Agricultural and Environmental Sciences - Alumni news

AI for the well-being of cows and the wallets of breeders—interview with Prof. Elsa Vasseur

�㽶��Ƶ — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 20:51:16 +0000

Images captured by cameras scrutinizing the slightest movements of cows. This is the basis of a major study currently being carried out by the Innovation Research Chair in Animal Welfare and Artificial Intelligence (WELL-E), jointly created by �㽶��Ƶ and UQAM. A new article in La Terre dives into the project and interviews the McGill team members at the helm.

Veterans honoured in annual John Abbott College/McGill Macdonald Campus Remembrance Day ceremony

�㽶��Ƶ — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 16:43:45 +0000

Photo by Neale McDevitt: On the left, 99-year-old WWII vet Joe Maxwell shakes hands with Colonel Andrew Lussier, 35 years service including tours in Kosovo and Afghanistan. In the middle is Lt. Commander Alex Csank (20 years Canadian Navy).

Hundreds of community members take part, including students from local elementary schools, Macdonald High School, John Abbott and Macdonald Campus

By Neale McDevitt
Editor, McGill Reporter

McGill alumna grows fresh strawberries year-round from her indoor farm

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 17:08:28 +0000

In a new article, CTV News profiles Macdonald Campus' 2024 Distinguished Young Alumni Award winner Ophelia Sarakinis (FMT’19) and her successful Montreal-based business, GUSH Farm.

Macdonald Homecoming 2024: Another success

�㽶��Ƶ — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 15:17:39 +0000

Macdonald Homecoming on October 26^th was another success with alumni reconnecting with old friends, learning about some of the interesting research undertaken in the Faculty, meeting engaged students, attending a logger sport demonstration and taking a campus tour. Thank you to all alumni who celebrated with us—you are what make Mac Homecoming so special.

McGill alumni inducted into the Quebec Agricultural Hall of Fame

�㽶��Ƶ — Wed, 06 Nov 2024 19:52:21 +0000

Congratulations to two alumni of McGill's Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Ann Louise Carson, B.Sc.(Agr.)’81, and Odette Menard, B.Sc.(Agr.Eng.)’83, M.Sc.’91, who were inducted to Quebec's Agricultural Hall of Fame at the organization's gala on October 26th. This year, the annual event made history as it marked the first time the Quebec Agricultural Hall of Fame has welcomed two women in the same induction year.

More expensive beef: why such a meteoric rise in price? Interview with Pascal Thériault

�㽶��Ƶ — Wed, 06 Nov 2024 17:32:40 +0000

Beef prices have risen in recent years, and could continue to do so in the coming year, Le Journal de Montréal reports.

This year's high prices are partly explained by the price of grain used to feed the cattle, according to agronomist and economist Pascal Thériault, Director of McGill's Farm Management and Technology Program.

Call for Nominations: Mastery for Service Award (due November 29)

�㽶��Ƶ — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 19:22:55 +0000

Every five years, Macdonald honours an individual who has provided "outstanding contributions to the Macdonald community as demonstrated by a commitment and dedication to the Campus which has added immeasurably to the quality of the institution, its programs and student life". The award is open to all: faculty or staff, active or retired, alumni and friends.

Anja Geitmann begins term as inaugural Vice-President (Global Engagement)

�㽶��Ƶ — Wed, 30 Oct 2024 18:20:29 +0000

Her mission is to advance McGill’s vision for global academic leadership by enhancing the University’s international presence and ties

By Neale McDevitt, Editor, McGill Reporter

Anja Geitmann sees herself as a catalyst.

“I’m here to connect the dots and to support collaborations between McGill and the rest of the world,” said Geitmann, who today began a five-year renewable term as the University’s Vice-President (Global Engagement).

The impact of global warming on fall colors—interview with Prof. Benoît Côté

�㽶��Ƶ — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 17:52:59 +0000

While climate change may not dictate the arrival of Fall colors, it does affect this phenomenon... and its eventual disappearance.

McGill students shine at the NAIDC: Progressive Dairy interviews Beatrice Neveu and Connor Velthuis

�㽶��Ƶ — Wed, 23 Oct 2024 17:33:39 +0000

In April 2024, four �㽶��Ƶ students from the Macdonald Campus' Farm Management and Technology (FMT) program participated in the 2024 North American Intercollegiate Dairy Challenge (NAIDC). Beatrice Neveu, Connor Velthuis, David Kolton Crack, Jason McOuat and their coach, McGill Faculty Lecturer Mathieu Leduc, traveled to California for this three-day event to sharpen their dairy and business skills while networking with teams from across North America.

Magic Mud Pots win a top award for Food Science students at Chicago food expo

�㽶��Ƶ — Tue, 24 Sep 2024 19:15:27 +0000

McGill earned its second consecutive victory in the Smart Snacks for Kids category

By Stephanie Wereley for the McGill Reporter

McGill Food Science students won first prize in the Smart Snacks for Kids category at the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) annual expo in Chicago for their interactive pudding snack, Magic Mud Pots.

It was McGill’s second consecutive victory in that category.

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

�㽶��Ƶ — 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Tue, 27 Aug 2024 20:37:26 +0000

Ferme Coopérative Tourne-Sol, founded by five McGill 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 McGill 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Wed, 07 Aug 2024 15:24:40 +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.

101 McGill research projects awarded $23.5 million in NSERC Discovery Grants funding

�㽶��Ƶ — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 16:07:59 +0000

Funding supports groundbreaking research in the natural sciences and engineering

The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) has awarded 101 McGill research projects funding from its Discovery Grants competition for a total investment of $23.5 million.

The Discovery Grants support ongoing programs with long-term goals, recognizing the creativity and innovation that are at the heart of all research advances.

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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 22 Jul 2024 19:32:51 +0000

In 2019, while doing post-doctoral research in McGill'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

�㽶��Ƶ — 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Wed, 26 Jun 2024 16:00:18 +0000

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

17 McGill researchers honoured with prestigious Canada Research Chairs

�㽶��Ƶ — Tue, 25 Jun 2024 14:48:28 +0000

McGill awarded $10.9 million in federal funding through Canada Research Chairs Program

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

�㽶��Ƶ — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 15:54:29 +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, McGill’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 McGill, from navigating the challenges of entering McGill during the COVID pandemic to finding and fostering a sense of community.

McGill awards honorary doctorate to Marcel Groleau

�㽶��Ƶ — 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 �㽶��Ƶ'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

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

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

Government of Canada invests $6M in climate change adaptation and interdisciplinary research at McGill

�㽶��Ƶ — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 17:55:03 +0000

Two McGill-led climate change mitigation projects receive funding from the New Frontiers in Research Fund’s (NFRF) International Joint Initiative for Research in Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation Competition. Thirteen researchers receive grants through the NFRF Exploration Competition.

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

�㽶��Ƶ — 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Tue, 14 May 2024 15:19:41 +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 �㽶��Ƶ's Macdonald Campus farm, researchers are developing tools to detect problems before they occur.

New ECP3 greenhouse unveiled

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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, McGill), 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 McGill Design Day debut

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +0000

Pictured (from left to right): McGill/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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +0000

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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +0000

When it comes to valuable outside-the-classroom learning experiences, a competition attended by a team of students from McGill’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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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—McGill experience helped dietetics student build a company that’s true to her values

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +0000

On Monday, McGill 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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 �㽶��Ƶ and UQAM thanks to $5 million in funding over five years.

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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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 McGill'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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +0000

Each year, Lactanet recognizes top performing herds and outstanding dairy herd management based on the Herd Performance Index. McGill'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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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, McGill Farm Management and Technology Program Director, told La Presse.

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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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 McGill 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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.

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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +0000

On Canada's Agriculture Day on February 13, year 2 and 3 students in McGill'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 McGill’s women in STEM

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +0000

Growing up in Minnesota, McGill 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +0000

In a new article for The Maine Organic Farmer & Gardener, Javed Sidiqi, Eric Bishop Von Wettberg and McGill 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +0000

On November 22, a delegation of McGill 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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 �㽶��Ƶ 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 McGill Sustainable Systems Initiative

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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 McGill 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 McGill Apicultural Association.

Canada's Food Guide may be less accurate for seniors

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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 �㽶��Ƶ: their diet may not contain enough folate, vitamin D and calcium.

The rise of vertical farming

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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.

McGill Macdonald Campus Student Wins Canadian Plant Breeding Innovation Award

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +0000

For the fourth year in a row, a McGill 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?

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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.

McGill Bioresource Engineering student wins Feed Your Future scholarship

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +0000

AgCareers.com has awarded their second Canadian Feed Your Future Scholarship to Sarah Van Heyst, a �㽶��Ƶ 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +0000

At the Eastern Regional Meeting of the Canadian Society of Plant Biologists (CSPB-SCBV) earlier this month, three McGill 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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, McGill Nutrition alumna, named to Forbes 30 under 30

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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 McGill Department of Natural Resource Sciences PhD candidate Jackie Hamilton directs her research.

Teaching biodiversity at Macdonald Campus

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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, �㽶��Ƶ and vice-president of Quebec’s Ordre des agronomes.

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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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 McGill'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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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 �㽶��Ƶ.

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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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 McGill’s Brace Water Centre

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:55:56 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +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.

McGill establishes research chair to address climate change in the North

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +0000

According to a new study published in The Journal of Nutrition by a team including Associate Professor Daiva Nielsen and other researchers from McGill'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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +0000

A recent article, written by a team which includes Professor Elena Bennett in McGill’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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +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 McGill 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 �㽶��Ƶ

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +0000

Even though she grew up on a farm, Stéphanie Naud had never touched an axe or saw before studying at McGill'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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +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?

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +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 McGill 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +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?

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +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," �㽶��Ƶ 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +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’

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +0000

Modernization of agriculture is imperative for food production, Vijaya Raghavan, Distinguished James McGill 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +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, McGill join forces on novel coated fertilizer study; PurYield is being marketed as a nutrient uptake enhancer

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +0000

Sollio Agriculture has partnered with �㽶��Ƶ 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +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.

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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +0000

On May 31, 2023, �㽶��Ƶ’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 McGill IGFS, including an internship program and IFAD student group.

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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +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 McGill’s Biomass Production Laboratory are doing just that, increasing access to fresh produce year-round.

Des semences de peupliers en abondance à Windsor

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +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 McGill, 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +0000

A new research collaboration at �㽶��Ƶ 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 McGill’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?

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +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 �㽶��Ƶ 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +0000

Sixty per cent of roughly 1,600 Canadians who took part in a new study from McGill'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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +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 McGill 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +0000

McGill’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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +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.

McGill team advances in Deep Space Food Challenge

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +0000

A team led by two recent McGill 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 McGill Research from the New Frontiers in Research Fund

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +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?

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +0000

Analyzing the fat of killer whales reveals what they eat

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +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, McGill’s “mother of botany”

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +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 McGill, analyse la situation.

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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +0000

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

"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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +0000

The McGill Sustainability Systems Initiative (MSSI) has announced the results of its latest Ideas Fund competition. The Ideas Fund awards seed funding to projects led by McGill 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +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 McGill.

McGill Pulse Breeding Program 2022

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +0000

The McGill 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +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 McGill, n'est pas convaincu de l'efficacité d'une telle mesure.

2023 Gold Key Awardees Named

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +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 McGill to organize events, educational campaigns, and other activities that support the institute’s work.

Nielsen and Brassard: 2023 CNS awardees

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:53:52 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +0000

McGill’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 McGill News.

McGill teams participate in Deep Space Food Challenge

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +0000

On January 17, two McGill teams, InSpira Photobioreactor and the Cricket Rearing, Collection, and Transformation System (CRCTS) competing under the McGill 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 McGill Reporter.

Nutrition professionals should promote buying local study finds

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +0000

According to a study by a tea

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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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 McGill labs more sustainable

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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 McGill 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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 McGill's Macdonald Campus.

Mainstreaming bison meat

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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'

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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 McGill’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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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.

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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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 McGill-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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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 McGill 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 McGill Reporter.

Students vote in favour of SPF and Daily Publications Society

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +0000

“[The Sustainability Projects Fund] is a resource for all McGill 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 McGill Office of Sustainability.

2022 Scholastic Awards – Celebrating Student Excellence

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +0000

The Board of Governors of �㽶��Ƶ 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 McGill 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +0000

Exploring the complexity of ecosystems

by John Allemang

Elena Bennett delights in uncertainty.

Huge crowd pays respect to military veterans

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +0000

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

View photos in the McGill Reporter.

Ferme Le Paysan Gourmand finding creative ways to reduce food waste

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +0000

On September 29^th, James McGill 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +0000

When an Indigenous patient receiving treatment at the MUHC refused to eat, McGill 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +0000

McGill 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +0000

Former Dean of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and Associate Vice-Principal of �㽶��Ƶ’s Macdonald Campus, 1996-2005, and founding Dean of the McGill 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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 McGill research

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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 �㽶��Ƶ’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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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 (

Spring 2022 Convocation wraps up at Macdonald Campus

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +0000

McGill’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 McGill’s first in-person Spring Convocation ceremonies since 2019.

For the love of family… and farming

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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 McGill’s Botanical history inspires Montreal artists

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +0000

Although it may seem obvious that teaching and learning are at the core of the McGill 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, McGill 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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 McGillis, 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 McGillis 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:49:28 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +0000

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

McGill’s botanical history inspires Montreal artists

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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 McGill's Faculty of Medicine.

Bennett named to U.S. National Academy of Sciences

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +0000

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

Bayen's fight against food fraud

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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 �㽶��Ƶ.

Vasseur leading change in dairy industry

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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.

McGill researchers granted 3.8M toward sustainable agriculture

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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:

McGill undergrads crowned world synchronized skating champions

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +0000

Some people say it is a dry run for life outside the Roddick Gates. McGill 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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 �㽶��Ƶ over the next 5 years.

McGill joins Moderna in battle against global health threats

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +0000

�㽶��Ƶ has joined Moderna’s m�㽶��Ƶ 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. McGill 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +0000

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

Gillung, Dastmalchi receive CFI-JELF funding

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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 McGill recipients of funding from the Canada Foundation for Innovation John R. Evans Fund (JELF) and the Government of Quebec.

Potato milk: a growing trend

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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 McGill’s School of Human Nutrition, can be healthy alternatives.

The rising cost of ready-made food

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +0000

The story of the ‘Building of Macdonald College’ was featured as part McGill’s ongoing Bicentennial celebrations. The McGill 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.

McGill welcomes new Indigenous professors and staff

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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 McGill’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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +0000

As part of McGill’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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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%

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +0000

Professors Murray Humphries, Director of the McGill 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +0000

Scientists affiliated with McGill 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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 McGill more than Nancy Lavigne.

Bennett and Xia named to 2021 Highly Cited Researchers list

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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.

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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +0000

Grâce au don de Marc Bieler, l’Université McGill 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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 McGill. Et ça marche.

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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +0000

McGill 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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 McGill students win Weston Family Awards in Northern Research

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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, McGill’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 McGill, 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +0000

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

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

Associate Professor Stéphane Bayen receives 2021 Agilent Thought Leader Award

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +0000

Setting the standard in the fight against food fraud

Bioresource engineer Michael Ngadi receives CAAIN grant

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +0000

MatrixSpex Solutions, founded by Bioresource Engineer and James McGill 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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.

McGill Reporter

Narwal tusks reveal mercury exposure related to climate change

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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 �㽶��Ƶ under the supervision of Nil Basu [NRS/SHN] and Melissa McKinney [NRS].

McGill Newsroom

Rural Alaskans struggle to access and afford water

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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 McGill.

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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +0000

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

New inter-campus shuttle buses unveiled

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +0000

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

After a curveball of a year, the revamped McGill-red vehicles—which feature a new, bold Made by McGill 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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 McGill Sustainability Projects Fund.

Les petites fermes poussent

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +0000

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

Nearly 200 members of the McGill-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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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.

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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +0000

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

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?

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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!

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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 ‘McGill Feeding McGill’, an initiative which directly provides Macdonald Campus produce to campus dining halls.

Our Top Students: 2020 Macdonald and Stewart Medal Recipients

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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 McGill

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +0000

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

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)

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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 McGill and Macdonald!

Macdonald Campus ablaze with fall colours

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +0000

A resident of Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, McGill 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 McGill

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +0000

Landmark $15-million gift commitment from McGill 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 McGill's new Dean of Students

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +0000

Congratulations to Professor Robin Beech (Parasitology) who will become McGill’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 McGill as the top medical-doctoral university in Canada

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +0000

Earlier today, Maclean’s Magazine issued its 30th annual Canadian university rankings and, for the 16th straight year, McGill 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

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +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 McGill, il est difficile de pointer un seul coupable.

McGill-Mac Campus Alums named to Canadian Agricultural Youth Council

�㽶��Ƶ — Mon, 04 Nov 2024 20:37:19 +0000

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

Virtual Programming – Our New Outreach