News

Supercharging microbes to gobble up a hazardous chemical that can threaten underground drinking water supplies is the goal for University of Guelph scientists receiving nearly $2.4 million in new federal research funding.

Dr. Kari Dunfield, a professor in the School of Environmental Sciences, will lead a University-industry project to harness “pollution-eating bacteria” to chew through a hazardous chemical found in shallow bedrock above a deeper natural drinking water aquifer in a southern Ontario town.

Drs. Stephen Marshall (School of Environmental Sciences) and Clarence Swanton (Department of Plant Agriculture) have been named University Professor Emeriti. Traditionally, the University of Guelph presents its University Professor Emeriti and Faculty Awards during convocation ceremonies. With COVID-19 restrictions in place and the inability to gather for convocation, a special online ceremony was held to present these awards – the highest honours bestowed by the University of Guelph. University Professor Emeriti designations are made on the recommendation of the Senate to those who demonstrate sustained, outstanding scholarship that is internationally recognized.

"Let’s raise a fork to the food we love and the people who produce it! This February, celebrate Canadian agriculture and food both online and with friends, family and co-workers, and let everyone know how you feel about this awesome industry." -Canada's Agriculture Day website

Canada’s Agriculture Day 2021 is on February 23. To celebrate we asked our students about the importance of agriculture. Here is what they had to say:

Dr. Lawrence Goodridge holds the Leung Family Professorship in Food Safety in the Department of Food Science and is the Director of the Canadian Research Institute for Food Safety.

The Department of Food Science of the University of Guelph has launched a new Cheese Maker Certificate for professional cheesemakers. The online certificate includes six online courses on topics such as fermentation, quality assurance, ripening, grading, composition and yield control.

Profs. Tina Widowski and Claudia Wagner-Riddle have been named Research Leadership Chairs (RLC) by the University.

“The RLC program promotes and sustains the groundbreaking research happening at the University of Guelph. These outstanding researchers have remarkable records of excellence in their respective disciplines, and we are proud that they make University of Guelph the home for their research and delighted to recognize all of the work that they have done and continue to do,” said Dr. Malcolm Campbell, vice-president (research).

A Department of Animal Biosciences study has discovered that dairy herd health may be linked to the farmer’s mental well-being. The study, published in the journal Animal Welfare, focused on Ontario dairy farms that had adopted robotic milking systems, an automated technology becoming more popular across Canada. “Both the automated milking and feeding systems have already become crucial to providing farmers with more time flexibility,” said lead author Dr. Meagan King, who was a post-doctoral researcher in the Department of Animal Biosciences during the study.

Four OAC alumni will be inducted into the Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame this year: Stan Eby, Herbert Norry, Dr. Peter Sikkema and the late Doug Williams.

A virtual induction ceremony will take place on June 13, 2021.

Kitty and Jenny Lin, naturalist interns with the Arboretum, were recently featured on a segment of CBC's Fresh Air. Kitty and Jenny provide tips on how to spot a snowy owl, while also giving these special birds the space they need to thrive.

Dr. Sylvanus Kwaku Afesorgbor, professor of agri-food trade and policy in the Department of Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics, recently co-authored a peice for Conversation Canada on the effects of the U.S. presidency on agirfood-trade.