Celebrating 100 YEARS AGBIO

COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE AND BIORESOURCES 12 | 12

College of Agriculture and Bioresources How do we feed a growing world population?

Farm new land Get more from existing farmland

The world needs more food. By 2050, there will be another 2 billion people on our planet. How do we provide enough high-quality food and preserve our environment? At Syngenta, we believe the answer lies in the boundless potential of plants. We develop new, higher yielding seeds and better ways to protect crops from insects, weeds and disease so farmers can get more from existing farmland and take less new land into cultivation. It’s just one way in which we’re helping growers around the world to meet the challenge of the future: to grow more from less. To ﬁnd out more, please visit us at www.growmorefromless.com

© 2012 Syngenta International AG, Basel, Switzerland. All rights reserved. The SYNGENTA Wordmark and BRINGING PLANT POTENTIAL TO LIFE are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. www.syngenta.com How do we feed Editor Kira Glasscock, Communications Co-ordinator a growing world Inside College of Agriculture and Bioresources this issue Contributing Editor Colleen Romuld, Director of Operations, College of Agriculture and Bioresources

Writers population? 4 Dean’s Message Glenn Cheater, High Bluff Media Beverly Fast, freelance writer

5 Faculty Renewal Graphic Designer Deanna Miller, Deanna Miller Design 6 Unseen Menace Printer Houghton Boston 9 Student Spotlight Published by the College of Agriculture and 10 Click on This Bioresources, University of Saskatchewan.

Use of the University of Saskatchewan logo is 13 Student Excellence Farm new land regulated by the University of Saskatchewan Board of Governors and is protected under 16 Achtung Gen-food! section IX of the Canadian Copyright Act.

College of Agriculture and Bioresources Get more from existing farmland 18 Feeding the World University of Saskatchewan 51 Campus Drive Saskatoon, SK S7N 5A8 21 The People Behind the Kloppenburg Collection Tel: (306) 966-4056 Fax: (306) 966-8894

22 Dirt and Art www.agbio.usask.ca

24 Lifelong Learners Publication Date December 2012 Donor Recognition 26 The College of Agriculture and Bioresources and the University of Saskatchewan make 28 100 Years AgBio no expressed or implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose or otherwise, concerning the use of any product, statement, and advice provided, and assumes no liability for any injury or The world needs more food. By 2050, there will be another 2 billion people on our planet. How do we damage, direct or consequential, which may provide enough high-quality food and preserve our environment? At Syngenta, we believe the answer be incurred from the use of such products or services herein. lies in the boundless potential of plants. We develop new, higher yielding seeds and better ways to protect crops from insects, weeds and disease so farmers can get more from existing farmland and take 100 YEARS AGBIO YEARS 100 less new land into cultivation. It’s just one way in which we’re helping growers around the world to meet the challenge of the future: to grow more from less. To ﬁnd out more, please visit us at www.growmorefromless.com

© 2012 Syngenta International AG, Basel, Switzerland. All rights reserved. The SYNGENTA Wordmark and BRINGING PLANT POTENTIAL TO LIFE elebrating are registered trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. www.syngenta.com On the cover: Photos from the University of Saskatchewan Archives C Dean’s College of Agriculture and Bioresources’ 100th class of students. p Message Welcome to Agknowledge. Agrologists, complete with cake, to Other exciting news at the college celebrate with the students. includes the construction of the Rayner This year has been an exciting year Dairy Research and Teaching Facility, for the College of Agriculture and September was a great month as we which is scheduled to be completed Bioresources as we celebrated the welcomed the 100th class of students spring 2013. As always, the college college’s 100th anniversary! and it is one of the largest first-year continues to grow and evolve to stay classes we have had! This is exciting to current, produce world-class research We started the year with a kick-off and see as students are the ones who will and provide an exceptional educational an all-years alumni reunion held at the carry on a wealth of knowledge that the experience for our students. beginning of January. At the kick-off world so desperately needs to make a event, the fully-ringed Senior Stick was reasonable future for itself. In this issue of Agknowledge you will retired into a display case and a new see some of our past and how we stick begun to carry on the tradition. For 100 years, faculty, staff and students are driving into the future. Compare have been contributing to a better milestones of the college’s last 100 In June we hosted an open house world. The centennial has given us years to today’s classroom technology complete with tours of facilities and the opportunity to highlight what and unique learning opportunities, and department displays. Over 500 faculty the college has accomplished. When some amazing research innovations. and staff, alumni, industry partners and you look at how much the college has Enjoy the taste of how we Agros, community members came out, and changed over the past 100 years, you working together, will help all aspects learnt about who we are and what we recognize that it will probably have to of agriculture evolve to meet have become over the last 100 years. change an equivalent amount in the tomorrow’s needs. next 100 years. With issues like a global Centennial celebrations continued in need for food security and climate September with a barbeque hosted change, the college and our students Sincerely, by the Saskatchewan Institute of will have much to contribute. Dean Mary Buhr

4 A G K N O W L E D G E College of Agriculture and Bioresources • University of Saskatchewan Faculty Renewal w e l c o m i n g n e w f a c u l t y t o t h e c o l l e g e

Natacha Hogan Sina Adl Supratim Ghosh

Animal and Poultry Science and Soil Science Food and Bioproduct Sciences Toxicology Centre Academic Background: BSc, University Academic Background: BSc Academic Background: BSc (Biology), of British Columbia, 1991; MSc, (Chemistry), University of Calcutta, India, University of Prince Edward Island, 1999; University of British Columbia, 1993; 1996; BTech (Chemical Technology), PhD (Spec. Chemical and Environmental PhD, University of British Columbia, University of Calcutta, India, 1999; PhD Toxicology), University of Ottawa, 2006. 1998; Postdoctoral Scholar, Paris-XI, (Food Science), Pennsylvania State 1998-1999; Postdoctoral Scholar, University, USA, 2007; Postdoc, Ryerson Focus of Work: Effects of synthetic University of Georgia Institute of University, Toronto, 2007-2011. and natural toxicants on animal Ecology, 1999-2001. health with focus on how nutritional, Focus of Work: To improve hormonal and immunologic factors Focus of work: To understand the bioavailability of health-promoting influence susceptibility to toxicant- interactions among soil organisms that bioactive ingredients in food. I seek to induced damage, particularly during are responsible for the decomposition understand how the physicochemical development. of organic matter and the mineralization functionality of molecules at the nano- of nutrients into the soil solution. and micro-scales can be controlled to Passion: Making connections between improve macroscopic properties of food changes at the cellular level and Passion: I became fascinated by (e.g., texture, shelf life) and its overall implications for animal health and the microscopic world early in my healthfulness. disease. Most of my research takes a university education. These species molecule-to-organism approach where contain most of the planet’s biodiversity Passion: The driving force behind mechanisms underlying toxicity are and are responsible for most of its my research philosophy is to improve used as early indicators of exposure. The biogeochemistry. Understanding the quality of human life through intent is to use this information to help their role in the soil is critical for the the development of novel bio-based us better predict the risk that toxicants sustainable management of our materials for enhanced food quality (present in water or feed materials) agricultural and forestry resources. and functionality. I also want to raise pose to animal health and develop awareness through my teaching so that intervention strategies. the students can think critically and be passionate about the importance of food science in society.

University of Saskatchewan • College of Agriculture and Bioresources A G K N O W L E D G E 5 Unseen Menace They’re rarely seen, but feral wild boars are a major threat to Saskatchewan’s farms and parklands

n By Glenn Cheater

6 A G K N O W L E D G E College of Agriculture and Bioresources • University of Saskatchewan Ryan Brook gets a lot of blank looks when he tries to warn you might be able to eradicate them,” he says. “Texas has over people about the threat of feral wild boars in Saskatchewan. two million feral wild boars and the potential for extreme numbers in our province is very, very high.” “Many people in the province simply don’t believe we have a problem with feral wild boars,” says Brook, an assistant Wild boars, native to Europe and much of Asia, were professor in the Department of Animal and Poultry Science. introduced to North America by Spanish explorers in the 17th century. They came north in the 1970s and 1980s when the “You often hear people say they would never be able to survive first commercial domesticated wild boar farms were set up. Saskatchewan winters in the wild. But they are doing very, very Escapees had no problem adapting to their new northern well in this province.” home, and this remains an issue – although Brook notes there is a significant market for domestic wild boar meat and the key In this case, ‘very well’ is very bad. Just ask a farmer or naturalist is to ensure farms employ rigorous containment strategies. in Texas, home to about half of the four million feral wild boars in the U.S. Although there’s been nothing found here to rival ‘Hogzilla’ —a 450-kilogram, 3.7-metre-long tusked monster caught in “Feral wild boars are a massive problem in Texas, California, and Georgia in 2004—males here typically weigh 90 kilograms many other states,” says Brook. “In Texas alone, the damage and can grow to twice that size. They prefer dense brush and to agricultural crops is $50 million a year. That doesn’t count wetlands, the kind of landscape you find in Moose Mountain the $7 million they spend trying to control their numbers or Provincial Park, where local farmers have been waging a little- the ecological damage. They’re a rooting animal, and people reported war on them for years. say when they get into wetlands, it looks as if a giant rototiller has gone through the landscape. One estimate of the over-all “They’ve had some successes in Moose Mountain trying to damage in the U.S. is $1.5 billion a year.” eradicate local populations, but despite that, the numbers in the province keep growing,” says Brook. “In the last five years, Those are serious numbers and if the giant rototiller description there have been sightings across the province from Prince seems exaggerated, type in ‘wild boars damage’ into Google Albert and the tree line in the north all the way to the U.S. images and see for yourself. But Brook has another picture that border. But we don’t really have a handle on how many people in this province should find especially chilling. there are.”

“One of our trail cameras northeast of Saskatoon got There’s a good reason for that. Despite their size and the a picture of a female with four young boars, only a few damage they can cause—one farmer next to Moose Mountain

Millions of feral wild boars cause massive damage to crops and the environment south of the border and they’re becoming established in Saskatchewan.

months old, trailing behind her, followed by a group of almost park lost 15 acres of oats to wild boars in just two days—these newborn piglets,” says Brook. “It appears that female has had highly intelligent animals are amazingly elusive. They are most two litters in a year, which shows the kind of reproductive active in the evening and early morning, and use their keen output wild boars can achieve.” sense of smell to both search for food and avoid any humans.

Brook isn’t trying to be alarmist, but says it’s time to recognize But those who have had chance encounters with wild boars wild boars are already a problem in some parts of the province, never forget them. and things are likely to worsen. “I talked to a fellow from Aberdeen (a half-hour drive northwest “If you talk to people in Texas and California, they’d probably of Saskatoon) who was taking away a grain pile with an auger tell you there’s only a small window where with extreme effort, this summer when all of a sudden this great big boar emerged

University of Saskatchewan • College of Agriculture and Bioresources A G K N O W L E D G E 7 unseen menace

p An example of the type of damage a group of feral wild boars can do within hours.

from the pile,” says Brook. “He had been living in the pile and “The key thing is getting the right people at the table and had eaten a huge amount of grain.” launching a coordinated effort between many groups,” he says. “You also need the will to do something. When you’re dealing There’s little data on these sorts of incidents—crop insurance with an animal that reproduces at this rate, a go-slow approach only set up a separate category for wild boar damage last is not going to have any benefit.” year—and Brook says he suspects such cases are relatively rare so far. But for how long? Brook, a Manitoba native, says he was “astounded” to find so few people in the province realized the potential threat posed “Obviously the first step is to know how many you have and by wild boars when he joined the College of Agriculture and where they are,” says Brook. Bioresources in 2010.

Brook has obtained some funding from the Cyril Capling Trust “When you look at the crop losses, disease potential (wild Fund, NSERC, and the University of Saskatchewan for a limited boars can carry many viral or bacterial diseases and a host of investigation. The picture of the female with her bountiful parasites), the environmental damage, and the rest, this critter brood came from a project using “black flash” trail cameras, could conceivably become the biggest species of concern in which employ infra-red light invisible to mammalian eyes. our province.” (Wildlife avoid spots on their regular trails if surprised by a flash from a normal camera.) Cameras were set up in 17 locations In the U.S., ‘razorbacks’ are now an established part of the rural around the province this spring, and while the research provides environment and no one talks of eradication any more. That insights in boar populations and behaviour at these sites, it doesn’t have to be the case here, says Brook. truly is just a snapshot of what’s going on. “I dearly hope that we don’t reach a point in our province where A far greater effort is needed, says Brook. we have hundreds of thousands of wild boars causing tens of millions of dollars in damage each year.” n

8 A G K N O W L E D G E College of Agriculture and Bioresources • University of Saskatchewan STUDENT SPOTLIGHT Big-picture View Perspective is just as important as science in the Renewable Resource Management program

n By Glenn Cheater, Photo by Dave Stobbe

Saving the environment and playing join the inaugural class in September them altogether. The further I’ve gone hockey are pretty different things, but 2008. She says she was inspired by the in my studies, the harder it is to put it they hold one important similarity for enthusiasm of soil science professor into simple terms of one side is right Page Beaton, former Huskies defender Dan Pennock, who led the effort to and the other is wrong.” and member of the first class of the establish the degree program. Renewable Resource Management degree program. “In the first year, there were only there’s a gulf between about five of us, so it was a really small “I’m a tall girl and when I’m on skates, program,” says Beaton. “In the first those who extract natural I’m over six feet—so I can stand on the two years, you take your basic science resources and environmentalists blue line and I can see the whole ice,” courses and a bit of economics, but in who decry their methods—and says the 22-year-old. the third year you get to do your field course. There was a week working where there’s a need for “That’s really a goal of my studies. To in the boreal forest at Emma Lake bridge-building. be able to see all these different sides Kenderdine Campus, another week in and appreciate what’s happening in the the grasslands by Lake Diefenbaker, bigger picture.” and several weeks doing a plant and The Renewable Resource Management soil mapping project at One Arrow program—created partly in response Gaining a perspective—and the First Nation near Prince Albert.” to industry calls for resource- expertise to evaluate what you’re management expertise—is itself a sign seeing—is at the heart of the By her fourth year, enrolment had of how things are changing, she says. Renewable Resource Management grown to more than two dozen and While resource companies may have program, which covers everything Beaton was part of a group of seven once viewed environmental reviews from the basic science of soil and plants students who undertook a cost-benefit as something to be gotten around, to putting together a start-to-finish analysis of a Ducks Unlimited Canada Beaton says they now recognize sound environmental plan. The program also wetlands restoration in the upper stewardship as a core practice. emphasizes field work—something Qu’Appelle watershed. By year’s end, that appealed to Beaton (although it she will have finished all of her required “If you try to fake it, get your permits would eventually mean she no longer courses and will complete her degree and then not follow through on your had time for hockey). by taking a minor in communications promises, you’re going to run into at Curtin University in Perth, the huge and expensive legal issues, and “I love hands-on learning and when centre of Western Australia’s massive have lots of groups coming after you,” I heard about this new program they mining boom. Beaton says. “Companies know there were creating, I thought it sounded will be repercussions.” pretty interesting,” says the It’s another part of the world where Saskatoon native. there’s a gulf between those who That’s raised the environmental bar extract natural resources and for resource extraction, and Beaton “It was funny, though. When I showed environmentalists who decry their predicts graduates of her program will my letter of acceptance to my parents, methods—and where there’s a need be in high demand. my dad laughed and said, ‘That must for bridge-building. be a typo. It says you’re in the College “It’s a great program and I’ve seen how of Agriculture and Bioresources.’” “You need to have someone who can applicable the learning is,” says Beaton. help the two sides understand each “Once the word gets out there, this Beaton passed up a hockey scholarship other,” she says. “There are all these program is going to skyrocket.” n from the University of Chicago to different aspects and it’s not easy to tie

University of Saskatchewan • College of Agriculture and Bioresources A G K N O W L E D G E 9 Students using clickers in class. p Click On This

Forget sitting back and passively watching a screen – Krista Wilde and Murray Drew are using technology to engage students in new ways

n By Glenn Cheater, Photo by Krista Wilde

Krista Wilde knows the classroom from material in courses like Statistical on probability theory. While detailing back to front. Methods “can be pretty dry.” such things as stochastic processes and So what’s changed? In a word, ‘clickers.’ mathematical abstractions of non- “As an undergrad, I often sat at the back The slimmed-down remotes with a deterministic events, Wilde may throw of the lecture hall and there would be dozen or so buttons, (generally labelled out this question (and several possible students sleeping,” says Wilde, now 1/A, 2/B, etc.) were first introduced at answers): a lecturer in the Department of Plant the University of Saskatchewan in 2007 Your friend is playing a game in Sciences. “But today you just don’t see and today about 11,000 students on which he wins $5 every time he flips that very often.” campus are registered users. a coin and it turns up heads. He has flipped tails 36 times in a row. What Wilde hasn’t found a magical potion It’s a simple but powerful tool for are the odds that in the next three to keep her students from nodding engaging students—and keeping them tosses of the coin, heads will come off even though, she admits, some alert. For example, consider a lecture up once?

10 A G K N O W L E D G E College of Agriculture and Bioresources • University of Saskatchewan Immediately, students are punching Murray Drew agrees on-the-spot the classroom because it turns the in their choice and eagerly awaiting questioning is “kind of hard on some traditional ‘listen to lecture, then study the results of ‘the vote’ and the correct students.” But he does it just the same. at home’ pattern upside down. answer (bottom of page). “I just hate it when students just sit “Because they’ve watched the lecture “In big classes, what generally used to there and don’t participate,” says the before they get to class, I can then do happen was the professor stood at the associate dean, and animal and poultry things such as give them problem sets front and talked, and the students sat science professor. “So I usually spend and group work so they can use the and took notes,” says Wilde. “You just the first 10 minutes of a lecture going information in the lecture and actually didn’t get a lot of interaction. But with around the room, asking questions and apply it,” says Drew. clickers, students get to participate putting them on the hot seat.” and give an opinion.” This is where old meets new. ‘Problem- But Drew has also been seeking a based learning’ was developed a half Of course, professors can always keep better way to engage students and a century ago, but the challenge has students on their toes by—horror of that’s why—after 12 years of giving always been how to deliver the lecture horrors—randomly singling them out traditional lectures—he’s adopted material and still have time for students and asking a question. Clickers are a video technology and a new form of to develop their problem-solving skills better alternative, says Wilde. teaching called ‘flipping the classroom.’ in the classroom. This summer, Drew used low-cost, “It’s fun and if we’re doing, say, a review screen-capture software to put onto That’s why YouTube lectures and in preparation for a mid-term, they video the PowerPoint slides he uses clickers are neither trendy gizmos nor can do a self-test and it’s low stakes,” in his third- and fourth-year animal pandering to a generation that’s so she says. “Clicking is anonymous, but I nutrition and science courses. He does constantly plugged in they’ve been always tell my students they shouldn’t a voice-over for the slides, videotapes dubbed Gen S (Generation Screen). feel bad if they get the wrong answer himself giving opening and closing Both professors say technology is just or think that they’re dumb. These are remarks, and posts them on YouTube a tool and, like all tools, the benefits just questions they can take home and (the videos are ‘unlisted’ – which means come from how you use them. think about when they’re studying you need a link to find them). course material.” “Let’s just admit that the way people “The reason I used YouTube is you can work and learn has completely This is another thing Wilde learned in watch them on pretty much any device, changed,” adds Drew. “I keep coming her undergrad days. Although she grew including a smartphone,” says Drew. back to this: I don’t want passive up in the small farming community “So a student could watch them while learners because one day they’ll be of Rosthern, Sask., she didn’t know coming to university on the bus.” going out into the workforce and they much about agriculture and was won’t be allowed to be passive. They’re nervous when she began taking classes That’s right. The kid sitting next to you going to be expected to be able to take at the College of Agriculture and could be learning about bacteria levels information and put it into forms that Bioresources. She feared she would in the gastrointestinal tract of pigs and people can use.” n be singled out on that score, and today how to measure ileal digestibility (a is still grateful for the warm welcome measure of amino acid bio-availability) she received from her professors and in its feed. But it gets stranger still. classmates. She wants to do the same Coin-flipping answer: for her students, even though that’s “My normal lecture is about 50 To calculate this not easy in classes of 200-plus. minutes,” says Drew. “But I’ll compress probability, list all it to about 20 minutes because I think “Using clickers makes students aware that’s about as long as anyone could possible heads/tails that you want to engage with them,” stand to watch a video of PowerPoint outcomes: HHH, HTH, says Wilde. “I now get a lot more slides with a voiceover.” HHT, and so on. There students coming up to me after class. are eight combinations, Usually it’s about clicker questions, but Obviously that means leaving out a fair but only three when they also tell me about themselves and chunk of material. But the goal isn’t to heads come up just once. their interests. Clickers definitely open make classes less informative, or easier Therefore the odds are the door.” to skip. It’s when you get to class 3/8 or 37.5 per cent.) that you discover it’s called flipping

University of Saskatchewan • College of Agriculture and Bioresources A G K N O W L E D G E 11 Bachelor of Science Animal Bioscience The Bachelor of Science in Animal Bioscience four-year program provides students with a broad background in domestic animal biology. This program meets Pre-Veterinary Medicine requirements and prepares students to work in fields outside of traditional animal agriculture including biomedical sciences, companion, equine and research animal care, animal health and environmental sciences.

The program is designed to prepare students for diverse career choices in government, non- government organizations and the private sector including:

Animal pharmaceutical sales and clinical trial testing Environmental impact assessment of wild and domestic animal interactions Laboratory testing and development of DNA tests for animal traits related to health and performance Animal welfare positions within and outside government, such as the SPCA, cities and rural municipalities Product development and sales for the growing pet care industry Research animal care and management

For more information or to apply: agbio.usask.ca/animalbioscience College of Agriculture and Bioresources 12 A G K N O W L E D G E College of Agriculture and Bioresources • University of Saskatchewan Student Excellence

nn ENTRANCE AWARDS n Jim Anderson Scholarship in n BASF Canada Scholarship in Plant Agriculture Sciences n AGBIO Renewable Entrance Garth Stang, Macklin Kerrie Andreas, Sheho Scholarships Daniel Roelens, Canora Jesse Bond, Marengo Benjamin Dietrich, Moosomin Christopher Diederichs, Cudworth Logan Pizzey, Biscarth MB Michelle Hildebrand, Boissevain MB n Bayer Crop Science: InVigor Canola Sarah Wist, Central Butte Scholarship Jasmine Tenkink, Prince Albert n Robert and Maude Hale Ian Epp, Blaine Lake Brianna Zoerb, Delisle Delaney Murphy, Saskatoon Kerrie Andreas, Sheho Silas Friesen, Waldheim n Saskatchewan Chicken Industry n Bert Hargrave Scholarship n AGBIO Entrance Scholarships Development Fund Award in Danica Lucyshyn, Saskatoon Dallis Aiken, Canwood Agriculture Niki Beingessner, Truax Megan Hodges, Dalmeny n Bert Salloum Scholarship in Megan Bergsveinson, Alameda Agriculture Economics Danielle Black, Fort Qu’Appelle Andrea De Roo, Fairlight Lane Blanke, Swift Current nn CONTINUING STUDENT AWARDS Charlotte Corbett, Bruno n Canadian Prairie Lily Society John Bachelor of Science Erin Davis, Warman n AGBIO Renewable Entrance Bond Scholarship Erika Dowling, Prince Albert Scholarships, Second Year Lisa Taylor, Saskatoon Timothy Fiss, Qu’Appelle Tracy Fehr, Rosthern Taryn Heidecker, Middle Lake Sarah Johnson, Churchbridge n Canadian Prairie Lily Society T.A. Jessa Hughes, Eston Shannon Palmer, Port Alberni BC (Andy) Dingwall Scholarship Animal Bioscience Moira Petruic, Avonlea Justin Stokes, Moose Jaw Shelby LaRose, Kipling The Bachelor of Science in Animal Bioscience four-year program provides students with a Shawna Lajoie, Sylvania Lukas Smith, Radisson Cassidy Oborowsky, Grandora n Canadian Society of Animal Science broad background in domestic animal biology. This program meets Pre-Veterinary Medicine Katelyn Rath, Saskatoon n AGBIO Renewable Entrance Book Prize requirements and prepares students to work in fields outside of traditional animal agriculture Shelby Riche, Bethune Scholarships, Third Year Lisa Johnson, Churchbridge including biomedical sciences, companion, equine and research animal care, animal health Mathew Scott, Cupar Melanie Hawrysh, Borden n and environmental sciences. Courtney Trudeau, Wymark Kathryn Stolle, Christopher Lake Carlson Scholarship in Renewable Jaden Wood-Sparrow, Vanscoy Steven Tetreault, Leoville Resource Management Amanda Wuchner, Humboldt Kaitlyn Kelly, Swift Current The program is designed to prepare students for diverse career choices in government, non- n AGBIO Renewable Entrance government organizations and the private sector including: n Arnold and Emily Robinson Scholarships, Fourth Year n Charles C. Cook Student Scholarship Kaitlyn Schurmann, Abbottsford BC Leadership Award Emilie Viczko, Lake Lenore Blake Weiseth, Shaunavon Jillian Panchuk, Saskatoon Animal pharmaceutical sales and clinical trial testing Mark Sigouin, Zenon Park Environmental impact assessment of wild and domestic animal interactions n Beatrice Murray Entrance n AGBIO Renewable Transfer Laboratory testing and development of DNA tests for animal traits related to Scholarship Scholarships, Fourth Year n David J. Welch Memorial Prize health and performance Shannon Walker, Langham Ruth Kost, Saskatoon Jason Fleischhacker, Fulda

Animal welfare positions within and outside government, such as the SPCA, n Canadian Wheat Board Scholarship n Adeline and William Haberman n Dow Agrosciences Scholarship cities and rural municipalities for Diploma in Agriculture Memorial Scholarship in Agriculture Product development and sales for the growing pet care industry Jennifer Davidson, Milestone Steven Tetreault, Leoville Jillian Panchuk, Saskatoon Research animal care and management Kirstie Rissling, Denzil n Douglas Christie Ferguson Fund n Albert and Beatrice Trew Scholarship Memorial Scholarship n Elaine Partington Equine Sarah Barnsley, Saskatoon Kerrie Andreas, Sheho Thesis Award Ann Kusler, Maple Creek Jesse Bond, Marengo Katherine Schutzman, Regina For more information or to apply: Christine Mysyk, Saskatoon agbio.usask.ca/animalbioscience College of Agriculture and Bioresources University of Saskatchewan • College of Agriculture and Bioresources A G K N O W L E D G E 13 STUDENT EXCELLENCE

n Elmer Laird Memorial Scholarship n Howard Lindberg Memorial Award n SaskPower Shand Greenhouse for Organic Agriculture Jason Fleischhacker, Fulda Education Prize Cody Northam, Rapid City MB Derek Morris, Melville n James Donald Hardin Scholarship n Ernest Winn McKenzie Scholarship Shawn Cowie, Rowatt n Syngenta Achievement Award Mark Sigouin, Saskatoon Rodney Cowie, Rowatt Vangelis Karamanos, Calgary AB Raelyn Wutzke, Aberdeen n Ewald M. & Donna I. Kitsch n University of Saskatchewan Scholarship in Crop Science n Jickling Agricultural Scholarship Scholarships Mallory Erickson, Tulliby Lake AB Jessica Weber, Landis Nicole Marleau, Saskatoon Brendan Kessel, Balgonie n FCC Business Planning Award n John Mitchell Memorial Scholarship Jordan Gottinger, Neudorf 1st Place Alexis Tindall, Saskatoon Ruth Kost, Saskatoon Conrad Nagel, Mossbank Jillian Heatcoat, Assiniboia n Kelly Aulie Memorial Scholarship n University Undergraduate Shaun Vey, Saskatoon Alicia Sopatyk, Meacham Scholarship Travis Brisebois, Kincaid Kaitlyn Schurmann, Abbotsford BC n Larry Janzen Memorial Scholarship Tracy Fehr, Rosthern n FCC Business Planning Award Alicia Merriam, Saskatoon Kaitlyn Kelly, Swift Current 2nd Place Zachary Kurtenbach, Deloraine MB Christine Young, Yorkton n Molson Canada Book Prize Amanda Gabruch, Consul Jennifer Jelinski, Saskatoon Erin Hopkins, Saskatoon Rebekah Esau, Saskatoon Allyson Mierau, Langham Yun Wang, Saskatoon Lisa Johnson, Churchbridge Ashley Greiner, Yorkton Danielle Schindelka, Raymore n Pat Toderian Scholarship Andrea De Roo, Fairlight n FCC Business Planning Award Lisa Johnson, Churchbridge 3rd Place Marissa Wilford, Winnipeg MB n W.J. Copeland Scholarship in Roger Hounjet, Saskatoon Crop Science Rebecca Bidwell, Saskatoon n Port Metro Vancouver Scholarship Dustin McLaren, Moose Jaw Jeremy Doerksen, Garrick Blake Weiseth, Shaunavon n William G. Barclay Scholarship n FCC Business Planning Award n R.K. Baker Prize for Excellence Jane Johnston, Swift Current 4th Place in Poultry Science Lexie Cook, Russell MB Erin Cuthbert, Ladysmith BC Jayden Balfour, Climax nn GRADUATION AWARDS Vicky Anderson, Rosedale BC n Robert and Maude Hale Jordan Wolkowski, Saskatoon Scholarship n The Fulton Family and Saskatchewan Danica Lucyshyn, Saskatoon Institute of Agrologists Award n F.J. Fear Scholarship in Soil Science Tess Strand, Preeceville Blake Weiseth, Shaunavon n Rossnagel Scholarship for Academic Improvement n Norman H. Horace Pearce Prize n Frank and Freda Riecken Scholarship Natalie Blain, Prince Albert in Animal and Poultry Science in Soil Science Angela Japp, Eston Dana-Rose Keeler, Turner Valley AB n Russell Fisher Scholarship Alex Neumann, Saskatoon Christine Young, Bredenbury Alyssa Krone, Saskatoon n Gillian Hughes Memorial Travel Fellowship n Saskatchewan Institute of n Molson Canada Award of Excellence Steven Tetreault, Leoville Agrologists Scholarship Jae Hee Jennifer Kim, Toronto Cordell Young, Bredenbury n Harvey Scholarship Jason Fleischhacker, Fulda n P.M. and Y.Y. Huang Distinguished Mark Sigouin, Zenon Park Steven Tetreault, Leoville Award in Soil Science Mallory Erickson, Tulliby Lake AB Kaitlyn Schurmann, Abbotsford BC Janell Healey, Prince Albert Alexis Tindall, Saskatoon Vangelis Karamanos, Calgary AB n SaskMilk Undergraduate Scholarship n Saskatchewan Horticulture Ashley Pilon, Hudson Bay Danielle Saelman, Abbotsford BC Association Prize Lindsay Jensen, Saskatoon Carmen Danyluk, Kamsack Ian Epp, Blaine Lake

14 A G K N O W L E D G E College of Agriculture and Bioresources • University of Saskatchewan STUDENT EXCELLENCE

n Saskatchewan Institute of n Elmer Laird Memorial Scholarship Manu Gangola Agrologists Gold Medal for Organic Agriculture Ketema Abdi Kendra Purton, Yorkton Postgraduate Award Kayla Lindenback Angelena Syrovy n Frank Sosulski Graduation Prize n Purdy Postgraduate Scholarship in Plant Sciences n F. V. MacHardy Graduate Fellowship Min Li Lindsay Griffith, Bangor in Grasslands Management Lei Ren n Putnam Family Memorial Award n William Allen Memorial Prize Kendra Purton in Agriculture Economics n Harris and Lauretta and Raymond Shaun Vey, Wakaw Earl Parr Memorial Scholarship in n Rene Vandeveld Postgraduate Agriculture Scholarship in Crop Science Melissa Arcand Ehsan Sari nn POSTGRADUATE AWARDS Dilshan De Silva Benaragama Douha Kthiri Molly Patterson Hussein Mohammed Bashir n Ajinomoto Heartland/ Halchemix Colleen Redlick Mahla Mirali Scholarship Jun Liu Rohini Agivale n John Baerg Award Larissa Jancewicz n Roderick Alan McLean Memorial n Alexander and Jean Auckland Award Postgraduate Award n John Blake Memorial Postgraduate Rajib Podder Jenalee Mischkolz Scholarship Da Wang n R.P. Knowles Scholarship n Barbara and Frank Pavelich Eric Gerbrandt Postgraduate Scholarship n John Wickhorst Memorial Phillip Garvey Scholarship n S.N. Horner Postgraduate Candace Piper Scholarship n C. Paul W. and Marianne M. Ziehlke Henry Wai Chau Postgraduate Award n Kathleen and Norman Lean Elliot Hildebrand Aron Cory Postgraduate Scholarship Hannah Konschuh Tyler Schwaiger Kaitlin Strobbe Mike Lavender

n Canadian Dairy Commission n L.H. Hantelman Postgraduate n Saskatchewan Pulse Crop Scholarship Scholarship Development Board Dr. Alfred E. Shelicia Forbes-Brown Ke Feng Slinkard Scholarship Ricky Lam Kirby Nilsen Nicole Avramenko

n Canadian Wheat Board Graduate n Martin Pedersen and Family n Saskatchewan Pulse Crop Fellowship Postgraduate Scholarship Development Board Don Jaques Kirby Nilsen Courtney Phillips Memorial Fellowship Xiaoyu Liu Angelina Syrovy Marija Pavleska n Maurice Hanson Sr. Postgraduate Katarzyna Bolek Award n Saskatchewan Institute of Mohammad Torshizi Courtney Phillips Agrologists Scholarship Elliot Hildebrand n Class of ‘43 60th Anniversary Award n Molson Canada Post Secondary Hasan Pervej Ahmed Excellence Award n SaskMilk Graduate Scholarship Vinti Kumari Matt Walpole n Dollie Hantelman Postgraduate Scholarship n O.M. Elviss Postgraduate n Syngenta Scholarship in Sustainable Candace Piper Scholarship Agriculture Hussien Mohammed Beshir Lisa Malo n Dr. Robert E. Redmann Memorial Graduate Scholarship in Plant n Paulden F. and Dorathea I. Knowles Sciences Postgraduate Scholarship Yusef Abu Aron Cory

University of Saskatchewan • College of Agriculture and Bioresources A G K N O W L E D G E 15 Achtung Gen-food!

When GM contamination cost Prairie flax growers their key European market, U of S plant breeders undertook an unprecedented effort to purify their breeding lines

n By Glenn Cheater, Photos by Dave Stobbe Helen Booker p

If you want to know how fast the world changes, ask a But to be on the safe side, the Crop Development Centre flax grower. tested the seed of its breeder’s lines.

In summer 2009, European officials tested two cargoes of “We tested to the 0.1 per cent level for presence of Triffid DNA Canadian flax seed and discovered genetically modified in the breeders’ seed and they didn’t find anything,” recalls material. Even before the German chapter of Greenpeace flax breeder and assistant professor Helen Booker. could hold media events—waving ‘Achtung Gen-food!’ signs in grocery stores—it was game over. “By Christmas, labs were able to test to the 0.01 per cent level and in January 2010, we sent the breeders’ seeds for further At the time, Europe bought about 70 per cent of the 800,000 testing and that’s when—how do I put it?—the bacon hit the tonnes grown on the Prairies each year. Orders plunged, and frying pan.” so did prices, falling by one-third in a matter of weeks. Others would use much stronger language when they heard Everyone was stunned. After all, the only GM flax, the disastrous news. CDC varieties accounted for 87 per cent unfortunately called Triffid (a name popularized by a 1950s of seeded flax acreage on the Prairies, home to nearly half sci-fi novel about genetically engineered, man-eating plants) the world’s flax production. With super-sensitive testing had only been grown in small quantities for seed production —one seed in 60,000 was all it took—Triffid was turning in the 1990s, was never sold for commercial production, and up everywhere. It was only trace amounts, but that was was believed to have long since been purged from the system. irrelevant, says Booker.

16 A G K N O W L E D G E College of Agriculture and Bioresources • University of Saskatchewan through our nursery so we could say we’d tested everything “In the end, the quantity doesn’t really matter—zero means and that any new varieties registered by CDC were free of zero,” she says. Triffid,” says Young. “That meant testing thousands of lines.” In this case, a line means a single progeny row consisting of Stuffing the genie back in the bottle would require a massive about 200 plants. In 2011, three single plants were selected and unprecedented effort, involving Booker and her team, from each progeny row for multiplying and two seeds from SeCan (the country’s largest supplier of certified seed), each of those plants were germinated and their tissue tested and seed growers both here and in New Zealand. for the presence of the Triffid genetic marker. In 2012, 10 seeds were taken from each single plant selection, and their DNA It’s a tale with a loaves-and-fishes element: Archival samples extracted and tested. of two leading varieties (CDC Bethune and CDC Sorrel) and two new ones (CDC Sanctuary and CDC Glas) were chosen In short, Young was one busy guy. to be ‘reconstituted.’ The task was to turn this tiny amount of seed into enough to sow 1.5 million acres, the pre-Triffid “In 2011, we tested about 11,000 lines and this year, we looked acreage, by 2014. That’s roughly four trillion seeds. at close to 16,000 lines,” says Young. “We had to be sure.”

And to regain the European market (exports are still down It was a Herculean effort, one accomplished with heads- more than 90 per cent), not one of those four trillion seeds down, just-keep-going determination. It was only when could be genetically modified. Not only would the archival the reconstituted breeder’s lines came back from a second samples have to be purged of any GM contamination, multiplying winter in New Zealand that Booker breathed a but there would have to be rigorous and extensive testing sigh of relief. at every stage as the breeder’s lines were multiplied. No chances could be taken. “I felt pretty proud at that moment,” she says. “We had 40,000 kilograms of breeders’ seeds sitting on pallets and that’s In order to meet their 2014 deadline, the new purified lines when I thought, ‘Wow. We started with 150 plants.’” would be multiplied during the Canadian winter in New Zealand (where no GM flax had ever been grown), and then The precious store of seed was distributed to pedigree handed over to a carefully chosen seed grower near Delisle, seed growers this spring and everything is on track for the southwest of Saskatoon, come spring. widespread release of transgene-free flax seed in 2014.

“It was a century farm and he had never grown flax before,” It has been a long, arduous and costly road back, says Booker, notes Booker. “As well, he didn’t allow people on his farm but the lessons learned go far beyond the flax sector. or use custom contractors. It was as clean a site as could be found in Saskatchewan.” “I think this is an historic event and also a wake-up call to other sectors, such as wheat, that are considering going The initial testing on plants grown in CDC’s plant chambers GMO,” she says. in the summer of 2010 was conducted by a private Saskatoon lab, Quantum Biosciences. But given the number of tests “With canola, they were very careful to assess offshore required, the centre needed its own facility. markets before seed production began. But flax was one of the first crops to be genetically modified and that just wasn’t Lester Young, a former U of S post-doctoral fellow, was hired thought of then. So that’s the message: Think about what to set up the testing facility in the new genotyping lab on might happen down the road.” campus. Equipped with a new real-time PCR machine (which amplifies and detects DNA), Young was responsible for Once reconstituted lines are available, Prairie flax growers will ramping up testing to unheard-of levels. The test requires try to regain their European customers, who have turned to germinating seeds and testing their DNA. Prior to this crisis, Russia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine for supplies. That, too, will be 24 tissue tests were once considered a full day’s work, but this a big job, but Booker is optimistic. was no longer nearly enough. “I would like to see Western Canada’s flax acreage up to three “We wanted to look at all the different lines that had gone million,” she says. “Then we can break out the champagne.” n

University of Saskatchewan • College of Agriculture and Bioresources A G K N O W L E D G E 17 Feeding the World

Prairie agriculture has a big role to play in the effort to feed a soaring global population

n By Glenn Cheater

It may be the greatest question Kazakhstan, and Mongolia have the “The crunch comes when you realize humankind has ever faced: How to feed same kind of lands that we have. there’s only 10 to 12 per cent more the nine billion people who will inhabit And you know what? None of those arable land that’s not presently Planet Earth by 2050? countries are managing their prairie forested or subject to erosion or resources as well as we are.” desertification,” Thompson told a Could a big part of the answer possibly brain-storming symposium hosted by be found in Saskatchewan? Buhr is the first to admit that dry and the U of S in April 2011, which led to the dusty Saskatchewan doesn’t spring to proposal to create the Global Institute Yes, say many experts, including Mary mind for most people when they think for Food Security. Buhr, dean of the College of Agriculture about producing the food needed and Bioresources and one of the to feed an extra 2.6 billion people in Moreover, there’s a shortage of fresh key promoters of a plan to create a the next 40 years. Surely, many would water in most of those areas and it’s University of Saskatchewan Global say, we need to look to the world’s Institute for Food Security. temperate areas, especially those which receive lots of rainfall. “When I was a kid, we were taught that Saskatchewan was the breadbasket of But that low-hanging fruit was long Soil Sense the world,” says Buhr. ago plucked—in those areas and in most of the rest of the world, too, notes “With an expanding population, “That’s not inaccurate now and it’s Robert Thompson, formerly dean of more and more marginal soils are going to become more so in the future. agriculture at Purdue University and being brought into food production. However, if you look around the globe director of agriculture at the World You can’t push these nutrient- at where the prairies are, the northern Bank, and now a senior fellow of the challenged soils beyond their plains, you see places such as Ukraine, Chicago Council on Global Affairs. capabilities or they quickly begin to deteriorate. In Western Canada, we’ve learned a lot about how to productively manage nutrient- challenged soils. This is knowledge that can be applied to other regions Changing Diets in the world.” “We not only have to feed more people but also a more affluent population, which will increase global demand for beef. The Canadian beef industry produces a high-quality, wholesome and environmentally sustainable product. In our sustainable beef systems research group on campus, we have individuals working from pasture to plate. Through research and graduate student training, they influence agriculture production in John McKinnon, Animal and places such as Brazil, China, India, Poultry Science professor, Beef and Mongolia. So we’re very well Industry Research Chair, and an positioned to make a significant expert in beef cattle management Diane Knight, Soil Science professor contribution.” and animal nutrition. and an expert in the efficient use of nutrients by plants in both traditional and alternative cropping systems.

18 A G K N O W L E D G E College of Agriculture and Bioresources • University of Saskatchewan only going to increase as the world’s acres were abandoned. Even today, most populous countries become only about half that land is cropped Integrated increasingly urbanized, he said. And and productivity is often pitifully Solutions while China and other nations worried low despite the break-up of the about food security are buying up collective farms and importation “We’ve become very good at dryland huge tracts of land in Africa, they of modern grain seeding, spraying crop production. We do it very well. face daunting prospects when it and harvesting equipment. Of course, we’re heavily reliant on comes to storage and transportation fossil fuels and we have issues with infrastructure, as well as stable, It’s the kind of situation that cries out pests and resistance. I believe we functioning government. for a Saskatchewan remedy, says Buhr. need to develop integrated solutions that apply to all cropping systems. To all of that, you can add one more “We know about productivity of So my research has crossed over factor, adds Buhr. prairie agriculture,” she says. “And and we’re using organic weed- our expertise is exportable to other control techniques in conventional prairie regions around the world. agriculture to, for example, control We can make a tremendous difference herbicide-resistant weeds. Feeding The crunch comes by helping others make better use of more people is about productivity, when you realize there’s their prairies, and by making them and doing that with fewer inputs only 10 to 12 per cent more environmentally sustainable will be critical.” and more productive.” more arable land that’s not presently forested Sustainable is the key word here. Kazakhstan has a John Deere or subject to erosion or distributor and the country is bringing desertification. over experts, including many from Canada, to assist in the adoption of zero-till and precision, variable-rate “Because of climate change, there’s farming techniques. Those efforts will a whole bunch of the currently certainly pay dividends but Buhr says productive world on either side of feeding nine billion will require a the equator that’s going to get lost whole lot more. to general agriculture,” she says. The Green Revolution that boosted Still, Saskatchewan? Really? food production in the middle of the Steve Shirtliffe, Plant Sciences last century relied heavily on cheap professor and an expert in field crop As it turns out, there are an awful lot of fuel and fertilizer. But those days are agronomy and weed ecology. places like Saskatchewan in the world, although words such as veldt, savanna, and steppe are used, instead of prairie, to describe them. And Buhr’s critique of how they’ve been managed is gentle. Systems Approach Consider, for example, Central Asia, “Food security is very much about which consists of Kazakhstan along producing more food. But there with the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, are many other considerations— Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. In sustainability; the environment and the 1950s, the Soviets sent hundreds climate change; water and energy of thousands of its citizens to set up supplies; reducing waste and loss; collective farms and they were soon storage and processing; enhancing growing wheat on 30 million hectares nutritional quality; infrastructure on Central Asia’s steppes (there are needs; accessibility and affordability. only about 13 million hectares cropped We have resources and expertise in in all of Saskatchewan). Although the Saskatchewan and in Canada to apply first few crops did well, yields quickly to any of these issues. We have it all. Bob Tyler, Food and Bioproduct plunged as the soil became exhausted The key is to understand where we Sciences professor and an expert in crop or was stripped away by wind in that can have the most impact.” quality, utilization and food processing. dry and fragile landscape. Millions of

University of Saskatchewan • College of Agriculture and Bioresources A G K N O W L E D G E 19 feeding the world

over, and it will take a systems-based the economics of it and the business as Ag-West Bio and the Western approach to boost production in the side. They understand the science, Grains Research Foundation, as well as years ahead, says Buhr. policy, storage, transportation, all of it.” commodity organizations, business, and government, she says. “This is what makes Saskatchewan such The university can offer much more an amazing place to be—this province than its expertise in areas such as plant “Because people here really under- ‘gets’ agriculture and I mean agriculture genomics and development, animal stand and appreciate what agriculture in its entirety,” she says. “So it’s not just nutrition, effective use of water and is truly all about, they’re able to work the production of crops and animals, fertilizer, and land management, says together,” says Buhr. “They’re not only people here understand the soil and Buhr. Equally important is the fact the able, but keen to work together. That’s environment; the air and water; and the university is part of a much bigger vitally important when it comes to entire resource piece. They understand network, which includes groups such building something like this.” n

Like the task it has set for itself—sustainably expanding the world’s food supply—the creation of an Institute of Global Food Security won’t happen overnight.

But the university has done something similar before and is drawing on the blueprint it used to create the Global Institute for Water Security.

“In June, the University Council approved the creation of an Institute of Global Food Security,” says Mary Buhr, dean of the College of Agriculture and Bioresources.

“That’s a very clear signal the university is absolutely committed to this concept and approach, but it is only just the starting point.”

As it did with the water security institute, the university has applied for funding for a Canada Excellence Research Chair and, if successful, will seek someone who is both an international authority in food security, and able to build and lead the new institute. To lay the groundwork for that, the university may offer a six- to 12-month appointment for a leading expert to come to Saskatoon and “get things started,” she says.

“Our intention is to make this institute recognized around the world as the place to be when you’re examining global food security,” says Buhr. “That means finding an individual who is among the world’s best in this area.”

But right from the start, the job will also involve bringing other Prairie organizations and experts into the effort.

“We’re seeking other partners and trying to make this much, much larger,” says Buhr.

20 A G K N O W L E D G E College of Agriculture and Bioresources • University of Saskatchewan staying out front The People Behind the Kloppenburg Collection Over the past decade, gifts of art from Saskatoon lawyers Henry and Cheryl Kloppenburg have turned Agriculture Building corridors into galleries

Cheryl and Henry Kloppenburg p n By Beverly Fast

Henry and Cheryl Kloppenburg have donated many pieces of Henry and Cheryl met and married in the 1970s. He had just art to the College of Agriculture and Bioresources, including returned from a two-year stint as a Rhodes scholar at Oxford an impressive collection of Inuit sculpture and several iconic University, where he earned a graduate degree in civil law. She Douglas Bentham sculptures (‘Spring Day’ and ‘Spring Bloom’) had just finished her BA and was pursuing a law degree as well on the second floor, and paintings (including well-known as a Masters in history. Their shared interest in art led to a 40- works by Allen Sapp) on the 6th floor. year adventure in collecting, during which they amassed some 400 to 500 pieces. Canadian artists have always been the focus. Why two prominent Saskatoon lawyers, both graduates of the Over the years, they have collected works by A.Y. Jackson, Frank U of S College of Law, have chosen to donate art to the College Johnston, Arthur Lismer, William Perehudoff, Dorothy Knowles, of Agriculture and Bioresources is a frequently asked question. Ernest Lindner, Reta Cowley, Greg Hardy, Allen Sapp and The answer is simple enough. First, the Kloppenburgs believe Robert Hurley. art should be enjoyed year-round. “When you make a gift to a gallery, for example, the art might be displayed for a few “Our philosophy of collecting is threefold,” Henry says. “It months then put into storage for years,” Cheryl says. “When has to be good art, it has to be art of sufficient stature to get we donate art, we prefer it to be seen.” appraised, and we have to be able to dispose of the art to galleries or institutions—we have to have an exit strategy.” Second, the Kloppenburg’s were long-time friends of J.W.B. This exit strategy came into play when the Kloppenburg’s Stewart, dean of agriculture from 1990 to 1999, and his downsized their living space in 2011. Many art works went to wife Anne. “During his years as dean, Stewart created an institutions, with the College of Agriculture and Bioresources environment for art in the Agriculture Building,” Henry says. being a main beneficiary. In 2000, the Kloppenburg’s donated “He was no longer dean when we made our first gift, but he 27 paintings to the college. The Kloppenburg Collection was was the reason behind it.” unveiled during the grand opening of the sixth floor addition to the Agriculture Building. Subsequent donations have Henry has always viewed art from both an economic and an expanded the collection to over 50 paintings—and 11 more aesthetic angle. His family bought art in 1920s Germany as a Allen Sapp works in 2012. hedge against inflation. As a boy growing up on a farm near Humboldt in the 1940s and ‘50s, he was exposed to art at In 2011, the Henry and Cheryl Kloppenburg Collection of Inuit home, at school and in the community (notably the paintings Sculpture was permanently installed on the second floor. It of Berthold Imhoff at St. Peter’s Cathedral in Muenster). includes 55 works by a variety of northern Canadian artists. Many are smaller pieces, which is one of the things that Cheryl’s early exposure to art was less auspicious. “I remember attracted them to Inuit art in the 1970s. “Sculptures were still one trip to the Mackenzie Gallery in Regina where I saw a large tactile and portable, meant to be handled, passed around and white painting with a tiny black dot in the middle. It was called carried from place to place,” Cheryl says. ‘Dog Disappearing.’ I turned to my mother and said, ‘what a con.’ So I started out very cynical of what abstract artists The Kloppenburgs are regular visitors to the Agriculture were trying to accomplish. Over time, I’ve developed more Building. “We get a great sense of joy and pleasure when we appreciation for abstract—I have three Perehudoffs hanging see the art on display,” Henry says. “We also believe that when in my office.” you see art around you every day, you take a little bit of it with you through life.” n

University of Saskatchewan • College of Agriculture and Bioresources A G K N O W L E D G E 21 Dirt and Art Unique course offers a smash-up of science, art, and unconventional learning

Art completed by students using pigments made from soils, plants and bones. p

n By Glenn Cheater, Photos by Ken Van Rees

If you’re a fan of out-of-the-box red pigments, clays with the right “Then I read an article in Canadian thinking, then Emma Lake was the mineral oxides to produce yellowish Geographic about this painter in place to be this June. ochres, and extracted blue dye from Ontario who was collecting pigments a flowering plant called woad (a distant within 100 miles of where he lived That was where Ken Van Rees, five soil cousin of canola and cabbage) so they’d to create his painting,” he says. “So I science students, and five fine arts have a colour to capture the beauty of thought I’d go visit him.” students were making pigments out of the northern Saskatchewan sky. dirt and bones – yes, bones – and then Things soon fell into place. The artist, using the product to paint up a storm. And there was art. All of the pigments Christopher van Donkelaar, offered to were put to use—even the soil teach Van Rees and any students who “It was a blast,” says the soil science scientists had to wield a paint brush. might be interested about the craft of professor, who is also a painter. “I making pigments. Art and Art History had collected soils from around But the goal was something larger than professor Allyson Glenn joined in the Saskatchewan, some different reds and the sum of those two parts, says Van effort, and together they were able ochres, and I also brought a lot of deer Rees, who is, fittingly, an Agri-Food to win university approval for ARTS and elk skulls. We would pull the teeth Innovation Chair (in agroforestry 898 Creating Paint from Soil (That out, cut off the antlers, and put them and afforestation). number designates a ‘special course.’). in pipes with the ends capped. We’d The students had to produce several throw them in the campfire at night It was an intellectual quest, one that paintings, write a paper, and put on a and in the morning, grind them up to began in innocent fashion eight week-long exhibition. make black pigment.” years ago when Van Rees added an art element to his soil science field But it was the process, not the end- Obviously, there was some science course by having his students paint a products, that intrigued Van Rees. He going on. If you heat bone in an landscape. It was a fun thing, but also a still talks about being captivated by a anaerobic environment, you get way to give students a new perspective 2009 lecture that renowned creativity a material that is mostly calcium of landscapes they normally reduce expert Sir Ken Robinson gave at the phosphate, along with a bit of carbon into oh-so-precisely delineated university; and by the work of Steven and calcium carbonate. Add water and components and subcomponents of Johnson, who describes how advances a binder to hold the pigment particles soil science and biology. in both neuroscience and psychology together—egg yolk was the ingredient have changed our understanding of choice at Emma Lake—and you get It seemed to spark something in many of the creative process. Robinson, a bone black, a favourite of Rembrandt. of his students, and Van Rees spent “a sharp critic of current educational long time thinking about how I could models, favours divergent thinking Van Rees and his students also heated move this forward.” and collaboration, while Johnson says soils rich in iron oxides to get intense hunches, serendipity, and even errors

22 A G K N O W L E D G E College of Agriculture and Bioresources • University of Saskatchewan Students painting at Emma Lake. p

beat rigid linear thinking by a country When David told others about David now has a small gallery of his mile when it comes to innovation. the course, many said it sounded own, mostly landscapes, but also more “Johnson writes about how innovation really neat but “lots said it sounded detailed pictures of tree trunks. He arises when you get different weird.” Both sides were right. It says he’s happy with the results, even disciplines colliding together,” says was very stimulating, but the though it was his first foray into art Van Rees. “While Ken Robinson said: “free-flowing” attitude of the arts since high school. ‘Art techniques can be powerful ways students felt very odd at first, says of unlocking creative capacity and the 26-year-old. Van Rees figures David and his fellow engaging the whole person.’” students have gained something else. He cites Robinson and the need “to engage the whole person.”

Art techniques can be powerful ways of unlocking “I sometimes think we don’t think a lot creative capacity and engaging the whole person. about the student as a whole person,” says Van Rees.

Although that wasn’t written down in If fact, even when it was time to set up He doesn’t claim to have discovered the course curriculum, the 10 students the gallery, the different ways of a new paradigm in teaching, but as who gathered at picturesque Emma thinking were starkly evident. The soil he watched the students—whether Lake Kenderdine Campus didn’t need it science quintet knew the task and were cooking bones or struggling to capture spelled out for them. ready to roll. The arts students were the fall of light on a stand of trees searching for the right experience, —it was plain to see they were fully “It was just so different, you were trying out endless arrangements engaged and in high learning mode, free to try things out and see if they and groupings. he says. worked,” says Cody David, who is taking his Masters in Soil Science and “If it had been up to us, we would have “This was an experience that none of studying greenhouse gases. done it in two hours,” recalls David. them would have ever had before,” “But the arts students were, ‘Let’s he says. “Sure, in science, you want to be try this’ and ‘Now let’s try it this creative when thinking what you want way.’ I mean, it took us pretty much “It was unique, it was creative, and they to do in an experiment, but then you all weekend. But I have to say it were engaged in an eco-system in an follow the proper procedures and worked—what we had at the end entirely different way. And on top of all you’re very methodical. The structure of the weekend was way better than that, they got to make their own paint behind science is pretty rigid.” what we started with.” from scratch.” n

University of Saskatchewan • College of Agriculture and Bioresources A G K N O W L E D G E 23 Lifelong Learners Two decades on, U of S grads Doug and Dean Erickson are still in student mode as they fight to stay a step ahead in farming’s new information age

n By Glenn Cheater

Two decades have passed since Doug Erickson earned his “You can’t control Mother Nature, but these days you have to agriculture degree at the University of Saskatchewan, but his maximize everything you can—you’re looking at big dollars,” student days aren’t behind him. says Doug.

For example, earlier this summer, the 42-year-old farmer It’s a view echoed by Dean, 40, who earned a Diploma in and agrologist from Rosetown, Sask. spent hours searching Agriculture in 1993. While his brother has a passion for plant the Internet for scholarly articles and papers on fusarium science, Dean’s is soil fertility. He had planned to return to the head blight. The yield-robbing disease loves humid, warm farm, but low grain prices at the time scuppered that idea. conditions, and Erickson’s clients were getting worried. Both brothers worked as agrologists for other companies until this past winter, but always returned to the farm for seeding “It’s not something we’ve had to deal with a lot in western and harvest. Saskatchewan,” says Erickson. “Every company out there claims it has the best product, but there’s a lot of “It’s always been a big deal for our customers that we farm,” misinformation and confusion.” says Dean. “They know if we won’t do it on our farm, we won’t tell you to do it on yours.” In addition to the 7,000 acres they farm with their parents, Erickson and brother Dean operate Greenleaf Agriventures, providing agronomy advice to half a dozen producers who collectively farm 40,000 acres. Timely advice is increasingly important. For instance, fusarium can easily cause five-figure They know if we won’t do losses on a large farm. That’s why Doug constantly slips back into student mode. it on our farm, we won’t tell

“Recommendations for spraying wheat (for fusarium) in you to do it on yours. Western Canada ranged from 75 per cent headed to 50 per cent flowered—that’s just a huge window and I knew there had to be a better answer,” says Doug. The fact the brothers are now farming full time is testament “I found a paper from Ohio State University that said you have to their determination. Their father, Don, had 960 acres and to hit every head for maximum effectiveness when spraying,” the farm stayed that size until 1996, when Dean bought a he says. “So right away, I knew 75 per cent headed wasn’t quarter section. Once Doug returned to the Rosetown area going to accomplish what we needed to accomplish.” in 1999, they began seriously ramping up. But a larger farm meant they had to use their vacations for harvest, and work It’s just one example of why today’s agriculture has become a crazy hours during seeding. knowledge industry, says Doug. Producers deal with dozens of agronomic issues, and the penalty is high if you don’t “Dean and I would finish our regular jobs at five, drive to the keep up with the latest research and technology. Doug can farm and work, get home at midnight and then be back at point to neighbouring farms he’s familiar with that grow work at six in the morning,” recalls Doug. “I can’t say that part the same crops on virtually identical land, and yet one farm was fun, but it was only a month a year and it’s what we had will generate gross returns that are $200 to $500 an acre to do if we wanted to get to the point where we could do it higher—a million-dollar-plus difference on a commercial-size full time.” grain farm.

24 A G K N O W L E D G E College of Agriculture and Bioresources • University of Saskatchewan Doug (left) and Dean Erickson p

They also plowed virtually every nickel of profit back into foster fusarium in wheat significantly increase nitrogen losses the business, but it’s no surprise that process took a dozen due to leaching and denitrification. years. The brothers run modern equipment and today a new combine or tractor alone can easily top $300,000. Partnering But how much might those losses be? Would it justify the with their father was critical (most of their land is jointly cost of applying a second application and, if so, what’s the owned) and the improved economics of grain farming came optimum split? at the right time, the brothers say. “This year, putting down 100 per cent of your nitrogen “I didn’t think we’d get the chance to do it because our farm at seeding was not the best option,” says Dean, who was small and farming was poor when I went to university instead deferred one-fifth of his nitrogen fertilizing— and for quite a while afterwards,” says Doug. “Right up until and recommended his clients do the same—until the 1999, I had pretty much resigned myself to the fact that it crop emerged. wasn’t going to happen and all I’d get was maybe a week at harvest or something like that. So we both consider ourselves Those are two examples among many. Every year brings pretty lucky.” new challenges, partly because growing conditions and disease pressures change, but also because crop science and However, the Ericksons also made a lot of their own luck, technology are constantly moving forward. Staying in the using the skills they started developing at university to forefront of agrology was the biggest reason the brothers boost profitability. started Greenleaf.

“There’s some who throw everything under the sun “Things change so much and so fast, you need to keep up,” to produce a crop,” says Doug. “Sure, what you put in says Dean. “Our biggest fear in leaving the ag industry is determines what you get out, but you need to weigh the cost getting out of touch. It’s easy to get stuck in a rut, and that’s and potential benefits. It’s a balancing act.” what we wanted to avoid.”

Finding that balance isn’t easy. For example this spring, And both credit the skills they learned at university. Dean —also a committed life-long learner—was conducting fertility research. Modern air drills allow farmers to place all “That was the beginning of it,” says Doug. “A lot of what I of their nitrogen during seeding, but it’s expensive—a typical studied has no application for what I do today. But being able rate of 100 pounds per acre would have set you back around to know where to look—and how to analyze what you’re $70 this spring. However, the same wet, warm conditions that looking at—is key. It was at university that I developed the thought process that I use all the time today.” n

University of Saskatchewan • College of Agriculture and Bioresources A G K N O W L E D G E 25 Donor JULY 1, 2011 – JU NE 30, 2012 recognition

$1,000,000 + SaskMilk Halchemix Canada Inc Stuart Cutts Warren Johnson Seed Hawk Haverhill Organic Farms Kirk Dammann Robert Jorgensen 149 Anonymous Donors gave Vancouver Fraser Port Authority Helvetia Farms Ltd. Jonathan Darragh Bill Kalyn $2,019,557.50 Viterra Lonetree Livestock Jack Davison David & Lori-Ann Kaminski Walker Wood Foundation Manitoba Pork Council Maurice Delage Doug Kent $100,000 to Colin Ahrens Mason Family Farm James Dodds Erich Kerber $999,999 Bob Bradley Moose Jaw Exhibition Bob Dodds Denis Kirkham Robert Byers Company Ltd Herb Dow Lorne Klein Canadian Wheat Board David Christensen Pathways to Education Canada Julian Dumanski Bernard Kotelko Saskatchewan Canola Terry Church Saskatchewan Poultry Council Blaine Duncan Larry Koturbash Development Commission Vincent Coffey Souris Creek Farm Inc. Robert Duncan Armin Krahn The Sprott Foundation Keith Downey T.J. Consulting Ltd. Jan Dyer William LaClare Jean Auckland Estate Eldon Ell Tebbutt Family Farms Ltd. Ross Edwards Dick Lane John Loraas Lorne Fisher Walker Northeast Farms Ltd. Gail Ehman Garth Larson* Emily Robinson Estate Ellwood Fleming Tom Abrametz Stewart Elder Linda Leinan Kent Fraser Duncan Acton Delbert Enns Marc & Victoria Leost $10,000 to Howard Fredeen Dale Adolphe Jim Ewert Galen Loy $99,999 Allan Graham Irene & Derald Ahner George Fedak Ronald Marquardt BASF Canada Inc. Selina Hanley Ken Allan Jim Ferrie Stu Marshall GNC Bioferm Inc. Ethel Harmel Sandy Antonini Lloyd Fink Don Martin Morris Industries Ltd. Ross Harmel Troy Atkinson Keith Fournier Allan McDougald Richardson Foundation Inc. Jim Hart John Babcock Arther Froehlich John McDougald Saskatchewan Pulse Growers Bill Heenan Ken Baglole Fred & Norma Fulton Shirley McKell Syngenta Crop Protection Bill Hetland Walter Baldwin Ron Gallaway Peter McLaren Canada, Inc. John Hickie Eric Beamish Allan Ganshorn Roger Meyers William Farley Estate Carl Holmgren Albert Beattie David Gehl Bill & Hazel Miner Duncan MacRae Rudolph Kaul Dave Beckie Robert Gilmour Patrick Mitchell Morris Sebulsky Ellen Leost Joseph Bedford Harvey Goehring Ken Mitschke Bob Mitchell Timothy Berscheid Albert Gorrill Ranald Moar Ken Pedersen Dave Bilanski James Gowans Gordon Moore $1,000 to $9,999 Marjorie Putt Omar Bilokury Lynn Grant Larry Morningstar Animal Nutrition Association of Joan Redmann Larry Bingham Edward Gray Ron Morningstar Canada (Alberta Division) William Rekunyk Estate Bryan Bittner Renny Grilz Hewitt Murch Bar-N Ranch and Cattle Thomas Robinson Estate Dave & June Blau Grant Hale Donald Murray Company Ltd. Brian & Laurel Rossnagel Gordon Bligh John Hall Owen Myhr Bayer CropScience Albert Running Murray Booy Robert Haller Larry & Susan Nelson Bourgault Industries Bernie Sonntag Ian Bowie Edgar Hammermeister Robert Neufeld Bourgault Tools Karen Tanino Barry Bradley Tracy Hansen Jason Newton Bunge Jim Tsukishima Jay Bradshaw Edgar Harder Ronald Nielsen Chicken Farmers of Saskatchewan Terry Veeman Sheila Braidek Glen Hart Ernest Nycholat Circle 62 Charitable Foundation Bernie Verwimp Stewart Brandt Lance Hartman Rhonda O’Hagan Danbred North America Bill Brown Bryan & Eileen Harvey Wayne Olson Everitt Farms Ltd. $100 to $999 Donald Buchanan Elvin Haupstein Kevin Olson Farm Credit Canada James Calanchie Larry Heavin Cali Orsulak Gordon & Peggy Racine Allport Agro Ltd. Lyndon Carlson Murray Henderson Robert Ostafie Family Fund Bergstrom Farms Ltd. Diane Caron Samuel Herman Frank Osterwoldt Gryphon Communications Inc. BioAg Ltd. Brian Carruthers Ronald Hetland Stewart Palmer John Buhr Farms Ltd. Canadian Forage and Grassland Harold Chapman Jack Hextall Nicholas Partyka New Life Feeds & Parrish & Association Sandra Christensen Lorne Hextall Bryce Pashovitz Heimbecker Ltd. Canadian Pork Council Gunner Christiansen Harry Hill George & Lynne Pearson Novozymes Biologicals Limited D & G Schlekewy Abattoir Mary Clark Dale Holaday Jack Peck Shand Greenhouses SaskPower E.G. Koester-Farm Charles Clay Jr. Diana Holaday James Peltier Royal Bank of Canada Elite Stock Farm Ltd. Arlene Clemence-Kary Eric Holt Joe Piontek Saskatchewan Institute of Fast Genetics John Coldwell Wayne Holzapfel Jim Pratt Agrologists Flyin Dust Ranch Clarence Collins Charles Hopkins James Puckett Saskatchewan Pork G. K. Connor Farms Ltd. Raymond Cooper Forest Howell David Pulfer Development Board Greater Saskatoon Chamber Bill & Gail Cooper John Hubert Barry Raymond Saskatoon Horticulture Society Inc. of Commerce Bill Copeland Eric & Trish Johnson Paul* & Dorothy Riemer

26 A G K N O W L E D G E College of Agriculture and Bioresources • University of Saskatchewan Ross Reynolds Eldon Arndt Evelyn Gilmour Lyndon Osman Timothy Tollefson Gary Rice Bill Aulie Reg Gilstorf Brendan Ostafie Kari Tosczak Wendell Rice Jim Babcock Kevin Giroux Jeanette Pearson Candace Vanin Garth Roh Wayne Bacon Brian Goranson Brian Peet Lorne Veitch Richard Ross* Glenn Barclay Mick Gould Elaine Pendree Michael Volk Nick Rudrick Barbara Barrett Rick Gunderson Syd Pickerell Harvey Wagner Barry Rugg Roger Barron Jack Hamilton Hixon Pittman Gerald Walkeden Ray Ryland Russell Barth Brent Hansen Ronald & Margaret Plunz Sandra Watson Donald Sanderson Ken Bassendowski Benjamin Harold Harold Popoff Bill Weighill Garry Schultz William Bayda Larry Hayes John Raine Dianne Westerlund Kenneth Scott Gerry Bell Vanessa Headford Donald Rawlins Clarence Weybrecht Leonard Scott Thomas Benson Ryan Heavin Blaine Reble Art Wiebe Cameron Seidle Ron Bishoff Wayne Henderson Cornelius Rempel Dean Wilgosh James Sewell Irwin Blank Dorothy Henley Martin Rice Don Wilkins Gregory Simpson Kevin Bligh Janet Hoda Dale Risula Gerard Woynarski Cliff Simpson Arden Body Allan Howell Al Ritchie Dennis Zackrisson John Slykhuis Darrow Bottoms Kenneth Howland & Marcia Clark Sandra Ritchie Kari Zemlak Stanley Smith Greg Bristow Kevin Hyshka Duncan & Lorraine* Aaron Zubot Marianne Stamm Richard Brooks Wayne Ingell Robertson Elaine Stirton Todd Brunas John Jacek Carrie Rogers-Butterwick Gifts in Kind Judy Stretch Gordon Bue Gordon Jacklin Louanne Roschuk Joan Svenson Dennis Bulani Rick Jensen Sandra Ross Fast Genetics – Piglets for AgBio Glenn Tait Glen Busse Janet Jobe Emelia Samcoe Discovery Program Donald Tait* Douglas Campbell Bobby Jones Kevin Sander John Loraas – Grain storage units Phil Thacker Robert Campbell Warner Kabatoff Lyle Sandercock Henry and Cheryl Kloppenburg – Dave Thompson Allan Cannon Keith & Norma Kavanagh Art Sawatsky Gifts of art David Thornton Daren Capcara Aaron Keisig Charles Shaheen Mike Torrens Lonnie Chupa Ross Kingdon Pat Shaheen Prairie Swine Centre – Feed for David Torwalt Joe Clavelle Dale Knouse David Sharpe AgBio Discovery Program piglets Marcella Tremere Lori Cline-Flath Doug Korver Ronald Shea Ron Cruikshank – Alfalfa hay bales Ted Turner Malcolm Coakwell William Krell Kelvin Shultz Catons Ltd. & DeLaval Canada – Trish Tweddell Wayne Cochran Darren Kushner Brian Shuya Dairy equipment Peter Valli Gavin Conacher Marie Lambie Mason Simmons Edwin Walker Yvonne Couldwell Meron Lanoway John Simpson Murray Westby David Cox David Lazurko Iver Sletmoen Equipment Stewart White Joseph Crooymans Christopher Leader Craig Smith Contribution Wayne White Kevin Daniels Richard Lindsay Elwin Smith Agreements Lee Whittington Glenn Derbowka Robert Little Garry & Dawna Smith Joe Widdup Judith Dickie Alan Long Michael Southwood Morris Industries Ltd. – Morris Red Williams Keith Dryden Ken Lumbis James Spiers Contour Drill & Air Cart George Wilson Blaine Dubreuil Keith Lundgren Adam Spies Western Sales and Farm & Garden Allan Wilson Kathleen Duhaime Cameron MacDonald Judy Staszczak Centre of Saskatoon – John Deere Stacy Wilson Bradley Dunnington Boris & Anne Maduke Sherri Stender Self-Propelled Sprayer Robert Wolfe Murray Dyck Joseph Martin John Stephenson* New Holland Canada – 2 New Wayne Woolfitt Murray Eichorst Nancy Martin Scott Stevenson Holland Tractors Arejay Wudrick Bruce Elke Mildred Maxwell Harvey Stushnoff Robert Young David Ewart Kris Mayerle Ralph Swanson Sharon Faye Ted Mazurek John Tatarynovich Up to $99 Russell Fersch Gerry McCrie Elaine Thomas Mervin Finell Maureen McEwen Brian Tochor * Denotes deceased Agriculture Research Branch Mindy Fladeland James McGillivray G Double Bar Farms Wayne Flaten Linda McGregor Hannotte Twin Creek Farms Inc. Brian Flavel Kent Mickleborough L.V. MacDougall Farms Inc. Clement Fontaine Cherie Miller We would like to acknowledge and celebrate Les and Wendy Trowell Seed Barbara Fowler Raymond Milne Farm Ltd. the generosity of those who have arranged Randall Frei Richard Myers planned gifts to the College of Agriculture and Meadowview Contracting Ltd. Hubert Freitag Brian Nattress Bioresources. These gifts are tremendously Potash Corporation of Doug Froehlich Marty Nervick Saskatchewan Inc. Jeff Gaab Jake Nickel important to the future of the college. For their Dylan Adderley David Gallaway Rodger Niebergall forethought, we sincerely thank these donors Heather Adie Rodney Gamble Peter Nordli Doug Alberts who have recognized the potential of the Don Geddes Bob Norman College of Agriculture and Bioresources. Neil Alexander Lawrence Gelleta Michael & Joyce O’Keeffe Annette Allen Dale Gibson Lois Orr Wade Armstrong

University of Saskatchewan • College of Agriculture and Bioresources A G K N O W L E D G E 27 College of Agriculture and Bioresources story rooted in innovative thinking

he College of Agriculture and Bioresources has been a consistent strength for the T University of Saskatchewan through its research, teaching, outreach and technology transfer. With a century of experience, the college has a storied history of innovation in products and practices that have transformed our world.

1912 1914 1916 1918 1920 1922 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012

1914 1922 1953 The Better Farming Trains First Master of Science First Ph.D. degree in visit rural Saskatchewan degree in Agriculture Agriculture awarded. with the latest agricultural awarded. information until 1922.

1912 Regular classes in the College of Agriculture begin 1937 1956 The School of Agriculture The first commercially established to administer practical dairy-calf milk 1915 the diploma program. replacer developed First Bachelor of Science by J.M. (Milt) Bell. in Agriculture awarded with 24 graduates.

28 A G K N O W L E D G E College of Agriculture and Bioresources • University of Saskatchewan 2005 Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness established.

1971 1990 2007 The Crop Development Partners in Growth Bachelor of Science in Centre set up to expand Campaign, led by Renewable Resource crop-breeding research ‘Sodbusters’, alumni 2006 Management established. and has since developed and friends of the Establishment of the more than 380 crop college, raise nearly Indigenous Peoples varieties . $13- million to contribute Resource Management to construction of a new Program. Agriculture Building.

1990 Meat research program established.

1972 1991 2006 2012 Kernen Crop Research Agriculture Building Name changed to the Bachelor of Science Station, now a first official opening. College of Agriculture in Animal Biosciences class crop and ecology and Bioresources to approved for a first offering research unit, is better reflect the scope of in September 2013. developed. research and teaching.

1978 The first Canadian bred lentil, Laird, registered by Dr. Al Slinkard.

1998 The School of Agriculture as an administrative unit is disbanded.

University of Saskatchewan • College of Agriculture and Bioresources A G K N O W L E D G E 29 All the details, all the time.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2012 VOL. 90 | NO. 8 | $3.75

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MARKETS | FERTILIZER POPULAR DINING SPOT Time to lock in fertilizer prices? Increases coming | Analysts believe prices will rise within weeks

BY SEAN PRATT SASKATOON NEWSROOM

Doug Chorney pre-booked his spring fertilizer but didn’t lock in a price because he thought it was too high at the time. Last week he got a call from his anhydrous ammonia supplier. “They thought this was the time to price it,” said the farmer from East Selkirk, Man. Chorney locked in a price of $1,050 per tonne delivered to the farm, which is down from $1,100 before Christmas. Lyle and Dorothy Braunwarth were out early on a frosty Feb. 11 morning feeding their cattle on River Road near High River, Alta. | MIKE STURK PHOTO “Although I’m not thrilled with that price, it is a little better,” he said. David Asbridge, president of NPK Fertilizer Advisory Service, thinks FOOD SAFETY | INSPECTIONS Chorney made a prudent decision. “We think we’re probably pretty u|xhHEEJBy00001pzYv!:) close to the bottom of these markets,” FEBRUARY 23, 2012 said the U.S. analyst. Imported food faces less scrutiny Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: The average wholesale price for Box 2500, urea in the U.S. Midwest for the first CFIA accused of misleading MPs | Union says only two percent of imports are inspected Saskatoon, SK. S7K 2C4 half of February was $440 per short ton, which is up slightly from a year BY BARRY WILSON Canadian Food Inspection Agency “Those rules apply to imports the ago but down sharply from the aver- OTTAWA BUREAU official Feb. 15 of misleading MPs same way they apply to products mov- age of $537 in September 2011. about the level of import inspection. ing domestically. Indeed in the context Asbridge believes the freefall is Food imports face far less rigorous Two days earlier, CFIA associate of products that are exported, if there nearly over and prices will start head- inspection than Canadian food vice-president Paul Mayers told MPs are additional considerations, those ing back up in the next two to four exports and the result is a Canadian that there is a common perception are not CFIA requirements.” weeks as spring approaches. population at risk, says the president that imports are not as thoroughly Kingston said that is not true. “(Farmers) probably should go of the union representing federal inspected as exports or products “I hate to say this, but you’ve been ahead and start thinking about buy- food inspectors. destined for the Canadian market. seriously misinformed on a number ing some of their fertilizer.” Bob Kingston, president of the agri- “First, let me assure the committee of very important issues,” he told MPs. culture union of the Public Service Alli- that there is only one set of rules,” he SEE TIME TO LOCK IN, PAGE 2 ance of Canada, also accused a senior said Feb. 13. SEE LESS SCRUTINY FOR IMPORTS, P 3

» » Larry Hertz ations Inc. Publisher,

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PREVENT FOOD- SERVING WESTERN CANADIAN FARM FAMILIES SINCE 1923 | WWW.PRODUCER.COM BORNE ILLNESS | P106 AE50s AWARDS ______and Bioresources MARKETS | FERTILIZER POPULAR DINING SPOT I would like to direct my gift to: Time Card Expiry Date: ____ / ____ (month/year) to lock in o General College Donations – used to support a variety of fertilizer o Visa o Mastercard o American Express prices? college and student priorities Increases coming | Analysts believe prices ______will rise within weeks o AgBio Discovery Program – supports youth and community BY SEAN PRATT Name (as it appears on the card) SASKATOON NEWSROOM

Doug Chorney pre-booked his engagement in AgBio Science spring fertilizer but didn’t lock in a price because he thought it was too high at the time. Last week he got a call from his ______anhydrous ammonia supplier. “They thought this was the time to o Student Enhancement – supports student development price it,” said the farmer from East Selkirk, Man. Chorney locked in a price of $1,050 Cardholder Signature per tonne delivered to the farm, which is down from $1,100 before opportunities and travel Christmas. Lyle and Dorothy Braunwarth were out early on a frosty Feb. 11 morning feeding their cattle on River Road near High River, Alta. | MIKE STURK PHOTO “Although I’m not thrilled with that price, it is a little better,” he said. o o David Asbridge, president of NPK Is this a corporate credit card? Yes No Fertilizer Advisory Service, thinks FOOD SAFETY | INSPECTIONS Chorney made a prudent decision. “We think we’re probably pretty u|xhHEEJBy00001pzYv!:) o Building Fund – used for enhancements and ongoing close to the bottom of these markets,” FEBRUARY 23, 2012 said the U.S. analyst. Imported food faces less scrutiny Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: The average wholesale price for CFIA accused of misleading MPs | Union says only two percent of imports are inspected Box 2500, urea in the U.S. Midwest for the first Saskatoon, SK. S7K 2C4 ______half of February was $440 per short building upgrades ton, which is up slightly from a year BY BARRY WILSON Canadian Food Inspection Agency “Those rules apply to imports the ago but down sharply from the aver- OTTAWA BUREAU official Feb. 15 of misleading MPs same way they apply to products mov- age of $537 in September 2011. about the level of import inspection. ing domestically. Indeed in the context Asbridge believes the freefall is Food imports face far less rigorous Two days earlier, CFIA associate of products that are exported, if there If yes, please provide the name of the company nearly over and prices will start head- inspection than Canadian food vice-president Paul Mayers told MPs are additional considerations, those ing back up in the next two to four exports and the result is a Canadian that there is a common perception are not CFIA requirements.” weeks as spring approaches. population at risk, says the president that imports are not as thoroughly Kingston said that is not true. Are you interested in learning more about leaving a gift through your “(Farmers) probably should go of the union representing federal inspected as exports or products “I hate to say this, but you’ve been ahead and start thinking about buy- food inspectors. destined for the Canadian market. seriously misinformed on a number ing some of their fertilizer.” Bob Kingston, president of the agri- “First, let me assure the committee of very important issues,” he told MPs. o culture union of the Public Service Alli- that there is only one set of rules,” he Cheque/Money Order (payable to the University of Saskatchewan SEE TIME TO LOCK IN, PAGE 2 ance of Canada, also accused a senior said Feb. 13. SEE LESS SCRUTINY FOR IMPORTS, P 3 » » Larry Hertz ations Inc. Publisher, will or estate plan to support students or research at the college? o o o o BULK UP NOW. EARN UP TO $1.50/ACRE MORE. I’d like to make a gift of: $50 $100 $250 Other $______High-performance cereal herbicides. Convenient BULK UP savings. Even more o o Grower Dividends. Calculate your Dividends at dowagrodividends.ca today. Yes No New extended deadline – March 20, 2012 TandemTM, SimplicityTM, Liquid Achieve®, AttainTM XC, OcTTainTM XL, FrontlineTM XL, PrestigeTM XC, StellarTM Publications Mail Agreement No. 40069240; Registration No. 10676 No. 40069240; Registration Agreement Publications Mail No. which is ownedCommunic by GVIC REWARDING ™Trademark of Dow AgroSciences LLC HIGHER PERFORMANCE

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