News

Pollination, the transfer of pollen from the male component of a plant to the female, is arguably the most important ecosystem service. When pollination is successful it results in fertilization and the development of a fruit, nut or seed.

“People should know that one third of the food we eat is related directly to the pollination services of bees,” says Ernesto Guzman, environmental sciences professor and Pinchin Family Chair in Bee Health. “If we don’t keep a healthy, strong abundance of bees, it is going to be difficult to produce these products.”

The beloved honey bee is known nation-wide for its contribution to pollination and production of honey. In recent years, honey bees have also been a big buzz topic in the media, with reports that bees are dying at an alarming rate. Is the story being sensationalised? How alarmed should we be? Why are they dying? How can humans help?

The goal of this article is to provide a quick timeline of the issues, highlighting areas of controversy and elaborating on some of the main stressors that bees face today. 

The North American free trade agreement (NAFTA) was ratified nearly 24 years ago, and is currently being renegotiated. A third round of talks is scheduled for later this month, and negotiators aim for a revised agreement by early 2018. University of Guelph economist  Alan Ker believes renegotiating the agreement is a good idea. Terminating NAFTA would be catastrophic but is highly unlikely, he says.

A recent survey was conducted by Friends of the Earth, asking 2,000 Canadians a handful of questions about honey bees and their wild relatives. The question “How concerned are you about the health of honey bees and the conservation of wild, native bees in Canada?” showed that 68 percent of the people surveyed were either concerned or very concerned about the health of Canada’s bees.

The Ontario Agricultural College is currently seeking to fill the postition for the Loblaw Companies Chair in Sustainable Food Production. The following dates and venues have been set for the public presentations by the three short-listed candidates: 

It is with sympathy that we share the passing of Douglas Ormrod. Doug taught and conducted research at the University of Guelph, was a professor of horticulture and was the Dean of Graduate Studies from 1969-1995. Further details can be found here.

Amy is a proud U of G student and shows it with her extensive involvement on campus. She volunteers her time through a variety of clubs including the Soil and Crop Club and the Student Federation of the Ontario Agricultural College. After university Amy hopes to continue her passion for agriculture and stay involved on her family farm.

On September 15th, four faculty members were presented with the 2017 OAC Alumni Association and OAC Alumni Foundation faculty awards.

Three University of Guelph professors were named today to the College of New Scholars, Artists and Scientists.

Integrative biology professor Andrew MacDougall, environmental sciences professor Nigel Raine, and Prof. Carla Rice, Family Relations and Applied Nutrition, were selected by the College. They will be inducted at a Nov. 24 ceremony in Winnipeg.

It’s a good time to be entering Ontario’s agriculture and food industry because there are jobs galore. In fact, there are currently four jobs for every graduate of the University of Guelph’s Ontario Agricultural College (OAC), according to a new report. “It’s a sector that has to grow no matter what, because people have to eat,” said OAC dean Rene Van Acker. “But it’s also a sector that has a chronic challenge in attracting people.”