As a young boy, Dr. Charles Vincent loved heading to the family farm just outside of Montreal, Quebec. His fascination with farming led him to start a degree in agronomy, where he instead fell in love with the study of insects, eventually leading to a 40-year career studying agriculture pests for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.
Vincent’s career focused on what we now call integrated pest management, beginning with his work in apples, strawberries and vineyards. From early on, he was tasked with finding ways to protect high-value crops from what he calls “formidable” opponents, all with the lowest environmental damage or cost.
His work, including the development of the first viral insecticide registered for use in Canada, continues to provide practical tools that have considerably reduced the quantity of insecticides used in commercial production, including apples, grapes and blueberries.
In early November, the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame will induct four new members, including a forage breeder, a canola breeder, an entomologist, and a cattle genetics leader. This is the second of four interviews, each featuring one of the inductees. Check out the first on canola breeder Dr. Michael Eskin, here.
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