2018 - 2019
LIMITLESS A Celebration of Research and Innovation at Lakeland College
Shooing Flies With Garlic p. 10
Filling a Void: Crop Research in Northeast Alberta
Calling all Makers
p.24
p. 25
Biochar Soil Matrix p.26
Innovation AT
LAKELAND p. 39
A Celebration of Research and Innovation at Lakeland College
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Message from the President
7 Message from the Director of Applied Research 8 Agriculture 4.0 Farming is evolving. The global market potential of Agriculture 4.0 technologies is significant and growing, predicted to reach up to $11.23B by 2022. 9 Lakeland College's Innovation Fund Supports Student Research & Training Students will experience a new method of assessing the feed efficiency profiles of cattle, thanks in part to Lakeland College’s Innovation Fund 9
14 Welcome to Lakeland Dr. Durunna! 15 New AST Dairy Stream: Inspired From Successful First Year in Dairy Learning Centre Since opening one of the most advanced dairy training facilities in Canada in 2017, Lakeland College is growing its footprint in the industry. 15
Beef Research Advisory Council
Why is Measuring Residual Feed Intake Important?
10 Shooing Flies With Garlic A fly control option that costs under $2 per animal for the summer and reduces the abundance of landed horn fly by half is a huge opportunity for beef producers.
16 Lakeland Crop Research Connects 17 Boots in the Field: 2018 Field Schools Lakeland Crop Research conducted two field schools in the 2018 season. 18 Plant Growth Regulators: What Agronomists Need to Know Due to the large yield loss potential of lodging, PGRs use is expected to increase significantly in high yield environments of western Canada. A Celebration of Research and Innovation at Lakeland College
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24 24 Filling a Void: Crop Research in the Northeast Alberta Highway 16 Corridor 25 Calling all Makers The Maker Movement embraces innovation, creativity, and learning to improve our communities and create a better future.
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Regional Innovation Network Update
33 Entrepreneur Spotlight: Upstream Data Inc. Upstream Data Inc. uses low value natural gas to power energy-intensive bitcoin mining in a portable shipping container.
26 Biochar Soil Matrix: Alberta Startup's Biochar Product Now Available at Retail Stores Across Canada 28 Did You Know? Biochar & Greenhouse Gas Emissions 29 Other Applications for Biochar Biochar has the potential for a variety of uses in addition to its use as being a helpful soil amendment. 30
Startup Lloydminster: We Grow Business
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Cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, and Blockchain, Oh My!
34 Lakeland College Grows its Support for Indigenous Students and Culture 35 Start 'em Young: Student-led Learning at New Myrnam School 38 31 Lloydminster Dreamforest Entrepreneur Spotlight: Moonlight & Sage Jewelry
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Extra! Extra! Read All About it in Excel
39 Portraits of Innovation Lakeland College inspires lifelong learning through experience, excellence, and innovation.
Volume 7
2018-2019
LIMITLESS
A Celebration of Research and Innovation at Lakeland College
Publication Information Limitless is published by Lakeland College Applied Research. This is the 7th volume. Throughout the magazine, you will find faces of the researchers and support staff of this growing department. This magazine showcases applied research and innovation activities across the college and both campuses. Special thanks to all Lakeland College employees and partners who contributed information and photographs to this publication. PROJECT MANAGER Veronica Peterson ADVISOR Diane Harms CONTRIBUTORS Rob Baron, Dr. Obioha Durunna, Dr. Linda Hall, Diane Harms, Kyle Kipps, Rob Lavoie, Veronica Peterson, Dr. Angela Rouillard, Dr. Sheri Srydhorst, Dr. Alice Wainwright-Stewart, Laurel Thompson, Tess Wack, Members of Lakeland College Marketing and Communications Department EDITOR Gillian Binsted
Striving to excel has been the underpining of survival for a college in a rural area. It's meant being responsive to the needs of the community and industry. After all, Lakeland's mission is "to inspire lifelong learning and leadership through experience, excellence, and innovation."
DESIGN Veronica Peterson
Between issues of Limitless, view stories of innovation and events at lakelandcollege.ca/news-events/, or subscribe to the Lakeland Link to get up-to-date happenings at the college. lakelandcollege.ca/lakeland-link
Vermilion Campus 5707 College Drive Vermilion AB T9X 1K5 Lloydminster Campus 2602 - 59 Avenue Lloydminster AB T9V 3N7
www.lakelandcollege.ca/applied-research
CONNECT WITH US! LAKELAND COLLEGE CANADA
Lakeland gratefully acknowledges NSERC support in the production of this knowledge and technology transfer publication through our College and Community Innovation Program grants. A Celebration of Research and Innovation at Lakeland College
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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT We’ve had lots to celebrate in recent years. We opened an Energy Centre, Dairy Learning Centre, Animal Health Clinic and hairstyling salon. We modernized the G.N. Sweet Livestock Research Facility. And a generous donor gave us two industrial buildings near Lloydminster that now house our street rod technologies and driver training programs. Our focus on increasing student-managed learning opportunities led to new initiatives such as our StudentEnvironmental Consulting Office and student-led Concession Management Board. It also earned us a bronze Award of Excellence in leadership from the World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics. And for the second year in a row, Lakeland was named one of Alberta’s Top 70 Employers. Previous strategic plans were instrumental in ensuring we pursued infrastructure renewal, expanded student-managed opportunities, and made Lakeland a preferred place to work. We’ve spent a lot of time in recent years discussing what’s next for Lakeland. After consulting with students, staff, industry, and community, new mission, vision and value statements were developed. They are: MISSION: To inspire lifelong learning and leadership through experience, excellence, and innovation. VISION: Transforming the future through innovative learning. VALUES: Learner Success, Integrity, Respect, Community, Excellence, Innovation. A cross-functional team of Lakeland employees is further defining our values and rolling them out to the college community this academic year. After finalizing our mission, vision and values, we developed Vision 2030, setting the goals we want to achieve by 2030. Our overarching goals are learner success, relevant programming and research, connectivity and sustainability. But within each of these goals are a myriad of priorities we will focus on including innovative research, increasing industry partnerships, embracing diversity and supporting our learners. Central to the plan is the further revitalization of our Vermilion campus. We’ve developed a multi-phased project plan that looks at renewing four of our Vermilion campus buildings by 2030. We expect to start modernization work in the spring of 2019. These plans outline our areas of focus, but it’s our people who will do the work to ensure Vision 2030 is brought to life. I know together we will transform the future through innovative learning. Dr. Alice Wainwright-Stewart President & Chief Executive Officer
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Learner Success Integrity
MISSION Innovation
To inspire lifelong learning and leadership through experience, excellence, and innovation.
VISION Transforming the future through innovative learning.
Excellence Community
Respect
MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR
"So many of our dreams seem impossible, then improbable, then inevitable." – Christopher Reeve
Ten years ago, applied research at Lakeland College looked a lot different than it does today. It has been a fantastic journey and I am proud to celebrate all that we have accomplished. I can’t wait to see what the next ten years look like. We wouldn’t have made these achievements without that very first whiteboard covered in our big audacious dream of what applied research at Lakeland could be. Vision statements can seem silly but, when used properly, they help guide teams towards success by creating a common focus for action. Lakeland’s 2030 Vision is to Transform the Future through Innovative Learning. Applied research and entrepreneurial hands-on student-managed learning are both Lakeland’s foundation and our opportunity to support learning and innovation in our communities and beyond. Lakeland College has proposed the development of a Commercial Agriculture Technology Access Centre (TAC) that will focus on applied research on crops of regional economic importance and Agriculture 4.0 solutions that will enhance commercial agricultural productivity of both crops and livestock. Lakeland
has systematically been growing momentum and capacity in our crop and livestock applied research program since 2007. Facilities such as the Centre for Ag Technology, the Crop Research and Bioenergy Building, the Dairy Learning Centre, the Research Makerspace, and the G.N. Sweet Livestock Research Facility will all contribute to the college’s ability to support companies developing and demonstrating agriculture technologies. The Technology Access Centre program, established by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), is expected to enhance the ability of companies to become more productive and innovative by enabling them to readily access college expertise, technology, and equipment. This access is intended to enhance the productivity, competitiveness, and innovation capacity of participating companies. Our TAC will initially focus on two key innovation opportunities within commercial agriculture: advancing crop research for economically important crops, and the implementation, innovation, testing, and knowledge translation and commercialization of Agriculture 4.0 technologies.
Recent advances in crop breeding have generated varieties with significant genomic potential. Agronomic research has been identified as the key to unlocking that potential and extracting maximum productivity. Lakeland’s track record of small plot crop research, research on unmanned aerial vehicle applications for agriculture, and expertise in GIS and GPS (global information systems, global positioning systems), sensor systems, and other precision technologies provides a solid foundation for supporting ag technology innovation. Lakeland’s operational commercial agriculture enterprises and entrepreneurial student body are a powerful focusing, testing, and demonstration opportunity for tech developers. Lakeland College was invited to submit a full application for TAC funding in October 2018. Funding decisions will be made in 2019. Diane Harms Director, Applied Research diane.harms@lakelandcollege.ca
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What is Agriculture 4.0? Agriculture is on the cusp of a technology revolution. Agriculture 4.0 represents a shift from applying water, fertilizers, and pesticides uniformly across entire fields towards applications that allow for more precise and accurate use of inputs. Agriculture 4.0 also represents seamless and timely data collection and interpretation to drive best management practices to deliver economic, environmental, and social sustainability. This is sometimes called smart agriculture or precision agriculture, but in reality it's just the evolution of farming to use a tool kit of sophisticated technologies. This kit might include automation, robotics, aerial and satellite imagery, AR/VR (augmented and virtual reality), GPS and GIS (global positioning systems, global information systems), artificial intelligence algorithms, IoT (Internet of Things), sensor meshes, edge computing, and blockchain technology, all of which have been gaining traction in ag.
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Sensor networks will generate large amounts of data, but the critical technology adoption traction will come from precisely applying the right technology in the right application at the right time to achieve a specific return on investment (ROI). In 2015, 66.3 percent of Canadian farms used some form of technology in their operations. Farmers are eager to adopt technologies that have a true ROI. The shift towards using new technologies requires innovation, product testing, demonstration, and economic analysis to support the needs of technology developers, i.e., the tool makers: software and hardware companies, and the tool users: agriculture service companies and commercial farming enterprises in Canada. The global market potential of Agriculture 4.0 technologies is significant and growing, predicted to reach up to $11.23B by 2022.
LAKELAND COLLEGE'S
INNOVATION FUND SUPPORTS STUDENT RESEARCH &TRAINING Students will experience a new method of assessing the feed efficiency profiles of cattle, thanks in part to Lakeland College’s Innovation Fund and in-kind support from a producer cooperator. Students in the Livestock Research unit of the Student-Managed Farm (SMF) will learn about feed efficiency assessment using GrowSafe automatic feeding system and infrared thermography. Engaging students with emerging technologies is an essential component of learning at Lakeland. With the GrowSafe technology at the Vermilion campus, Lakeland can conduct custom feed efficiency (Residual Feed Intake, RFI) for interested producers. Measuring individual feed intake on pastures or other grazing systems is challenging. This limits the progress achieved in the cow-calf industry towards adoption of RFI as a direct selection tool. However, use of infrared thermography is an emerging technology that enables beef producers to assess the feed efficiency profiles of their stock without measuring intake. In this project, Lakeland College, in partnership with Animal Inframetrics Inc., will conduct a validation experiment of this technology. Animals will be tested on both systems giving students hands-on training on the workings of GrowSafe and infrared technologies. In fall 2018, about 22 yearling bulls will undergo a 70-day RFI test. Students will be guided on how to manage the project and collect appropriate performance and economic data. They will also learn
how to run cost-benefit analyses on both systems. This project will increase the knowledge base of students, engage our community partners, and help develop more economical management options for the beef industry.
WHY IS MEASURING RESIDUAL FEED INTAKE (RFI) IMPORTANT? The financial records of your beef operation will show that feed costs represent over 50% of your variable costs. Strategies that reduce these costs without negatively impacting other economic traits will improve your bottom line. We know that individual differences exist among animals in terms of feed consumption: some animals eat more than others without producing extra gains. Individual feed intake can be measured, using automatic feeding equipment such as the GrowSafe system. With such information, along with body size and production information, we can calculate Residual Feed Intake (RFI). RFI is calculated as the difference between the actual feed intake and the expected intake considering an animal’s body size and production level. After the calculations, some animals will have positive RFI (+RFI) if their actual intake exceeds the expected intake or a negative RFI (–RFI) if their actual intake is less than expected. –RFI is preferred because these animals are considered to consume less feed for a similar level of production than their cohorts. Because the trait is moderately heritable, using animals with –RFI profiles for breeding will improve the overall feed efficiency of your herd. Apart from reduced cost of feed, feed efficient cattle (–RFI) also have a lower carbon footprint, which benefits the environment. For cow-calf producers without the resources to profile existing breeding females, breeding –RFI bulls to those females is a more practical strategy that will improve the feed efficiency potential of subsequent generations. A Celebration of Research and Innovation at Lakeland College 9
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SHOOING
FLIES WITH GARLIC
Feeding Garlic-Laced Salt to Cattle can cut Horn-Fly Abundance in Half A fly control option that costs under $2 per animal for the entire summer and also reduces the abundance of landed horn fly by half is a huge opportunity for beef producers. Results from a recent study show that feeding garlic-laced salt to grazing cattle is a viable fly control option. Summer grazing presents an opportunity for beef producers to make low-cost weight gains on their cattle. This period is also marked by fly abundance, as it's the breeding season for filth flies such as horn flies. Keeping flies away during the summer is a win-win for your livestock and your pocket. Summer fly control is necessary for your cows to recover from calving and lactation, and gain body condition for fall/winter feeding. It will also help calves add extra pounds of weight at weaning. A Celebration of Research and Innovation at Lakeland College
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STUDY BACKGROUND Horn flies usually swarm the backs, shoulders, and underbelly of cattle at the peak of the fly season. Their presence irritates cattle and their bites distract cattle from feeding or grazing adequately, resulting in reduced feed intake, growth, and feed efficiency. Their impacts have significant economic consequences on beef operations. Each mature fly consumes up to 21 mg of blood over several meals. The females live up to a month and are capable of laying over 600 eggs in cattle faeces within their short lifespan. Apart from their ability to multiply quickly, these pests cost producers production losses. Some studies show that the impact of horn flies could shrink the weight gain on animals by 20%, which significantly reduces revenue regardless of herd size. Flies also cause other issues such as disease transmission and secondary infections, which can develop from lesions caused by excessive bites. Feeding mineral supplements or salt laced with garlic powder is becoming an
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increasingly popular fly control method compared to other available methods such as the use of backrubbers, dustbags, or chemicals. Feeding garlic is not new but its popularity has grown since a cattle producer from Steinbach, Man., was featured in The Western Producer in 2012. The major question that producers ask is whether feeding garlic powder to cattle actually repels flies. They want to be sure that it works before investing in this control method. This question seems laughable, partly because of the ingredient in question. You may have noticed that you are not bothered by flies if you consume soup or stew with lots of garlic. This is because the smell you emit from the pores of your skin repels flies and probably other people too! Feeding cows supplements laced with garlic powder has a similar modus operandi. Intact garlic is odourless. The characteristic smell is produced when
the clove is cut or crushed, and cell components are exposed and mixed. The scent is created through the mixing of the enzyme alliinase and alliin. Alliinase catalyzes the conversion of alliin to allicin, which slowly decomposes into a complex variety of sulphur-based compounds with repellent attributes. Conflicting anecdotal reports, in addition to sparse scientific studies addressing the efficacy of garlic powder in cattle, prompted the study. The objective was to provide producers and feed companies with hard data on the insectifugal (fly repellent) effects of garlic-laced trace-mineral salt. The study evaluated differences in fly abundance data collected from different groups that received garlic powder and those that received only salt. The study also evaluated the average intake of garlic-laced salt as well as its cost implications to cattle producers.
ON AVERAGE, THE GROUPS THAT RECEIVED GARLIC POWDER HAD OVER 50% FEWER FLIES THAN THE CONTROL GROUPS.
HOW WAS THE STUDY CONDUCTED? The 2-year study (2016-2017) recruited three groups of cattle belonging to producer-cooperators at the community pasture in Beacon Hill, Sask. In the first year, one group was fed garlic powder that was manually mixed with tracemineral salt while the other two groups received trace-mineral salt only. The following year, one of the groups that received the salt-only supplement was switched to receive the garlic powderlaced supplement. The salt-garlic supplement used in the second year was a commercial mix that contained 5% garlic powder. The supplements were fed free choice between May and September each year. The number of animals in each group for the two years ranged from 116 to 183 cow-calf pairs. Each group’s supplement top-up was tracked to show average consumption while the average fly abundance for each group was calculated from digital images of sampled cows within each group. Within each group, flies that were physically on the cattle were counted.
The study also examined the proportion of animals exhibiting different behaviors that cows use to fend off flies, such as bunching, side-licks, tail-flicks, headthrows, leg-stomps, and belly-kicks.
WHAT WERE THE STUDY FINDINGS? As expected, July and August were the months with the greatest fly abundance. On average, the groups that received garlic powder had over 50% fewer flies than the control groups. During the peak fly abundance months, average count for the groups that did not receive garlic powder was up to 200 flies. For the groups that received garlic powder, the average count was fewer than 80 flies. Feeding the garlic-laced salt throughout the summer may have helped keep the fly numbers low even during the peak months. The average fly counts were calculated from the visible lateral and dorsal surfaces of the animal at any time. This means that the actual number of flies could be as much as 2 or 3 times more given that it was impractical to
collect fly counts all around each animal simultaneously. Fly numbers may vary from year to year but the study did not observe any statistical difference between the two years in terms of fly counts. The study also did not find significant differences between the treatment groups for fly avoidance behaviours. This means that the proportion of animals exhibiting fly avoidance behaviors may not give us much information about the effectiveness of garlic-laced salt. This is because cowcalf pairs that received garlic exhibited similar behaviors despite having far fewer flies than those that did not. The study also found that the inclusion of garlic powder did not discourage salt intake because there was no significant difference in salt intake between the groups. Even though the group fed garlic powder had a numerically lower salt intake compared to the control (59 vs. 73 g hd-1d-1), their salt intake exceeded the expected free-choice salt intake in grazing animals. However, the results did not support anecdotal reports that garlic powder increases mineral intake.
A Celebration of Research and Innovation at Lakeland College 13
WHAT ELSE MATTERS? Some studies suggest that certain breeds attract more flies than others due to their characteristic coat colour or number of hair follicles per surface area. Others suggest fly resistance is moderately heritable, indicating that parents could pass on such characteristics to their offspring. By noting the coat colour of all individuals sampled, the results show that red coat-colour cows that received garlic had fewer flies (44±8) than their counterparts with black (90 ± 13) or white (103±34) coat-colours. However, fly abundance did not differ among cows that received salt only,
with comparable values noted for red (108±25), black (126±25), and white (105±35) coat-colours. Finally, the cost and practicality of implementing any fly control method matter to producers. Some methods with huge up-front costs or high labour requirements may not be easily adopted. Feeding salt or mineral supplements that are laced with garlic powder may be a more appealing and economical option for cattle producers because producers feed minerals and salt supplements to their animals yearround.
Excluding all other feeding costs and labour, the cost of garlic powder for the summer was $1.46 per head in the first year of the study and $1.59 per head in the second year of the study. Feeding garlic-laced supplements to your cattle may be a practical and economical option to control horn flies. This will improve your bottom line through improved animal growth and reproductive performance and help improve the public’s perception of animal care and welfare in the beef industry.
WELCOME TO LAKELAND DR. DURUNNA! for monitoring. This technology is one example of a simple tool that can be used by producers to monitor grazing animals in pasture without impacting their behavior. Use of telemetry will enable more robust research on improving production efficiency for grazing livestock. The G.N. Sweet Livestock Research Facility will also be used by Durunna to support his research. This facility features GrowSafe technology, which allows for monitoring of individual feed intake and can be used to measure and assess feed efficiency. Lakeland College’s Applied Research department welcomed new livestock research scientist Dr. Obioha Durunna in January 2018. Durunna will enable the growth and expansion of applied livestock research, specifically focused on supporting commercial livestock production prevalent in the region. Durunna brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the department. He previously worked for the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and Livestock Gentec. He holds a PhD from the University of Alberta, where his research focused on feed efficiency and feeding behavior. The current focus of Durunna’s research program is around the use of telemetry, an automated communications process that transmits data collected remotely
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In line with Lakeland’s focus on studentled learning, Durunna also plans to work on integrating applied research into academic programming and increasing student involvement, particularly through collaborative work with the StudentManaged Farm – Powered by New Holland’s livestock research unit. This will ultimately result in improved employability for students graduating from animal science technology, as they will develop a variety of research skills, something they may not previously have learned.
NEW AST DAIRY STREAM Inspired from successful first year in Dairy Learning Centre Since opening one of the most advanced dairy training facilities in Canada in 2017, Lakeland College is growing its footprint in the industry. In the fall of 2018, Lakeland’s School of Agricultural Sciences introduced a dairy stream in the animal science technology (AST) program, which includes courses such as handling, welfare and ethics, genetics, and reproductive technology, among others. Lakeland is also developing continuing education courses for professionals in the industry. In the Dairy Learning Centre, students also lead in other career-relevant, advanced learning opportunities related to calf management, feed and nutrition, cow comfort, dairy-specific software, manure management, and more.
BEEF RESEARCH ADVISORY COUNCIL
Another recent highlight is that Lakeland earned its seventh Milk Quality Award, presented by Alberta Milk last year. “Receiving the Milk Quality Award highlights the passion and determination the Dairy Unit and the farm staff possess. It also emphasizes the care we have for our herd, and the effort we put forth in maintaining the facility,” says Michael Ijff, 2017-18 production manager for the Dairy Unit of the Student-Managed Farm – Powered by New Holland. Students in the AST dairy major take the lead in the Dairy Learning Centre on the college’s Vermilion campus. They apply their knowledge and skills learned in the 47,000 sq. ft. facility, which features a traditional milking parlour and a robotic milking system plus a robotic feeding system. Students delve into what it takes to lead in the dairy industry.
Lakeland College is excited about the newly formed beef research advisory council. This council will play an important role in guiding and influencing the livestock research projects the college conducts. The council is a diverse group of academia, industry and producers. The Student-Managed Farm, beef research team observed the first council meeting Sept.17th, 2018. The students as well as the council members are very happy to have a place to voice their opinions. The college's research projects will focus on solving industry issues, not necessarily regional focused issues. A Celebration of Research and Innovation at Lakeland College 15
LAKELAND
CROP
RESEARCH CONNECTS
Crop research scientist Laurel Thompson (previously Laurel Perrott) led the publication of three articles in scientific journals in 2018. These publications stemmed from her MSc project work with the University of Alberta and Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, with the publishing process finished while working at Lakeland College. Thompson’s publications focus on advanced agronomic management in feed barley production, a topic that is very applicable in NE Alberta and at Lakeland College where mixed cattle and cropping farming operations that utilize large amounts of feed barley are common. These publications can be found in the Canadian Journal of Plant Science and in Agronomy Journal. In addition to making her mark in academia, Thompson also helped publish Plant Growth Regulators: What Agronomists Need to Know, a producer- and industry- focused AgriFact sheet that can be found on the Alberta Agriculture website. It explains how to effectively use plant growth regulators (PGRs), which are a new agronomic tool for western Canadian farmers, to reduce and prevent yield and quality losses from crops lodging or falling over in intensive management systems.
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Thompson explains, “It is very important to provide growers and industry with timely and accurate resources for new agronomic products in the marketplace. This fact sheet really came about because of the trials and data Lakeland College has generated in the past three years with our research partners Alberta Agriculture and the U of A. This is one example of how Lakeland College is positively impacting farmers and industry province-wide through our crop research." Thompson disseminated Lakeland College research findings at two 2018 Field Schools hosted by the college, and several other speaking events such as CanolaPalooza, the 2018 Saskatchewan Pasture Tour, and the Alberta Agriculture Cereal Agronomy Tour. Plans for the remainder of 2018 include speaking engagements at joint producer commission meetings (Alberta Wheat, Alberta Barley, and Alberta Pulse Commissions) and as part of the University of Alberta’s fungicide physiology course.
Laurel’s publications: 1. Perrott, L. A., S. M. Strydhorst, L. M. Hall, R. C. Yang, D. Pauly, K. S. Gill, and R. Bowness. 2018. Effect of cultivar and agronomic management on feed barley production in Alberta environments. Canadian Journal of Plant Science. https:// doi.org/10.1139/CJPS-2018-0042 2. Perrott, L. A., S. M. Strydhorst, L. M. Hall, R. C. Yang, D. Pauly, K. S. Gill, and R. Bowness. 2018. Advanced agronomic practices to maximize feed barley yield, quality, and standability in Alberta, Canada. I. Responses to plant density, a plant growth regulator, and foliar fungicides. Agronomy Journal, 110:14471457. doi:10.2134/agronj2017.12.0683 3.Perrott, L. A., S. M. Strydhorst, L. M. Hall, R. C. Yang, D. Pauly, K. S. Gill, and R. Bowness. 2018. Advanced agronomic practices to maximize feed barley yield, quality, and standability in Alberta, Canada. II. Responses to supplemental post-emergence nitrogen. Agronomy Journal, 110:1458-1466. doi:10.2134/ agronj2017.12.0684 4. AgriFact sheet (producer/industry focused). AGDEX 100/548-1
BOOTS IN THE FIELD: 2018 FIELD SCHOOLS Lakeland Crop Research conducted two field schools in the 2018 season. In June, growers, industry, and researchers gathered to discuss important pulse crop agronomic practices for field peas, faba beans, and soybeans. Partnering with Alberta Pulse Growers Zone 5, the college conducted and showcased hands-on demonstration plots where growers could see and interact with pulse-specific agronomy in the field. Topics ranged from seeding rates and dates, to proper bacterial inoculation of the soil to encourage nitrogen fixation, to pre-seed weed control in soybeans. Over 60 people attended. Guest speakers were Dr. Jagroop Gill-Kahlon (Alberta Pulse Growers), Laurel Thompson (Lakeland College Crop Research Scientist), and Trent Clark (local soybean producer). The success of the June field school was followed by the July Cereal Field School, where over 50 attendees learned about
nitrogen rates and sources for simultaneous high yielding and high protein CWRS wheat production, agronomic tools to reduce lodging, and the latest barley, wheat, and oat varieties. Dr. Sheri Strydhorst (Alberta Agriculture and Forestry) and Trent Whiting (SeCan) spoke alongside Lakeland Laurel Thompson at the tour. Whiting weighed in on the importance of field days for producers, explaining that “For us, the value of a site like this is allowing the producers of the area to see SeCan products first hand before they have to try it in the field. This is our second year working with the college and the site speaks for itself. It is a great opportunity for the local producers to get out and see local research - to see it where you are going to grow it. That is what you are going to get here." As the crop research program at Lakeland College expands, farmers and industry can expect more field days with an increased diversity of topics. If you are interested in being notified of future Field School dates, let Laurel know: laurel. thompson@lakelandcollege.ca.
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Trent Clark, Laurel Thompson, and Dr. Jagroop Gill-Kahlon
A Celebration of Research and Innovation at Lakeland College 17
PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS: WHAT AGRONOMISTS NEED TO KNOW AGDEX 100/548-1
Reprinted with permission from Alberta Agriculture and Forestry
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Prepared by: Dr. Sheri Strydhorst, Alberta Agriculture and Forestry; Dr. Linda Hall, University of Alberta; Laurel Thompson, Lakeland College Plant growth regulators (PGRs) are synthetic compounds that can beneficially modify plant growth and development. These compounds function by altering hormonal activity. In western Canadian cereal crops, PGRs can work to produce shorter stems, reduce lodging and maintain grain yield.
The magnitude of yield loss to lodging depends on several factors:
Overall, lodging is still a major production constraint in high yield environments, and growers are looking for agronomic solutions. Researchers have found that lodging can reduce cereal yields by 7 to 35 per cent. PGRs can help reduce this major concern.
BACKGROUND PGRs are not new agri-chemicals. Ethephon (active ingredient in Ethrel) was discovered in 1965 and is one of the oldest PGRs on the market. PGRs are used worldwide for several functions: •
improve lodging resistance
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promote fruit ripening
•
stimulate flowering in horticultural crops
The use of PGRs is standard practice in western European cereal production. In the UK, they are used on 84 per cent of the winter wheat acres, averaging 1.7 applications per year. The high level of PGR use in the UK can be attributed to the wetter climate and longer growing season where severe lodging occurs every 3 to 4 years with average yield losses of 25 per cent. Research is ongoing to address many questions about PGRs. It is known that effective PGR applications require careful crop staging, their use is not recommended under stressful environmental conditions, and responses are species and cultivar specific. However, PGRs can be a risk management tool to reduce lodging and yield losses commonly found in intensive management systems
LODGING Lodging occurs with moderate to high precipitation and high fertility. Lodging can reduce yields from 7 to 35 per cent with the greatest yield reductions occurring when lodging happens within 20 days after anthesis.
•
cultivar susceptibility to lodging
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growth stage and severity of lodging
•
wind and rain events
•
early snowfall
Later lodging, during ripening, can increase grain sprouting, increase the need for grain drying and decrease grade. Harvest delays from lodging can be costly. Increased amounts of lodging can be seen where there are insect or disease infections, increased fertilization and higher seeding rates.
PGR PERFORMANCE PGR performance depends on crop species and cultivar. Some PGRs work better on some crop species than others. For example, in response to chlormequat chloride (Manipulator), wheat is most responsive, barley has an intermediate response and oats are the least responsive. Additionally, not all cultivars show similar height or lodging responses to PGRs. At present, PGRs are only registered for use on wheat in western Canada.
CULTIVAR RESPONSES The majority of wheat varieties in western Canada are rated as very good (VG) or good (G) for lodging resistance. However, not all cultivars respond equally well to PGRs, and the initial height or lodging rating of a cultivar is not a reliable indicator of PGR effectiveness. For example, the response of AAC Brandon, AAC Elie, Stettler and AAC Redwater to four PGR treatments were tested. Despite the “VG” rating and short height, AAC Brandon had poor standability with no PGR application (center left plot), but standability is greatly improved with Manipulator (right) or the dual PGR treatment (left) (Figure 1, next page). AAC Elie was accurately described by its “G” lodging resistance rating and responded to PGR treatments as expected (Figure 2, next page). Stettler did not require
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FIGURE 1
Figure 1. AAC Brandon (81 cm, VG) treated with dual PGR – Manipulator + trinexapac-ethyl (left); no PGR (center left), trinexapac-ethyl (center right) and Manipulator (right).
FIGURE 2
Figure 2. AAC Elie (81 cm, G) treated with no PGR (left); Manipulator (center left), trinexapac-ethyl (center right) and dual PGR – Manipulator + trinexapac-ethyl (right).
a PGR application despite its “G” rating for lodging resistance (Figure 3). AAC Redwater had a “G” lodging rating, and it was the tallest of the four cultivars, yet, like Stettler, it did not need a PGR to prevent lodging (Figure 4). These findings are from one location in 2017, and different results may occur in different growing conditions. Similar results have been shown in research with barley and oat, with not all cultivars requiring or responding to a PGR. Based on this information, growers cannot assume tall cultivars or cultivars with “G” standability ratings need (or will respond to) PGRs.
PGR EFFECTS ON PLANT GROWTH PGRs are applied to the crop foliage. In cereals, they produce ethylene (Ethrel) or inhibit gibberellin
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biosynthesis (Manipulator and trinexapac-ethyl). PGRs change plant physiology by reducing cell elongation, reducing stem length, shortening the uppermost internodes and peduncle, and they may alter stem diameter. Even if tillers are not exposed to the PGR, the elongation retarding effect can be observed on the tiller. However, plant hormones act in concert, with the levels of one hormone affecting other hormones, so PGRs may have secondary effects, such as delayed senescence, increased resistance to environmental stress, or shifting assimilates to the roots resulting in increased root growth. PGRs can positively or negatively affect yield, but results are inconsistent depending on crop lodging, environmental conditions, crop species and cultivar. PGRs are systemic but non-residual, which can result in undesirable side effects such as stem elongation in some varieties and temporary, short term height reduction. PGRs can also alter tiller growth.
FIGURE 3
Figure 3. Stettler (84 cm, G) treated with no PGR (left); Manipulator (center left), trinexapac-ethyl (center right) and dual PGR – Manipulator + trinexapac-ethyl (right).
FIGURE 4
Figure 4. AAC Redwater (87 cm, G) treated with no PGR (left); Manipulator (centre left), trinexapac-ethyl (centre right) and dual PGR Manipulator + trinexapac-ethyl (right).
Both chlormequat-chloride (Manipulator) and ethephon (Ethrel) can increase tiller growth, which may increase or decrease yield. Altered tillering may be attributed to changes in photoassimilate and nutrient availability or PGR-induced changes in plant hormonal patterns. For example, ethylene simulates the breakdown of apical dominance by inhibiting auxin biosynthesis and movement. Recent research found negligible PGR effects on yield but a significant protein response. The protein content of AC Foremost wheat not receiving a PGR was 12.5 per cent, with Manipulator 12.4 per cent and with trinexapac-ethyl 12.5 per cent. The significantly lower protein content of Manipulatortreated wheat could be concerning when protein levels are near the minimum requirements. However, when either PGR was used in combination with a foliar fungicide application, protein reductions were avoided.
PGRS IN WESTERN CANADA Two types of PGRs are available in western Canada. The first type are ethylene-releasing agents, such as Ethrel (active ingredient ethephon). This product is registered for use on wheat, and when applied at the correct growth stage (GS 38 (flag leaf unrolling)), it decreases plant height and increases stem wall thickness but may also increase tillering. The second type of PGRs are gibberellin inhibitors. Gibberellin inhibitors reduce stem elongation, shorten the crop and reduce lodging. In western Canada, Manipulator (active ingredient chlormequat chloride) was recently registered for use on wheat by Engage Agro. A new product, with the active ingredient trinexapac-ethyl, is in the process of registration by Syngenta.
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CROP STAGING IS CRITICAL
CONSTRAINTS:
Correct application timing is critical for successful results. For Ethrel, apply when most of the tillers are between early flag leaf emergence to swollen-boot stage (Zadoks stages 37-45). DO NOT apply Ethrel after more than 10 per cent of the awns have emerged (Zadoks 49). Correct stage of application is critical to ensure crop safety with Ethrel.
1. Ethrel is a PGR widely used on irrigated acres where lodging is a regular occurrence. However, use is limited because growers must sign a waiver indicating that Bayer (the manufacturer) is not liable for any crop damage that occurs. Crop staging for Ethrel is incredibly particular, and only experienced growers and agronomists should be using this product, as large yield losses can occur with improper application timing. It is a product with great reward but also great risk. Bayer does not promote the use of this product due to the large risks associated with improper application timing.
Manipulator is registered for application between the twoleaf stage (Zadoks stage 12) to the flag leaf collar visible stage (Zadoks stage 39). However, Alberta research has found the most effective application time for consistent height reductions is between Zadoks GS 30-32 (the beginning of stem elongation, when the first internode begins to elongate and the top of the inflorescence is at least 1 cm above the tillering node, to the time when the second node is at least 2 cm above node one). Application outside this window may be less effective, but no crop injury has been reported. Research suggests that ideal staging for trinexapac-ethyl on wheat is similar to Manipulator, at Zadoks GS 30-32 to 37. Additional research is required for both Manipulator and trinexapac-ethyl to identify the appropriate time of application and the option of co-application with fungicides.
FACTORS LIMITING PGR USE IN WESTERN CANADA PGRs are most useful in environments with abundant moisture and high levels of fertility. In the high yield potential environments of western Canada, a number of constraints currently limit the adoption of PGR’s.
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2. Manipulator is a new PGR that came on the market in 2013. It has a much wider window of crop safety. At the time of Canadian registration, there were no established Maximum Residue Limits (MRL) for the active ingredient in Manipulator for grain sales into the USA. In 2018, an MRL was established for the USA. With this approval, Manipulator is now an option for Canadian wheat growers. 3. Trinexapac-ethyl is registered and used in many countries around the world. MRL’s are currently established in a number of countries, including the European Union, USA, Japan and Codex. In January 2017, Trinexapac-ethyl was submitted for review by the PMRA as a Category A submission. The timeline for completion of the review and regulatory decision is mid-2019, and it is subject to meeting the evaluation requirements.
SUMMARY Due to the large yield loss potential of lodging, PGRs use is expected to increase significantly in high yield potential environments of western Canada once marketing issues, PMRA registration and grower experience have been resolved.
REFERENCES Bayer CropScience Inc. 2017. Ethrel liquid plant growth regulator label. Bayer CropScience Inc. Berry, P., M. Sterling, J. Spink, C. Baker, R. Sylvester-Bradley, S. Mooney, A. Tams and A. Ennos. 2004. Understanding and reducing lodging in cereals. Adv. Agron. 84:217-271. Clark, R. and Fedak, G. 1977. Effects of chlormequat on plant height, disease development and chemical constituents of cultivars of barley, oats and wheat. Can. J. Plant Sci. 57:31-36. Fischer, R. and Stapper, M. 1987. Lodging effects on highyielding crops of irrigated semidwarf wheat. Field Crops Res. 17:245-258. Garthwaite, D.G. and Thomas, M.R. 2000. “Pesticide Usage Survey." DEFRA Report No. 171. Department for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs, London. Kelbert, A., Spaner, D., Briggs, K. and King, J. 2004. Screening for lodging resistance in spring wheat breeding programmes. Plant Breeding. 123:349-354. Morgan, P. W. and Gausman, H.W. 1966. Effects of ethylene on auxin transport. Plant Physiol. 41:45-52. Peltonen-Sainio, P. Rajala, A., Simmons, S., Caspers, R. and Stuthman, D.D. 2003. Plant growth regulator effects on preanthesis main shoot and tiller growth in conventional and dwarf oat. Crop Sci. 43:227-233. Rajala, A., and Peltonen-Sainio, P. 2002. Timing applications of growth regulators to alter spring cereal development at high latitudes. Agricultural and Food Science in Finland. 11:233-244. Strydhorst, S., Bowness, R., Pauly, D., Gill, K.S., Oatway, L., Yang, R-C., Hall, L., and Perrott, L. 2017. Advanced agronomic practices in wheat, barley and pea to maximize yield and harvestability. Project final report 2014F041R. Syngenta AG. 2015. Moddus label. Syngenta UK Limited. Taminco US Inc. 2015. Manipulator solution plant growth regulator label. Taminco US Inc. Tripathi, S.C., Sayre, K.D., Kaul, J.N. and Narang, R.S. 2003. Growth and morphology of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) culms and their association with lodging: effects of genotypes, N levels and ethephon. Field Crops Research. 84:271-290. United States Environmental Protection Agency. 1995. Reregistration Eligibility Decision. Facts. Ethephon. EPA738-F-95-004. Wiersma, J.J., Dai, J. and Durgan, B.R., 2011. Optimum timing and rate of trinexapac-ethyl to reduce lodging in spring wheat. Agronomy Journal. 103:864-870. Woodward, E.J. and Marshall, C. 1988. Effects of plant growth regulators and nutrient supply on tiller bud outgrowth in barley (Hordeum distichum L.) Annals of Botany. 61:347-354.
CONGRATULATIONS! Lakeland 's Crop Research Scientist Laurel Thompson (nĂŠe Perrott) married Duncan Thompson in June 2018. We are so happy for you both!
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FILLING A VOID: Crop Research in the Northeast Alberta Highway 16 Corridor
Lakeland College began small-plot crop research nearly 3 years ago. In year 1 (2016), the program launched by growing 300 plots for two partner organizations. By 2018 (year 3), the crop research program had grown to accommodate 1,500 plots with more than ten partner organizations. The current research is a mixture of Lakeland-led projects and collaborative projects with organizations such as the University of Alberta, Alberta Agriculture, producer organizations, and private industry. The crop research program has reached capacity in every year of operation and continues to grow in personnel, equipment, and land use to meet the increasing demand for public and private commissioned small-plot research. Having rigorous research representation in the Vermilion region is important for two reasons. Laurel Thompson, Lakeland’s crop research scientist, explains: “We know that agronomic and varietal performance really depends on environment. Growers in this region need to have pertinent data available on which to base high value on-farm decisions. They also need to have access to extension and learning events such as field days in their back yard."
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Dr. Sheri Strydhorst, research scientist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry, adds, “There is a huge collaborative benefit for working together with Laurel. She is in an environment that has unique soil conditions, unique environmental conditions, and when we combine her research with ours we get a really good picture of what is happening in diverse environments." An example of regionally applicable research that Lakeland is delivering is the Regional Variety Trials. These trials are performed by a network of research organizations across the province to provide farmers and industry with variety selection information, culminating in the annual Varieties of Cereal and Oilseed Crops for Alberta and Varieties of Pulse Crops for Alberta, both published by Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. The 2018 field season was the second year that the college grew these trials as part of the provincial network, which tests individual varieties of wheat, barley, oat, triticale, peas, faba beans, soybeans, and lentils. Over 100 varieties were trialed and shown to producers in the field, giving important representation of variety performance in the region. Lakeland College is well positioned to respond to this need for agronomic and varietal crop research. In addition to filling a geographic void, the college is also well connected to a network of alumni who are now farming or working in the agriculture industry. As Thompson explains, “Our extension messages reach further and have a significant impact because the college is so connected at the farm- and industry-level through our students and alumni." The crop research program has focused on cereal and pulse crop research from 2016 to 2018. Future plans include expanding the program to include canola/oilseed and ag technology research.
CALLING ALL MAKERS THE MAKER MOVEMENT The Maker Movement embraces innovation, creativity, and learning to improve our communities and create a better future. Tinkerers, educators, parents, and professionals are included, because we are all Makers. That includes you. What will you make?
ALL OF US ARE MAKERS At the heart of the Maker Movement is the understanding that making is uniquely human. As people learn to develop projects, they become innovators, makers of change. We exist to help more people participate so that they can acquire the tools and expertise necessary to make their ideas become real.
LAKELAND MAKER SPACE Lakeland College hopes to open its "Maker Space" to the public in 2019. The space will include an electronics lab, metal fabrication workspace, library of learning materials, and much more. If you are interested in being on our mailing list and learning more about our Maker Space please email: appliedresearch@lakelandcollege.ca.
Infograph Source: makermedia.com A Celebration of Research and Innovation at Lakeland College 25
Biochar Soil Matrix
Rob Lavoie Airterra, President & CEO
Alberta Startup's Biochar Product Now Available at Retail Stores Across Canada Rob Lavoie knows what success looks like. Although still working on raising awareness, his company, AirTerra, is the first in Canada to commercialize a biochar product called SoilMatrixTM. Back in 2012, Lavoie worked with the Alberta Biochar Initiative, Lakeland College and InnoTech Alberta to develop the necessary lab analysis and documentation to register a biochar product in Canada and then continued to work with the Initiative to raise awareness of this unique soil additive. Lakeland was heavily involved with the Alberta Biochar Initiative and continues to support research and awareness of healthy soils. Lavoie credits Lakeland College as being instrumental in the process of developing, marketing, and raising awareness of biochar. Lakeland helped purchase the pyrolytic units needed to create biochar, helped get the attention of Western Economic Diversification Canada, which then invested $2 million into the Initiative, and was a major contributor to creating and building a marketplace for the product. Prior to this initiative, very few people knew what biochar was, what its benefits were, and how it could be used. In addition to getting the word out, Lakeland ultimately helped Lavoie get SoilMatrixTM approved by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency as a soil additive. This is a regulatory requirement within Canada before a product can be marketed and sold commercially.
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Once SoilMatrixTM was developed and approved, Lavoie began to work actively on marketing the product. However, AirTerra is a small family business so Lavoie initially packaged and sold the product out of his garage. “You hear about entrepreneurs starting businesses out of their garages and it sounds romantic. It is not romantic, it’s hard work – freezing your fingers in the winter and sweating like crazy in the summer. It wasn’t really sustainable.” Thankfully, Lavoie discovered a like-minded company, Sun Country Organics, in 2017 and began the process to partner on manufacturing, logistics, and marketing of SoilMatrixTM. Sun Country Organics, owned by Kent Rathwell, is a company focused on and committed to sustainability. Their flagship gardening product is a pelletized, sterile manure that greatly enhances the organic matter in soil and provides a slow release of nutrients to plants. Because SoilMatrixTM provides an excellent vehicle for nutrients and water to adhere to, Rathwell and Lavoie felt it was a match made in heaven. Sun Country already had the manufacturing and packaging facilities set up and was well able to take on this piece of the business for AirTerra. Additionally, due to the profile and client base Sun Country already had, the marketing of SoilMatrixTM became a little easier. In fact, this product can now be found readily at all Peavey Marts and TSC stores across Canada alongside Sun Country’s products.
Let’s get technical‌ What is biochar? Biochar is a high carbon content, charcoal-like material, made by heating plant matter to temperatures above 400 °C in a low- to no-oxygen environment. Biochar is valuable as a soil restructuring agent that enhances plant growth and health by improving moisture retention, nutrient retention, and soil pliability. Nutrients that are adsorbed onto the surface of biochar's porous structure become more readily available to plants through an enhanced ionic exchange capacity. The introduction of biochar into soils provides a home for beneficial microbes to thrive.
These beneficial microbes stimulate mycorrhizal fungi, which in turn help plants thrive through improved plant root health. Furthermore, the amendment of biochar into soils is a means by which carbon is removed from the atmosphere. This also increases soil organic carbon. - AirTerra Website
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AGRICULTURAL USE Lavoie notes that biochar is “a soil supplement that lasts a lifetime." Because biochar is durable and does not decompose quickly, it will stay in your soil for hundreds of years; this means you don’t need to keep adding it when you have enough. This makes it a compelling product for both small- and large-scale use. Although most commonly used in gardens and smaller green spaces, the product has great potential for use in commercial agriculture. Lavoie has noticed commercial farmers becoming increasingly biosphere-aware with recognition that we live among finite resources. Awareness of the need to build and maintain healthy soils is growing in both conventional and organic farming. Any input that helps farmers achieve improved organic matter in their soil, thereby allowing for improved yields, is a product worth exploring. Biochar does exactly that. The porosity and surface area of the charcoal allow it to retain moisture and nutrients on its surfaces; this in turn helps the microbiology in the soil and thus helps the plants. New technology is in development that will allow biochar to be produced at the rate of a quarter tonne per hour and eventually 1 tonne per hour. Increased volume of production will drive the price of the product down and make it more readily available in larger quantities. This opens up the opportunity to market the product to large-scale farmers, particularly those interested in minimizing chemical inputs. Additionally, Sun Country and EarthRenew are exploring the creation of a pelletized product that combines sterile manure (a Sun Country product) and biochar, thus providing the benefits of each product in one readily available product that could be produced in large enough volumes to make it a viable option for farmers.
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DID YOU KNOW?
BIOCHAR & GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS Any biomass waste – from wood to peanut shells – releases carbon as it decomposes; but, biomass waste can be stabilized in a kiln by pyrolysis (heated to greater than 400 °C in a low oxygen environment) to create biochar. The biochar is then worked into the earth to lock carbon into the soil. This was a practice followed by ancient South American civilizations – which means the idea is a “re-discovery” rather than a discovery. What is groundbreaking, however, is the concept of using biochar to mitigate our current predicament of runaway greenhouse gas emissions. According to experts, billions of tons of carbon could potentially be sequestered in the world’s soils, specifically from agriculture and forest waste. Biochar appears to lock carbon in for much longer than other forms of sequestration: a plant or tree will only sequester carbon for 15 to 20 years, for example, whereas it has recently become apparent that amending biochar into soil will sequester it for at least 100 years and perhaps, according to some experts, for over 5000 years. - AirTerra Website
Other Applications for Biochar
Rob Lavoie credits much of his passion and knowledge to Dr. David Montgomery, Professor at the University of Washington. He recommends three of Dr. David Montgomery’s books to anyone with an interest in learning more about the evolution and recovery of soils. Dirt, The Hidden Half of Nature, and Growing a Revolution.
RESEARCH: A LOOK AHEAD Biochar has the potential for a variety of uses in addition to its use as being a helpful soil amendment. Here is a small sample of current and recent research:
LIVESTOCK Biochar can be used as a feed additive for livestock. The product is typically blended with molasses to make it more palatable and then fed to cattle. The hope is that it will result in reduced greenhouse gas emissions and make the animals more productive and efficient. Leng et al. (2012) found a 22% reduction in methane emissions corresponding to a 25% improvement in average daily gain without an increase in feed consumption when biochar was fed to growing steers in Laos. A multi-faceted, joint study (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Lethbridge Research Centre, University of Alberta, University of Manitoba, and University of Lethbridge) is currently underway in Canada to determine whether similar results can be achieved using local forages and breeds commonly raised in Canada.
HYDROPONICS Biochar may can be used as a growing substrate in hydroponic production. Biochar is very light, and thus it reduces the bulk density of the growing media used in hydroponic production. This allows for more layers to be used in vertical farming, reducing the overall land base needed to grow certain foods. Additionally, a recent study found that addition of biochar to perlite resulted results in enhanced nutritional status and growth of leafy vegetables and, in as a surprising side effect, reduced reduces unwanted algal growth, suggesting another potential use for biochar to be explored in the future (Awad et al., 2017).
GREEN ROOF SUBSTRATE Biochar can be used as a green roof substrate. Green roofs are increasingly being used, among other reasons, to manage stormwater runoff in cities. One recent study found that when 40% biochar is incorporated into 10-cm deep roof substrates, it allows an additional 2.3 cm rainfall/cm area to be retained and also provides water that is more plant available, delaying permanent wilting. Additionally, biochar substrates are lighter, meaning an extra 1.5 cm/m2 of substrate can be installed (Cao et al., 2014).
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We Grow Business
Who is Startup Lloydminster? The past year was yet another year of growth for the Regional Business Accelerator (RBA), with the biggest step being renaming and rebranding into Startup Lloydminster in early 2018. The choice to rebrand stemmed from the opportunity to take advantage of a supportive, wellnetworked, national startup community, Startup Canada.
Although our name says Startup, we help more than startup companies. We support businesses at all stages of growth. If you are looking to expand, pivot, make your operations more profitable, or are thinking about succession planning, we are here to help. With our vast network of mentors and resources, we can connect you with the resources you need to succeed.
Over the last 4 years, Startup Lloydminster has served the community by helping over 450 entrepreneurs and companies in our region. Many of these entrepreneurs return for support, which demonstrates the high-quality services they receive from Startup Lloydminster.
One of the exciting new programs that was started over the past year is the “Ignite YLL Women’s Leadership Network." Started by several female leaders in our community, the idea behind Ignite YLL is that everyone is a leader and you can lead from where you stand. You don’t need to have a leadership title behind your name; you can lead in all aspects of your life. The program brings together women with all sorts of experience, from various backgrounds, at different stages in life, and the mentorship and education they get from one another is invaluable. We want future women leaders of our community to look back at the legacy they can leave. We are excited to see
Not only are we a part of the Startup Canada network, we have developed strong partnerships with communities and support agencies across Alberta and Saskatchewan, sharing best practices and expertise with our region’s entrepreneurs.
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ENTREPRENEUR SPOTLIGHT: TESS WACK
STARTUP LLOYDMINSTER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
MOONLIGHT & SAGE JEWELRY
Tess Wack is committed to supporting entrepreneurs and curing procrastination. She has spent the last year at Startup Lloydminster enhancing the space where entrepreneurs can grow and thrive. Tess is passionate about igniting an entrepreneurial spark in the youth in her community. As a marketing consultant turned executive director (April 2018), Tess has developed a unique perspective when it comes to growing Startup Lloydminster. Inspired by those who stop at nothing to make their dreams a reality, she looks forward to each day she gets to support entrepreneurs. Tess began her post-secondary education at Lakeland College in University Transfer and holds a Bachelors of Commerce degree from the University of Saskatchewan. Tess is a certified coach, and is always looking for new opportunities to learn and grow.
what the future holds as this group grows! The Dreamforest, our co-working space, continues to be a busy place. Moonlight and Sage Jewelry Ltd., one of our members, has seen substantial growth since joining our co-working community. They have expanded their team, online presence, and have experienced increased sales. Moonlight & Sage operates a regular pop-up shop in the Dreamforest. We also host monthly Soup’r Lunch and Learns in the Dreamforest. Each month we focus on a new topic series, ranging from workplace wellness to communication. They are free to attend and we provide you with a delicious bowl of soup to go along with all of the insightful conversation.
Moonlight & Sage Jewelry began with the simple concept of creating awareness for those fighting illness by designing beautiful bracelets to wear as a constant reminder to keep patients near our hearts at all times. The movement soon expanded to putting a bracelet on pediatric patients to encourage and inspire them throughout their journey. This also sparked the idea to donate some of the profits made from each purchase to non-profit organizations. To date, M&S has donated over $5,196 to pediatric illness charities. M&S hosts a regular pop up shop at the Lloydminster Dreamforest (Startup Lloydminster). Learn more at: moonlightandsagejewelry.com
If you are in business or thinking of going into business, talk to the team at Startup Lloydminster; after all, our motto is “We Grow Business!" A Celebration of Research and Innovation at Lakeland College
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REGIONAL INNOVATION NETWORK UPDATE
There have been many exciting things happening in the East Central Alberta Regional Innovation Network (ECARIN). The Regional Innovation Network (RIN) is a program of Alberta Innovates designed to provide technology commercialization advice, mentorship, and access to program support and equipment to innovation-based entrepreneurial ventures. Startup Lloydminster and Lakeland College are the founding partners of ECARIN and collaborate both regionally and with many other organizations across the province. There has been a significant increase in interest in programs and services offered, including expansion of interest outside of Lloydminster. Through the RIN and Alberta Entrepreneurship Incubator (AEI) program, multiple clients were able to access AEI funding to grow their business. Clients are located throughout east central Alberta, including Cold Lake, Wainwright, Lloydminster, and other communities in the region.
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Graphic: The Alberta Innovation Network Client Journey. From Alberta Innovates
CRYPTOCURRENCY, BITCOIN, AND BLOCKCHAIN, OH MY! ENTREPRENEUR SPOTLIGHT UPSTREAM DATA INC. Upstream Data is a junior bitcoin mining company based in Lloydminster that is capitalizing on a waste energy stream that is prevalent in east central Alberta. When extracting heavy oil, excess methane is produced. Upstream’s remotely controlled data hashing skids take advantage of this source of natural gas to generate the electricity necessary for bitcoin mining. “Bitcoin mining is energy intensive so low cost sources of power are essential,” says Stephen Barbour, company principal. Mining is a process of completing complex calculations with the hopes of being awarded cryptographic bitcoins. Upstream builds and sells the skids to oil producers and owns and operates the mining computers. “The hashgen skids can remove up to 1,000 cubic meters of vented methane emissions per day, allowing oil companies to become environmentally compliant.” Upstream’s first unit was operational in January 2018. The Regional Innovation Network partners helped Upstream with their business planning process.
Blockchain is a platform technology that enables things like cryptocurrencies. Bitcoin is one of the best known cryptocurrencies, but there are many other examples including Ethereum (sometimes called Ether). Blockchain is essentially a medium of exchange of value. If you think about the internet as a medium of exchanging information, blockchain is potentially how the world will encrypt and exchange value in the future. In simple terms, blockchain is a decentralized or distributed digital leger of transactions. Information in this leger (or database) is continuously shared and reconciled in an encrypted format. Since the information is saved publically, it is impossible to change (or hack) all the records. This makes the blockchain very trustworthy. Miners (for Bitcoins or Ether) review and verify the blocks to make sure that the data is robust. When a miner solves a block, they are awarded value such as Bitcoins. The first application of blockchain, Bitcoin, was invented in 2008. Other applications for this platform could include decentralized financial services, smart contracts, voting systems, sharing economy transactions, crowdfunding, governance, healthcare information, supply chain auditing, and farming. Some challenges with blockchain is the amount of computational power that is necessary to continuously solve blocks, suggesting that blockchain-reliant applications could become the largest global energy consumer in the future.
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LAKELAND GROWS ITS SUPPORT FOR INDIGENOUS STUDENTS AND CULTURE Lakeland College has made notable strides to improve the post-secondary experience of Indigenous students and celebrate Indigenous cultures. Since hiring its first Indigenous support specialist in 2017, the college has taken numerous steps to nurture a welcoming and supportive environment for Indigenous students, increase awareness of Indigenous culture and history among all Lakeland students and staff, and support reconciliation efforts. Lakeland raised the Treaty 6 and Métis flags on both campuses and also created an Indigenous Student Lounge on the Lloydminster campus. Open to all students on campus, the lounge was created for students to share and learn Indigenous culture and history as well as practice spiritual customs. The new lounge features workstations, a SMART Board, and digital display presentations as well as a circular seating area, smudging area, and asiniy (rock) shelf for spiritual practices. Lakeland also fostered numerous events and programs including a reconciliation speaker series; the student-led Indigenous Student Advisory Committee; a showing of Indian Horse, a Canadian film about residential schools; Indigenous Awareness Week; teepee raisings and blanket exercises; and more. To further enrich the community with Indigenous culture, Lakeland will expand its initiatives to include an Elder in Residence program, student meet-and-greets, and more screenings of Indigenous-inspired films, among other activities. Check out Lakeland’s official app and social media channels to stay up-to-date on these events and programs. Lakeland is committed to reconciliation efforts and to ensuring Indigenous students have access to the supports and training they need to be successful. Located on traditional Treaty 6 territory and Region 2 of the Métis Nation of Alberta, Lakeland acknowledges that Indigenous Peoples are the first peoples of our country, and honours and respects the history and roots of this nation.
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START ‘EM YOUNG: Student-led Learning at New Myrnam School
Lakeland College is well-known for its focus on student-led learning. This concept, cemented in the School of Agricultural Sciences through the Student-Managed Farm – Powered by New Holland, has spread to multiple schools and departments within the college. The successes seen through the college’s programs have also spread beyond Lakeland. This past year, New Myrnam School embraced the opportunity for their students lead the planning, development, and execution of their sustainable greenhouse and garden project, made possible through a $10,000 BP A+ for Energy Grant.
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The project allowed the grade 7, 8, and 9 classes to embark on a year-long inquiry into different aspects of math and science. Each grade had a project to complete that was related to their curriculum. In an effort to inspire and motivate the students, the project kicked off with a field trip to Lakeland College’s Research Centre.
The students were provided with hands-on learning opportunities related to their projects and their science curriculum. They learned different ways to regulate a greenhouse and were provided with end targets to aim for and ideas to explore as they began the process of creation around their own greenhouse.
“The great thing about the Lakeland field trip for us as a staff was that we got to see the facilities, like their greenhouse, up close. It gave us an idea about what our end goal would look like.” says Keith Gamblin, principal of New Myrnam School.
GRADE 7 PROJECT: CREATE A PASSIVE SOLAR HEATING SYSTEM
The field trip was followed by a design conference, which provided the students with an opportunity to consult with knowledgeable experts including Rob Baron, program head of Lakeland College’s Renewable Energy and Conservation program. Students refined concepts, and constructed plans while also collaborating and discussing an overall vision with the other grades.
The grade 7 class was tasked with redesigning the greenhouse so that it would require less energy to heat in the fall and would stay cooler in the summer, thus ensuring that plants had optimal growing conditions for a longer season. In early February, they applied foil bubble wrap to the north wall and half of the east and west walls in an effort to reflect sunlight off the walls on to the greenhouse. However, the students found that this alone did not result in a significant temperature difference. A week later they removed the plastic from the south wall and applied new polycarbonate. The temperature in the greenhouse jumped way up, presenting a new challenge – temperatures during the day were over 50 °C but would drop below 0 °C at night. The students researched methods of how to correct this problem and decided to use rain barrels and water to correct the issue. The students embraced this new challenge and refined the concept:
In photo: Rob Baron presenting to New Myrnam students
“The Lakeland College trip gave the kids a taste of what was possible, what they could accomplish. They didn’t realize it at the time but even after the initial design conference they would come up with ideas for our greenhouse based on what they saw at Lakeland,” says Danielle Eriksen, a Grade 7 Science teacher, at New Myrnam School.
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“They saw thermal layers develop in the rain barrels and recognized that this was not absorbing the maximum heat possible so they brainstormed as a class ways to solve that problem and decided they needed a way to mix up the layers in the water," says Eriksen. "They decided to use an air pump to cause water from lower layers to be forced up to the top of the barrel, thus transferring that heat throughout. It was an amazing conclusion to draw and solution for them to come up with on their own.”
GRADE 8 PROJECT: CREATE A SELF-WATERING SYSTEM THAT UTILIZES RAINWATER The grade 8 class needed to find a way to water their plants using very little ongoing management and using water provided by nature. They chose a system focused on collection and use of rainwater and snow. The water enters the system, moves through a series of pipes, and then enters the first flush system, which cleans out debris and dirt. It then moves through more pipes into the greenhouse itself, where it self-waters the plants. The unique flush system that the students built requires very little maintenance. “This project allowed students from all different academic backgrounds and building backgrounds to come together to complete something that is tangible. It has allowed students to learn skills above grade level…such as trigonometry, which is a grade 10 math skill,” says Leslee Morrison, a Grade 8 Math/Science teacher, at New Myrnam School.
GRADE 9 PROJECT: CREATE A HYDROPONIC GROWING SYSTEM The grade 9 class was responsible for creating the growing system for the greenhouse. They created a vertical hydroponic tower, which ultimately had 6 times the capacity of commercially available tower gardens! They were able to grow 160 plants, with the majority being lettuce. The students had to learn valuable people skills in addition to design and building skills. They learned how to listen to and accept other people’s ideas, how to problem solve and overcome challenges as a team, and how to work with different personalities to achieve consensus.
"It was a good experience and I can easily say I learned a lot. I can now balance chemicals, strip wires, make a continuous circuit, make a circuit open and close, set up heat and moisture sensors, and work effectively in a group of people,” says Cameron Hyshka, a Grade 9 student, at New Myrnam School. The Sustainable Greenhouse Project was a valuable learning experience for both students and staff at the school. The project inspired other classes to find unique ways to let the students lead their own learning; to learn by doing. “Students really took control of the project and took control of their learning. They went in some directions that we really hadn’t anticipated. A great example of this was the group of grade 9 students that took an interest in coding. Through trial and error they learned how to build a program of temperature and humidity sensors that we used in the greenhouse to collect data. Through their creation we can get a live feed of the temperature and humidity inside and it refreshes every five seconds. This data was invaluable to the grade 7 class as they made modifications to the greenhouse in an effort to regulate the temperature and lengthen the growing season. These students even inspired me to learn more about this in my spare time,” says Gamblin. Though not without its share of hiccups, the greenhouse at the school is now thriving and stands as a source of pride for the students and staff that had the opportunity to participate in the project. “Every good project will come with challenges that we will have to face and mountains that we will have to climb,” says Bailey Dmytriw, a Grade 9 student, at New Myrnam School.
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EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT IN EXCEL! Lakeland College's Alumni Magazine
Did you know that Lakeland College has the second oldest Alumni Association in Alberta? Established in 1914, our Alumni Association is one of the most active associations in the province. We proudly share stories about our alumni in Excel – the college’s alumni magazine. Published twice a year, the magazine highlights alumni accomplishments, campus news, student successes, and more. Recent headlines include: • Rosemarie Falk, Class of 2012 and 2013 university transfer, was sworn into the House of Commons as the Member of Parliament for Battlefords-Lloydminster in January 2018.
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• Scott Guenther, Class of 2011 livestock production, finished sixth in the 2017 Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world standings. • Trisha Rawlake, Class of 1992 university transfer, shares her love of teaching with Lakeland students. • Kurt Henry, Class of 1987 environmental sciences, has the great outdoors for an office, and it’s been this way since he signed on with Manitoba Conservation 30 years ago. Flip through the latest Excel online at lakelandcollege.ca/alumni-and-friends.
PORTRAITS OF INNOVATION
Lakeland College is proud to highlight a sampling of innovation happening in a breadth of academic and operational areas in the next seven pages. A Celebration of Research and Innovation at Lakeland College 39
AWARDS, ACCOLADES, AND MORE FOR INTERIOR DESIGN Award-winning designs remain on trend with Lakeland College’s interior design technology students. For the 15th consecutive year, interior design students landed on the podium for their talent, skill, and creativity in student design competitions. The program’s award-winning legacy continued with Mandy Davediuk and Mackenzie Dieleman, who placed second and third, respectively, in the 2017-2018 National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) Student Design Competition. Members of the Class of 2018, they each won a scholarship and a trip to the 2019 Kitchen and Bath Industry Show in Las Vegas, Nev.
AGRIBUSINESS STUDENTS WIN FIRST PLACE Congratulations to second-year Agribusiness students Abbigail Black, Bailey Hofstra, Bethan Lewis and Hannah Olsen on their first place win at the 2018 Cor Van Raay Agribusiness Competition hosted by the University of Lethbridge and Lethbridge College the last weekend in October! Kudos also to the staff who helped prepare the students.
“It’s an honour to be part of this legacy,” says Davediuk, who is also Lakeland’s 2018 Governor General’s Academic Medal recipient. “I am really happy that we both get to be part of this and represent such a great College.” The accolades don’t stop there for interior design technology. The program received a 2018 Excellence in Education award from the NKBA. Lakeland’s program is one of only seven post-secondary programs in North America to receive this award, and this marks the sixth time Lakeland has been recognized. Lakeland was also recognized as the 2017 NKBA College of the Year for its interior design technology program. Learn more about interior design technology at lakelandcollege.ca/ design.
CON ED AG OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE New technologies and practices are transforming the agricultural sector. To help producers keep pace with the latest trends, Lakeland College offers a number of agricultural continuing education programming opportunities. From calving workshops to dairy hoof trimming and a management series featuring integrated crop management, winter feeding and grazing, and more, Lakeland has a variety of face-to-face and online programs. For more information about Lakeland’s agricultural programs, visit lakelandcollege.ca/ con-ed.
LAKELAND MAKERS Interior design students took sketches of logo designs and turned them into stamps with the help of a 3D printer.
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FUTURE COLLABORATION BETWEEN LAKELAND AND UCVM Lakeland College has generated a lot of buzz recently due to the new Dairy Learning Centre and Animal Health Clinic at the Vermilion campus. These new facilities have resulted in a Coordination Agreement between the college and the University of Calgary’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UCVM). The purpose of the agreement is to develop more collaborative learning and research opportunities for students and faculty at both institutions by maximizing the use of facilities and resources. This may include UCVM student practicum rotations at the new Animal Health Clinic as well as the development of beef, dairy, and equine research projects. The latter may be seen more immediately through use of Lakeland’s state-ofthe-art Dairy Learning Centre, where applied research on herd health, milk production, and energy use could occur. These collaborative opportunities will also help strengthen Lakeland’s connection with industry, ultimately increasing our capacity to get research results to the farm and cultivating veterinarian-producer relationships.
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Josie Van Lent, Lakeland College; Dru Marshall,University of Calgary; Michael Crowe, Lakeland College; and Baljit Singh, University of Calgary
LAKELAND BUSINESS STUDENTS WIN 3RD PLACE
ATEP OFF TO A SUCCESSFUL START Twenty-four Lakeland College students are on track to earning a Bachelor of Education (elementary) with a focus on Aboriginal perspectives. Lakeland and the University of Alberta (U of A) are collaboratively offering the university’s Aboriginal Teacher Education Program (ATEP) at the Lloydminster campus. This is the first time Lakeland has hosted the cohort program. “Lakeland students will have enhanced educational opportunities with this new university transfer pathway. The ATEP not only increases access to the teaching profession but also opens a door into a field of study Lakeland students may not have
considered. They’ll develop a greater understanding of Aboriginal culture and perspective on teaching and learning,” says Judy Sarsons, Dean of Lakeland’s School of Health, Wellness and University Transfer. Students complete the first two academic years in Lakeland’s university transfer program, and then apply to transfer into the ATEP for their third and fourth year. Students complete all four years at Lakeland. Graduates earn a Bachelor of Education (elementary) from the U of A. People who already have the required 60 credits may apply for admission into the third year of the program, which begins in 2020.
The 13th annual Alberta Deans of Business Case Competition was a success for Lakeland College students. The competition provides business students with less than 10 hours to complete a real-world case study with no help, allowing students them to apply their knowledge from their business courses. Once completed, the group spent four hours fine-tuning their presentation before presenting their case to the judges the following day. The competition was a huge win for Lakeland as it showed that the college does well in preparing its students for the real world as well as showcasing how skills learned at Lakeland College stack up against other schools and programs.
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TRADES CENTRE RENEWAL UNDERWAY
AGRICULTURAL GROWTH AND CONNECTIONS LEADS TO NATIONAL AWARD Lakeland College’s School of Agricultural Sciences Dean, Josie Van Lent, received the 2018 Gold Award of Excellence from Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan). The award celebrated Van Lent’s achievements around increased student enrolment, expanded student-led learning opportunities, and the development of key industry connections.
Lakeland College’s Trades Centre offers educational opportunities in nine different trades. The Centre has aged over the years, experiencing leaks and water damage along the roof and side exteriors. Thankfully, $6 million in new funding from the Government of Alberta’s Capital Maintenance and Renewal budget will correct these issues. Photo: Advanced Education Minister Marlin Schmidt met with staff and students while at the Vermilion campus Trades Centre. Those present at the funding announcement were (front row left to right) Mike Crowe, Vice-President Academic & Research; Darrel Howell, Board Chair; Minister Schmidt; Alice Wainwright Stewart, President and CEO; instructor Trevor Provick; and Dave King, Dean of Trades and Technology. They are joined by a 4th-period carpentry class.
The ag sciences school has expanded from 182 students in 2007, when Van Lent joined the team, to over 500 in 2017-18. Additionally, Van Lent helped secure agreements with New Holland Agriculture and Alberta Milk. Under her direction, the student-managed learning concept has expanded to both the animal science technology and agribusiness programs. Finally, three major capital projects benefitted from Van Lent’s leadership, including the modernization of the G.N. Sweet Livestock Research Facility, construction of a Dairy Learning Centre, and construction of a new Animal Health Clinic. Van Lent actively works to raise the profile of Lakeland College and the School of Agricultural Sciences in particular. This has included a variety of speaking engagements as well as participation in international projects, such as a beef trade mission to Russia and Kazakhstan. The CICan Awards of Excellence recognize best practices from institutions and individuals across the country.
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Four Lakeland College Business students attended INVENTURE$ 2018 in Calgary, AB. The Alberta Innovates INVENTURE$ conference brings businesses, backers, and the next big things all together. The students attended the three day conference and learned about research, innovation, commercialization, capital access, experiential learning, best practices, and opportunities and ideas that will shape our future.
ROGAN NEW PRESIDENT OF CCAA Alan Rogan thrives on new challenges. And he’s now undertaking a national one as the 13th president of the Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA). “New challenges keep you thinking and keeps your creativity going,” says Rogan, Lakeland College’s athletic director. “Every time you sit on a board, I think it’s professional development because you get an opportunity to learn from people.” During his two-year term as CCAA president, Rogan says on top of the traditional presidential duties there are he will be directly involved in three key initiatives he will be directly involved in: reviewing the Association’s governance structure; working towards the implementation of a national Responsible Coaching program, and working through the application from a new conference to join the CCAA. Rogan joined Lakeland in 1986. He coached the men’s volleyball team for 13 years and spent one year at the helm of the women’s team. In 2006 he was named Lakeland’s athletic director. A former Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) president and executive committee member, Rogan was named the first ACAC Athletic Director of the Year and the CCAA Athletic Director of the Year in 2017. Rogan also served as CCAA Vice President of Eligibility for the past five years.
SRI LANKA REVISITED Students in Lakeland College’s Bachelor of Applied Science: Environmental Management (BASEM) program visited Sri Lanka for the second year in a row. The main focus of the trip was to visit projects that are part of the larger Mahaweli River development project, including stops at tea plantations and rice farms and watching how rice flour and cinnamon are made. The group also experienced Sri Lanka’s culture by meditating with monks, eating traditional meals, and watching a cultural martial arts show. One of the goals of the trip was to improve relations with the University of Sri Jayewardenepura. Last year, the college signed a memorandum of understanding with the university and this year environmental sciences representatives from both institutions held another collaborative seminar on environmental management. Issues such as deforestation and waste systems were brought forward and discussed, something often taken for granted in developed countries like Canada. “The trip was an incredible experience and it was great to interact and talk to the students from the university. We also presented on topics related to Canada such as water resources and reclamation, and we shared a little bit about the BASEM program,” says Jazlyn Hull, a 3rd year BASEM student.
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LAKELAND COLLEGE MEETS INDUSTRY DEMAND WITH NEW ANIMAL HEALTH CLINIC Lakeland College’s new Animal Health Clinic (AHC) will boost studentleadership opportunities, house state-of-the-art technology, and prepare students for industry. “We’re absolutely thrilled to have this new clinic. With all of its new technology and equipment, it will be a fantastic teaching facility for our students, staff, and industry partners. Without a doubt, it will allow us to better serve both our students and industry,” says Josie Van Lent, Dean of Lakeland’s School of Agricultural Sciences, which is based at the college’s Vermilion campus. Because the AHC is triple the size of the previous small animal clinic, it has increased Lakeland’s capacity to accommodate both small and large animals. “With all of this and more, we’re excited to have the opportunity to increase our Animal Health Technology (AHT) intake by 30 seats. Lakeland will be graduating
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more students into the industry and meeting both industry and student demand,” says Elaine Suddaby, AHT program head. The AHC is also an important component in a new, five-year agreement between Lakeland and the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UCVM). Together, the two institutions are collaborating to enhance learning and research opportunities. UCVM’s students may eventually use the facility for practicum rotations. The estimated cost of the clinic is $8.2 million. Lakeland received $2,487,500 from the Government of Canada’s Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund, a $1.76 million grant from the Government of Alberta, and another $1.12 million through Lakeland’s Access to the Future grant. Lakeland has allocated internal resources to the project and is raising funds through Leading. Learning. The Lakeland Campaign.
ANIMAL HEALTH TECHNOLOGY CLIENTS Clients include the local humane society, animal rescue groups, and college staff who own animals. Animal care and welfare is a focus of many programs found in the School of Agricultural Sciences, which recently earned Lakeland an Alberta Farm Animal Care Award of Distinction for Industry Leadership.
FIRST IN THE WORLD TECHNOLOGY Students will also get hands-on experience using approximately $1.3 million in innovative equipment, including canine and feline SynDaver models, a direct digital radiography X-ray system, equine models, and a bovine ultrasound machine with BCF universal goggles. Lakeland students are going to be able to work with the latest technologies that are now becoming standard in many veterinary practices. Lakeland will be the first college in the world to use the feline SynDaver model. SynDaver designs and builds the world’s most sophisticated and realistic synthetic human and animal bodies, tissues, and parts.
TEACHING CLINIC Used primarily by the animal health technology (AHT) and veterinary medical assistant (VMA) programs, the 15,000 sq. ft. facility is a reflection of an operating veterinary clinic. It encompasses lab spaces, a reception area, spaces dedicated to cat and dog enrichment, a dental suite, exam and treatment rooms, a modern surgical suite, exam and treatment rooms, a pharmacy, an expanded equine and bovine intake area, stocks, and stalls.
LIVE TEACHING DEMONSTRATIONS The Animal Health Clinic also feature is the installation of Lumens document cameras. The cameras will capture live demonstrations and activities, which will be displayed on televisions throughout the AHC. Outside of the classroom, Animal Health Technology (AHT) and Veterinary Medical Assistant (VMA) students will take the lead in the new student-led clinic model by managing and operating the AHC like a real clinic. “We’re increasing opportunities for students and trying to give them more practical experiences. In the student-led clinic, they’ll develop animal care skills as well as soft skills such as client interaction, clinic operations, and industry connections. This is important because it will prepare them for potential job opportunities in a similar setting after graduation,” says Kim Eremko, VMA and AHT instructor.
The larger lab space will also be utilized by other agricultural sciences programs, and allow multiple labs to run at once under one roof – something that couldn’t be done in the previous clinic. “The fact that this is a real-world teaching clinic is wonderful for our students’ education. It was important to us to create a clinic atmosphere,” says Elaine Suddaby, AHT program head. Lakeland faculty and staff toured multiple facilities for design ideas, and focused on flow and efficiency. “We looked at many layouts and spent a lot of time discussing how to improve flow because that was one of our biggest hurdles in the old clinic,” says Suddaby.
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LAKELAND MAKERS STUDENTS BUILD BIN SENSOR Crop Technology students faced a first-time challenge at the Student-Managed Farm (SMF) last fall when a bin of canola heated. This motivated the students to evaluate the way they managed their stored grain and to look for solutions. One of the problems identified was the time-consuming and difficult nature of probing bins with a thermometer. While most of the SMF bins are equipped with temperature cables that can be read using a handheld monitor, some were not working and once full of grain required probing. The students designed and built a probe that could be installed in a full bin, left in place, and read from the ground using a handheld monitor. Specifications were determined for the size of the probe and the spacing between the digital temperature sensors. This offered an advantage over the thermometer probe that could only provide a measurement for one depth at a time. The hardware for the probe consisted of DS18B20 digital temperature sensors while the monitor used an Arduino Uno and LCD display. While this system is not intended to replace the current temperature monitoring network, students plan to continue to work on the design to be used as a backup should they find themselves in a similar situation in the future.
SCHOOL OF ENERGY TO HELP DEVELOP PROGRAMMING IN GHANA Lakeland College will share its energy expertise and program training with the Republic of Ghana’s growing oil and gas sector. The college signed memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with the Western Region Coastal Foundation (WRCF) and Seaweld Engineering to develop training and academic and research activities for Ghanaian training and educational facilities. “As an established industry-training institution in Canada, these agreements are in line with our goal to leverage our courses and programs to provide training in the oil and gas sector globally," says Ben Sey, Dean of Lakeland’s School of Energy. Earlier this year, Lakeland was contacted by CPI Training, a Canadian company that focuses on corporate and industrial training in different parts of the world. CPI was contracted by the WRCF to find institutions that could help develop training programs for Ghana’s oil and gas sector. Sey traveled to Ghana to tour its facilities and institutions and start training conversations with the West African country. Lakeland will facilitate updates and develop educational programs related to its petroleum management and gas process operator programs for the Regional Maritime University (RMU) of Ghana, according to the MOU with Seaweld. “We signed an MOU with them to look at all of the other courses Lakeland has to offer. The agreement opens up the possibility of developing various modules consisting of different Lakeland College courses and programs.” Lakeland will also send an instructor to train Ghanaian instructors once these programs are introduced.
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AVANT GARDE HAIRSTYLING Hairstyling students had three hours to complete an avant garde styling project. The judges were wowed at the 2018 Best of the Prairies Makeup and Hair Competition.
Lakeland College is an
AWARD-WINNING INSTITUTION Josie Van Lent, 2018 Gold Award of Excellence (Staff - Managerial) Colleges and Institutes Canada
Lance Beloin, 2017 Top Alberta Apprentice Award: Parts Technician
Lakeland named Top Employer
2017 Silver Award of Excellence from Colleges and Institutes Canada for our Early Learning and Child Care program
The Energy Centre was recognized with an award of merit for building engineering at the 2016 Consulting Engineers of Alberta Showcase Awards
Two Awards of Excellence from the World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics: • 2014 for our commitment to involve industry in the SMF – Powered by New Holland
Lakeland received Alberta Farm Animal Care's 2018 Award of Distinction for Industry Leadership
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• 2016 in the leadership development category
consecutive years Lakeland interior design technology students have won awards in NKBA competitions
Gold, silver and bronze medalists in the 2018 Alberta Provincial Skills Canada Competition
Recognized as the 2017 NKBA College of the Year for our Interior Design program
Lakeland is the first post-secondary institution in Alberta to complete an Environmental Farm Plan
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Number of podium finishes for Lakeland’s deans of business case competition team in the last five years
Agricultural Sciences
Environmental Sciences
Interior Design Technology
Online Courses & Programs Pesticide Applicator & Commercial Dispenser
• Agribusiness • Animal Health Technology • Animal Science Technology • Crop Technology • General Agriculture • Veterinary Medical Assistant • Western Ranch & Cow Horse
Business
• Accounting • General Business • Marketing • Real Estate Appraisal & Assessment • Small Business & Entrepreneurship • Accounting Technician • Administrative Professional • Bachelor Degrees
• Bachelor of Applied Science: Environmental Management •E nvironmental Sciences
Majors
• Conservation & Restoration Ecology • Environmental Conservation & Reclamation • Water Conservation & Management • Wildlife & Fisheries Conservation • Renewable Energy & Conservation (Online)
Cours et programmes en ligne
Health & Wellness
• Aide-élève • Éducation à la petite enfance • Santé mentale
Energy & Petroleum Technology
• Heavy Oil Operations Technician • Heavy Oil Power Engineering • 2nd Class Power Engineering • Petroleum Management
• Esthetician • Hairstyling • Health Care Aide • Practical Nurse
Human Services
• American Sign Language & Deaf Culture Studies • Animal Assisted Wellness • Child & Youth Care • Community Mental Health • Early Learning & Child Care • Educational Assistant • Sign Language Interpretation
Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Lakeland College Applied Research 5707 College Drive Vermilion Alberta T9X 1K5 Canada Post Publication Mail PM40009099
• Bachelor of Applied Business: Emergency Services • Emergency Services Technology • Firefighter
• Interior Design Technology
Trades & Technology Apprenticeship
Fire & Emergency Services
Continuing Education
• Automotive Service Technician • Carpenter • Electrician • Gasfitter- Class A • Heavy Equipment Technician • Instrument & Control Technician • Parts Technician • Parts Online • Steamfitter-Pipefitter • Welder
Trades & Technology Pre-employment
• Pre-employment Electrician • Pre-employment Welding • Pre-employment Instrumentation & Control • Street Rod Technologies
University Transfer
• Bachelor of Arts • Bachelor of Commerce • Bachelor of Education • Bachelor of Science • Bachelor of Science- Nursing • Bachelor of Social Work • Dentistry, Pharmacy & Vet Med