A lot has happened in the past 100 years. From the first electric can opener to the first mobile phone, the human population has continually innovated and improved upon products of the past. However, to have something last 100 years is an uncommon feat.
You may not think of hazelnuts as a local food, but researchers at the University of Guelph are working to make hazelnuts just as “Ontarian” as strawberries, asparagus and peaches. Hazelnuts could soon be added to the long list of Ontario produce available to consumers who are looking to buy and eat local.
Rural communities are experiencing a drastic shift in their populations as more and more people choose to move to urban areas in search of employment. This shift presents significant challenges to the survival of those rural communities. However, the development of an Ontario hazelnut industry could help these communities to survive.
The establishment of an Ontario hazelnut industry would enhance the agricultural product offerings of Ontario, and also create many much-needed jobs in rural communities. However, there are also many environmental benefits that hazelnut production can offer Ontario.
When you hear the world “truffle” what comes to mind? Some might think of a chocolate treat, but for Charles Shearer, a master’s student in the Department of Plant Agriculture, he thinks of a mushroom with great potential for intercropping in hazelnut orchards.
Adam Dale, college professor emeritus in the Department of Plant Agriculture, has been making headlines for his research on bringing hazelnut production to Ontario. Together with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) and the Ontario Hazelnut Association, Adam is helping to establish an Ontario hazelnut industry through his efforts to determine the most productive tree varieties for the province.
The Ontario Agricultural College (OAC) and School of Environmental Sciences are pleased to announce the creation and appointment of a new research chair in sustainable pest management. Prof. Cynthia Scott-Dupree has been appointed as the Bayer CropScience Chair in Sustainable Pest Management.
The School of Environmental Sciences (SES) is pleased to announce Dr. James Longstaffe has been appointed to a tenure track position effective June 15, 2015. He will join the School as an assistant professor.
The Department of Food Science is pleased to welcome Dr. Jeffrey M. Farber as its newest faculty member. Farber joined the department on June 1, 2015. He comes to the University of Guelph from Health Canada where he was the Director of the Bureau of Microbial Hazards, Food Directorate, in the Health Products and Food Branch.
A $450,000 gift from the George Morris Centre will enable new agriculture and food policy research and scholarships at the University of Guelph (U of G).