Features

Canada’s only master’s program in rural planning and development answering high demand for planners 

Dr. Mike Dixon, professor emeritus in the School of Environmental Sciences (SES), Ontario Agricultural College and director of the University’s Controlled Environment Systems Research Facility, and colleagues Drs. Youbin Zheng and Thomas Graham, SES, have received the NSERC Synergy Award for Innovation.

University of Guelph environmental scientist set to boost her internationally recognized research on soils and climate mitigation thanks to new gift from the Jarislowsky Foundation.

A University of Guelph partnership is turning ideas into solutions that aim to secure the world’s food supplies. Canadian entrepreneurs in agriculture and food can now connect with U of G’s expertise and innovation through a new partnership with the Creative Destruction Lab–Rockies (CDL-Rockies) AgriFood stream. U of G’s Ontario Agricultural College (OAC) has been named an affiliate site of CDL-Rockies, which helps seed-stage science and technology startups commercialize their ideas. 

When Natalia Piedrahita began her studies at the University of Guelph’s Department of Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics (FARE), she never imagined her research would one day shape conversations at the Africa Food Systems Forum. Today, as a gender economist working with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, her work is influencing how governments, researchers, and organizations think about the future of food systems, particularly through the lens of women and youth.

Having robust and comprehensive integrated pest management (IPM) is essential to protecting crops and supporting a strong, sustainable food system in Ontario. U of G Ridgetown Campus alumna Cara McCreary is at the forefront of protecting Ontario’s food supply and has dedicated her career to advancing pest control strategies in controlled environments.

Graduate student Julianna Tindall is exploring how cover crop grazing affects soil health, crop yields, and livestock systems. Her cross-disciplinary research in OAC’s Forage and Service Crops lab impacts agronomy, economics, and animal nutrition to provide Ontario farmers with practical insights for sustainable farming.

A healthy agricultural sector starts with a healthy environment. As a PhD candidate in the OAC’s Environmental Sciences program with a collaborative specialization in International Development Studies, Chi Vi is helping farmers build more sustainable practices from the ground up by measuring and reducing greenhouse gas emissions directly on their farms. 

Economic sanctions are widely viewed by academics and policymakers as a better alternative to military interventions to pressure governments to change objectionable policies. The idea is simple: instead of using weapons, squeeze the ruling elite economically until they change their behaviour.

The sheer volume of raw information can be overwhelming for researchers trying to pinpoint which traits will produce the most resilient, high-yielding crops. That’s where artificial intelligence steps in.