting dairy cattle welfare.

It will be led by Dr. Elsa Vasseur of ��ֱ��’s Department of Animal Science and Abdoulaye Baniré Diallo of UQAM’s Department of Computer Science.

The Mystery of the Vanishing Kestrels: What’s happening to this flashy falcon?

��ֱ�� — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 22:35:44 +0000

The number of American kestrels has dropped sharply. That goes against the trend for birds of prey, broadly seen as a conservation bright spot.

Hypotheses about the decline abound. In a newly published special issue on kestrels in The Journal of Raptor Research, Dr. Smallwood and David Bird, an emeritus professor of wildlife biology at ��ֱ�� in Montreal, list seven possible factors for kestrel declines that they argue merit more research, in no particular order.

How Canadians' lifestyle behaviours changed during the COVID-19 pandemic

��ֱ�� — Wed, 28 Jun 2023 22:24:53 +0000

Sixty per cent of roughly 1,600 Canadians who took part in a new study from ��ֱ��'s School of Human Nutrition say their lifestyle habits either stayed the same or improved during the COVID-19 pandemic. On the flip side, 40% of participants say they adopted less healthy lifestyle habits, including worsened eating habits, sleep quality, decreased physical activity and weight gain.

Professor Ryan Mailloux appointed Director of the School of Human Nutrition

��ֱ�� — Tue, 06 Jun 2023 19:10:05 +0000

Professor Ryan Mailloux has been appointed Director of the School of Human Nutrition (SHN) effective from June 1, 2023, for a five-year term.

Dr. Mailloux earned his Ph.D. in Biomolecular Sciences from Laurentian University in 2007. He joined ��ֱ�� in 2019, previously serving as an Assistant Professor at Memorial University of Newfoundland.

In conversation with Alessandra Granata, valedictorian for the Agricultural & Environmental Sciences ‘B’ ceremony

��ֱ�� — Wed, 31 May 2023 20:47:55 +0000

��ֱ��’s valedictorians are outstanding students whose strong academic performance, leadership and community involvement has earned the respect of their peers. This year’s cohort is remarkable for its diversity, each having vastly different backgrounds, experiences, passions and goals.

What they do share is ambition, curiosity, and a desire to have a positive impact on the world.

In conversation with Alex Kuijper Dickson, AES valedictorian A ceremony

��ֱ�� — Mon, 29 May 2023 14:04:56 +0000

What they do share is ambition, curiosity, and a desire to have a positive impact on the world.

Newly discovered chemical is a highly targeted killer of parasitic worms

��ֱ�� — Fri, 26 May 2023 18:32:36 +0000

The most abundant animals on farms—and everywhere on land, in fact—are microscopic worms called nematodes. Some kinds benefit the soil, but others parasitize crops, inflicting more than $100 billion in losses worldwide each year. Although pesticides can get rid of harmful nematodes, they inflict collateral damage on other life.

��ֱ�� team advances in Deep Space Food Challenge

��ֱ�� — Wed, 03 May 2023 13:29:05 +0000

A team led by two recent ��ֱ�� bioengineering graduates, Alexander Becker and Cynthia Hitti, has made it through to the final phase of the Deep Space Food Challenge (DSFC) with their system for rearing crickets as a food source for long-haul space voyages.

$3.2 million for ��ֱ�� Research from the New Frontiers in Research Fund

��ֱ�� — Thu, 27 Apr 2023 19:54:15 +0000

Congratulations to two Macdonald Profs who have received funding through the New Frontiers in Research Fund Exploration stream, which supports high-risk, high-reward and interdisciplinary research: Hamid Akbarzadeh (BRE) for Origami-inspired deployable sensoriactuator soft robots and Mehran Dastmalchi (PltSci) for Plant-derived biosynergists to enhance pesticide efficacy.

Are candy-striped spiders a threat to North American ecosystems?

��ֱ�� — Thu, 27 Apr 2023 19:52:13 +0000

Research published in Ecology took a closer look into the candy-striped spider’s diet and behaviour and found that these spiders use a variety of tactics to take down prey much larger than themselves, including sleeping bees and wasps.

Joint Chair aims to leverage AI and IoT to improve animal welfare in Canadian dairy farms

��ֱ�� — Mon, 24 Apr 2023 16:17:36 +0000

Analyzing the fat of killer whales reveals what they eat

��ֱ�� — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 17:16:34 +0000

Scientists are studying the diets of the oceans’ top predators as they change in response to their environments. This is because how much and what they eat can affect how ecosystems function.

And while researchers know that killer whales, also known as orcas, are the oceans’ apex predators, our understanding of their diet — particularly the quantity of each species they consume — remains incomplete. This is especially true for remote populations that cannot be observed year-round.

Take virtual trip to the arctic with Dorothy Newton Swales, ��ֱ��’s “mother of botany”

��ֱ�� — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 17:12:54 +0000

Heather Rogers, a Digital Humanities student at MA, has taken her research on Dorothy Newton Swales (BSc Plant Pathology, 1921; MSc Bacteriology 1922; Ph.D. University of Manitoba, Mycology 1931) and transformed it into an interactive website so that others can follow the six decades of botanical collections made by the herbarium's first woman curator (1964-1971) and longest serving mentor to young botanists.

L’agriculture en manque de relève

��ֱ�� — Thu, 20 Apr 2023 17:09:13 +0000

Un récent rapport indique que 40 % des travailleurs agricoles partiront à la retraite d'ici 2033 et que le pays manquera de 24 000 employés d'ici là. Pascal Thériault, économiste et directeur du programme de gestion et technologies d’entreprise agricole à l’Université ��ֱ��, analyse la situation.

Food safety during a power outage: what to keep, what to throw away

��ֱ�� — Fri, 14 Apr 2023 14:53:26 +0000

Preventing illness from spoiled groceries needs to be top of mind, says a food safety expert at ��ֱ��.

"There can be a range of symptoms, most often diarrhea and vomiting, the ones we're all familiar with but foodborne infections can also be quite serious," said Jennifer Ronholm [Food/Animal Science], a professor of food microbiology.

AES research garners support from the 2023 MSSI Ideas Fund

��ֱ�� — Mon, 03 Apr 2023 19:17:14 +0000

The ��ֱ�� Sustainability Systems Initiative (MSSI) has announced the results of its latest Ideas Fund competition. The Ideas Fund awards seed funding to projects led by ��ֱ�� researchers, enabling them to pursue high-risk, high-reward projects in sustainability research. Congrats to AES Researchers who have received funding for the following projects:

Quand l’université s’adapte à la ferme

��ֱ�� — Mon, 03 Apr 2023 19:12:17 +0000

Les enjeux dans le domaine agroalimentaire se multiplient et se complexifient. Les programmes de formation doivent évoluer en conséquence. Coup d’œil sur ce qu’il se passe du côté des deux universités qui offrent des programmes en agronomie : l’Université Laval et l’Université ��ֱ��.

��ֱ�� Pulse Breeding Program 2022

��ֱ�� — Mon, 03 Apr 2023 19:11:23 +0000

The ��ֱ�� Pulse Breeding Program and the non-profit organization SeedChange have partnered to bring the ImPulse Project to fruition, an initiative to promote knowledge-sharing, collaboration, and agricultural resilience in the pulse sector.

During the summer of 2022, and thanks to the support of the FRQNT-RQRAD, the ImPulse Project held two field days with actors in Quebec’s pulse sector. The sessions focused on agricultural management, market trends, cultivar evaluation, and the development of pulse varieties adapted to Quebec.

Rabais pour l’épicerie : 467 $ par année pour une famille, c’est 9 $ par semaine, nuance un économiste

��ֱ�� — Mon, 03 Apr 2023 19:07:11 +0000

Le budget fédéral dévoilé mardi prévoit un « rabais pour l'épicerie » sous forme d'aide ponctuelle pour aider les citoyens à composer avec l'inflation. Cette mesure de 2,5 milliards de dollars, qui profitera à 11 millions de personnes, pourra atteindre 467 $ par an pour un couple avec deux enfants.

L'économiste Pascal Thériault, chargé de cours au département des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'environnement de l'université ��ֱ��, n'est pas convaincu de l'efficacité d'une telle mesure.

2023 Gold Key Awardees Named

��ֱ�� — Thu, 23 Mar 2023 17:56:37 +0000

Congratulations to students Arthur Bégin, Defne Helvacioglu, Estee Ngew and Meryem Talbo, recipients of the 2023 Macdonald Campus Gold Key Award for service to the Macdonald community.

These students have contributed immensely to the enrichment of the Macdonald community, as evidenced by the heartfelt testimony provided by many members of the Macdonald community during the recent nomination period.

Students launch new hub to advocate for global food security

��ֱ�� — Thu, 23 Mar 2023 17:21:10 +0000

Open to students in any field of study, the aim of the Nexus is to raise awareness about the topic of food security, while also giving its members a place to come together and learn from one another. As its name suggests, the Nexus will work closely with the Margaret A. Gilliam Institute for Global Food Security (IGFS) at ��ֱ�� to organize events, educational campaigns, and other activities that support the institute’s work.

Nielsen and Brassard: 2023 CNS awardees

��ֱ�� — Thu, 23 Mar 2023 17:19:42 +0000

Prof. Daiva Nielsen is the recipient of the 2023 New Investigator Award 2023 by the Institute of Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes (INMD) and the Canadian Nutrition Society (CNS). The award recognizes demonstrated excellence and outstanding contributions to nutrition-related research and/or improving the nutrition care of patients.

How to save money at the grocery store without sacrificing nutrition

��ֱ�� — Thu, 23 Mar 2023 16:05:46 +0000

Food experts [including Prof. Daiva Nielsen (SHN)] have said that eating healthy is top of mind for Canadians, but how do you do that while saving money? Dietitians have suggestions for people trying to find the cheapest sources of nutrition, especially in the winter when the freshest produce is imported – and expensive.

Fresh produce contaminated with toxic BPA-like chemicals found in food labels, study finds

��ֱ�� — Thu, 23 Mar 2023 16:04:13 +0000

Steps were taken in Canada to reduce the use of Bisphenol A (BPA), a toxic chemical linked to prostate and breast cancer, commonly found in plastics, the lining of food cans, water bottles, and paper receipts. But in many cases, it has been replaced with similar hormone disrupting chemicals, like Bisphenol S (BPS).

Taco Belles place second in the Maple Innovation Challenge

��ֱ�� — Thu, 16 Feb 2023 15:37:06 +0000

Congrats to Taco Belles Veronica Jaramillo and Priscilla Leftakis for their second-place finish in the Maple Innovation Challenge. The competition was sponsored by Quebec maple syrup producers, the Maple Products Corporation and the Canadian Institute of Food Science & Technology (CIFST). Their product? A maple vegan hot chocolate mix.

Exploring nutrition through a high-tech lens

��ֱ�� — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 20:25:26 +0000

��ֱ��’s Clinical Nutrition Research Unit, a key part of the School of Human Nutrition at Macdonald Campus, has a new home and vastly improved infrastructure for cutting-edge studies. The CNRU is pursuing a wide variety of projects with one common ingredient – the instrumental role that nutrition plays in keeping us healthy.

Read the article in the online edition of ��ֱ�� News.

��ֱ�� teams participate in Deep Space Food Challenge

��ֱ�� — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 20:24:13 +0000

On January 17, two ��ֱ�� teams, InSpira Photobioreactor and the Cricket Rearing, Collection, and Transformation System (CRCTS) competing under the ��ֱ�� Advanced Bio-Regenerative Toolkit for Long Excursion Trips (MARTLET) umbrella, presented their prototypes to the NASA/CSA Deep Space Food Challenge’s jury.

Read the story in the ��ֱ�� Reporter.

Nutrition professionals should promote buying local study finds

��ֱ�� — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 20:22:33 +0000

According to a study by a tea

Whyte-led research among Québec Science's top 10 discoveries of 2022

��ֱ�� — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 20:20:03 +0000

Three of the ten studies honoured by the award-winning science magazine Québec Science have c

CIFOR-ICRAF announces Dr. Eliane Ubalijoro as CEO

��ֱ�� — Wed, 25 Jan 2023 20:15:23 +0000

Eliane Ubalijoro (B.Sc.(Agr)’92, M.Sc.’95, Ph.D.’01) has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF) and Director General of ICRAF -the world’s leading research and development centre on trees, forests and landscapes. Dr. Ubalijoro will be the first African woman Director General of a CGIAR Research Center and CEO of two Centers in CGIAR’s 52-year history.

Agropur sells U.S. manufacturing plant

��ֱ�� — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 17:23:31 +0000

Dairy processor Agropur continues to refocus its activities. After selling its interests in IÖGO yogurts two years ago, in December it sold a Wisconsin-based plant used to manufacture dairy and non-dairy ingredient blends. The sale price was not disclosed.

New Resource making ��ֱ�� labs more sustainable

��ֱ�� — Fri, 13 Jan 2023 16:59:24 +0000

Interested in making your lab a more sustainable place to work and study?

Check out the Sustainable Labs Guide, a newly updated resource to help ��ֱ�� faculty, staff, and students operate their labs more sustainably. This online guide suggests about 75 actionable steps to improve water and energy conservation, animal research, waste management, and more.

Learn more in the Sustainable Labs Guide

Mac Campus dairy wins regional award for milk excellence

��ֱ�� — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 18:30:12 +0000

For the third year in a row, the Macdonald Campus Dairy Unit has been awarded the title of Regional Club of Excellence Milk Quality Champion by dairy industry giant Agropur.

Accepting the award at a regional meeting on November 25, Natasha Lapointe, Animal Science Coordinator of the Dairy Unit, credited her team’s commitment to maintaining high standards.

Wees: The life of the Christmas tree

��ֱ�� — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 18:24:33 +0000

"Cultivated trees grow faster [than their natural counterparts] because in the early years much effort is spent weeding out the competition," points out David Wees, Faculty Lecturer in the Department of Plant Science at ��ֱ��'s Macdonald Campus.

Mainstreaming bison meat

��ֱ�� — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 18:15:18 +0000

Northfork Bison, one of Canada’s biggest specialty and wild game meat companies, is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. The founder and president of the company, Rocco Verelli, B.Sc. (Agr)’85, is leading the charge to educate consumers on the savoury goodness of protein-packed bison meat and stimulate growth in a niche food industry that has helped bring the beefy ruminants back from the brink of extinction.

Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue recognized as 'Bird Friendly City'

��ֱ�� — Mon, 09 Jan 2023 18:13:25 +0000

During the UN biodiversity summit known as COP15, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue was one of 14 cities in Canada, and the only place in Quebec, to be named a "Bird Friendly City." Nature Canada developed this

Mac campus dairy wins regional award for milk excellence

��ֱ�� — Wed, 04 Jan 2023 20:14:21 +0000

For the third year in a row, the Macdonald Campus Dairy Unit has been awarded the title of Regional Club of Excellence Milk Quality Champion by dairy industry giant Agropur.

Accepting the award at a regional meeting on November 25, Natasha Lapointe, Animal Science Coordinator of the Dairy Unit, credited her team’s commitment to maintaining high standards.

Quebec increases its sustainable agriculture program by $15 million

��ֱ�� — Mon, 12 Dec 2022 21:04:12 +0000

On Monday, Minister of Agriculture André Lamontagne will speak at the 7th Summit of Subnational Governments and Cities, an "official side event" of COP15. The Minister, alongside a dozen dignitaries, will participate in a panel that will stress the importance of making local governments ambassadors for the new global framework on biological diversity, set to be adopted at the close of COP15.

Herd of fugitive cows frustrates tiny village in Canada

��ֱ�� — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 20:58:21 +0000

A herd of approximately two dozen heifers spooked during a thunderstorm has been wandering through the countryside east of Montreal since July. All attempts to capture the heifers have fallen short, and the herd has survived by eating unharvested corn and other field crops and drinking from streams in the area.

Food prices continuing to rise, but at a slower rate explains Thériault

��ֱ�� — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 20:56:00 +0000

Food prices have increased by 11% in Quebec in 2022, the largest increase in Canada. In an annual report released on Monday, 26 researchers predict that the upward trend will continue into 2023, but will be less marked. Price increases in Québec in 2023 should be below the national average, around 5%.

An update on the Bicentennial tree planting project

��ֱ�� — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 20:52:00 +0000

David Wees (FMT) provides an update on a recent project coordinated with Lindsay Flood, Franco Nardi and Freida Beauregard, to plant 200 trees on Campus to honour ��ֱ��’s Bicentennial.

“Altogether, we planted 203 trees. Most have survived. The only tree we had a problem with was the pin oak. Right now, the trees are small and scattered around the campus, but that’s how it starts. Five years from now, we’ll have a little forest.”

Mac Food Science teams advance in Maple Innovation Challenge

��ֱ�� — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 19:31:22 +0000

Golden Bar (Wayne Sawka, Sky Castaing and Anas AlHouran), Cold Noodle (Jinyu Zhou, Zijing Yu, Xinyi Liu, Xiyuan Shang and Simin Tan) and Taco Belles (Veronica, Jaramillo and Priscilla Leftakis) are three Macdonald Campus teams advancing to round two of the Maple Innovation Challenge competition.

��ֱ�� receives $4.8 million to advance climate change science and technology

��ֱ�� — Tue, 29 Nov 2022 15:41:21 +0000

The Government of Canada’s Environmental Damages Fund, administered by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), is investing more than $4 million in three ��ֱ��-led projects through the Climate Awareness and Action Fund (CAAF).The projects will fill knowledge gaps about the environmental and economic impacts of greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen Canada's capacity to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

Bennett and Xia among Highly Cited Researchers

��ֱ�� — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 20:07:42 +0000

On November 15, Clarivate Analytics, a company specializing in citation data, published the Highly Cited Researchers 2022 list. Many citations mean a paper has had great influence among scientific peers. A group of 16 ��ֱ�� researchers made the cut, recognized as some of the most frequently cited scientists and social scientists in the world over the last decade. The 2022 list captures the period from 2011 to 2021.

Read the article in the ��ֱ�� Reporter.

Students vote in favour of SPF and Daily Publications Society

��ֱ�� — Mon, 28 Nov 2022 20:05:30 +0000

“[The Sustainability Projects Fund] is a resource for all ��ֱ�� community members to launch or grow a sustainability initiative on campus [and] spark positive change in their own learning and work environment. We are thrilled by the level of enthusiasm reflected in the results of the SSMU referendum.” Shona Watt, Sustainability manager in the ��ֱ�� Office of Sustainability.

2022 Scholastic Awards – Celebrating Student Excellence

��ֱ�� — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 15:42:49 +0000

The 2022 Scholastic Awards Reception on November 8th recognized more than 175 outstanding Macdonald undergraduate and graduate students. The Faculty awarded over $380,000 in named scholarships at the undergraduate level and more than $465,000 in fellowships and awards at the graduate level.

FMT grads find success with Ferme des Paniers

��ֱ�� — Thu, 17 Nov 2022 15:40:01 +0000

Congrats to FMT students Diego Occhicone and Rami Sader, FMT’22, who had a successful season in their new venture, the Ferme des Paniers market garden. The pair who met at Macdonald during their studies, sell their produce through subscription baskets and at local markets.

H. Deep Saini is next Principal and Vice-Chancellor

��ֱ�� — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 20:20:59 +0000

The Board of Governors of ��ֱ�� is pleased to announce the appointment of Prof. H. Deep Saini as the University's 18th Principal and Vice-Chancellor. Currently President and Vice-Chancellor at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Prof. Saini will begin his five-year, renewable term at ��ֱ�� on April 1, 2023. He will also hold the appointment of Full Professor in the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Elena Bennett: Exploring the complexity of ecosystems

��ֱ�� — Tue, 15 Nov 2022 18:50:20 +0000

Exploring the complexity of ecosystems

by John Allemang

Elena Bennett delights in uncertainty.

Huge crowd pays respect to military veterans

��ֱ�� — Fri, 11 Nov 2022 20:51:16 +0000

Standing at the podium surrounded by 1,500 people on the John Abbott football field, Joe Maxwell, gazed up into the sunny November sky and said “It’s good to be alive.”

A 97-year-old WWII vet, Maxwell was one of the special guests at the November 3 Remembrance Day ceremony featuring veterans and dignitaries who spoke, recited poetry or contributed with music. Anja Geitmann, Dean, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, addressed the crowd, and Defne Helvacioglu, Macdonald Campus Student Society President, recited the poem Nameless.

Zacharie Cloutier named Best Cheese in Quebec

��ֱ�� — Fri, 11 Nov 2022 20:45:40 +0000

Zacharie Cloutier from Fromagerie Nouvelle France in the Eastern Townships, has been crowned best cheese in Quebec in the

Virtual map aims to connect people to food resources across Toronto

��ֱ�� — Fri, 11 Nov 2022 20:42:01 +0000

With the help of Agincourt community services, Registered Dietitian Ekta Amarnani, M.Sc.’17 has put together an interactive map that helps people locate food resources across Toronto with the intention of increasing access to food.

COVID-19 reshaped the way we buy, prepare and consume food

��ֱ�� — Wed, 02 Nov 2022 19:15:23 +0000

To better understand food-related decisions during the pandemic, our research team conducted an online survey among a sample of adults from the province of Québec. This survey spanned three different time points between the initial lockdown in the spring of 2020 and the curfew period in Québec in the winter of 2021.

Fall colours on full display at Mac Campus

��ֱ�� — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 23:51:59 +0000

Macdonald Campus is beautiful year-round, but is truly spectacular in the fall. Neale McDevitt, the Editor of the ��ֱ�� Reporter, took a stroll through Mac Campus this past weekend and took the following pictures.

View photos in the ��ֱ�� Reporter.

Ferme Le Paysan Gourmand finding creative ways to reduce food waste

��ֱ�� — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 23:48:39 +0000

L'Épicerie recently featured Rosemarie Allen (B.Sc.(AgEnvSc)’12) and Jacob Morin (FMT’11) of Ferme Le Paysan Gourmand in Saint-Félix-de-Kingsey who participate in an on-farm program to reduce food waste. The episode follows Meilleur Après volunteers who harvest produce that would have remained in the field. Produce harvested is then shared between the participants, the producer and Meilleur Après – who in turn redistribute the produce to organizations in the region or transform it into products that are then sold to finance operations.

2022 Distinguished Alumni announced

��ֱ�� — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 23:43:49 +0000

Congratulations to Luce Daigneault BScAgr’82, MSc’85, Gibson (Gib) Patterson BScAgr’60, Isabelle Lam BSc(NutrSc)’19 and Jamie Lee BSc(NutrSc)’19 who will receive Macdonald Distinguished Alumni Awards at the Homecoming Lunch on Saturday.

Read full bios.

Mac alumni win Homegrown Innovation Challenge

��ֱ�� — Thu, 20 Oct 2022 23:42:25 +0000

Hydroponic strawberry growers and Co-founders of Vertité, Ophelia Sarakinis (FMT’19) and Phillip Rosenbaum (B.Sc.(AgEnvSc)’19, MSc.’21) and their partners have just won the first phase of the Homegrown Innovation Challenge, a “six-year, $33-million initiative from the Weston Family Foundation to future-proof food production in Canada.”

Whalen offers expert view on status of soil health in Canada

��ֱ�� — Thu, 06 Oct 2022 17:58:53 +0000

On September 29^th, James ��ֱ�� Professor Joann Whalen, Natural Resource Sciences, testified as an expert before Canada’s Standing Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry on the topic of “Review and report on the status of soil health in Canada”.

Watch her testimony on ParlVu (09:43:59)

David Wees explains the science of fall colours

��ֱ�� — Thu, 06 Oct 2022 17:55:51 +0000

"People think that the colder fall temperatures trigger the colour change, but it’s actually the photoperiod," explains Plant Science Faculty Lecturer David Wees. However, some regions of Quebec are luckier when it comes to fall colours than others: those with a lot of deciduous trees like maples, oaks or even birches. On the other hand, areas that have more conifers will see fewer transformations to their landscape.”

Nutrition student helps MUHC add Indigenous option to menu

��ֱ�� — Thu, 06 Oct 2022 17:52:47 +0000

When an Indigenous patient receiving treatment at the MUHC refused to eat, ��ֱ�� MScA candidate Manveen Sethi was enlisted to find an authentic recipe for Bannock bread, a traditional Indigenous snack. Through research and with the help of Indigenous patients who taste-tested recipes, Sethi found a recipe that will now be permanently available on the MUHC menu and hopefully offer a little comfort to Indigenous patients being treated at the facility.

Investing in student success

��ֱ�� — Thu, 06 Oct 2022 17:49:16 +0000

��ֱ�� students have proven time and time again that they are some of the most creative, versatile and adaptive people in their approach to solving problems, and they’re using knowledge acquired in and outside of the classroom to generate innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing issues.

UBC names Buszard Interim Vice-President and Chancellor

��ֱ�� — Thu, 06 Oct 2022 17:40:36 +0000

Former Dean of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and Associate Vice-Principal of ��ֱ��’s Macdonald Campus, 1996-2005, and founding Dean of the ��ֱ�� School of Environment, 2008, Dr. Deborah Buszard has been appointed to Interim Vice-President and Chancellor at the University of British Columbia.

Funding brings groundbreaking ideas to life

��ֱ�� — Thu, 06 Oct 2022 17:38:46 +0000

School of Human Nutrition alumni Bianca Loge, BSc(NutrSc)’20, Kristen Sunstrum, BSc(NutrSc)’21, and Zoey Li, BSc(NutrSc)’17, reminisce about the unique extracurricular opportunities made possible by the Student Experience Enhancement Fund, and the host of real-world skills they acquired that they’ve since gone on to apply to their blossoming careers.

Filmmaker Alex Pritz focuses on human relationship with the natural world

��ֱ�� — Thu, 06 Oct 2022 17:32:05 +0000

In August, documentary filmmaker Alex Pritz, BSc(AgEnvSc)’13 – BSE has released his award-winning National Geographic documentary The Territory which “provides an immersive on-the-ground look at the tireless fight of the Indigenous Uru-eu-wau-wau people against the encroaching deforestation brought by farmers and illegal settlers in the Brazilian Amazon.”

Learn more in Focus on Macdonald

Made by hands-on learning: Jennifer Dumoulin

��ֱ�� — Thu, 06 Oct 2022 17:28:30 +0000

Focus on Macdonald sat down with alum Jennifer Dumoulin, BSc(AgEnvSc)’11 Environmental Biology, to ask a few questions about her student experiences that led to a successful career as an environmental manager.

Building agricultural capacity in Quebec

��ֱ�� — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 21:09:29 +0000

In the 1960s, only about three percent of the land in Quebec was suitable for cultivation. The Province’s population and need for food outstripped the yield from Quebec farms. More than half of Quebec’s most fertile lands required improved water management – either better drainage or supplemental irrigation to maximize productivity and yield. Over more than four decades, Emeritus Professor Robert Broughton’s work would revolutionize soil drainage in Quebec, leading to increased food production and capacity in Quebec’s irrigation and drainage industry.

Langwieder: Boating around James Bay to collect polar bear hair

��ֱ�� — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 21:06:50 +0000

Researcher Alexandra Langwieder (PhD candidate NRS/Humphries) spent her summer boating over 1200 kilometres around James Bay, setting up hair snares and camera stations to keep an eye on a unique population of polar bears.

Listen to the story on the season opener of CBC’s Quirks and Quarks.

CFI invests $3.9 M in ��ֱ�� research

��ֱ�� — Thu, 29 Sep 2022 21:02:17 +0000

Prof. Daiva Nielson (SHN) has received funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation’s John R. Evans Leaders Fund (CFI JELF) to establish the Sensometric Lab to investigate what influences human eating behaviour, for example, genetic predispositions, the role of price promotions and advertising, as well as other sensory stimuli, like smell. The lab will be equipped with novel wearable devices to monitor and map the brain’s activity related to eating.

Spiders caught in a web of Internet lies

��ֱ�� — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 17:40:19 +0000

It’s no secret that the internet and social media fuel rampant spread of misinformation in many areas of life. A collective of researchers, including Catherine Scott, Postdoctoral Fellow in ��ֱ��’s Lyman Lab, have explored this phenomenon as it applies to news about spiders. The verdict? Don’t blindly trust anything you read online about these eight-legged arthropods—or anything else for that matter—and always consider the source.

Killer Whales invading the Arctic – unlocking secrets from their blubber

��ֱ�� — Thu, 07 Jul 2022 15:53:57 +0000

Killer whale populations are invading the Arctic, creating major disruptions to an ecosystem already severely impacted by climate change.

A blueprint for life on MARS

��ֱ�� — Thu, 07 Jul 2022 15:49:26 +0000

Lost Hammer Spring, in Nunavut in Canada’s High Arctic, is one of the coldest and saltiest terrestrial springs discovered to date. The water which travels up through 600 metres of permafrost to the surface is extremely salty (~24% salinity), perennially at sub-zero temperatures (~−5 °C) and contains almost no oxygen (<1ppm dissolved oxygen). The very high salt concentrations keep the Lost Hammer spring from freezing, thus maintaining a liquid water habitat even at sub-zero temperatures.

Spring 2022 Convocation wraps up at Macdonald Campus

��ֱ�� — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 14:51:38 +0000

��ֱ��’s Spring 2022 Convocation began on an overcast day on May 26th, with graduating Health Sciences students accepting their degrees under the Convocation Tent downtown. The 2022 festivities came to a close June 3rd, a glorious sunny day, at the Centennial Centre on Macdonald Campus with two ceremonies for students graduating from the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

These were ��ֱ��’s first in-person Spring Convocation ceremonies since 2019.

For the love of family… and farming

��ֱ�� — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 13:24:40 +0000

On Friday, June 3rd, Joe Harrel accepted his Farm Management and Technology (FMT) diploma during Spring 2022 Convocation ceremonies for the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Unlike many members of the Class of 2022, however, Harrel will not be seeking employment upon graduation. Truth of the matter is, he is already gainfully employed.

“I own the Speedy Auto Service and the Novus Glass in Kirkland with my partner Andy Arbuckle, and I own and operate Optimum Business Brokers as well,” says Harrel, who was also selected valedictorian by his classmates.

200 years of ��ֱ��’s Botanical history inspires Montreal artists

��ֱ�� — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 13:21:30 +0000

Two-hundred years ago, a young man frequented swamps, stream banks and thickets, collecting wild plants across what would become the urban core of the city of Montreal. He had recently returned home from Edinburgh, where he had gone to be receive medical training, learning there also techniques of drying and preserving plant specimens, botany and medicine then being sister-subjects.

Changing of the guard at Mac Campus Hort Centre

��ֱ�� — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 13:16:07 +0000

Although it may seem obvious that teaching and learning are at the core of the ��ֱ�� experience, it’s worth noting that these activities aren’t strictly happening in classrooms and labs, nor are they reserved for faculty and students. Rather, ��ֱ�� staff can also be counted among this group of teachers and learners, many of whom have spent their careers acquiring knowledge, honing skills, and eventually imparting what they’ve learned on to those who will succeed them.

The Keeler Family and Macdonald through Five Generations

��ֱ�� — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 13:12:46 +0000

Lachlan, FMT‘22, Ross, FMT’23 and Gavin McDonald, FMT’24, have a long family history with Macdonald. The brothers grew up on Kerrydale Farms established by their ancestor Donald ��ֱ��is, an immigrant from the Scottish Highlands, who arrived by canoe on the banks of the Raisin River in Williamstown, Ontario in 1784. Over the next two centuries, the ��ֱ��is family grew Kerrydale Farms into a successful operation that is now in the hands of brothers William “Bill” McDonald, FMT’97, and Thomas “Tom,” DipAgr’93 – father to Lachlan, Ross and Gavin.

Mac Campus welcomes new Director of Development

��ֱ�� — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 12:51:05 +0000

Celeste Longhurst joined the Macdonald University Advancement Team early in the new year. In this position, she leads the AES fundraising campaign and manages the Faculty’s University Advancement team whose activities also include alumni relations. Celeste hails from Toronto and has worked in philanthropy throughout her career, with a focus on fundraising for environmental organizations. She joined us from the National Wildlife Centre, where she was Director of Development, and has a Bachelor in Environmental Science from Queens University.

Rethinking the world, one small farm at a time

��ֱ�� — Mon, 20 Jun 2022 17:59:40 +0000

How can we help societies achieve more resilient agriculture in the face of geopolitical disturbances and climate change? Why do we continue to propose agricultural systems based on globalized commodity markets as the only way to feed ourselves? Why continue to subsidize models that destroy soil fertility, ecosystems and put our health at risk?

Conversations with valedictorians: Chloe Garzon

��ֱ�� — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 19:45:04 +0000

"Arriving at Mac Campus I was astounded by the green space and proximity to nature. The sense of community is unparalleled... Coming to Mac was like finding a home away from home."
- Chloe Garzon

Cestari: research offers hope in treating more than COVID-19

��ֱ�� — Mon, 06 Jun 2022 17:03:55 +0000

Until two years ago, mRNA vaccines had never been approved. Now, Faster to produce than conventional vaccines, the potential applications of synthetic mRNA to prevent illness and treat diseases seem nearly limitless.

��ֱ��’s botanical history inspires Montreal artists

��ֱ�� — Mon, 09 May 2022 14:30:16 +0000

Two public art projects launching in Montreal this summer take inspiration from the botanical collection of Dr. Andrew Holmes, one of the founders of ��ֱ��'s Faculty of Medicine.

Bennett named to U.S. National Academy of Sciences

��ֱ�� — Wed, 04 May 2022 14:25:46 +0000

The National Academy of Sciences announced today the election of 120 members and 30 international members-including ��ֱ�� Professor Elena Bennett (Natural Resource Sciences)-in recognition of their distinguished and continuing achievements in original research.

Bayen's fight against food fraud

��ֱ�� — Mon, 02 May 2022 15:25:30 +0000

Liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time-of-flight (LC-Q/TOF) is proving one of the most comprehensive methods for testing food authenticity, according to Dr Stéphane Bayen, an Associate Professor in the Department of Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry at ��ֱ��.

Vasseur leading change in dairy industry

��ֱ�� — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 20:20:51 +0000

Canadian dairy experts are rethinking their approach to the industry, now recommending that cows have more freedom of movement in order to improve their well-being.

This is a far cry from how dairy farms currently maintain their herds, especially in Quebec. As such, the “Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Dairy Cattle”, a reference tool for Canadian dairy producers, is currently under revision.

��ֱ�� researchers granted 3.8M toward sustainable agriculture

��ֱ�� — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 20:09:23 +0000

Three Mac-based research projects have been funded through FQRNT/MAPAQ’s first Partnership Research Program-Sustainable Agriculture . All of the projects fall under the scientific program developed by the Réseau québécois de recherche en agriculture durable.

Congrats to Profs:

��ֱ�� undergrads crowned world synchronized skating champions

��ֱ�� — Fri, 29 Apr 2022 20:02:34 +0000

Some people say it is a dry run for life outside the Roddick Gates. ��ֱ�� undergrads Olivia Ronca and Loriana Cocca might agree. On April 9, as part of Montreal’s Les Suprêmes synchronized skating team, they gave a performance of a lifetime, earned top marks and were crowned world champions.

Consortium RITA receives $6M in funding

��ֱ�� — Sun, 27 Mar 2022 13:39:40 +0000

On March 26th, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Mr. André Lamontagne, announced grants totaling $7.1M to three organizations engaged in the food processing sector, including $6M in funding to The Consortium for Research, Innovation and Transformation of Agrifood (RITA) at ��ֱ�� over the next 5 years.

��ֱ�� joins Moderna in battle against global health threats

��ֱ�� — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 13:23:11 +0000

��ֱ�� has joined Moderna’s mRNA Access program, which aims to accelerate innovation and enable new vaccines and medicines for emerging and neglected infectious diseases through collaborative research and preclinical development. ��ֱ�� is the first university in Canada to join this program as it ramps up its international rollout.

Natalie Wu on the importance of clean and affordable energy

��ֱ�� — Fri, 25 Mar 2022 13:12:28 +0000

Through the International Youth Internship Program (IYIP), a joint program with the Government of Canada and the United Nations Association in Canada, young Canadians are given the opportunity to gain professional experience in international development work. Natalie Wu, a Bioresource Masters student, was selected as part of the 2021 cohort. She was a Junior Professional Consultant (JPC) and was remotely placed for six months at the World Food Programme’s (WFP) headquarters in Rome.

Raising livestock sustainably - A win-win solution for climate change

��ֱ�� — Wed, 16 Mar 2022 22:43:19 +0000

Veterinarian and Ph.D. candidate (NRS) Vivian Arguelles Gonzalez weighs in on silvopastoralism, an alternative agricultural system that could address the environmental impacts of livestock, and provide farmers with social and economic benefits that include creating new jobs, developing new skills, reducing costs and improving their incomes.

Paul Meldrum on growing food for the future

��ֱ�� — Thu, 10 Mar 2022 17:21:48 +0000

Paul Meldrum is no doubt a busy man. From establishing a dairy farm from the ground up to working as an agricultural journalist with CBC and CTV, he has been involved in both telling the stories and improving the mechanics of our food systems.

Mac Campus students celebrate women of the CIUSSS

��ֱ�� — Thu, 10 Mar 2022 17:02:40 +0000

Macdonald Campus students celebrate the women of the CIUSSS West Island on International Women’s Day

Gillung, Dastmalchi receive CFI-JELF funding

��ֱ�� — Wed, 02 Mar 2022 21:16:56 +0000

Professor (Natural Resource Sciences) and Director of the Lyman Entomological Museum Jessica Gillung and Assistant Professor (Plant Science) Mehran Dastmalchi are among the eight ��ֱ�� recipients of funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation John R. Evans Fund (JELF) and the Government of Quebec.

Potato milk: a growing trend

��ֱ�� — Wed, 02 Mar 2022 21:13:25 +0000

In the midst of the pandemic, in 2020, the plant-based drink industry saw nearly 20% growth, and is estimated to be worth about $350 million, according to data provided by Plant-Based Foods of Canada. One of the latest plant-based drink source is potatoes, which, according to

Dr. Michèle Iskandar, Research Associate at ��ֱ��’s School of Human Nutrition, can be healthy alternatives.

The rising cost of ready-made food

��ֱ�� — Wed, 02 Mar 2022 21:12:09 +0000

In 2020, Quebecers spent more than $1.78 billion on frozen and ready-to-eat meals in grocery stores, but how will the rising cost of inflation impact the price of these convenient ready-made meals?

The Building of Macdonald College

��ֱ�� — Wed, 02 Mar 2022 21:10:43 +0000

The story of the ‘Building of Macdonald College’ was featured as part ��ֱ��’s ongoing Bicentennial celebrations. The ��ֱ�� Board of Governors officially welcomed the new college on June 18, 1906. The College structure, consisting of the School of Agriculture, the School of Household Science, and the School for Teachers, reflected Sir William Macdonald’s conviction that “farm, home, and school” were the three pillars of society.

��ֱ�� welcomes new Indigenous professors and staff

��ֱ�� — Wed, 23 Feb 2022 20:32:43 +0000

Brittany Wenniserí:iostha Jock, Assistant Professor in the School of Human Nutrition, was one of seven Indigenous staff members from a wide range of disciplines who partook in ��ֱ��’s 4^th annual Indigenous Faculty and Staff Welcome Ceremony held February 14^th. The 90-minute online ceremony was designed to highlight the University’s commitment to increasing the Indigenous presence on campus.

Vasseur: improving the lives of dairy cows

��ֱ�� — Wed, 23 Feb 2022 20:28:47 +0000

Professor in the Department of Animal Sciences, is co-chair of the scientific committee that participated in the development of the new Canadian standards that will require Canadian dairy farmers to implement a new code of on-farm practices that include rearing calves in groups, exercise sessions for cows, and enlarging stalls.

Read the full article (in French) in La Presse.

Macdonald Student-Run Ecological gardens cultivate a sustainable future

��ֱ�� — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 20:33:29 +0000

One of the first concerns about the climate crisis is often the future of our food systems. Tucked between fields at the Macdonald Campus farm and the Morgan Arboretum in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue at the western tip of Montreal, is a group working on just that: the Macdonald Student-Run Ecological Gardens (MSEG). They are a small but mighty group that has been growing produce and educational opportunities on our campus for over a decade.

New study reveals the poor hit hardest by heat waves

��ֱ�� — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 20:29:29 +0000

In a new study, our team of climate scientists, economists and engineers (including BRE’s Mohammad Reza Alizadeh and Jan F. Adamowski]) found that the poorest parts of the world are likely to be two to five times more exposed to heat waves than richer countries by the 2060s. By the end of the century, the lowest-income quarter of the global population’s heat exposure will almost match that of the entire rest of the world.

Environment students tackle climate-change problems

��ֱ�� — Fri, 18 Feb 2022 20:25:53 +0000

In [Bieler School of Environment course] ENVR 401, advanced undergrads team up to conduct research on behalf of actual “clients,” such as not-for-profit organizations, government agencies, and operating units of the University. The students scope out their projects at the start of the fall semester. By the end of the semester, they submit final reports for dissemination to the research community and to the people affected.

Drawing the future of Mac campus

��ֱ�� — Fri, 11 Feb 2022 21:15:13 +0000

As part of ��ֱ��’s Bicentennial year, the 2022 Founder’s Day--held February 10th-- took on a graphic twist as illustrator Jordana Globerman turned the Macdonald campus community’s thoughts and dreams into seven dynamic, vibrant panels during an interactive real-time Zoom performance.

Bennett among list of top female researchers working toward greener future

��ֱ�� — Wed, 02 Feb 2022 15:31:22 +0000

Is the greener future female? Here are three remarkable women including Elena Bennett, Research Chair (Tier 1) in Sustainability Science (NRS/BSE) leading the charge toward a more sustainable future in Canada and around the world.

Says Bennett, “we used to talk a lot about nature thriving despite people, and then people thriving despite nature with Western expansion,” she says. “Later, it was, ‘How we can we set aside enough nature despite what people are doing?’ Now, we are looking at how people and nature interact and can thrive together.”

Kimmins' HISTurn project receives Innovation Funding

��ֱ�� — Wed, 02 Feb 2022 15:23:25 +0000

Led by Dr. Sarah Kimmins, Department of Animal Science and Pharmacology and Therapeutics, HISTurn is one of three Prelaunch Phase projects awarded support through the University’s Innovation Fund. This fertility diagnostic technology fills a health needs gap by accurately diagnosing infertility in men and providing clinicians with actionable information to allow them to streamline fertility treatment pathways. The team aims to make the clinical journey for couples inclusive of men and to increase the births of healthy children.

Mac Dairy Herd scores in Top 20%

��ֱ�� — Mon, 24 Jan 2022 16:40:00 +0000

Holstein and Multicultural Herd at Mac Farm in Top 20% of all herds using Lactanet’s milk recording and herd management services

Once again, the Dairy Farm Team’s hard work, high standards and attention to detail have resulted in the impressive performance of the Mac Dairy Herd.

Leduc receives Prix Jeune Agronome from l’Ordre des Agronomes du Québec

��ֱ�� — Mon, 24 Jan 2022 14:13:35 +0000

Congratulations to Maxime Leduc, BSc(AgEnvSc)’12, a self-employed consultant in forage systems and Farm Management and Technology Program Lecturer, who has been awarded the Prix Jeune Agronome from l’Ordre des Agronomes du Quebec for his exceptional contributions to Quebec agriculture. Earlier this year Maxime received the Macdonald Distinguished Young Alumni Award.

AES researchers to play key roles in NFRF-T project

��ֱ�� — Mon, 24 Jan 2022 14:02:22 +0000

Professors Murray Humphries, Director of the ��ֱ�� Centre for Indigenous Peoples’ Nutrition and Environment (CINE), and Treena Delormier and Hugo Melgar-Quinonez, both from the School of Human Nutrition, will play key roles in the NFRF-T project, Biodiversity Conservation and the Health and Well-being of Indigenous Peoples, led by the University of A

Marangoni appointed to Order of Canada

��ֱ�� — Fri, 14 Jan 2022 19:29:28 +0000

On December 29th, for the first time in her role as Governor General of Canada, Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon announced Order of Canada appointments and promotions. Among the 135 honorees is Professor Alejandro G. Marangoni (B.Sc.(Agr)’87), the Canada Research Chair in Food, Health and Aging at the University of Guelph.

Burgos and Edick among researchers recognized by Québec Science

��ֱ�� — Fri, 14 Jan 2022 19:20:59 +0000

Scientists affiliated with ��ֱ�� were once again well-represented in Québec Science magazine’s annual list of the top 10 scientific discoveries.

Noroozi receives prestigious Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers

��ֱ�� — Fri, 17 Dec 2021 15:02:04 +0000

On December 13^th at a ceremony hosted by the Canadian Governor General’s Office in Ottawa, Ebrahim (Eby) Noroozi, MSc'78 (Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry), was presented with The Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers in the presence of Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada.

Nancy Lavigne named Unsung Hero

��ֱ�� — Thu, 18 Nov 2021 13:32:56 +0000

Every institution has a number of people who become the face of that organization. But for every recognizable “star,”, there is a bevy of unsung heroes who quietly go about their work, making things happen. We call these people “the unsung heroes,”, and nobody embodies the spirit of that definition at ��ֱ�� more than Nancy Lavigne.

Bennett and Xia named to 2021 Highly Cited Researchers list

��ֱ�� — Thu, 18 Nov 2021 13:22:47 +0000

Academic careers are built on many factors, including perseverance, thirst for new knowledge, and research papers. One of the measures of the impact of these outputs is the annual Highly Cited Researchers 2021 list from Clarivate.

��ֱ�� MARTLET teams take home NASA and CSA Deep Space Food Challenge prize

��ֱ�� — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 17:51:40 +0000

NASA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) have named the winners of the first Deep Space Food Challenge, an international contest that sought novel food technologies for future astronaut missions, as well as for use in resource-scarce regions on Earth.

Celebrity chefs Martha Stewart and Lynn Crawford joined former astronauts Scott Kelly and Chris Hadfield in making the announcements in a video aired by NASA on its television channel on November 15th.

Quand une histoire de canneberges se conclut par un don pour l’environnement

��ֱ�� — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 17:29:16 +0000

Grâce au don de Marc Bieler, l’Université ��ֱ�� peut offrir un meilleur soutien à la recherche en environnement.

« La canneberge est la culture maraîchère la plus écologique qui soit, déclare Marc Bieler. D’une part parce qu’elle est cultivée sur des terres classées impropres à l’agriculture, les sols étant trop humides et acides, et d’autre part parce que la loi nous oblige à conserver à l’état naturel 35 % de la superficie de la ferme. »

Un modèle unique de recherche collaborative pour l'industrie agroalimentaire

��ֱ�� — Tue, 16 Nov 2021 17:25:04 +0000

Rassembler des entreprises concurrentes autour d’une même table avec des chercheurs pour innover : c’est le défi sur lequel mise, depuis 2017, le Consortium de recherche et d’innovation sur la transformation alimentaire (RITA) à l’Université ��ֱ��. Et ça marche.

$2.5 million for the creation of the Réseau québécois de recherche en agriculture durable

��ֱ�� — Wed, 13 Oct 2021 12:47:45 +0000

On October 8th, the Fonds de recherche du Québec - Nature et technologies (FRQNT), along with its partner the ministère de l'Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l'Alimentation (MAPAQ) announced the creation of the Réseau québécois de recherche en agriculture durable (RQRAD), a flagship measure of the Plan d’agriculture durable 2020-2030 (PAD).

Stamping out superbugs

��ֱ�� — Mon, 04 Oct 2021 16:43:01 +0000

During the last year and a half, the world’s attention has been focused squarely on SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19. While deadly, this virus is only one of many pathogens that threaten our well-being. For many years, scientists have been warning about another microscopic menace: drug-resistant microbes.

Elena Bennett named one of Canada’s top sustainability leaders

��ֱ�� — Mon, 27 Sep 2021 16:16:09 +0000

Congrats to Elena Bennett (NRS/BSE), one of sixteen Canadian sustainability leaders (#Clean16 honourees) named to the Delta Management Group’s 2022 Clean50 list.

Green and Gold, and Mac all over

��ֱ�� — Fri, 03 Sep 2021 15:55:53 +0000

Ann Louise Carson BScAgr’81 immersed herself in Mac traditions. She’s now supporting them for the next generation through a legacy gift.

Read more in the August 2021 edition of Focus on Macdonald

From family farm to family gift: Mac graduate ‘cultivates’ experiential education

��ֱ�� — Fri, 03 Sep 2021 15:50:59 +0000

As a young Macdonald College student, Alton McEwen, BSc(Agr)’66, had plenty of opportunities for experiential education during the summer months, working seven days a week on the family dairy farm in the Chateauguay Valley. Thanks to a generous gift from McEwen, internships will continue to play an essential part in the education experience at the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Read more in August 2021 issue of Focus on Macdonald

Flower power: Quebec farmer invites visitors to pick bouquets on farm

��ֱ�� — Wed, 04 Aug 2021 14:29:09 +0000

��ֱ�� alumnus Marc-André Isabelle (Dip.FMT, BEng. Bioresource) is a course lecturer in the Farm Management & Technology program. The Isabelle farm in Coteau-du-Lac, Quebec, has evolved and expanded throughout the years, from dairy to strawberries to produce, and most recently launching FestiFleurs, a popular pick-your-own bouquet event.

Seabirds & their vulnerability to a warming climate: Q&A with researcher Emily Choy

��ֱ�� — Tue, 03 Aug 2021 13:21:21 +0000

A study released this month found that as the climate changes in the North, some cold-adapted arctic birds are especially susceptible to heat stress.

Four ��ֱ�� students win Weston Family Awards in Northern Research

��ֱ�� — Wed, 07 Jul 2021 19:32:13 +0000

Prestigious awards provide support to young scientists in Canada pursuing research in Canada’s North

Former staff member Pierre G. Langlois named Unsung Hero

��ֱ�� — Fri, 18 Jun 2021 20:58:12 +0000

Congratulations to Pierre G. Langlois, B.Sc. (Agr)'78, CBIS (MIS)'90, the first of several members of the Macdonald community to be named an Unsung Hero as part of the University’s Bicentennial Celebrations!

Pierre lives the Macdonald motto “Mastery for Service.” Over the years, he has dedicated much of his time and energy to representing the interests of others and bettering the units and communities he serves.

The changing face of the Farm Management and Technology Program

��ֱ�� — Tue, 15 Jun 2021 15:44:53 +0000

Women make up more than 50 per cent of the graduating cohort for first time in program history.

Convocation is a special time and an important milestone in the lives of graduating students. Today’s virtual Convocation ceremony for the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences enjoyed a milestone of a more collective fashion, however.

For the very first time, the graduating cohort from the Farm Management and Technology Program (FMT) was made up of more than 50 per cent women.

Conversations with valedictorians: Sreedurga Cherukumalli, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

��ֱ�� — Tue, 15 Jun 2021 15:34:58 +0000

“It becomes so easy to do your part when everyone around you is doing their part to live sustainably.”

Hailing from around the world, ��ֱ��’s valedictorians are a diverse, multitalented group. When they came to the University, they brought with them their unique backgrounds, passions and ambitions. While they all praise the education they received at ��ֱ��, one thing is certain, the University has benefitted just as much for having them as valuable, contributing members of our community.

Sustainable Sparks: Klara Winkler on planting the seeds of a good Anthropocene

��ֱ�� — Tue, 15 Jun 2021 15:28:29 +0000

Follow the journey of environmental scientist and ��ֱ�� researcher Klara Winkler on the search for bright spots of sustainability at ��ֱ��

By Maya Willard-Stepan, Communications Intern, ��ֱ�� Office of Sustainability

Associate Professor Stéphane Bayen receives 2021 Agilent Thought Leader Award

��ֱ�� — Tue, 15 Jun 2021 13:32:28 +0000

Setting the standard in the fight against food fraud

Bioresource engineer Michael Ngadi receives CAAIN grant

��ֱ�� — Tue, 01 Jun 2021 13:50:14 +0000

MatrixSpex Solutions, founded by Bioresource Engineer and James ��ֱ�� Professor Michael Ngadi, is the first funding recipient of The Canadian Agri-Food Automation and Intelligence Network (CAAIN) for its project: Optimizing Hyper-Eye: An Integrated Solution for Assessment of Fertility and Gender of Pre-Incubated Eggs.

Combattre le racisme en nutrition

��ֱ�� — Mon, 31 May 2021 12:28:02 +0000

La nutrition ne peut plus être que l’affaire de femmes blanches, minces et souriantes qui mangent des pommes – le cliché de la nutritionniste vue par Google Images. Un groupe de travail sur le racisme en nutrition « a été mis sur pied il y a quelques mois, dans la foulée de la mort de George Floyd et des questions qui en ont découlé », indique Mélanie Champagne, directrice des communications de l’Ordre des diététistes-nutritionnistes du Québec. Portrait de la situation, en sept bouchées.

GoodLeaf souhaite bâtir une ferme verticale à Longueuil

��ֱ�� — Fri, 21 May 2021 15:18:57 +0000

L’entreprise ontarienne GoodLeaf, dont le principal actionnaire est le géant de l’alimentation McCain, espère acheter des terrains qui appartiennent à la Ville de Longueuil dans les prochaines semaines pour y bâtir une ferme verticale qui permettrait de produire de petites laitues et des pousses dès 2022, a appris Le Devoir.

Canada geese: What you may not know about the pesky national symbol

��ֱ�� — Wed, 12 May 2021 13:19:21 +0000

Many Canadians are familiar with the honking and hissing that marks the beginning of the spring season, some might be more intimately familiar with the feeling of large wings batting about the sides of their head, but one thing is for certain: most Canadians have a Canada goose story.

Canada geese flying in their V formation are usually one of the first signs of the return of warm weather, but it also marks the return of the pesky waterfowl taking over our waterfronts, golf courses and parks. Here’s what you should know about the birds that have become a national symbol.

With planet’s future on the line, scientists seek a full accounting of nature’s assets

��ֱ�� — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 14:00:13 +0000

'Eco-accounting' project aims to produce a comprehensive tally of our natural landscapes, to better aid decision-making around land management

The bean counters have arrived and Elena Bennett [Natural Resource Sciences] could not be happier.

Water: Preserving a precious commodity

��ֱ�� — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 14:54:37 +0000

To mark World Water Day (March 22), Bioresource Engineering Professor Chandra Madramootoo a member of the steering committee of the Global Framework on Water Scarcity in Agriculture – expands on the theme of this year’s World Water Day: Valuing Water, and describes the goals of the federal government’s Canada Water Agency, which is in the process of being created. He is contributing to this effort.

��ֱ�� Reporter

Narwal tusks reveal mercury exposure related to climate change

��ֱ�� — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 14:38:51 +0000

“Our research shows that climate change is having substantial impacts on Arctic ecosystems, with consequences for exposure to toxic pollutants like mercury,” says co-author Jean-Pierre Desforges, a Postdoctoral Fellow [NRS] at ��ֱ�� under the supervision of Nil Basu [NRS/SHN] and Melissa McKinney [NRS].

��ֱ�� Newsroom

Rural Alaskans struggle to access and afford water

��ֱ�� — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 14:36:08 +0000

Water scarcity in rural Alaska is not a new problem, but the situation is getting worse with climate change. Lasting solutions must encourage the use of alternative water supplies like rainwater catchment and grey water recycling.

Growing that bright red berry

��ֱ�� — Wed, 31 Mar 2021 14:33:34 +0000

Bieler Cranberries Inc. is the largest single-site cranberry farm in Canada producing up to 40 million pounds of fruit a year, and its founder and president Marc Bieler is recognized as Canada’s Cranberry King. The road to this achievement, however, was not a straight line. Along the way, Bieler encountered detours, new opportunities and changes of plans — all fueled by a passion for the land and an entrepreneurial spirit.

Le marketing des aliments locaux

��ֱ�� — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 17:50:23 +0000

“Il faudrait que l’engouement pour les produits locaux, pour les produits du terroir et pour ce qui est fabriqué au Québec demeure, même une fois cette pandémie terminée. Tous ces bons réflexes qu'on a développés pour acheter des produits locaux doivent rester, et les épiciers devront continuer à nous offrir ces produits-là, à bien les identifier et à les mettre en évidence.” Pascal Thériault, Faculté des sciences de l’agriculture et de l’environnement de l'Université ��ֱ��.

Valérie Orsat wins ‘Engineering and Physical Sciences’ Suffrage Science award

��ֱ�� — Fri, 12 Mar 2021 14:06:52 +0000

Bioresource engineering prof cited for research excellence and role as mentor for women entering the field

New inter-campus shuttle buses unveiled

��ֱ�� — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 14:38:18 +0000

��ֱ��’s shuttle buses are sporting a brand-new design.

After a curveball of a year, the revamped ��ֱ��-red vehicles—which feature a new, bold Made by ��ֱ�� design style—will, with any luck, serve as a beacon of the many exciting things to come as the university progresses toward the gradual resumption of on-campus activities.

Dr. Michael Ngadi: Serving up solutions to food insecurity

��ֱ�� — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 14:12:17 +0000

Bioresource Engineering professor Michael Ngadi has spent his career trying to help solve some of the world’s most pervasive food problems. Recently, Ngadi and his research team traveled to remote communities in Bolivia, Laos, Zambia, Malawi and Ethiopia to examine elements of the local diets, assess their nutritional status, and build programs that would introduce nutrient-dense foods into local cuisines.

New Season Extension Technology at the Hort Centre

��ֱ�� — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 14:10:04 +0000

Here's a feast for your eyes on this chilly February morning. Join Mike Bleho for a trip back to the sweltering summer of 2020 to see the construction of a couple of new structures at the Hort Centre - a low input high tunnel and a greenhouse. Thanks to this new infrastructure, the team produced tomatoes right up until the first week of November! The project came together thanks to the dedicated efforts of our staff and students and was supported by the ��ֱ�� Sustainability Projects Fund.

Les petites fermes poussent

��ֱ�� — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 14:08:17 +0000

En chute libre depuis les années 1940, le nombre de fermes se stabilise au Québec. Fait rare, il a même légèrement augmenté en 2020. Derrière cette hausse se cache toutefois deux réalités. Si les petites fermes de proximité et les érablières sont en croissance, les productions animales sont en baisse, pour la plupart. En février 2020, Clémence Briand-Racine [BSc (AgEnvSc)’14 ], fondant officiellement son entreprise agricole maraîchère : la Ferme aux colibris.

Macdonald Campus Dairy Cow Pasture Project uses sustainable best practices to bolster education

��ֱ�� — Thu, 18 Feb 2021 14:05:58 +0000

Animal-friendly fences, optimized water use and rotational grazing systems help make the Mac dairy herd more sustainable overall

“This system of pasturing uses the cattle to manage grass growth, and in return, the cattle get highly nutritious grass at the peak of quality while spending the spring, summer and fall outside in a natural environment,” says [Farm Manager, Paul] Meldrum of the Project which received funding from the University’s Sustainability Projects Fund.

Past, Present, Future: Founder’s Day 2021 goes virtual

��ֱ�� — Fri, 12 Feb 2021 14:20:38 +0000

| Caitlin MacDougall, Liaison Officer, Farm Management and Technology Program

Nearly 200 members of the ��ֱ��-Macdonald community gathered for a virtual celebration of Founder’s Day on Zoom on February 11, 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic required organizers to rethink the traditional format. The transition to a digital event was a smooth one, with veteran MC Paul Meldrum, Manager of the Macdonald Campus Farm, seamlessly connecting each segment with some behind-the-scenes help.

Survey says: Canadians asking for better food systems and food sparked by COVID-19 access

��ֱ�� — Fri, 18 Dec 2020 19:42:32 +0000

Inter-provincial survey gauges how Canadians have accessed food during the pandemic and their perceptions of food systems

Shopping anxiety, higher food prices and individual income limitations are some of the factors making access to food challenging for Canadians during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new study suggests.

��ֱ�� PhD candidate on being part of the UN World Food Programme’s Nobel Peace Prize

��ֱ�� — Fri, 18 Dec 2020 13:44:54 +0000

Kate Sinclair is working at the World Food Programme, Sri Lanka while simultaneously finishing her PhD in Human Nutrition at ��ֱ��

December 10, was a typical day at the office for Kate Sinclair… Kind of, but not really. Not by a long shot.

Can COVID-19 be transmitted through food?

��ֱ�� — Thu, 10 Dec 2020 17:24:09 +0000

[Authors: Bridget O'Brien is a 4th year undergraduate student in the Faculty of Science (Microbiology & Immunology), and an Honours student with Dr Ronholm. This paper stems from her NSERC USRA research project with Dr Ronholm in the summer 2020; Dr Jennifer Ronholm is an Assistant Professor in both the Departments of Animal Science and Food Science, whose research focuses on the microbiome of food-producing animals]

Congratulations to all the participants and award winners of the 2020 Lister Family Engaged Science 3-Minute Thesis Competition!

��ֱ�� — Wed, 02 Dec 2020 15:56:35 +0000

On Wednesday November 25th, 2020, 9 passionate Macdonald campus graduate students each presented their thesis research in 3 minutes. With only one non-animated slide for visual support, each competitor walked us through the complexity of their research and the impact their work will have. Over 60 people attended the event and engaged in an incredible Q&A session with the competitors, while our astute panel of judges had the challenging task of identifying the most outstanding presentations among the 9 memorable presentations that were given that afternoon.

Ecological Improvement of Dairy Cow Pastures Project wins 2020 Sustainability in Operations Catalyst Award

��ֱ�� — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 21:13:17 +0000

The Ecological Improvement of Dairy Cow Pastures project has created a sustainable pasture system at the Macdonald Campus Farm which features a rotational grazing system for cattle, the addition of approximately 700 trees and shrubs, the installation of water lines for access to fresh water, and the purchase of a mobile shade umbrella to protect cattle from the sun. The re-design of the pastures has led to improved animal well-being and reduced machinery usage.

Michael Bleho honoured with 2020 Distinguished Contribution Catalyst Award

��ֱ�� — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 21:08:04 +0000

As Coordinator of the Horticulture Research Centre at the Macdonald Campus Farm, Michael [Bleho] has demonstrated his commitment to sustainability through his daily interactions with students and his work making the agricultural process more eco-friendly throughout his 30 years at the Centre. Michael was a driving force in establishing ‘��ֱ�� Feeding ��ֱ��’, an initiative which directly provides Macdonald Campus produce to campus dining halls.

Our Top Students: 2020 Macdonald and Stewart Medal Recipients

��ֱ�� — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 20:55:27 +0000

Congrats to these exceptional Macdonald students who achieved the highest aggregate standing in the first or second year of their respective programs! The Macdonald Medals (BSc(AgEnvSc), BEng(Bioresource) and BSc(FSc) programs) and Stewart Medals (BSc(NutrSc) progam) were presented at the recent Scholastic Awards Ceremony.

Plantation d’arbres en accéléré au campus Macdonald de ��ֱ��

��ֱ�� — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 20:47:58 +0000

“La plantation d’arbres sur le campus Macdonald, on en fait depuis des décennies. Mais on s’est engagé à en faire beaucoup plus au cours des prochaines cinq années dans un objectif de développement durable. On veut, entre autres, essayer de diminuer les gaz à effet de serre (GES)”, indique le directeur associé du programme de gestion et de technologies agricoles, David Wees [FMT/PlantScience/Sustainability Workgroup].

Macdonald Campus: Working together toward a sustainable future

��ֱ�� — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 20:37:47 +0000

"I am constantly inspired and motivated by the outstanding enthusiasm we have had from within the working group and from the larger community of students and staff,” says Cynthia Kallenbach, who also serves as the [Sustainability of Campus Operations] Workgroup’s Chair. “As for the survey results, we saw common themes emerge, including banning single-use items, diversifying the green space, and ‘greening’ the campus infrastructure.

Arctic Researcher wins prestigious 2020 L’Oréal Canada For Women in Science Research Excellence Fellowship

��ֱ�� — Wed, 25 Nov 2020 20:10:08 +0000

Emily Choy [Post Doctoral Fellow, NRS. Advisor : Kyle Elliott] became hooked on the Arctic when, as a Master’s student, she jumped on a research opportunity to study the effects of manmade contaminants on High Arctic food webs on Devon Island, Nunavut. “When I experienced how out of the world it was and observed the wildlife that are so highly adapted to the Arctic environment, I just fell in love,” says Choy.

Ecological insights from three decades of animal movement tracking across a changing Arctic

��ֱ�� — Sun, 08 Nov 2020 16:08:22 +0000

[Natural Resource Sciences professor Kyle Elliott, Canada Research Chair in Arctic Ecology, and grad students Allison Patterson and Don-Jean Leandri-Breton are co-authors on this study]

Opinion: Degradation of Quebec forests is costly to all

��ֱ�� — Sun, 08 Nov 2020 15:58:30 +0000

[Co-author Joshua Sterlin is a PhD student in the Department of Natural Resource Sciences at ��ֱ��.]

An increase in cutting in Quebec’s public forests would be a mistake for the forests, the industry, the climate and the regions.

A recent opinion article in the Montreal Gazette (“Shortfall in forest harvest is costly to economy” Oct. 29) called on governments and logging companies to work together to increase cutting in Quebec.

In Memoriam: Emeritus Professor John R. Ogilvie (1930 – 2020)

��ֱ�� — Fri, 06 Nov 2020 11:00:00 +0000

John R. Ogilvie, BScAgr’54, PhD, FCSBE, FASABE, P.Eng., P.Ag (Dist), 2010 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient, a leader in agricultural and bioresource engineering, died on March 20, 2020 at the age of 90, in Guelph, Ontario.

At-Home Homecoming 2020

��ֱ�� — Thu, 05 Nov 2020 11:00:00 +0000

This year’s Homecoming was different from what we all know and love about a Mac Reunion. While we were not able to reconnect in person, there were many virtual opportunities for alumni to participate in, such as favourite events like the Beatty Lecture and Leacock Luncheon. Dean Anja Geitmann also hosted a Masterclass titled Indigenous Peoples’ Nutrition, Food Security, and Well-being that was moderated by Professor Murray Humphries, Director of the Centre for Indigenous Peoples’ Nutrition and Environment (CINE).

Community commitment in the spotlight at Forces AVENIR gala

��ֱ�� — Wed, 04 Nov 2020 11:00:00 +0000

Macdonald Dietetics students Alyshia Guan, Asmaa Housni, Danielle Kasis Akal and Kristina Madjuga were recent Forces AVENIR award winners (health category) for their work as part of the Collaboration Interprofessionelle Montréalaise Étudiante (CIME). CIME is an interprofessional team of medical, nursing, dietetics and social work students sharing the common goal of diminishing healthcare gaps experienced by asylum seekers in Montreal.

Treena Wasonti:io Delormier: Building Bridges

��ֱ�� — Tue, 03 Nov 2020 11:00:00 +0000

| Valerie MacLeod

Although Homecoming 2020 took on a different shape this year, the new virtual delivery of Masterclasses and other celebratory events gave alumni a unique opportunity to tune in to fascinating discussions on a variety of different topics, at their convenience, from the comfort of their homes.

E-newsletter: Message from the Dean

��ֱ�� — Mon, 02 Nov 2020 14:00:07 +0000

Dear friends,

The fall semester is well underway and although we continue to face challenging circumstances and restrictions, every day I feel extremely proud of the hard work, resilience and flexibility of everyone in our community in delivering our academic programs and providing a safe environment for all. Life on campus is significantly different this year, and although it can be easy to dwell on some of the current hardships, it is more important than ever to try focusing on all that is still great at ��ֱ�� and Macdonald!

Macdonald Campus ablaze with fall colours

��ֱ�� — Fri, 23 Oct 2020 13:40:24 +0000

A resident of Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, ��ֱ�� Reporter editor Neale McDevitt frequently visits Macdonald Campus. Recently, over the course of a few weeks, he took pictures of the grounds as they underwent their annual fall transformation.

Enjoy Neale's photos here...

A new chapter for Environmental Studies at ��ֱ��

��ֱ�� — Wed, 14 Oct 2020 13:57:03 +0000

Landmark $15-million gift commitment from ��ֱ�� alumnus Marc Bieler to the School of Environment will bolster environmental scholarship, research and outreach

Scientists grappling with complex and seemingly unresolvable issues often refer to them as “wicked problems”. Arguably, some of the nastiest are those related to the deteriorating health of our environment.

Robin Beech named ��ֱ��'s new Dean of Students

��ֱ�� — Fri, 09 Oct 2020 13:06:32 +0000

Congratulations to Professor Robin Beech (Parasitology) who will become ��ֱ��’s Dean of Students on November 1.

Robin joined the Institute of Parasitology in 1992 and has served as the Associate Dean of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies since 2015. In addition to his extensive experience in student advising, supervision, discipline and policy, he is skilled in conflict resolution, mediation and creative problem solving.

Maclean’s rates ��ֱ�� as the top medical-doctoral university in Canada

��ֱ�� — Fri, 09 Oct 2020 13:03:31 +0000

Earlier today, Maclean’s Magazine issued its 30th annual Canadian university rankings and, for the 16th straight year, ��ֱ�� was named the country’s top medical-doctoral university. The Medical Doctoral category includes 15 universities with a broad range of PhD programs and research, as well as medical schools.

Read more in the Reporter...

Gaspillage alimentaire. Il faut qu’on parle des légumes moches

��ֱ�� — Mon, 05 Oct 2020 19:07:14 +0000

Même si le consommateur est de plus en plus sensibilisé à l’enjeu du gaspillage alimentaire, l’achat de légumes moches demeure un marché de niche au Québec. Pourtant, quand on abandonne un légume laid à la ferme, on ne jette pas seulement une denrée, on gaspille toutes les ressources naturelles et la main-d’œuvre nécessaires pour la produire.

...Pour l’économiste agricole Pascal Thériault, qui enseigne à la faculté des sciences de l’agriculture et de l’environnement de l’Université ��ֱ��, il est difficile de pointer un seul coupable.

��ֱ��-Mac Campus Alums named to Canadian Agricultural Youth Council

��ֱ�� — Wed, 30 Sep 2020 15:10:38 +0000

We were thrilled to learn that several members of the ��ֱ��-Macdonald Campus community were selected from more than 800 applicants to sit on the Canadian Agricultural Youth Council.

Virtual Programming – Our New Outreach

��ֱ�� — Wed, 30 Sep 2020 15:05:22 +0000

We have been offering timely science topics to the community for 21 years through our Food for Thought Lecture Series, and felt the need to continue offering interesting and thought-provoking lectures/discussions for the Fall term. For the past four years, the Series has opened with our very special A. Jean de Grandpré Distinguished Speaker Series. The Series was established to honour Chancellor Emeritus M. A.

Navigating the new academic year

��ֱ�� — Wed, 30 Sep 2020 15:00:45 +0000

An interview with Professor Valérie Orsat, Associate Dean (Student Affairs)

Each new school year is unique, and back-to-school in fall 2020 has taken a very different shape than usual. The campus is still as beautiful as ever with summer’s end, however with much reduced student presence since most of our courses are being taught entirely through remote platforms. The fall term has presented challenges and increased stress for both students (faced with the unexpected) and course instructors (faced with the uncertainty of the teaching medium).

First online USRA poster presentations a resounding success

��ֱ�� — Wed, 23 Sep 2020 21:12:28 +0000

Thanks to the leadership of TLS presentation coach, Dr. Andrew Churchill, and support from ��ֱ�� Office of Student Academic Services and the Lister Family Engaged Science Initiative, 21 undergraduate students wowed us with their research posters, lightening talks and Q & A responses during the Faculty’s first-ever online Undergraduate Student Summer Research Poster Presentation event.

Congratulations for a job well done are extended to all!

The impact of COVID-19 on Quebecers’ access to food

��ֱ�� — Mon, 14 Sep 2020 14:27:13 +0000

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed daily life for citizens in most countries around the world. The speed at which the public had to react and adapt to government directives for physical distancing is unprecedented, causing numerous hardships in acquiring the essentials.

A Fresh Take on Food Safety

��ֱ�� — Mon, 14 Sep 2020 14:23:13 +0000

In an age of mass food production and distribution, ��ֱ��’s Food Safety and Quality Program has been working toward developing innovative ways to ensure safety in the Canadian and global food supply chain. And with ��ֱ��-thinking researchers like Dr. Xiaonan Lu at its helm, the program is well on its way to fulfilling that mission.

Lu, the newly appointed Ian and Jayne Munro Chair in Food Safety and a leader in the field of food safety and food microbiology, is excited to shift the research he started seven years ago to ��ֱ��’s Macdonald Campus.

From the Dean

��ֱ�� — Mon, 14 Sep 2020 14:11:03 +0000

From the Macdonald E-newsletter: August 2020

I hope you have all had a nice summer, enjoying the beautiful weather and spending time with loved ones. It is hard to believe that September is on our doorstep and classes are beginning this week! The Fall term is certainly going to look quite different, with students learning remotely both in Montreal and across the world – but I know without a doubt that no matter where our students are, they will receive the quality education they deserve.

Oignons contaminés à la salmonelle: demande d’action collective

��ֱ�� — Wed, 09 Sep 2020 15:11:19 +0000

Plus de 450 personnes ont officiellement contracté la bactérie salmonelle de souche Newport au Canada cet été, dont 23 au Québec. Selon l’Agence canadienne d’inspection des aliments (ACIA), une personne en est possiblement morte, tandis que 66 personnes ont dû être hospitalisées.

...Qu’est-ce que la salmonellose ?

COVID-19 Q&A: How has the pandemic impacted the environment?

��ֱ�� — Fri, 28 Aug 2020 13:18:58 +0000

While the world has been locked down for much of the spring and summer, airplanes have been grounded, fishing fleets have sat mostly idle and cars have stayed parked in their driveway as people worked from home. What kind of impact has this had on the environment? And what lessons have we learned from the relatively quick pivot governments and citizens have made to combat the spread of COVID-19? Can we apply the same commitment and speed of mobilization to pressing issues like climate change?

Urban beekeeping can be bad for wild bees

��ֱ�� — Tue, 11 Aug 2020 18:43:11 +0000

Urban beekeeping has been touted as a way to boost pollination and improve sustainability, food security and biodiversity in cities. Many people and businesses who've added beehives to their backyards and rooftops (including CBC) say they're doing it to help fight declines in bee populations.

But researchers say urban beekeepers are likely doing just the opposite when it comes to wild bee species.

How Canada became an environmental outlier

��ֱ�� — Tue, 11 Aug 2020 18:12:06 +0000

OpEd by Tom Mulcair, former the leader of the New Democratic Party of Canada (2012-2017).

Fifty years ago, Canada became a major, credible player in the world of environmental protection with the creation of our first department of the environment by former prime minister Pierre Trudeau. That move was accompanied by a progressive vision that was critical of the unbridled growth which showed no regard to the consequences for life on our planet.

Ces plantes nuisibles qui envahissent les champs agricoles et les forêts

��ֱ�� — Mon, 03 Aug 2020 14:34:57 +0000

Phragmite, panais sauvage, herbe à poux, nerprun, renoué du Japon : ce sont toutes des plantes envahissantes, nuisibles à un certain degré, qui prennent de plus en plus de place sur les terres agricoles et parfois même dans nos forêts. Plusieurs sont inconnues de la population générale, mais causent de sérieux maux de tête aux agriculteurs.

Parmi celles-ci, la plus problématique semble être le phragmite, aussi appelé « roseau commun ». On le qualifie parfois de « véritable menace à la biodiversité des lieux humides ».

Mac Teams compete in Dobson Cup Finals (online)

��ֱ�� — Wed, 29 Jul 2020 18:26:19 +0000

Congratulations to the Macdonald Teams who are competing in the 2020 Dobson Cup Finals, taking place online from July 27-30.

Social Enterprise Track 2020 Finalists

BioFem: is aimed at addressing the problem of organic waste management and disposal in Cameroon by using the waste to produce compost and biogas. Bioresource Engineering U3 student Maeve Che and teammates from the Faculty of Science.

Mieux mesurer la qualité des aliments

��ֱ�� — Wed, 29 Jul 2020 18:04:21 +0000

Originaire du Nigeria, Jacob Tizhe Liberty a toujours cherché à développer des solutions aux problèmes locaux qu’il observait. C’est ce qui l’a amené, dans le cadre de ses études doctorales, à mettre au point de nouvelles techniques pour mieux évaluer la qualité des aliments et ainsi diminuer le gaspillage.

Lire...

Bioresource Engineering funding to support innovative research

��ֱ�� — Wed, 29 Jul 2020 18:00:15 +0000

Congratulations to Professor Jan Adamowski (Bioresource Engineering) for receiving a $198,569 SSHRC Partnership Development Grant: #CitiSciWater – Exploring the potential of scalable, user-centric citizen science platforms and tools to co-create actionable knowledge and transform water governance. Read more.

Two ��ֱ�� teams finalists in Institute of Food Technologists Competitions

��ֱ�� — Wed, 22 Jul 2020 20:32:13 +0000

| Caitlin MacDougall

During the 2020 edition of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) annual conference, held virtually on July 13-15, two Macdonald Campus Food Science teams representing ��ֱ�� competed as finalists in the prestigious 2020 Smart Snacks for Kids Product Development Competition and the 2020 Developing Solutions for Developing Countries Competition.

E-newsletter: Message from the Dean

��ֱ�� — Wed, 22 Jul 2020 14:56:31 +0000

I hope this finds you well and enjoying our first month of summer. Although things are much quieter than usual on Macdonald campus and things are still far from “normal,” I am very proud of all the great work being accomplished in our Faculty and the plans developing for the upcoming Fall semester. I am pleased to share some highlights with you.

Future Ready: The Advocate for a Better Anthropocene

��ֱ�� — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 14:33:06 +0000

��ֱ��’s Elena Bennett wants you to imagine a radical, inspiring, and realistic future for our planet

When you think of the Earth 50 years from now, what do you see? Do you imagine desolate cities, scorched forests, dead oceans, lost biodiversity? Elena Bennett wants you to know the future doesn’t have to be bleak.

Un portrait de la situation des éleveurs de porcs

��ֱ�� — Mon, 20 Jul 2020 14:27:06 +0000

« Les éleveurs produisent pour nourrir les gens et des normes sont mises en place pour s’assurer que cette production est adéquate, explique l’agronome et professeur à la Faculté des sciences de l’agriculture et de l’environnement de l’Université ��ֱ��, Pascal Thériault. Cependant, à partir du moment où on instaure une norme, cela crée un stress. »

Mort et résurrection de l’arbre parfait

��ֱ�� — Mon, 13 Jul 2020 13:44:23 +0000

Depuis toujours, ils servent à bâtir autant qu’à rêver... Dans cette série estivale, Le Devoir tente de cerner de quel bois sont faits les arbres qui nous entourent. Aujourd’hui : le châtaignier américain.

L’entrevue est pratiquement terminée. Christie Lovat parle depuis une bonne heure du châtaignier d’Amérique auquel elle a récemment consacré sa thèse de doctorat en sciences des plantes à l’Université ��ֱ��.

Launch of AES Student Emergency Support Fund

��ֱ�� — Wed, 08 Jul 2020 13:53:39 +0000

The rapid evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic has caused sudden and widespread changes for Agricultural & Environmental Sciences (AES) students, many of whom are now struggling to make ends meet.

Nouvelle technologie pour mesurer le CO2 du sol

��ֱ�� — Thu, 02 Jul 2020 19:51:18 +0000

« Il suffit d’installer notre système au champ et de pousser sur le bouton ON, et le tour est joué », indique Viacheslav Adamchuk, professeur en génie des bioressources à l’Université ��ֱ��, en parlant du nouvel outil prototype créé par son équipe pour mesurer les émissions de CO₂ provenant du sol. »

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New Canada Research Chair Tier II in Indigenous Peoples’ Nutrition and Food Security

��ֱ�� — Tue, 30 Jun 2020 11:15:48 +0000

Congratulations to Treena Wasonti:io Delormier, School of Human Nutrition and Associate Director of the Centre for Indigenous Peoples' Nutrition and Environment (CINE), who has been awarded a Canada Research Chair Tier II in Indigenous Peoples’ Nutrition and Food Security.

Faculty use creative and innovative solutions for remote teaching

��ֱ�� — Mon, 29 Jun 2020 14:48:03 +0000

How do you ensure your students are really learning in your class when you can’t see them, they’re in different time zones, and they aren’t physically present in the labs where you would have been able to observe if they were understanding the objectives of your course? Faculty members across ��ֱ�� – and indeed the world – are pondering those questions as they prepare to teach remotely for the first full semester next fall.

Professor Salavati appointed the next Director of the Institute of Parasitology

��ֱ�� — Mon, 29 Jun 2020 13:59:49 +0000

Professor Reza Salavati has been appointed Director of the Institute of Parasitology for a 5-year term starting July 1, 2020. Professor Salavati is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Parasitology and an Associate Member of the Department of Biochemistry at ��ֱ��. His research programs focus on the biology of the protozoan parasites of global importance and drug discovery. He has developed computational and experimental methods to determine the functions of the poorly annotated parasite genomes to target unique pathways for drug discovery.

Bieler Family Internship Program provides essential workers and experience

��ֱ�� — Mon, 29 Jun 2020 13:19:05 +0000

When ��ֱ�� announced its closure in mid-March to respect government social distancing and quarantine policies due to COVID-19, campus staff had to think fast to continue to provide high quality internship opportunities to undergraduates.

Éric Gosselin takes on the role of Chair of the Faculty Advisory Board

��ֱ�� — Fri, 26 Jun 2020 13:49:51 +0000

On May 1, 2020, Éric Gosselin, BScAgr’91, FAB member since 2017 and partner in the Business Law Group in Montreal for McCarthy Tetrault LLP, stepped into the role of FAB Chair for a three-year term. He took some time to answer a few questions about himself, his role as Chair and his vision for the future of the FAB.

E-newsletter: Message from the Dean

��ֱ�� — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 16:34:57 +0000

Summer has officially begun! It is amazing what warmer weather, sunshine and time spent outdoors in the fresh air can do to lift the spirits. There is no doubt that the past few months have been challenging and full of ups and downs, but with the changing season comes renewed optimism and strength to continue moving ��ֱ��. I am both grateful for and incredibly proud of the continued commitment, passion and support provided by our Macdonald community.

La pandémie relance le débat de l’autosuffisance alimentaire

��ֱ�� — Thu, 25 Jun 2020 14:11:38 +0000

« On va devoir changer nos habitudes alimentaires, pas seulement nous les consommateurs, mais l'ensemble de la chaîne de production. On est un peu victime de notre propre demande », estime Pascal Thériault, économiste et directeur des relations communautaires pour la faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'environnement de l'université ��ֱ��.

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Alice Cherestes wins Best Practices and Pedagogical Innovation award

��ֱ�� — Fri, 12 Jun 2020 18:22:16 +0000

Alice Cherestes, a senior lecturer at Bioresource Engineering in ��ֱ��’s faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

Climate change challenges Nunavut’s thick-billed murres: researcher

��ֱ�� — Fri, 12 Jun 2020 18:16:19 +0000

There’s less ice, more capelin and lots of hungry polar bears

Climate change in the eastern Arctic has already altered the travel, diet and safety of some of the most numerous birds in the circumpolar world: thick-billed murres, known as akpait in Inuktitut.

These and other changes are likely to continue, says Allison Patterson, a ��ֱ�� graduate student [with Professor Kyle Elliott] who has tracked the habits of these black-and-white birds on Hudson Bay’s Coats Island, known as Akpatordjuark in Inuktitut.

Dean Geitmann recognized by the Microscopical Society of Canada

��ֱ�� — Fri, 12 Jun 2020 18:12:17 +0000

Congratulations to Dean Anja Geitmann who is the 2020 recipient of the Frances W. Doane Award. The objective of the Frances W Doane award is to recognize the valuable service and contributions that an individual made to the Microscopical Society of Canada.

Survey Examines Grocery Shopping in the Time of COVID-19

��ֱ�� — Fri, 12 Jun 2020 18:08:01 +0000

��ֱ�� researcher launches online survey to study the food shopping experiences of Quebecers during COVID-19

A ��ֱ�� human health expert [Daiva Nielsen, SHN] is looking for Quebecers to take her online survey to collect data about people’s food shopping experiences during the period of strict COVID-19 physical distancing measures.

OpEd: Food safety and OH&S matters during COVID-19

��ֱ�� — Fri, 12 Jun 2020 18:04:38 +0000

With this current pandemic, questions around manufacturing and food safety are becoming a bigger concern for those in the production and distribution chain, as well as consumers. Here are five of the biggest questions pertaining to food safety, and answers that may help. Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry Course Coordinator Eby Noroozi tackles some of the issues.

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Survey of Eating Habits During the COVID-19 Pandemic

��ֱ�� — Fri, 12 Jun 2020 17:57:39 +0000

A group of nutrition researchers at ��ֱ�� is trying to understand how the eating habits of Canadians are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Your participation to the COVIDiet study will help researchers better understand how this pandemic is affecting the eating habits of Canadians to inform public health agencies in future economic crises and isolation measures.

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Welcome to ��ֱ�� Dobson Centre’s 2020 X-1 Accelerator Cohort Cannafish!

��ֱ�� — Fri, 12 Jun 2020 17:53:53 +0000

Cannafish is very proud to announce that they are part of the 2020 ��ֱ�� X-1 Accelerator, which will allow them to propel our project to investment! The team are very proud to realize that they are part of the 2020 ��ֱ�� X-1 Accelerator cohort, getting ready for investments!

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��ֱ�� researchers garner over $7M in SSHRC funding

��ֱ�� — Wed, 10 Jun 2020 15:13:46 +0000

20 ��ֱ�� researchers receive funding from SSHRC through Partnership Program Grants, Partnership Development Grants, and Postdoctoral Fellowships

The Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC) recently unveiled the recipients of its fall 2019 round of Partnership Grants, including two ��ֱ��-led projects, totalling $5 million. SSHRC also unveiled the recipients of the round’s Partnership Development Grants and Postdoctoral Fellowships, in which 18 ��ֱ�� applicants received over $2 million in funding.

��ֱ��-led training program receives $1.65M NSERC CREATE grant

��ֱ�� — Tue, 02 Jun 2020 20:41:17 +0000

��ֱ�� Prof. Mark Lefsrud and team awarded a $1.65 million research grant for their program, Quality Assurance and Quality Control for Cannabis Production, Products and Training

An inter-university collaboration led by Dr. Mark Lefsrud, Associate Professor in the Department of Bioresource Engineering, has received a $1.65 million research grant, to be distributed over six years, from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada’s (NSERC) Collaborative Research and Training Experience (CREATE) Program.

Science leads the response to COVID-19. These 25 scientists are tackling the other global challenges

��ֱ�� — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 18:10:31 +0000

The World Economic Forum created the Young Scientists Community in 2008, to engage leaders with science and the role it plays in society. The class of 2020 represents 25 researchers at the forefront of scientific discovery from 14 countries across the world.

Indigenous Peoples around the globe are disproportionately affected by pollution

��ֱ�� — Mon, 01 Jun 2020 18:04:54 +0000

Indigenous Peoples around the world are suffering disproportionately from the impacts of pollution. After surveying close to 700 articles covering different disciplines and regions of the world, a research team led by Helsinki University and involving ��ֱ�� has highlighted key factors that contribute to this situation.

��ֱ�� researcher launches online survey to study the food shopping experiences of Quebecers during COVID-19

��ֱ�� — Wed, 20 May 2020 21:22:08 +0000

The COVID-19 Food Study aims to understand household experiences with food access in Quebec during the pandemic, lead by Principal Investigator Prof. Daiva Neilsen (SHN). The study is funded by a ��ֱ�� SSHRC Institutional Grant and MI4 Emergency COVID-19 Research Funding (ECRF) Program.

ADSA elects new Vice Pesident and Board Members

��ֱ�� — Thu, 14 May 2020 17:32:23 +0000

The American Dairy Science Association® (ADSA®), the international organization of educators, scientists, and industry representatives who are committed to advancing the dairy industry, recently elected new leaders for the organization's 2020-2021 term that begins in late June.

COVID-19 Q&A: Pascal Thériault on Canadian food security during the pandemic

��ֱ�� — Thu, 14 May 2020 17:26:12 +0000

"Our food supply chain is a highly efficient mature system, but it has been knocked off balance by the crisis... In a way, we went from being on cruise control to hitting traffic."

In recent days, we’ve seen major meat processing plants shutting down because of COVID-19 outbreaks. Farmers are struggling because foreign workers can’t come into the country to plant or harvest crops. Are Canadians facing shortages and rising prices at the grocery store?

'Close to Zero': Why you shouldn't worry about catching COVID from meat-19

��ֱ�� — Mon, 11 May 2020 15:46:49 +0000

While meat packing plants have become virus hot spots, there have been no reported cases from food or food packaging. Experts explain why.

The odds of contracting COVID-19 by eating food processed in a slaughterhouse impacted by outbreaks are “close to zero,” food safety experts say. Food processing plants have been particularly hard hit by outbreaks of COVID-19, with many forced to temporarily shut down as the fast-moving virus spreads among workers. The Cargill plant south of Calgary has taken the toughest blows, with 921 cases of the virus recorded among 2,000 employees.

COVID-19 Q&A: Jennifer Ronholm on staying safe while shopping for groceries

��ֱ�� — Wed, 06 May 2020 15:15:08 +0000

Can food transmit COVID-19? Should we wear masks and gloves while shopping? Should we wipe down groceries? Cash or credit? These questions and more are answered by ��ֱ�� expert.

Jennifer Ronholm is an Assistant Professor cross-appointed to the Departments of Animal Science and Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry. Her research interests include using the latest next-generation sequencing techniques to study how the microbiome of food-producing animals affects food quality, as well as how the microbiome of the food we eat affects human health.

Des dizaines de chercheurs très inquiets de la santé des Autochtones

��ֱ�� — Thu, 09 Apr 2020 18:45:42 +0000

Des dizaines de chercheurs de partout au Canada lancent un cri d'alarme au sujet de la santé des Autochtones dans cette lettre ouverte.

Nous sommes un groupe de scientifiques dans le domaine de la santé et de médecins qui écrivons pour exprimer notre préoccupation concernant les effets de la pandémie de COVID-19 sur la santé des communautés autochtones et pour souligner l'urgence d'un soutien proactif pour la sécurité alimentaire et le logement. Nous appelons à la solidarité et à une meilleure réconciliation en ces temps difficiles.

...Signé par (parmis autres)...

Experts weigh in on best handling of groceries during COVID-19 pandemic

��ֱ�� — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 15:25:52 +0000

A routine trip to the grocery store can be complicated by a boatload of questions in the age of COVID-19.

The pandemic has left many shoppers wondering whether they need to sanitize their cardboard cereal boxes or plastic yogurt containers before unloading their grocery bags.

But several experts say washing your hands is more important than wiping down every item you put in the fridge.

La neige, bonne pour la santé et le moral des vaches

��ֱ�� — Fri, 06 Mar 2020 13:43:12 +0000

...La chercheuse Elsa Vasseur, de l’Université ��ֱ��, travaille présentement sur un projet de recherche spécifiquement consacré à l’exercice des vaches à l’extérieur, même en hiver. Elle dit que l’industrie et les consommateurs font pression pour que les animaux puissent sortir faire de l’exercice. Il s’agit d’établir les bons paramètres pour le faire, dit-elle. Ses résultats paraîtront dans les prochains mois.

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Agriculture programs change with the times

��ֱ�� — Fri, 28 Feb 2020 15:30:29 +0000

Agriculture faculties are becoming some of the most exciting hubs of interdisciplinary collaboration on Canadian campuses.

Founder’s Day brings together the tight-knit community of Macdonald campus

��ֱ�� — Thu, 13 Feb 2020 14:45:38 +0000

Students, staff, faculty, alumni and friends of Mac campus celebrate the past, present and future of Sir William's visionary creation

On February 6, members of Macdonald campus came together to take part in the annual Founder’s Day festivities. Chris Buddle, who taught at Mac for many years before moving to the administrative side downtown, summed up the tone for the day.

“Although I spend a lot of my time downtown now, a huge hunk of my heart is here. I love Mac campus and try to visit it regularly,” said the Associate Provost (Teaching and Academic Programs).

Eby Noroozi awarded Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers

��ֱ�� — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 19:35:09 +0000

Congratulations to Eby Noroozi, MSc'78 (Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry) for receiving the Sovereign's Medal for Volunteers. The Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers recognizes living Canadians who have made a significant, sustained and unpaid contribution to their community, in Canada or abroad. Non-Canadians are also eligible if their contribution brings benefit or honour to Canadians or to Canada.

The citation reads:

Des fermiers canadiens veulent rendre leur industrie carboneutre

��ֱ�� — Wed, 12 Feb 2020 15:30:54 +0000

Une nouvelle coalition, Fermiers pour la transition climatique, voit le jour.

... Anja Geitmann, doyenne de la Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'environnement à l'Université ��ֱ��, estime qu'il faudra un sérieux coup de main financier du gouvernement.

"Ça c’est le problème. Tout changement est coûteux. Il faut établir des incitatifs pour convaincre les producteurs à faire ces changements."

The farmer and the philanthropist

��ֱ�� — Tue, 04 Feb 2020 14:12:50 +0000

Finance titan André Desmarais teams up with rock-star farmer to invest in the future of small organic farming

In the first season of Les Fermiers, a hit French-Canadian TV show about vegetable farming in Hemmingford, Quebec, Dany Bouchard [FMT'08], a young trainee, tells his boss and the show’s star, Jean-Martin Fortier [BA’02, Major in Environment], that there won’t be enough turnips to bring to market that week. “We can’t fight the temperature,” Bouchard says. “We have to be patient.”

Opportunities for the curious

��ֱ�� — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 20:46:01 +0000

Award funding gives students lab time, research experience and the chance to discover the right path

...Supported by a Schulich Graduate Fellowship, doctoral student Bikram Poudel is working to improve one of the world’s most important food crops.

Angus (Gus) Mackenzie 1932-2020

��ֱ�� — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 20:39:04 +0000

Gus was born in Elrose, Saskatchewan and grew up on a farm where he acquired a life-long love for the land. He earned a BSc (Agr) and MSc at the University of Saskatchewan, and a PhD in soil chemistry from Cornell University. Gus spent the majority of his academic career at ��ֱ��'s Macdonald Campus where he pioneered fertility research in crop production, maximizing crop yield and the value of fertilizer management.

Pourquoi certains feuillus conservent leurs feuilles en hiver ?

��ֱ�� — Thu, 30 Jan 2020 15:09:10 +0000

Ils détonnent du reste du paysage hivernal : ces arbres, contrairement aux autres, gardent leurs feuilles même après leur mort. Ce phénomène, appelé marcescence, est observable chez certaines espèces d'arbres. MétéoMédia s'est entretenu avec David Wees, chargé de cours au Département des sciences végétales et directeur adjoint du programme Gestion et technologies d’entreprise agricole (GTEA) à l'université ��ֱ��.

The Australian wildfire anomaly

��ֱ�� — Thu, 30 Jan 2020 14:33:28 +0000

Every year, patches of Australian forests are consumed by fire, an ecologically necessary process that releases soil nutrients and stimulates plant growth. When the fire season is exacerbated by drought and high temperature, however, the devastation is so great that some citizens are forced to flee their homes. In the most extreme circumstances, natural habitats are ruined completely, even to the point of species extirpation.

Guide de production en serre – Fines herbes

��ֱ�� — Fri, 24 Jan 2020 14:45:27 +0000

Nouveau livre redacté par David Wees, Département des sciences végétales et Gestion et technologies d’enterprise agricole (FMT)

Les racines d’une économie écologique

��ֱ�� — Fri, 24 Jan 2020 14:41:15 +0000

« Je suis un gardien de la Terre, j’en prends soin. » C’est ainsi que Peter G. Brown, producteur forestier certifié et professeur à la Faculté des sciences de l’agriculture et de l’environnement de l’Université ��ֱ��, résume sa philosophie à l’égard de sa terre à bois d’environ 400 acres dans la municipalité de Franklin, en Montérégie.

Opinion: Impending fertility crisis requires urgent action

��ֱ�� — Fri, 24 Jan 2020 14:37:15 +0000

Responses should include prioritizing funding for research on male infertility and making assisted reproductive treatment more accessible.

Despite headlines about the labour shortage and aging population, people remain strangely unaware of this impending fertility crisis. As well, infertility is wrongly perceived as a female-only health issue. It’s urgent that we move to ensure fair and equitable access to fertility treatment. Prof. Sarah Kimmins (AnSci) and Montreal attorney Joël Roy in the Montreal Gazette.

The American kestrel is in free fall, and no one knows why

��ֱ�� — Fri, 10 Jan 2020 14:18:02 +0000

Once prevalent in Montreal, the littlest falcon's downfall is a bellwether for hard times. “The story of the kestrel is happening to other bird species.”

Throughout the 1900s, North America’s littlest falcon was also described as the continent’s most common and widespread. Small but fierce and marked with bright plumage rare in the raptor world, the American kestrel could be seen throughout the continent, diving and swooping in fallow fields or under the stadium lights at baseball games, hunting for plump moths or small mice.

West Island parks woo residents outdoors for winter activities

��ֱ�� — Thu, 09 Jan 2020 17:43:47 +0000

Skiing, snowshoeing, stargazing and bird-watching are just a few items on the winter menu at local parks.

Winter in the West Island is a time when nature and leisure activities can dovetail beautifully.

Robert Prairie, a patrol leader at Morgan Arboretum, heads a team of volunteers that help to ensure a safe and fun experience for the many individuals and families who enjoy recreational destinations in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue.

Germination Audiomentary Series Ep 1: Changing the World Through Pulse Breeding

��ֱ�� — Thu, 09 Jan 2020 14:08:10 +0000

In 2019 — with the help of the Borlaug Training Foundation — [Germination] put out the call to plant breeders asking them what they would do if they had $10 million to make the world a better place. Valerio Hoyos-Villegas, pulse breeder at ��ֱ��, answered the call. He tells his story about how growing up around the coffee farms of Colombia set him on the path to helping feed the planet. Hosted by Germination editor Marc Zienkiewicz.

Le bonheur des agriculteurs

��ֱ�� — Wed, 08 Jan 2020 19:28:16 +0000

Les producteurs semblent plus heureux au travail que la majorité des Québécois. En effet, l’agriculture se positionne au 10e rang des 70 professions et métiers classés au palmarès de l’indice du bonheur au travail réalisé par la firme Léger. Les travailleurs agricoles ont très positivement évalué cinq des six facteurs principaux qui influencent le bonheur au travail : réalisation de soi, relations de travail, reconnaissance, responsabilisation et sentiment d’appartenance.

Appartenance et reconnaissance

Des légumes cultivés sur du béton

��ֱ�� — Wed, 08 Jan 2020 19:26:03 +0000

Faire pousser des végétaux sur du béton? C’est possible, pratique et même très esthétique. Mark Lefsrud et son équipe, les chercheurs Sadie Moland et Intisar Syed Mahood, du Département de génie en bioressources de l’Université ��ֱ��, ont développé un mur végétal vertical nouveau genre : tomates, chou frisé, laitues et épinards poussent, non pas dans la terre, mais dans du béton poreux biocompatible. Ce substrat horticole original n’est pas encore commercialisé, mais il fait ses preuves depuis trois ans dans les serres de l’université.

L’essor des légumineuses

��ֱ�� — Wed, 08 Jan 2020 19:22:40 +0000

Originaire des Andes en Colombie, Valerio Hoyos-Villegas a grandi en milieu agricole et a étudié l’agriculture partout dans le monde. Il comprend bien le défi que représente la production alimentaire.

L’Université ��ֱ��, chef de file dans la formation et la recherche sur le cannabis

��ֱ�� — Thu, 19 Dec 2019 20:00:15 +0000

Le programme en production de cannabis commercial de l’Université ��ֱ��, qui accueillera sa première cohorte en juin 2020, sera un moteur pour la recherche et les collaborations entre l’Université et le secteur privé.

Le nouveau diplôme a reçu le feu vert de la direction de l’Université, ce qui fait de ��ֱ�� l’une des premières universités canadiennes à offrir un programme d’études dans le domaine.

Reappointments of the Deans of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences, Management, Science

��ֱ�� — Fri, 13 Dec 2019 15:18:09 +0000

La version française suit.

From: Professor Christopher Manfredi, Provost and Vice-Principal (Academic)

Dear members of the ��ֱ�� community:

It is my pleasure to announce the reappointments of Professors Isabelle Bajeux-Besnainou, Anja Geitmann and Bruce Lennox in their respective positions as Deans of the Desautels Faculty of Management, the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and the Faculty of Science.

Un nouveau verger pour l’Université ��ֱ��

��ֱ�� — Fri, 13 Dec 2019 14:58:38 +0000

« Depuis 30 ans, je prends soin du verger de ��ֱ��, confie fièrement Michael Bleho, coordonnateur du Centre de recherche horticole de l’Université ��ֱ��. J’adore travailler avec les pommiers! » Débordant d’enthousiasme, il annonce ainsi l’aboutissement d’un projet colossal : planter un nouveau verger pour l’université.

��ֱ��'s diploma program will train expert pot growers for $24,000

��ֱ�� — Wed, 04 Dec 2019 14:38:27 +0000

There is a strong need for it because the cannabis industry is desperate for qualified personnel, professor Anja Geitmann says.

Call it a sign of the times: ��ֱ�� will teach students how to grow the perfect pot plant starting next year.

��ֱ��’s Diploma in Commercial Cannabis program launches in June and it’s meant to train biologists to cultivate cannabis, design strains, protect them against contaminants and understand the legal framework of Canada’s burgeoning weed industry.

Lister Family Engaged Science 3MT Competition

��ֱ�� — Thu, 21 Nov 2019 20:02:13 +0000

Congratulations to all of the presenters in Wednesday’s Lister Family Engaged Science 3MT Competition!

Tracking forest fires from space

��ֱ�� — Thu, 21 Nov 2019 19:57:12 +0000

Student researcher pieces together satellite data to help communities monitor wildfires

Morgan Crowley’s interest in sustainability took root early.

As a schoolchild in New Hampshire, she went to summer camp on Pine Mountain – so named for the stately evergreens that used to blanket the site. By the time Morgan started going there, “there were only two pines left” because the rest had fallen victim to a forest fire or to logging. As a result, “I grew up thinking very much about ecological sustainability.”

Cannafish at Coopérathon 2019

��ֱ�� — Thu, 21 Nov 2019 19:52:34 +0000

Congratulations to Ph.D. candidate David Leroux (BRE-Lefsrud) and fellow Cannafish team members, who were awarded the Agricultural Scholarship from Sollio Agriculture at Coopérathon 2019 held at Montreal’s Olympia Theatre. Coopérathon “is the world’s largest open innovation challenge that connects citizens, communities, entrepreneurs, researchers, academics and large institutions to develop, together, a socially responsible future.”

Canada's Wild Rivers - 360 | Into Water

��ֱ�� — Thu, 21 Nov 2019 19:49:52 +0000

In the third installment of National Geographic’s “Into Water” 360 series, canoe through the sprawling Canadian wilderness with freshwater ecologist and National Geographic Explorer Dalal Hanna [Ph.D. candidate NRS (Bennett)]. She researches Quebec’s extensive freshwater systems, collecting samples from streams, rivers and lakes to assess ecosystem health, with the aim of protecting these precious resources. “Into Water: Canada” is the third stop on an around the world 360 tour that documents the work of female Explorers who’ve dedicated their careers to water related issues.

Training farmers for the 21st century

��ֱ�� — Thu, 21 Nov 2019 19:41:30 +0000

Keesha Ness’s family certainly knows farming – they’ve been doing it for nearly 100 years and plan to celebrate when they reach that milestone next summer.

Ness is passionate about farming, loves her cows, and plans to follow the family’s tradition.

“I’m definitely hoping to help out with the management side,” says Ness of her family’s Ayrshire dairy farm in Howick, Quebec.

“I really love the management side of it.”

Vers des cultures plus résistantes

��ֱ�� — Thu, 21 Nov 2019 19:37:53 +0000

Les conditions météorologiques, les grands vents et les parasites peuvent abîmer les cultures jusqu’à coucher les tiges au sol. On parle alors de la verse des plants. De la reproduction à la croissance en passant par la résistance aux intempéries ou aux chocs, c’est à l’échelle microscopique que se joue le développement des plantes et des produits agricoles.

Life could exist on Mars today, very close to the surface

��ֱ�� — Thu, 14 Nov 2019 14:22:49 +0000

Scientists tackle the question of what kinds of life might reside now on the Red Planet, and how we might find it.

Last week NASA convened a visionary meeting in New Mexico to consider a topic critical to astrobiology—whether life currently exists on Mars, and if so, how to detect it. The site of the conference was near the world-renowned Carlsbad Caverns, which attendees got to visit during a mid-conference workshop.

A community turns out for Mac Remembrance Day ceremony

��ֱ�� — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 14:47:37 +0000

Students from all levels – elementary, high school, CEGEP and university – take part in annual Remembrance Day ceremony at Macdonald Campus

At today’s Remembrance Day ceremony at Macdonald Campus, the crowd – mostly schoolchildren from Macdonald High School and three West Island elementary schools – huddled together against a cold, wet snow.

“Imagine the conditions faced by Canadian soldiers,” one observer commented.

Lutte contre le gaspillage alimentaire

��ֱ�� — Fri, 08 Nov 2019 14:42:37 +0000

Le 27 septembre, Greta Thunberg était à Montréal pour parler de l’urgence climatique. Les questions environnementales sont en ce moment à l’avant-scène des enjeux sociaux. « Malheureusement, on parle peu des répercussions du gaspillage alimentaire sur l’état de la planète », rappelle Pascal Thériault, agronome et directeur des relations communautaires pour la Faculté des sciences de l’agriculture et de l’environnement de l’Université ��ֱ��.

Les boues d’épuration scrutées à la loupe

��ֱ�� — Thu, 31 Oct 2019 13:55:11 +0000

Il faut parfois s’attarder aux petits détails pour avoir une vue d’ensemble. C’est ce que fait Subhasis Ghoshal, professeur de génie civil à l’Université ��ֱ�� [et le Centre Brace pour la gestion des ressources de l'eau], qui s’intéresse à la présence de nanoparticules de métal dans les eaux usées. Il souhaite évaluer le risque de contamination des sols lorsque les boues issues du traitement des eaux municipales sont recyclées en milieu agricole.

Scientists identify key knowledge gaps in sustainability research

��ֱ�� — Thu, 31 Oct 2019 13:51:20 +0000

Call for more relevant, solutions-focused research to address the social-ecological crisis

Greater local earthworm diversity in temperate regions than in the tropics

��ֱ�� — Thu, 31 Oct 2019 13:47:14 +0000

Surprisingly, in any single location, there are typically more earthworms and more earthworm species found in temperate regions than in the tropics, according to a new study in Science. Global climate change could lead to significant shifts in earthworm communities worldwide, threatening the many vital functions they provide. Joann Whalen (NRS) is one of the co-authors on the study. ��ֱ�� Reporter.

Martin Chaumont receives Principal’s Award for Administrative and Support Staff

��ֱ�� — Thu, 31 Oct 2019 13:44:06 +0000

Congratulations to Mac Farm Staffer Martin Chaumont recipient of the Principal’s Award for Administrative and Support Staff (Technical Assistants, Library Assistants and Nurses Category)!

The ��ֱ�� Research Centre for Cannabis holds inaugural Science and Research Day

��ֱ�� — Fri, 25 Oct 2019 15:31:06 +0000

The new ��ֱ�� Research Centre for Cannabis held its inaugural Science and Research Day on Thursday, October 17, 2019, at the ��ֱ�� Hospital Centre (MUHC), Glen site.

Macdonald Campus of ��ֱ�� Named Canada’s 37th Fair Trade Campus!

��ֱ�� — Wed, 23 Oct 2019 14:07:18 +0000

PRESS RELEASE - October 22, 2019

Fair Trade Canada is pleased to announce that the Macdonald Campus of ��ֱ�� has become a Fair Trade Designated Campus!

Vers une certification d’ail québécois

��ֱ�� — Wed, 23 Oct 2019 13:55:29 +0000

« À la fruiterie du coin, je saute systématiquement sur l’ail du Québec », avoue Jean-Benoit Charron, chercheur à l’Université ��ֱ��. Avec la demande grandissante pour les produits du terroir, l’ail québécois est très prisé des consommateurs. Il se démarque par son goût, sa durée de conservation et sa faible teneur en pesticides. Pourtant, sa production demeure marginale. La raison : le manque de pureté des semences.

Climate Change threatens crops, water for billions around the globe

��ֱ�� — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 20:50:53 +0000

Canadian research is part of an extensive global climate change study that has found billions of the world’s poorest people are at risk.

The results, published Thursday in the journal Science, raise troubling questions about who will be able to adapt in a shifting, less dependable world.

“There’s a great potential for the problems to occur where people have the least ability to cope with it,” said Elena Bennett [NRS], who studies ecological systems at ��ֱ�� and is one of the paper’s 21 co-authors.

Dr.Boakye Boatin named an Unsung Hero REACH Awards finalist

��ֱ�� — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 20:46:53 +0000

Dr. Boatin [an Adjunct Professor in the Institute of Parasitology who teaches in the Parasitology graduate program] has played a transformative, frontline role in the field of disease.

“We applaud his tireless efforts in accelerating the pace towards Onchocerciasis disease elimination, and the elimination and control of other infectious diseases in Developing Countries. He has been for many years a frontline health worker driving global health and has been recognized by the Reach Awards program Reaching the Last Mile”, Dr. Roger Prichard.

Modern farming is the future: Experts

��ֱ�� — Thu, 17 Oct 2019 20:41:43 +0000

On the second day of the 8th Asian-Australasian conference on precision agriculture at PAU, the keynote speaker of the day, Prof Viacheslav Adamchuk, [BRE] shared his views on sensor systems in precision agriculture with special emphasis on development of proximal soil and plant sensing systems, geospatial data processing and management and practical implementation of precision agriculture.

Interactive map shows nature’s contributions to people

��ֱ�� — Fri, 11 Oct 2019 12:35:27 +0000

Nature supports people in critical ways, often at a highly local level. A wild bee buzzes through a farm, pollinating vegetables as it goes. Nearby, wetlands remove chemicals from the farm’s runoff, protecting a community drinking water source. In communities all around the world, nature’s contributions are constantly flowing to people.

La mémoire des plantes

��ֱ�� — Wed, 09 Oct 2019 14:41:24 +0000

« Je suis un gars de l’Abitibi, donc je suis habitué au froid! » s’exclame Jean-Benoit Charron, chercheur à l’Université ��ֱ��. En raison des changements climatiques, le froid n’est toutefois plus ce qu’il était. Les plantes cultivées dans les champs doivent s’adapter à ces nouvelles conditions.

« Certains épisodes de froid arrivent très tôt, et d’autres beaucoup plus tard qu’avant », explique le scientifique. De plus, les redoux en plein hiver réduisent la couverture de neige, privant ainsi la plante d’une couche isolante.

Gare à la transmission de maladies par l’eau

��ֱ�� — Wed, 09 Oct 2019 14:38:32 +0000

Lorsqu’une contamination bactérienne se déclare à proximité d’une ferme, il faut cibler le plus rapidement possible les élevages problématiques puisque certaines souches peuvent parfois infecter l’homme. L’objectif est de mettre en place des barrières naturelles qui empêcheront les ruissellements provenant de ces fermes de se retrouver dans l’eau potable environnante.

SPF provides seed money for fully autonomous, year-round vegetable production system

��ֱ�� — Wed, 09 Oct 2019 13:17:32 +0000

Autonomous Controlled-Environment Chamber is "a growth system with minimal input and maximum crop yield"

When the Sustainability Projects Fund (SPF) was established in 2009, it was an experiment.

So much to discover: Research in the era of legal cannabis

��ֱ�� — Wed, 09 Oct 2019 13:12:07 +0000

Approximately a year after the legalization of marijuana in Canada last fall, the new ��ֱ�� Research Centre for Cannabis is poised to examine the role that legal cannabis will be playing in our society on many fronts. The trans-disciplinary centre, a partnership between six ��ֱ�� faculties (Medicine, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Law, Science, Education, and Management) and the ��ֱ�� Health Centre Research Institute (RI-MUHC), has already initiated a number of research projects in fundamental and applied science.

Two-stage exams: A strategy for reducing exam-related stress

��ֱ�� — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 20:19:36 +0000

OpEd by Dr Alice Cherestes, Director, Freshman Program

Students talk about the course as OChem or Orgo, otherwise known as Organic Chemistry, one of the most dreaded courses for any student doing a university science degree. The course, taken mostly in the early stage of a student’s undergraduate degree, requires that material taught during the first week of class be understood and applied many weeks later when students do the final exam.

The loss of three billion birds in North America is the canary in the coal mine

��ֱ�� — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 20:16:23 +0000

OpEd by Emeritus Professor David Bird:

David M. Bird is an emeritus professor of wildlife biology at ��ֱ�� who has studied birds for five decades.

When I read the recent headlines that North America has lost nearly three billion birds over just the past five decades, I was not surprised. But I must admit it did depress me to a degree. That’s a lot of birds!

Sustainability Projects Fund: Giving the green light to new ideas for 10 years

��ֱ�� — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 20:12:05 +0000

Ten years, and $7 million in funding, later, it’s safe to say the Sustainability Projects Fund "experiment" has been a huge success

When the Sustainability Projects Fund (SPF) was established in 2009, it was an experiment.

Alumni to be honoured at Homecoming Luncheon

��ֱ�� — Fri, 27 Sep 2019 15:58:02 +0000

The Macdonald Distinguished Alumni Award was created by the Macdonald Branch of the ��ֱ�� Alumni Association to recognize distinguished graduates for their outstanding professional contributions, scholarly distinction and/or service to the community at large. The first Awards were presented at Homecoming 2006. In 2009, the Macdonald Distinguished Young Alumni Award was introduced, which recognizes the achievements and contributions of our younger alumni.

Opinion: Instead of flight shaming, let’s be thoughtful and selective about all travel

��ֱ�� — Thu, 26 Sep 2019 12:21:29 +0000

Opinion: Instead of flight shaming, let’s be thoughtful and selective about all travel

A conversation [between Raman Navankutty and Lior Silberman, both professors at the University of British Columbia; and Elena Bennett, a professor at ��ֱ��] about flying leads to some unexpected discoveries about how to minimize the climate impacts of getting around.

Read...

Le défi de nourrir la planète

��ֱ�� — Wed, 25 Sep 2019 13:13:46 +0000

Nourrir la planète : voilà, chers lecteurs et chères lectrices de La Terre de chez nous, le défi auquel vous travaillez sans relâche. Les chercheurs de la Faculté des sciences de l’agriculture et de l’environnement de l’Université ��ֱ��, que je représente, s’y dévouent chaque jour en proposant des pistes de solution aux obstacles que vous rencontrez sur le terrain.

Getting to know ��ֱ��’s Morgan Arboretum

��ֱ�� — Wed, 25 Sep 2019 13:09:59 +0000

On Sept. 14, ��ֱ��’s Morgan Arboretum forest reserve held its annual open house, giving students an opportunity to experience a unique part of the Macdonald campus. With activities including the monarch butterfly launch and a birds of prey flight show, visitors had the opportunity to learn more about the local flora and fauna found at the Arboretum.

GODAN Moves Headquarters to Montreal, Canada

��ֱ�� — Wed, 25 Sep 2019 13:05:26 +0000

GODAN NEWS RELEASE

Global Open Data for Agriculture and Nutrition (GODAN), the UN, UK and US government supported initiative driving global efforts to tackle food security and to end world hunger by propagating open data polices in agriculture and nutrition across the world, announces the relocation of its headquarters from Oxford, in the United Kingdom to ��ֱ�� in Montréal, Canada effective of 24 of September 2019.

Eby Noroozi recognized for safety excellence

��ֱ�� — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 13:19:14 +0000

Congrats to Ebrahim Noroozi, Lab Manager (Food Science and Agricultural Chemistry) who was recognized for his excellence recently by both the Canadian Registered Safety Professionals (Individual Award) and the Iranian Food Science and Technology Association (Food Scientist of the Year-Academic Category).

She came, she sawed, she conquered

��ֱ�� — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 13:10:09 +0000

With a swing of her axe, Stéphanie Bélanger-Naud, FMT’14, BSc(AgEnvSc)’17, regularly bites out large chunks from totem-like wooden poles, and, handling a single buck saw, slices through pine logs the size of sewer pipes. She's no slouch when it comes to a chain saw, either. A professional female timbersports athlete, or lumberjill, she excels at an axe event called the underhand chop. It involves hacking at a log she stands on, and breaking it in two, which she is capable of completing in 31 seconds.

Urban beekeeping putting the sting on wild bee populations

��ֱ�� — Mon, 16 Sep 2019 13:05:42 +0000

��ֱ�� entomology researcher and PhD candidate Gail MacInnis presented her findings at the Apimondia International Apicultural Congress in Montreal earlier this week

��ֱ�� entomology researcher and PhD candidate Gail MacInnis says that when comparing pollination efficiency between wild bees native to Canada and the more numerous honey bees, there is no contest. Wild bees win, wings down.

Macdonald team heads for National Design Innovation Challenge for Agriculture

��ֱ�� — Fri, 13 Sep 2019 13:08:35 +0000

Dalhousie University, Lethbridge College and ��ֱ�� are collaborating with Farm Credit Canada on a 2 year pilot project to bring Canadian post-secondary agriculture students together to create innovative solutions to Canadian agricultural challenges. Fifteen students will bring their diverse Canadian perspectives together in cross-institutional teams responding to a specific regional agricultural issue. The challenge tasks will take teams through a creative problem solving matrix as they meet with local producers to discover the full amplitude of the challenge question.

Chandra Madramootoo receives 2019 World Irrigation and Drainage Prize

��ֱ�� — Fri, 13 Sep 2019 12:46:31 +0000

Professor Chandra Madramootoo is the recipient of the 2019 World Irrigation and Drainage Prize. During the Opening Ceremony of the World Irrigation Forum on September 02 in Bali, H.E. Minister Basuki Hadimulyono, Minister for Water Resources and Public Works of Indonesia, and H.E.

Montreal researchers probe muscle-loss disease in elderly

��ֱ�� — Fri, 06 Sep 2019 20:16:13 +0000

A team of Montreal researchers has devised a new set of criteria to better diagnose a disease that affects the elderly, sarcopenia, which causes loss of muscle mass.

The improved criteria raise hopes that physicians will be able to detect the disease in people earlier, and therefore, to recommend certain types of exercise and nutrition to stem the loss of muscle mass, say scientists at the Research Institute of the ��ֱ�� Health Centre.

Serge Lussier reçoit le Mérite du Conseil interprofessionnel du Québec (CIQ)

��ֱ�� — Fri, 06 Sep 2019 20:02:26 +0000

FMT's Serge Lussier recently received the Mérite du Conseil interprofessionnel du Québec (CIQ) from the Ordre des Agronomes du Québec, awarded for exceptional work in supporting promoting agriculture and its professional aspects. He is the fourth Macdonald staff member, and 3rd FMT staff member, to receive this award since its inception in 1990.

CITATION (https://oaq.qc.ca/membres/prix/merite-du-ciq/)

$5.5M support for new Canadian ecosystem service network

��ֱ�� — Fri, 06 Sep 2019 15:33:43 +0000

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) ensures Canada’s working landscapes remain biologically diverse, resilient, and adaptive

Urban agriculture gets boost in efforts to grow farming sector

��ֱ�� — Fri, 06 Sep 2019 15:28:36 +0000

Urban agriculture is getting a $750,000 boost from the province and from Montreal to help develop the farming sector.

The goal is to spur innovation and growth in urban farming, agriculture and local greenhouses, ensuring the projects align with the needs in each part of town to add to the vitality of the area.

... These measures have been due for a long time, said ��ֱ�� Urban Agriculture Professor Mark Lefsrud.

Government of Canada funds collaborative research to clean Arctic oil spills

��ֱ�� — Tue, 03 Sep 2019 14:56:31 +0000

Two ��ֱ�� researchers developing solutions to clean marine oil spills in the Northwest Passage and in oceans surrounding Canada to receive $3.7 million in funding from the Multi-Partner Research Initiative (MPRI).

Murres dive deep on fishing missions

��ֱ�� — Thu, 22 Aug 2019 18:50:32 +0000

Rappelling down a 650-foot cliff to catch seabirds on a remote island just below the Arctic Circle was scary enough.

“The first time you look over and you rappel over, it’s certainly not for the faint of heart,” said Kyle Elliott, a research chair in Arctic ecology at ��ֱ�� in Canada.

But for Elliott and fellow researcher Emile Brisson Curadeau, it was the hungry polar bears (Ursus maritimus) — usually one a day walking near their cabin — that raised real concerns, and devoured their research subjects.

Update on the Industrial Research Chair in the Sustainable Life of Dairy Cattle

��ֱ�� — Thu, 22 Aug 2019 18:42:07 +0000

Improving the comfort and longevity of dairy cows can improve dairy farm sustainability and profitability. This is the premise of the Industrial Research Chair in the Sustainable Life of Dairy Cattle, launched in 2016 and led by Dr. Elsa Vasseur of ��ֱ��. Preliminary results of multiple studies presented in May 2019 by the scientist and her team show promise for new and innovative approaches to cow comfort and longevity.

Un bateau-robot pour « scanner » la santé des lacs

��ֱ�� — Thu, 22 Aug 2019 12:04:33 +0000

Imaginez un bateau robotisé équipé de capteurs qui sillonne les plans d’eau pour récolter des données sur la température, le pH, l’oxygène dissous et les contaminants. Grâce à la transmission d’un signal acoustique, ces données s’affichent en temps réel sur une carte qui permet de connaître la distribution et la dynamique des polluants, à des millions d’emplacements.

Urban or rural: Where to build a greenhouse

��ֱ�� — Wed, 21 Aug 2019 13:30:03 +0000

'You need political will, and it takes time' – urban greenhouses could benefit from more direct support from governments, experts say.

...Mark Lefsrud has studied different ways of growing food for more than 20 years. He is an associate professor at ��ֱ��’s Macdonald Campus where he is a leader of the Biomass Production Laboratory and worked on the design of the Advanced Plant Habitat on the International Space Station.

Deep roots. Quebec's farmers are among the youngest in the country, and they're facing new challenges

��ֱ�� — Wed, 21 Aug 2019 13:11:59 +0000

Peter Enright, director of ��ֱ��'s farm management and technology program, said regardless of the specialization, there has been one major shift between the generations of John and Matthew Burns — social networks that are completely transformed.

Read article

Des super patates découvertes en Colombie

��ֱ�� — Thu, 15 Aug 2019 21:28:13 +0000

Entre 12 et 14 millions de Colombiens consomment depuis peu trois super variétés de pommes de terre à chair jaune provenant des terres reculées de la cordillère des Andes. Pourtant, rien ne prédestinait ces patates à se retrouver dans autant d’assiettes.

��ֱ��’s seed library

��ֱ�� — Mon, 12 Aug 2019 13:56:44 +0000

Italian heirloom seeds for amateur gardeners

There is no one single accepted definition of an heirloom seed. “That’s a word that has a lot of different meanings to different people,” explains Dan Brisebois, a farmer at Ferme Tournesol, a cooperative based in Les Cèdres, Quebec, outside of Montreal.

Morphologie des cellules végétales : mystérieux puzzle

��ֱ�� — Mon, 12 Aug 2019 13:00:07 +0000

Communication de presse, Université ��ֱ�� - 8 août 2019

La pectine et la cellulose pourraient jouer un rôle dans le mécanisme moléculaire régissant la morphologie des cellules végétales

En découvrant la mécanique et le mécanisme moléculaire qui dictent la forme des cellules végétales, une équipe de chercheurs de l’Université ��ֱ�� a partiellement levé le voile sur les processus fondamentaux qui régissent la formation des tissus dans les organismes multicellulaires.

Puzzling shapes: unlocking the mysteries of plant cell morphology

��ֱ�� — Mon, 12 Aug 2019 12:55:53 +0000

��ֱ�� Press Release - 8 August 2019

New study suggests pectin and cellulose involved in molecular mechanism defining plant cell morphology

The discovery of the mechanics and molecular mechanism that dictate cell shape formation in plants by a team of ��ֱ�� researchers offers new clues about the fundamental processes governing tissue formation in multicellular organisms.

Plants are made of cells that come in a wide array of shapes and sizes, each of which is closely related and essential to the function of a specific tissue.

Stéphanie Bélanger-Naud, meilleure bûcheronne au pays

��ֱ�� — Tue, 06 Aug 2019 13:41:37 +0000

Stéphanie Bélanger-Naud est devenue la meilleure bûcheronne au Canada, le 27 juillet dernier, en remportant le championnat canadien Stihl Timbersport à Mississauga, en Ontario.

Le championnat comporte trois épreuves qui consistent à couper de larges billots de bois avec des scies différentes ou à la hache, et ce, le plus rapidement possible. Le pointage cumulé à la fin de la compétition déterminait la grande gagnante parmi les six bûcheronnes participantes.

La vague végé: vers un retour du pois jaune?

��ֱ�� — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 14:31:45 +0000

Au début du XXe siècle, alors que la soupe aux pois faisait partie intégrante du menu des Québécois, on le cultivait beaucoup ici, raconte David Wees, chargé de cours et agronome à l'Université ��ֱ��. L'intérêt s'est ensuite perdu dans les années 70. « La source de protéine a été remplacée par une autre source de protéine : la production animale », ajoute M. Chalifour. Résultat : les producteurs se sont mis à cultiver de plus en plus de maïs servant à préparer la moulée des animaux.

Des aînés morts étouffés par leur grilled cheese

��ֱ�� — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 14:25:06 +0000

Stéphanie Chevalier, professeure associée à l'École de nutrition humaine de l'Université ��ֱ��, souligne elle aussi que le grilled cheese présente des risques particuliers parce qu'il est collant. Il le sera d'autant s'il est servi froid, par exemple à cause d'un délai pour le découper en morceaux, a-t-elle dit.

Adjunct Professor Pierre Lacasse named a Fellow of the Canadian Society of Animal Science

��ֱ�� — Tue, 23 Jul 2019 16:40:33 +0000

Congratulations to Dr. Pierre Lacasse, an Adjunct Professor in Animal Science, who has been made a Fellow of the Canadian Society of Animal Science (CSAS) in a recent annual meeting in Austin, Texas. The fellowship is awarded to CSAS members for truly outstanding contributions in any field of animal agriculture. Dr. Lacasse is a research scientist in Sherbrooke Research and Development Centre, AAFC.

��ֱ�� researchers receive $3.3M from NSERC CREATE program funding

��ֱ�� — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 20:28:47 +0000

Hanadi Sleiman and Jaswinder Singh have each received $1.65 million in research grants, to be distributed over six years.

Professor Joann Whalen named a Fellow of the Canadian Society of Soil Science

��ֱ�� — Mon, 15 Jul 2019 20:22:13 +0000

Congratulations to NRS professor Joann Whalen who has been made a Fellow of the Canadian Society of Soil Science (CSSS). The Award is for members with a distinguished record of accomplishment in soil science & service to the CSSS.

CITATION

Chandra Madramootoo inducted into Canadian Academy of Engineering

��ֱ�� — Thu, 04 Jul 2019 18:01:10 +0000

Congratulations to Bioresource professor Chandra Madramootoo, who was recently made a Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering.

CITATION:

Soil science specialist Joann Whalen awarded Auguste Scott Prize

��ֱ�� — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 15:04:07 +0000

Congratulations to NRS professor Joann Whalen, who was recently awarded the Auguste Scott prize given by the Association quebecoise de specialistes en science du sol (AQSSS). Other professors who won it previously were Dr. Gus Mackenzie and Dr. Guy Mehuys. The prize is awarded for outstanding contributions to the field of soil science.

��ֱ�� Researchers Collaborate on Breakthrough Research Projects with the National Research Council

��ֱ�� — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 14:51:21 +0000

Today [June 20], Iain Stewart, President of the National Research Council, Canada's largest federal research and development organization, announced the results of the inaugural round of the NRC’s New Beginnings Initiative. The New Beginnings Initiative is part of the NRC’s Ideation Fund, which was announced in Budget 2018 to encourage, test and validate transformative research ideas generated by NRC researchers working with external collaborators.

... The projects with ��ֱ�� collaborators and associated funding amounts include:

Flesh flies invading the Laurentians, Eastern Townships

��ֱ�� — Tue, 02 Jul 2019 14:40:30 +0000

If you've been out in the Laurentians or the Eastern Townships lately, you may have noticed there've been a lot of flies - notably bigger varieties known as flesh flies.

They have been seen invading those communities to the point where some restaurants had to shut down their terrasses and residents can't enjoy their backyards.

"Flesh fly - the name is a little bit scary," said Stephanie Boucher, curator of the Lyman Entomological Museum and Research Laboratory at ��ֱ��.

New and Renewed Canada Research Chairs for the Faculty

��ֱ�� — Tue, 18 Jun 2019 20:06:41 +0000

On June 14 in Victoria, British Columbia, the Honourable Kirsty Duncan, Minister of Science and Sport, announced an investment of over $275 million for 346 new and renewed Canada Research Chairs at 52 institutions across Canada. The Canada Foundation for Innovation also made an important investment towards these Chairs in providing more than $5.2 million in new funding for research infrastructure, supporting 30 Chairs at 18 institutions.

Consumers urged to buy local as frozen imported raspberries are recalled

��ֱ�� — Mon, 17 Jun 2019 14:13:48 +0000

Concerns they might be contaminated with norovirus, a highly contagious virus that continues that causes gastroenteritis.

Quebec recalled frozen raspberries imported from Chile this week over concerns they might be contaminated with norovirus.

The norovirus is a highly contagious virus that continues to thrive when frozen and causes gastroenteritis, which manifests itself with diarrhea, vomiting and stomach pain. The symptoms develop between 12 and 24 hours after exposure.

Pour une meilleure gestion des fermes laitières

��ֱ�� — Wed, 12 Jun 2019 13:28:39 +0000

Les recherches de Kevin Wade, chercheur et professeur agrégé au Département des sciences animales de l’Université ��ֱ��, ont comme objectif d’aider les producteurs laitiers à gérer leurs troupeaux et à rentabiliser leurs activités. Élevé dans une ferme laitière en Irlande, M. Wade rêvait de devenir vétérinaire avant de se tourner vers l’agronomie. Aujourd’hui, il se plaît à dire à ses étudiants : « C’est sans doute mieux ainsi, car je travaille avec des animaux en santé et non malades. »

Photo : Gabriel Dallago

Entomologists fear urban beekeeping could be putting wild bees at risk

��ֱ�� — Wed, 12 Jun 2019 13:23:06 +0000

Some entomologists are sounding the alarm that native bees could be in danger of being wiped out, because of the popularity of urban beekeeping.

“The danger is that we’re probably losing species and don’t even know it,” says Gail MacInnis, a PhD entomology candidate at ��ֱ��. Something needs to be done, she says, to control the number of honeybees being raised.

Alumnus named seventh President and Vice-Chancellor the University of Windsor

��ֱ�� — Mon, 27 May 2019 13:28:10 +0000

The University of Windsor’s Board of Governors announced Friday the appointment of Robert Gordon as seventh President and Vice-Chancellor, following a rigorous search led by a committee... Gordon earned bachelor and master’s degrees in [Agricultural] engineering from ��ֱ��, and a PhD in Land Resource Science from the University of Guelph.

Read University of Windsor announcement

Il veut remuer le milieu des rince-bouche

��ֱ�� — Mon, 27 May 2019 13:20:15 +0000

D’après Sébastien Faucher, professeur au département des sciences des ressources naturelles à l’Université ��ֱ��, les rince-bouche ne sont qu’une goutte d’eau dans la pollution de nos cours d’eau.

Lire dans Le Journal de Montréal

Un outil pour mieux fertiliser

��ֱ�� — Thu, 23 May 2019 12:17:21 +0000

Bien des agriculteurs ont de la difficulté à estimer la juste quantité de fertilisant à utiliser pour obtenir le meilleur rendement à moindre coût lors de l’épandage d’azote dans leurs champs de maïs. Un nouvel outil, développé par Viacheslav Adamchuk, professeur et chercheur au Département de génie des bioressources, en partenariat avec Agriculture Canada, pourrait bientôt leur prêter main-forte.

Lire dans La Terre de chez nous

EcoToxChip aims to slash cost and time for chemical toxicity tests, save lab animals

��ֱ�� — Tue, 07 May 2019 13:27:33 +0000

The EcoToxChip is expected to generate huge savings in time, money and live animals in testing thousands of chemicals for toxicity. The project is being led by researchers at the University of Saskatchewan, ��ֱ�� in Montreal and Environment and Climate Change Canada in Ottawa.

Bientôt, des serres plus productives et moins énergivores

��ֱ�� — Tue, 30 Apr 2019 21:16:18 +0000

Dans une serre du campus Macdonald, Mark Lefsrud et ses étudiants sont à la recherche de la meilleure recette de lumière pour faire pousser des légumes et des fruits. « Il est en effet possible d’améliorer la production en serre en agençant les bonnes longueurs d’onde », explique le chercheur, qui rêve du jour où l’on pourra aussi produire des pêches en serre.

Améliorer les cultures fourragères au Québec

��ֱ�� — Wed, 24 Apr 2019 14:08:22 +0000

La luzerne et la fléole des prés trônent au sommet du palmarès des plantes fourragères les plus cultivées au Québec. Philippe Séguin, chercheur au Département des sciences végétales de l’Université ��ֱ��, étudie non seulement ces « espèces vedettes », mais plusieurs autres plantes fourragères de remplacement comme le trèfle d’Alexandrie et l’herbe du Soudan.

Du brocoli servi à la volaille ? Pourquoi pas!

��ֱ�� — Wed, 24 Apr 2019 14:01:54 +0000

Au premier abord, l’initiative surprend : remplacer la moulée traditionnelle destinée à la volaille par une alimentation à base de brocoli ou de chou. Cette idée innovatrice a germé en 2011 dans l’esprit des chercheurs du Département des sciences animales de l’Université ��ֱ��, Shyam Bushansingh Baurhoo, professeur adjoint, et Arif Mustafa, professeur associé.

« Notre objectif était de réduire l’effarant gaspillage alimentaire en récupérant des brocolis et des choux invendus pour les convertir en aliments pour la moulée », explique M. Baurhoo.

Testing your food science trivia

��ֱ�� — Wed, 10 Apr 2019 15:33:53 +0000

By Laura Webb and Mandy Jian

If you are interested in expanding your professional network and experience in the food industry, please read this post to get more insight in getting involved with the Food Science Association, and/or apply your food science trivia by joining next year’s College Bowl team!

Les impacts des changements climatiques sur l’industrie du sirop d’érable

��ֱ�� — Tue, 09 Apr 2019 19:29:58 +0000

« Depuis le début des années 2000, plusieurs acériculteurs expriment leur inquiétude relativement aux conséquences des changements climatiques sur leur industrie. « Ils se demandent si ce secteur restera viable tant du point de vue économique que de celui du processus de la coulée de sève, relate Benoît Côté, professeur agrégé et directeur des études graduées au Département des sciences des ressources naturelles de l’Université ��ֱ��. Ça m’a incité à me pencher sur cette question au début des années 2010.

Gestion des sols et changements climatiques

��ֱ�� — Wed, 27 Mar 2019 18:15:23 +0000

Lorsque des agriculteurs demandent à l’agronome Joann Whalen comment réduire leurs émissions de gaz à effet de serre (GES), elle leur répond qu’il leur suffit de modifier certaines de leurs pratiques. « Il faut comprendre que les microorganismes du sol produisent naturellement des GES, explique-t-elle. Comme ces organismes ont besoin de carbone organique et d’azote (nitrates), on peut “jouer” sur la disponibilité de ces éléments pour diminuer leur activité et, par conséquent, sur les émissions de GES. »

Thanks for supporting #��ֱ��24

��ֱ�� — Thu, 21 Mar 2019 18:12:16 +0000

Thanks to all faculty, staff and students who participated in ��ֱ��24.

��ֱ��’s fourth annual day of giving held on Wednesday, March 13, raised $2,294,360 from 5,244 donations for causes across the University.

Watch video

Montreal couture at the Museum of Fine Arts

��ֱ�� — Thu, 21 Mar 2019 18:06:43 +0000

If you are looking for an after-hours activity, consider visiting the "Montreal Couture" exhibit at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. Nathon Kong, BSc(AgEnvSc)’07 who graced our "stage" at Founder's Day (2016) and TedX Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue (2018), is one of ten artists featured.

5 lessons for a non-linear scientific career

��ֱ�� — Thu, 21 Mar 2019 18:00:22 +0000

Éliane Ubalijoro, BSc(Agr)'92, PhD'01 has an incredible story. As a Rwandan college student, she was studying in Canada at the outbreak of the Rwandan civil war. She returned to Rwanda during the conflict to pursue agricultural research, but ultimately decided that the country was too unsafe to make progress in her career.

FAES teams advance to Dobson finals

��ֱ�� — Thu, 21 Mar 2019 17:53:57 +0000

We extend best wishes to Startups involving FAES students who will compete for the Food and Agribusiness Convergent Innovation Prize in the Dobson Cup Finals on March 27.

Les vaches ont besoin de récréations

��ֱ�� — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 17:26:43 +0000

Pendant son projet de doctorat, Elise Shepley [AnSci] analysait la santé des pattes des animaux en lien avec leur mode de logement, en stabulation libre ou entravée. « Je tente de démontrer l’impact positif de faire bouger les bovins, un aspect peu documenté scientifiquement et méconnu des producteurs », explique-t-elle.

Photo: Elise Shepley, doctorante dans le laboratoire de la chercheuse Elsa Vasseur au Département des sciences animales de l’Université ��ֱ��, en compagnie d’une vache nommée Hasta La Vista.

The BETTER Project

��ֱ�� — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 17:22:39 +0000

Anne-Sophie Brazeau (SHN) is one of the Principal Investigators on the BETTER project. The team believes that it is essential to accurately define hypoglycemia, to understand the patient experience with therapy and treatment options, and to facilitate patient education.

Plein Soleil, Diabète Québec

Démystifier la météorologie agricole

��ֱ�� — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 17:19:14 +0000

Les stations radars météorologiques recueillent des données d’une importance capitale pour les agriculteurs. « La station qui appartient à l’Université ��ֱ��, située à Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, était responsable de la surveillance météo pour la région de Montréal de 1968 à octobre 2018 », explique Frédéric Fabry, directeur de l’observatoire radar de l’Université ��ֱ��.

Communicating Science in the Public Domain

��ֱ�� — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 17:12:57 +0000

NRS students and staff receive "Principal's Prize for Public Engagement" recognition

Kudos to FAES Science Communicators Allyson Menzies (PhD Candidate-NRS-Humphries), Marianne Falardeau-Côté (PhD Candidate-NRS-Bennett) and Emeritus Professor David M. Bird (NRS), who recently received well-deserved recognition from the Principal’s Prize for Public Engagement through Media.

The Nature of Things: Aging in the Wild

��ֱ�� — Wed, 13 Mar 2019 17:06:39 +0000

What is the secret to longevity? Kyle Elliott (NRS) and Anne Mouillier (MSE) share clues to the aging process in the black-winged kittiwake in the debut of Aging in the Wild on this week's Nature of Things.

Watch CBC's The Nature of Things

Gérer la ferme du Campus Macdonald, un défi motivant

��ֱ�� — Thu, 21 Feb 2019 15:49:25 +0000

[Paul Meldrum, Macdonald Campus Farm Manager, is a familiar and friendly face to many staff and students on campus - He describes his experience working with students at the farm: "I am very proud of our students. They inspire me and give me confidence in the future."]

Paul Meldrum est un vrai passionné. Après avoir mené de front, pendant 22 ans, le métier d’éleveur de vaches laitières et de journaliste spécialisé en agriculture, il a été engagé par la ferme du Campus Macdonald en 2004. Et il en assure la direction – avec un enthousiasme évident – depuis 11 ans.

Opinion : Nutrition adapter le guide alimentaire aux besoins des aînés

��ֱ�� — Fri, 15 Feb 2019 14:46:45 +0000

Stéphanie Chevalier et Nancy Presse, Diététistes-Nutritionnistes, et quatre autres signataires

Nous saluons la parution du nouveau Guide alimentaire canadien pour son virage résolument moderne et son approche davantage axée sur la qualité et les comportements alimentaires sains.

Nous sommes cependant préoccupées par certaines recommandations aux aînés et ce faisant, ajoutons notre voix à celle de Louise Lambert-Lagacé qui s’est exprimée récemment dans vos pages.

An out of the world experience for BRE student Christopher Patterson

��ֱ�� — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 21:22:33 +0000

During a summer internship in California’s Lava Beds National Monument, Christopher Patterson, a second- year student in Bioresource Engineering, worked as a Research Assistant for ATiLT (Astrobiology Training in Lava Tubes).

“By studying naturally protective formations like lava tubes and other potentially habitable locations, I have become aware of the incredible opportunities that lie beyond our world not only for myself, but for humanity as a whole,” says Patterson.

Congratulations to Founder's Day honourees

��ֱ�� — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 21:18:48 +0000

Founder's Day, our annual celebration of the life and generosity of our benefactor, Sir William Christopher Macdonald. is held on the Thursday closest to the anniversary of his birth - February 10, 1831. Founder’s Day festivities are an occasion to celebrate our history, our strengths and our promise for the future.

La Ferme Macdonald College de Sainte-Anne-De-Bellevue s’illustre pour la qualité de son lait

��ֱ�� — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 21:07:13 +0000

La Ferme Macdonald College fait partie des seize fermes laitières qui ont reçu les grands honneurs à l’occasion du 30e Gala du Club de l’Excellence d’Agropur, tenu à Québec le 25 janvier dernier. Cet événement a rendu hommage aux fermes laitières, membres d’Agropur, ayant enregistré les meilleurs résultats en matière de qualité. Lors de l’évènement, la Ferme Macdonald College a été intronisée au Club de l’Excellence d’Agropur.

Success in Genome Canada competition

��ֱ�� — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 21:03:20 +0000

Congratulations to Jianguo (Jeff) Xia ( AnSci/Para), Guillaume Bourque (Director of Bioinformatics at the ��ֱ�� & Genome Quebec Innovation Center) and Pierre-Étienne Jacques (Sherbrooke) who were awarded $1.1 by Genome Canada earlier this week.

The Government of Canada invests in innovation to help grow Canada's bioeconomy

��ֱ�� — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 21:55:18 +0000

From: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

News release

February 11, 2019 – Montreal, Quebec – Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

The bioeconomy sector holds tremendous potential for Canada, helping to reduce our carbon footprint while creating opportunities to grow our economy.

Stellar pitches by Mac 3MT competitors

��ֱ�� — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 19:31:14 +0000

There was stiff competition at last week's Lister Family Engaged Science 3MT Competition. In the end, eleven stellar graduate students delivered riveting pitches to a packed room of supporters, that included Honours Science students from John Abbott College.

Congratulations are extended to all "Mac" 3MT participants.

View photos on our Flickr site.

In the Winner's Circle this year:

D’où proviennent les motifs dans la nature?

��ֱ�� — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 19:15:27 +0000

Anja Geitmann adore les casse-têtes. Mais oubliez les après-midis à chercher les bons morceaux en buvant une tisane : ce sont les cellules en forme de puzzle à la surface des feuilles de certaines plantes qui intéressent la biologiste. « Cette configuration se crée à partir de cellules assez simples. Regardez la différence sur 18 heures », dit la doyenne de la Faculté des sciences de l’agriculture et de l’environnement de l’Université ��ֱ�� en montrant des images captées au microscope dans son laboratoire.

Four Burning Questions for Professor Emerita Harriet V.Kuhnlein, Commissioner, Lancet Report on Obesity

��ֱ�� — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 19:10:01 +0000

The Lancet commission on Obesity published a report today on the joint pandemics of obesity, undernutrition, and climate change. In the report, the commissioners point to the fact that malnutrition in all its forms, including undernutrition and obesity, is by far the biggest cause of ill-health and premature death globally. Excess body weight affects 2 billion people worldwide, 2 billion people suffer from micronutrient deficiency, and both are expected to be made significantly worse by climate change.

À la chasse aux contaminants alimentaires

��ֱ�� — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 19:03:23 +0000

La population est de plus en plus préoccupée par la présence de contaminants chimiques dans les aliments et l’eau potable. « Et pour cause, car l’humain est exposé à un cocktail de milliers de substances chimiques », affirme Stéphane Bayen, professeur adjoint au département des sciences de l’alimentation et de chimie agricole de l’Université ��ֱ��.

Améliorer la sélection génétique du bétail

��ֱ�� — Thu, 24 Jan 2019 14:38:54 +0000

Une fois son doctorat terminé, le jeune agronome Bernard Ato Hagan retournera au Ghana avec un prototype de logiciel qui pourra aider les producteurs agricoles de son pays à faire une meilleure sélection génétique de leurs troupeaux.

La Terre de Chez Nous

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences - Alumni News

The little-known—and threatened—orcas of the North Atlantic

Feeding Quebecers—alumni-founded Ferme Coopérative Tourne-Sol is thriving

The Jean-Martin Fortier phenomenon

To remove CO2 from the atmosphere, this former ����ֱ�� postdoc's startup looks to biomass

2024 inductees selected for Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame, including two former Mac professors

Louis Robert (BScAgr’82, MSc’86), from agriculture to art

In conversation with Jamie Depolla, valedictorian for the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences ‘B’ ceremony

����ֱ�� awards honorary doctorate to Marcel Groleau

In conversation with Anna Gleason, valedictorian for the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences ‘A’ ceremony

Ottawa Valley Farm to Fork finds new revenue stream in growing field of agritourism

Video: AI in milk production

New ECP3 greenhouse unveiled

Breaking boundaries: Bioresource Engineering shines at ����ֱ�� Design Day debut

Microgreens: Grow fast, eat young

Mac students inspire next-gen scientists at John Abbott Sustainability Through Science Symposium

Update from Faculty Leadership

Chris Buddle: Artist, poet, conservationist

Up to the (dairy) challenge

Canada and Quebec are preparing for another heavy forest fire season

An appetite for business—����ֱ�� experience helped dietetics student build a company that’s true to her values

Thousands flock to John Abbott to take in solar eclipse

Celebrating our exceptional student leaders

Artificial intelligence in the barn

Ottawa Valley Farm Show highlights latest technology and techniques in Canadian farming

Macdonald Campus Farm ranked best managed dairy herd in Vaudreuil−Soulanges

School of Human Nutrition Student Wins Prix Étoiles Montantes Yves-Deshaies du Réseau CMDO

Why the price of bananas stays low and steady

How ����ֱ�� alum and Canadian wheat warrior Margaret Newton helped fight against a rusty menace

Macdonald Farm: A unique place of learning on the island of Montréal

The organic songs of BSc(Ag.Env.Sc.) Alum Shaina Hayes

Evan Henry: A Journey of Passion and Impact

Feeding Hearts, Nourishing Communities: The Mac Shares Meal Event

Farm Management and Technology students celebrate Canada's Ag Day at Future of Food Conference

Spotlighting ����ֱ��’s women in STEM

Lunchbox specialist Cook it takes refuge from creditors to be bought out

Deglaciated Soils: Microorganisms emerging from melting glaciers

Potential for Chickpea Production in the Northeast

A day of learning in the Longhouse

Mac Alum Appointed Deputy Director General-Research at the International Crops Research Institute

Mac Alum named Associate Director of ����ֱ�� Sustainable Systems Initiative

Canada's Food Guide may be less accurate for seniors

The rise of vertical farming

Palm oil giants push out smallholders in Guatemala; deforestation risks remain

����ֱ�� Macdonald Campus Student Wins Canadian Plant Breeding Innovation Award

Do Wild Varieties of Crops Hold the Key To Developing More Resilient Agriculture?

����ֱ�� Bioresource Engineering student wins Feed Your Future scholarship

Macdonald Students Win Awards at Canadian Society of Plant Biologists Meeting

Mac Campus dairy takes 2nd place in regional award for milk excellence

Zoey Li, ����ֱ�� Nutrition alumna, named to Forbes 30 under 30

‘Business as usual is not going to cut it’: Niki Ashton on feds’ economic update and wildfires

From coursework to conservation: how students brought the pollination meadow project to life

Ărramăt Project: harnessing Indigenous wisdom for biodiversity conservation and community well-being

Bridging worlds: the Northern Research Knowledges Lab's collaborative approach to conservation in Canada's North

The hidden value of nature: enhancing our well-being

Teaching biodiversity at Macdonald Campus

Expert report imagines possible futures for this ecologically rich slice of Nova Scotia

How the Spike in Farmland Prices is Affecting Canadian Farmers

The ROI on DNA: Gene Editing a Game Changer for Farmers

AI for data analysis in agriculture

Mac alum named Agriculture in the Classroom Executive Director

India's millet revival: How the once-neglected seed is making a comeback

Charles Vincent inducted into the Quebec Agricultural Hall of Fame

A flood of ideas from ����ֱ��’s Brace Water Centre

Birds nesting in agricultural lands more vulnerable to extreme heat, study finds

����ֱ�� establishes research chair to address climate change in the North

From AI to robot butchers, automating the meat packing industry is not cut-and-dried

2023 Distinguished Alumni announced

Social environments are important determinants of nutritional risk among older-aged adults

Achieving alternate futures in the Anthropocene

Your 2023 guide to chasing fall foliage across Quebec

Sports Logging: She'd never touched an axe before coming to ����ֱ��

Oh my gourd! Giant pumpkins in Lennoxville, QC

How can the use of plastics in agriculture become more sustainable?

The Impact of Wildfires on Birds in Canada

Nationwide tracking sought for rare disease that is spread by canines, fatal if untreated

Will California floods impact Quebec's food availability and price?

Climate change made weather conditions that powered Quebec fires twice as likely, scientists say

‘Modernizing agriculture an imperative need for food production’

Canada’s devastating wildfire season prompts calls for new approach

To remove CO2 from the atmosphere, this former ��ֱ�� postdoc's startup looks to biomass

��ֱ�� awards honorary doctorate to Marcel Groleau

Breaking boundaries: Bioresource Engineering shines at ��ֱ�� Design Day debut

An appetite for business—��ֱ�� experience helped dietetics student build a company that’s true to her values

How ��ֱ�� alum and Canadian wheat warrior Margaret Newton helped fight against a rusty menace

Spotlighting ��ֱ��’s women in STEM

Mac Alum named Associate Director of ��ֱ�� Sustainable Systems Initiative

��ֱ�� Macdonald Campus Student Wins Canadian Plant Breeding Innovation Award

��ֱ�� Bioresource Engineering student wins Feed Your Future scholarship

Zoey Li, ��ֱ�� Nutrition alumna, named to Forbes 30 under 30

A flood of ideas from ��ֱ��’s Brace Water Centre

��ֱ�� establishes research chair to address climate change in the North

Sports Logging: She'd never touched an axe before coming to ��ֱ��

Sollio, ��ֱ�� join forces on novel coated fertilizer study; PurYield is being marketed as a nutrient uptake enhancer

��ֱ�� launches new partnership with the UN International Fund for Agricultural Development

��ֱ�� team advances in Deep Space Food Challenge

$3.2 million for ��ֱ�� Research from the New Frontiers in Research Fund

Take virtual trip to the arctic with Dorothy Newton Swales, ��ֱ��’s “mother of botany”

��ֱ�� Pulse Breeding Program 2022

��ֱ�� teams participate in Deep Space Food Challenge

New Resource making ��ֱ�� labs more sustainable

��ֱ�� receives $4.8 million to advance climate change science and technology