Lethbridge College and Olds College have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) focused on applied agriculture research. To launch the agreement, both colleges have signed on to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), becoming the first two colleges in Alberta, and among the first in Canada, to sign the accord. Both colleges are committed to supporting… Read More
It’s been a few years since DOT, the autonomous farm robot now owned by Raven Industries, made waves in the ag industry. Now that it’s had a chance to run, how does it fare in the field? Daniel Stefner, fourth year Bachelor of Applied Science agribusiness major student at Olds College, recently joined Shaun Haney… Read More
TELUS Agriculture is investing $1 million in Olds College’s 2,800-acre Smart Farm. The investment will support the development, acceleration, and integration of technology into the global agri-food value chain. It will also support the goals of more efficient and sustainable food production with fewer inputs and reduced waste. The Olds College Smart Farm will act… Read More
Post-secondary institutions must evolve to serve the needs of an ever-changing job market. For a diverse industry like agriculture, courses, research, and experience must change too. To discuss the SmartFarm concept and plant breeding funding advancements, we go to Stuart Cullum, president of Olds College, for this LIVE! Q&A. Don’t miss RealAg LIVE! weekdays at… Read More
Alberta Agriculture and Forestry’s field crop development centre is changing its location, and how its research is conducted. Now to be housed at Olds College — through an initial $10.5 million grant over three years, funded through Results Driven Agriculture Research (RDAR) — the barley breeding program will continue to develop and introduce new varieties… Read More
Olds College is receiving a $200,000 investment from the Alberta government to support a new partnership with SVG Ventures’ THRIVE accelerator and startup platform, which focuses on bringing technology-driven solutions to the agriculture and food sectors. The investment, funded through the Canadian Agriculture Partnership (CAP), builds on the Alberta government’s September 21 commitment of $1… Read More
Olds College is receiving just over $21 million from the Alberta government for capital upgrades to animal health and ag-tech education facilities. The funding announced Friday will allow for expansion and revitalization of the Lachlin McKinnon Building into a new Animal Health Education Centre. This project is receiving $15.16 million from the province. The other… Read More
In April, Olds College unveiled a new precision agriculture diploma, a program the dean of program development in agriculture technology says aligns with industry needs, and offers the opportunity for students to think in different ways. Olds College’s James Benkie was on hand at AgSmart in August, where he shared some of the details of… Read More
The Smart Farm at Olds College is already beginning to take shape, and now the post-secondary institution has received a new donation to help it grow even further. ATB Financial has announced a donation of $250,000 over a span of five years. The money will be used to grow the college’s high-tech smart farm, and… Read More
A gift of 316 acres of agricultural land located near Carstairs, Alta. was donated to Olds College. Valued at $1.2 million, the donation was made on behalf of the estate of Willem Pistra. “Both my parents would be thrilled to know that the farmland will be contributing to research that will improve farming practices in… Read More
To help Olds College create its AgExpert Data Lab, Farm Credit Canada (FCC) has committed $200,000 to the College’s Smart Farm. The funding commitment will be over a span of four years. “The Smart Ag Innovation Centre will be the hub for digital ag in Canada and FCC is thrilled to be a partner through… Read More
A brand new program with a focus on precision agriculture will be available this fall at Olds College. Being dubbed Techgronomy, graduates will be prepared for careers that require a “deep understanding of the connectedness between agronomy, agriculture machinery/purpose built network management, and data sciences,” the school says. “This diploma program will help students discover… Read More
With a passion for agriculture, research, and teaching, Dr. Joy Agnew will be taking on the position of director, applied research, Centre of Innovation at Olds College. “I’m looking forward to being a part of the growth and collaboration between the Smart Farm and the Olds College Centre for Innovation,” Agnew says. Agnew will be… Read More
A well-known name in Canadian agriculture, Olds College recently named Art Froehlich as thought leader in smart agriculture for the school. This new position, made possible as a result of the donation by David Werklund and Susan Norman, will act as an advisor and industry connector within the Werklund Agriculture Institute, the college says. As thought… Read More
It’s easy to overlook the resources post-secondary institutions provide outside of formal education, but facilities like Olds College’s Technology Access Centre for Livestock Production offer much more than a typical education track. “The Technology Access Centre is a new initiative made possible by NSERC [the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada],” says manager… Read More