Celebrating Canada’s 50 Most Influential People in Ag

Connecting Ag Innovators

Celebrating Canada’s 50 Most Influential People in Ag

In late 2020, Canadian Western Agribition and Farm Credit Canada teamed up to launch a search for the Top 50 most influential leaders in Canadian agriculture. The nomination-based campaign ran coast-to-coast and on Canada Ag Day, February 23, 2021, the list was announced. Dr. Joy Agnew, Associate Vice President, Applied Research, Olds College along with several Olds College alumni were named on the list as Canada’s Top 50 most influential leaders in Canadian Ag.

Recruited to Olds College in 2018, Dr. Agnew has led the development of the Olds College Smart Farm and grown the applied research program at the College. Under her leadership, the Olds College Smart Farm has grown by more than 1000 acres to 2800 acres; has attracted more than $12 million in external investment; has engaged more than 50 partners and has worked on nearly 80 different research projects.

“Dr. Agnew has emerged as one of Canada’s key leaders for positioning our agriculture industry at the leading edge,” comments Stuart Cullum, President, Olds College. “She has built the next generation applied research environment in the Olds College Smart Farm and has designed it to also be the next generation learning environment that our country needs right now, in order to produce the talent required to maintain our global leadership.”

Growing up on a grain farm in Saskatchewan, Agnew’s upbringing played a huge role in her career in the agriculture industry. She reminisces about being a kid, laying in bed hearing the aeration fans and complaining to her dad that they were too noisy. Fast forward to today,

Dr. Agnew is now the go-to knowledge person for on-farm grain storage and leading research projects such as in-bin grain drying technology on the Smart Farm.

“Receiving this award was an incredible honour and represents the cumulative efforts of so many people,” says Dr. Agnew. “Everything I have done in ag has been with a consortium of amazing co-workers, engineers, agronomists and leaders in the agriculture space so I share that honour with everyone I have worked with.”

At Olds College, Agnew helps advance the development of products, processes and innovations; being a facilitator for innovation. Agnew has a strong passion for synthesizing and translating complex research information to help producers connect the dots, overall helping the industry innovate and succeed.

Agnew truly enjoys working with her research team at Olds College to deliver amazing projects and work with industry to drive change. “I’ve become accustomed to innovation and applauding innovators’ success,” says Agnew. “At Olds College, we get to work with leading edge technologies and innovations. I am very fortunate to be actively involved in this space.”

Also named a top 50 most influential leader in Canadian agriculture, was Jill Harvie, Olds College Alumni and local producer. A graduate from the Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.Sc) in Agribusiness degree program at Olds College, Harvie worked in the corporate agriculture industry for 12 years before becoming a full-time rancher on her family farm where they raise Hereford and Charolais cattle just west of Olds, AB. Their farm philosophy is to best garner the needs of their customers who buy their meat, breeding bulls, commercial females, breeding stock, embryos or semen. This philosophy has allowed their farm operation to thrive by looking at the customer’s needs and providing different approaches and services.

An avid supporter of field to fork, Harvie also produces a podcast called Food Careers that provides learning opportunities for listeners on sustainable food processes.

“I was really honoured to be listed on the Top 50 most influential leaders in Canadian agriculture list, especially after seeing all the other very influential individuals listed,” states Harvie. “We need to continuously innovate how we grow our food, while providing full confidence in the food we are providing to consumers and ensuring top quality,” states Harvie.

Harvie remains connected to Olds College as a member of the industry advisory board for the Bachelor of Applied Science, Agribusiness Degree program at Olds College, and a mentor in the student mentorship program.

Olds College would like to congratulate the following Olds College alumni and neighbours who were also recognized on the Top 50 list of the most influential people in Canadian agriculture list, including:

ƒ Cherilyn Jolly-Nagel – Mossbank, SK, Olds

College Alumni ƒ Alex Villeneuve – Olds, AB, Olds College Alumni ƒ Dennis Laycraft – Calgary, AB, Olds College Alumni ƒ Ray Price – Acme, AB, Olds College Alumni ƒ Todd Ormann – Olds, AB

ƒ Robert Saik – Olds, AB

ƒ Alison Sunstrum – Airdrie, AB

Olds College is extremely proud of the impact these leaders are making in the agriculture industry. By fostering hands-on and innovative education, Olds College continues to drive the agriculture industry forward.