Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences

Annual Report 2008-2009

DEAN’S MESSAGE

Arbores serit diligens agricola, quarum adspiciet baccam ipse numquam.

[The diligent farmer plants trees, of which he himself will never see the fruit] - Cicero

I am pleased to present you with the 2008/09 Annual Progress Review of the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences at the University of Manitoba. In the following pages, you will learn about the many academic, research and outreach activities undertaken by the Faculty in the past year. Key among our research highlights is the progression from infrastructure development to more active research programs at the National Centre for Livestock and the Environment, located at the Glenlea Research Station south of Winnipeg. We were excited to show off our facilities and current projects during an open house in September that drew over 120 visitors. Our focus is now on the second phase, the Glenlea Farm Education Centre, an interactive facility aimed at public awareness of agriculture and food production. Architectural plans are in the works and we expect to break ground on this important project within the next few weeks. The Faculty is also focused on the very important task of educating future leaders of the agri-food industry. We are currently coming to the end of an extensive a review of our undergraduate degree program curriculum, with the goal of increasing student engagement and providing them with opportunities to develop personally and professionally. We are also encouraging our students to pursue international study and travel to broaden their experiences. Four of our students journeyed to India in December on a three-week study tour funded by the Stewart Pugh External Study Scholarship and organized in collaboration with St Xavier’s College Kolkata, an experience they will not soon forget! Student numbers for 2008/09 were relatively steady across all programs, and in diploma we saw a dramatic increase in first year enrolment. Part of this jump may be due to the new option to transfer from diploma into degree, which is providing students greater flexibility and an increased practical component to their studies. Our student population is also increasingly diverse, with nearly 20% of degree students and 44% of graduate students coming from outside of Canada. Our faculty base is also becoming increasingly diverse with most of our recent appointments being academics who were born and educated outside Canada. As evidenced in the Awards and Achievements section, our faculty and students have been recognized for their academic, research and community accomplishments. From the most prestigious international prizes to praise from their peers, our people continue to stand out for their dedication and excellence. Finally, I would like to recognize those government and industry partners as well as individuals who have contributed to our research and academic programs. Thanks to this strong support, the Faculty continues to be able to train top-quality graduates and to provide relevant research to the agri-food industry and the community at large. Michael Trevan Dean, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences University of Manitoba

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ACADEMIC PROGRAMS

Review of Undergraduate Degree Curriculum A review of the undergraduate degree curriculum was initiated in 2008 to evaluate our current programs and degrees and determine how they can be improved to meet needs of industry and of our students. Each program sought input from representatives of industry. A set of learning outcomes for all programs was approved by the faculty and each instructor was requested to develop course objectives for their courses identifying which learning outcomes are addressed, the learning levels, and method of evaluation. This information will be used to ensure that the intended goals of our programs are being achieved and will provide a map for evaluating the overall quality of our programs.

Students Broaden Horizons with India Trip With the help of the Stewart Pugh External Study Scholarship, four degree students travelled to India for three weeks in December 2008 on a visit arranged by St. Xavier’s College in Kolkata. Jamie Poirier, Kristine Blair, Ramona Garbald and Daniel Fox, toured a variety of agricultural operations and also travelled north to the city of Shillong to take part in the 96th annual Indian Science Congress. Through trips and exchanges such as this one, the Faculty hopes to increase our students’ international experiences and provide them with a broader understanding of global agriculture.

New Courses Added in Animal Science The Animal Science department has added two new undergraduate courses. The ANSC 4240 Mathematical Modeling of Biological Systems course is a course introduced by Dr. Ermias Kebreab to provide a core background and understanding of principles of mathematical modeling in agricultural systems. This course is also offered at the graduate level ANSC 7560 Mathematical Modeling of Agricultural Systems. The second course introduced this year, ANSC 2540 Companion Animal Nutrition and Management, will be taught for the first time in the Fall 2009 term. This course has been added in recognition of the large economic and social role that companion animals make in today’s society.

Students Push for Charity The 27th annual Aggie Bed Push successfully concluded on the steps of the University of Manitoba administration building September 29, 2008. The event began two days earlier in Brandon, where the students set off pushing their familiar burgundy bed on wheels along the #1 Highway. This year’s charity of choice was the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, which aims to eliminate heart disease and stroke through the advancement of research and its application, the promotion of healthy living and advocacy. Each year the students are able to raise several thousand dollars for charity, and in previous years have supported Kidsport, the Children’s Hospital Foundation of Manitoba, CancerCare and other worthy causes.

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First Crop of International Agrologists Graduate Ten members of the inaugural class of the Internationally Educated Agrologists Pilot (IEAP) Program graduated in 2008 eager to enter the Manitoba workforce. The IEAP program integrates foreign-trained agrologists into the Manitoba agriculture sector through a one-year program of coursework and work experience. Manitoba Labour and Immigration funds the IEAP Program and the Manitoba Institute of Agrologists, the professional body for agrology, provides direction on the needs of the agriculture industry. The Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences at the University of Manitoba supplies the academic component. The program assists students with their language skills, helps them become familiar with the agriculture industry in Canada, and facilitates networking with the agricultural community. The program received the 2008 PEARL Award from the Manitoba Prior Learning Assessment Network. The PEARL Award, which stands for “Pursuit of Excellence in the Assessment and Recognition of Learning”, is given each year to an organization, program or individual in recognition of excellence in prior learning assessment and recognition. Seven individuals enrolled in the 2008-09 academic year and intake for the 2009-10 year is underway.

Centennial Entrance Scholarship Awarded Minnedosa Collegiate graduate Mac Ross was awarded the first Agricultural and Food Sciences Centennial Entrance Scholarship in 2008. The endowed scholarship, valued at $2000, was established with support from the Province of Manitoba and alumni and friends of the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences to commemorate the Faculty’s 100th anniversary. It is awarded to a Manitoba high school student who plans to enter the degree or diploma program at the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences at the University of Manitoba. In addition to meeting academic requirements, students must also demonstrate an interest and commitment to building vibrant rural communities and a strong interest in pursuing a career in the agri-food and rural economy sectors. For the 2009 scholarship, four top high school students were selected from a pool of nearly 30 applicants. They will be entering either the Diploma in Agriculture program or University 1 in fall 2009.

Kraft Endowment Fund Supports Student Award, Lecture The fund established in memory of the late Daryl F. Kraft continues to grow and has now funded a student prize and launched a policy seminar series. Matthew Hink, agribusiness student, was the recipient of the inaugural Daryl F. Kraft Undergraduate Student Paper Prize in Agricultural Policy in November 2008. And in February 2009, the first seminar in a lecture series on agricultural policy was presented by Dr. Alex McCalla, professor emeritus with University of California, Davis. His topic was “Agricultural Commodity and Food Prices: A Wild Ride! What’s Next?” The seminar was also supported by GrainWorld 2009 and the Solomon Sinclair Farm Management Institute.

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RESEARCH NEWS

Research Strategic Plan Provides 5-Year View Through the efforts of the Faculty Research Committee, a five-year Research Strategic Plan has been developed which identifies the Faculty’s research strengths and outlines several key objectives. The mission states that the Faculty will “enhance linkages between production-oriented research and longer-term multifunctional research and student training, expand its focus beyond the individual producer and consumer to the community and build across disciplinary expertise to better address complex agricultural and consumer issues.” This document, which can be found on the Faculty’s website (http://www.umanitoba.ca/afs/research.html), serves to guide the Faculty’s efforts in planning future research programs, and in attracting collaboration and funding opportunities.

Open House Explores Whole Farm Research The National Centre for Livestock and the Environment (NCLE) invited the public to visit during an open house in September 2008. The event was an opportunity for the Faculty to highlight some of the diverse and multi-disciplinary studies underway at the Glenlea Research Centre. The event attracted over 120 visitors, made up of researchers, government officials, farm producers and the general public. NCLE scientists are engaged in projects that explore whole farming systems, integrating livestock, crop and soil management in search of sustainable solutions for today’s production challenges. They are addressing farm productivity and viability, environmental stewardship, human and animal health, and efficient use of our resources in agricultural production. At the open house, the Province of Manitoba announced $150,000 in research funding for reduction of on-farm greenhouse gas emissions through the Manitoba Sustainable Agriculture Practices Program. Throughout the year, the Faculty continued to share information with interested stakeholders about NCLE’s research programs through a number of tours, which included the Lake Winnipeg Stewardship Board, Progressive Conservative provincial caucus, the Dairy Farmers of Manitoba, a Brazilian government delegation and University of Manitoba President Dr. David Barnard.

Faculty Hosts International Traceability Conference Trace R&D 2009, a research and development conference and strategic workshop for agriculture and food traceability organized by the University of Manitoba and supported by Canada's Industry-Government Advisory Committee on Traceability was held this spring in Winnipeg. Traceability is the ability to follow food products, whether sourced from plants or animals, from their origin on the farm through transportation, processing and distribution into the retail market. The first conference of its kind in Canada, Trace R&D 2009 brought together more than 200 stakeholders in government, academia and industry from across Canada, the United States, and around the world to discuss current traceability research and development and to develop a Canadian strategy to guide future research and developments, collaborations and regulations in food traceability. To view the proceedings from the conference, visit the Trace website at http://www.trace-rd.com.

Phosphorus Expertise Shared Don Flaten, Soil Science, is well-known in the agricultural community in Manitoba for his frequent outreach activities to producers and organizations. He is a favorite with the agricultural media for his commentary on understanding the role of soil impacts on water quality and the use of best

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management practices to reduce nutrient loading to water bodies. In the past several years, Don has provided his scientific expertise and opinion towards phosphorus management in the Lake Winnipeg watershed area. He has served as a member of the Government of Manitoba Phosphorus Expert Committee and the Lake Winnipeg Stewardship Board, where he has volunteered countless hours of his time providing valued technical expertise. This past year, he was also instrumental in helping the University of Manitoba secure funding from the Province to support a research chair in watershed systems. The position will lead and coordinate research aimed at improving water quality in Manitoba and is expected to be filled this fall.

Crop Stress Gene Discovery Licensed The groundbreaking work of Rob Hill, Plant Science, in the study of plant response to environmental stress has resulted in a licensing agreement with biotech giant BASF Plant Science. Under the terms of the agreement, BASF will test, develop, and market a gene discovery related to increased crop yields and stress tolerance made by Rob and colleagues. The discovery may be used in major food crops such as corn, soybeans, cotton, canola, and rice.

Pulse Study Shows Pea Diet Impacts on Insulin A recent Pulse Canada-funded study led by Peter Jones at the Richardson Centre for Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals found that the dietary fibre-rich content of peas is key to regulating insulin management in overweight hyper-cholesterolemic adults. In the study, participants eating muffins made with either whole pea flour or pea fibre had fasting insulin levels 15 per cent lower than those eating control muffins made with wheat flour. As well, the trials found consuming pea fibre "significantly" lowered insulin resistance by up to 18 per cent. Insulin resistance -- in which the body no longer properly uses the insulin it produces -- increases the risk of elevated blood glucose levels and the development of diabetes.

Food Safety Expert in High Demand In the wake of the listeria outbreak last summer, Rick Holley, microbiologist in the Department of Food Science, provided his expertise on safe food handling and the challenges processors and regulators face. He has conducted over 300 media interviews since August 2008 and has made several public presentations on the topic of food safety. He was also appointed to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s Academic Advisory Panel, whose role is to provide expert advice to assist in shaping CFIA’s approaches to food safety.

UniversityNews.org Promotes Faculty Research In fall 2008, the Faculty introduced its new research e-newsletter UniversityNews, produced by Bruce Cochrane of Wonderworks Canada. This daily e-mail features transcripts of brief interviews with Faculty researchers and their collaborators. All transcripts and audio clips are archived online at www.universitynews.org. The stories are also promoted daily via Twitter.

Biofuels and Byproducts Studies Get Boost Several Faculty researchers have received funds for their research programs in the area of biofuels and their related products.

• Gary Johnson, Agribusiness and Agricultural Economics, is a co-investigator with a group of seven researchers on the project “Bioeconomic analysis of lignocellulosic biomass production and utilization for a Canadian cellulosic biofuel biorefinery”. The project, led by Dr.

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Serge Laberge, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, is funded by the Agricultural Bioproducts Innovation Program of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada for a total of $560,000 over four years to 2012.

• David Levin, Biosystems Engineering, along with Richard Sparling in Microbiology, received funding in the amount of $11,307,670 from Genome Canada for a project entitled “Microbial Genomics for Biofuels and Bioproducts from Biorefining Processes”. David and Nazim Cicek, also Biosystems Engineering, received $1,050,507 from CFI for the Biofuels Biotechnology & Fermentation Laboratory.

• Bogdan Slominski and Juan-Carlos Rodriguez-Lecompte, Animal Science, have receive an NSERC Collaborative Research and Development Grant for the project "Distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) as a potential source of immunomodulatory and growth promoting activity for poultry" of $174,000, in addition to the $183,000 in commitments from industrial sponsors Canadian Poultry Research Council, Poultry Industry Council and Canadian Bio-Systems.

• The biofuels team led by Anita Brûlé-Babel, Plant Science, received a Canada Foundation for Innovation grant of $152,320 to develop a cereal-based functional genomics laboratory that combines genomics studies with protein function and expression. The research program will develop cereal cultivars with high yield potential as feedstocks and bioenergy. This program is primarily funded by support from Husky Energy Inc.

Entomologists Receive Network Funds Rob Roughley and Terry Galloway, Entomology, were awarded funding from the Canadian Universities Biodiversity Consortium, a network of 11 universities that will receive a total of $7,989,823. The Department of Entomology’s portion will be used to support the ongoing project to create a computer database of the estimated 2 million insect specimens in the J. B. Wallis Museum of Entomology. In other Entomology research news, Rob Currie and Rob Roughley are two of the 44 university researchers who are partners in NSERC-CANPOLIN, which is a new five-year NSERC Strategic Network devoted to studies of pollination, particularly the decline of insect pollinators. CANPOLIN involves 26 Canadian universities who are sharing about $1 million in research funding.

HEAR Program Continues to Explore Rapeseed Potential The NSERC/Bunge Canada/DL Seeds/ Manitoba Canola Growers Association Industrial Research Chair in High Erucic Acid Rapeseed R&D has been renewed for another five-year term. Dr. Peter McVetty is the senior chair and Dr. Genyi Li is the associate chair. The $4.5 million program focused on high erucic acid rapeseed (HEAR), and the development of disease resistant Brassica germplasm which will involve agronomy, breeding, genetics, genomics and molecular marker work. HEAR oil is used directly as a lubricant or is split into two smaller fatty acids that are raw materials for chemical manufacturing processes.

Animal Scientist Studies Bowel Disease Genetics Denis Krause, Animal Science (and cross-appointed to Medical Microbiology), received funding for two projects related to bowel disease. He and a team of six other researchers received $5 million from the Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research for “Etiology of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Gene & Environmental Interactions”. He will also receive funding from the Canadian Institute of Health Research of $2.5 million for “The Gut Microbiome of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in a Cross-sectional Prospective Human Cohort”.

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OUTREACH ACTIVITIES

Agronomists Meet at the University of Manitoba The Manitoba Agronomists Conference is held each December at the University of Manitoba Fort Garry campus and via video conferencing at a remote site in Dauphin. This event is where agronomists from across Manitoba and the Prairies meet to discuss the latest developments and trends in crop production, crop protection and soil management. Certified Crop Advisors and provincial agrologists use this conference to achieve continuing education credits. In 2008, the 9th annual conference was also offered by webcast for a second year, allowing participants to view the conference from the comfort of their own computer. New in 2008 was online registration, and the conference was once again a great success with over 365 participants.

Glenlea Farm Education Centre Nears Groundbreaking Architectural and design plans for the new Glenlea Farm Education Centre (GFEC) are nearly complete, with a target groundbreaking date of fall 2009. The $5 million education centre will be constructed at the site of the National Centre for Livestock and the Environment located at the Faculty’s Glenlea research and teaching facility just south of Winnipeg. The centre will feature interactive, hands-on displays for the public to learn about every aspect of food production, from farming practices to retail sales. The facility is anticipated to host 30,000 visitors a year, with a primary focus on those in Grades 5-8. In December 2008, fundraising efforts for the centre got a boost from Manitoba Pork Council’s announcement of an additional $150,000 to GFEC. To date, the Pork Council has committed more than $600,000 to the Glenlea Farm Education Centre.

Profiles Give Statistical Overview of Manitoba Agriculture The Department of Agribusiness and Agricultural Economics has made several Manitoba agriculture profiles available on the Department website. They were prepared by Janet Honey, research colleague with the Department of Agribusiness and Agricultural Economics. Manitoba Cattle and Beef Industry: 2008, Manitoba Pig and Pork Industry: 2008 and Crops in Manitoba: 2008-2009 provide valuable snapshots of the various agribusiness sectors in the province, from total number of pigs to the size of the canola crop. The reports also provide some interesting facts: e.g. Manitoba is the second largest potato producer in Canada.

Manitoba Arborists Training Program The Faculty again offered the Manitoba Arborists Training Program on behalf of Manitoba Conservation. This program consists of either an in-class delivery of 25 hours of class time or a home-study option. Those who pass the comprehensive exam are then eligible to obtain an Arborists License, which is required by anyone who provides pruning or tree removal services. This year, 75 new students entered the program with 47 successfully completing the exam.

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STAFF CHANGES

Warm Welcomes

Dr. Belay Ayele, plant physiologist, joined the Department of Plant Science in June 2009. Belay will be conducting plant physiology research related to the Husky Collaborative Research and Development program. Dr. Julieta Frank was appointed Assistant Professor in the Department of Agribusiness and Agricultural Economics in January 2009. She has research interests in risk management, agricultural marketing and trade, price analysis, futures and options, and market microstructure. Julieta is currently teaching agribusiness management to degree and diploma students. Dr. Fabio Mattos was also appointed Assistant Professor in the Department of Agribusiness and Agricultural Economics in January 2009. His research will focus on agricultural markets, agribusiness, price analysis, derivative markets, decision-making under risk, and futures and options. Fabio is teaching commodity price analysis to degree students. Dr. Francis Zvomuya, an expert in land remediation, was appointed Associate Professor in the Department of Soil Science in July 2008. His research focus is on biofertilizers, land remediation, soil chemistry, and nutrient cycling. He also has strong experience in statistics dealing with agricultural research problems. Francis teaches a course in remediation of contaminated land and has developed an outline for a proposed course in agricultural biometrics. Christine Rawluk was appointed the Research Development Coordinator for the National Centre for Livestock and the Environment (NCLE). Christine works closely with the NCLE research team and external partners to facilitate research development, and communicates NCLE’s activities and potential capacity to research partners, the media and general public. Sue Clayton has joined the Faculty in the new position of Community Liaison Coordinator. She will be focusing on student recruitment activities and working with high schools and industry partners to develop curriculum-based resources and to promote agricultural and food sciences. Dr. Laura Lazo is the Co-op Coordinator/Job Placement Officer in the Student Services Office, replacing Gord Mushey who retired in June 2008. Laura assists students with their cooperative education and job search needs, and coordinates employment linkages with employers. She also has interest in expanding international opportunities for our students. Alicia Franco Espinosa has joined us as the Coordinator for the Internationally Educated Agrologist Pilot Program (IEAP). Alicia works with the students enrolled in the IEAP program to facilitate their coursework and cooperative work experience. Alicia also provides support to other international students in the Faculty.

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Appointments of Note

The Board of Governors of the University of Manitoba has approved the appointment of Dr. Digvir Jayas was appointed Vice-President (Research). Digvir has previously served as associate Vice-President (Research) for eight years and prior to that was Associate Dean (Research) in the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and Head of Biosystems Engineering. Digvir also holds a Canada Research Chair in Stored-Grain Ecosystems. Dr. Ed W. Tyrchniewicz was appointed Senior Scholar in the Department of Agribusiness and Agricultural Economics in July 2008, following his retirement from serving as Associate Dean in the Asper School of Business at the University of Manitoba. Ed is no stranger to the Department, having worked there from 1967 to 1988 and serving as Department Head for a number of years. He has continued various research interests and recently co-chaired a commission looking into the future of the agricultural and agri-food industries on Prince Edward Island.

In Memoriam

Dr. Nora Lewis passed away December 29, 2008. An associate professor in the Department of Animal Science, Nora was also appointed Acting University Veterinarian in 2003. Nora was instrumental in establishing the Animal Care and Use Program in the Office of Research Services and was appointed as its first Director. She assisted the University of Manitoba in moving toward a more centralized approach to animal care and use. Nora dedicated herself to teaching and research on animal behaviour and welfare. Her research focused on transportation of early weaned piglets, use of electrolytes to encourage early feed consumption in weaned piglets, the effect of adding antibiotics on water consumption in early weaned piglets, sow gestation housing, longevity of sows, and welfare of laying hens in traditional vs. enriched cages. As well, Nora was part of a nationally recognized collaboration group studying the aspects of handling and transportation as they affect welfare and meat quality in market hogs. Retired professor and senior scholar Dr. Michael Henderson passed away January 15, 2009. He worked in the Department of Food Science from 1968 to 1996, specializing in food biochemistry. Along with Dr. M. Eskin, Michael wrote the textbook “Biochemistry of Foods”, which was translated into many languages and widely received around the world.

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AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

Staff Distinctions Harold Bjarnason, former Dean of the Faculty, has been appointed a member of the Board of Trustees of the Canada Science and Technology Museum. The Canada Science and Technology Museum Corporation is responsible for preserving and protecting Canada's scientific and technological heritage; promoting and sharing knowledge about that heritage; and celebrating Canadian innovations. Derek Brewin, Agribusiness and Agricultural Economics, was presented with the 2008-09 Teaching Award of Merit from the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA) for excellence in teaching. Muthu Bagavathiannan, Ph.D. student in Plant Science, received the NACTA Graduate Student Teaching Award of Merit for 2008-09. Walter Bushuk, emeritus professor in Food Science, was made a Fellow of the Academy of the International Association for Cereal Science and Technology (ICC). Fellowship in the Academy is awarded to recognize individuals from within the ICC membership who have made significant contributions to the work of the ICC and the furtherance of its aims and ideals, and to the profession of cereal science. Kris Dick, Biosystems Engineering, was honoured with a University of Manitoba Outreach Award for his outstanding community involvement. Kris was recognized for being the driving force behind the concept and the delivery of the Alternative Village, a site on the edge of the Fort Garry campus which consists of a collection of small buildings constructed using alternative building and building-energy strategies. Gary Fulcher, Food Science, was honoured for his outstanding work in cereal grains with the distinguished 2009 Geddes Memorial Lectureship by the AACC Northwest Section at the University of Minnesota. The award aims to advance the profession and practice of cereal chemistry and honour the memory of William F. Geddes by bringing outstanding persons not normally available to the section to Minnesota to speak on advances in any aspect of cereal science and technology. Rick Holley, Food Science, was named to a Canadian Food Inspection Agency external advisory panel. Among the panel's first duties will be recommending improvements to CFIA's listeria prevention rules. Rick was also a co-recipient of the 2009 Dr. and Mrs. D.R. Campbell Outreach Award, given to university staff who consistently spend countless hours of their own time sharing their professional and scholarly experience in community service. Neil Holliday, Entomology, was awarded the 2009 Gold Medal from the Entomological Society of Canada. This is the highest honour awarded by the Society, given for outstanding achievements in research, teaching and extension entomology.

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Neil also received the 2009 University of Manitoba Outstanding Teacher Award at the annual Students’ Teacher Recognition reception. He was nominated by agroecology student Jonathan Veilleux. Digvir Jayas, Biosystems Engineering and acting VP Research at the University of Manitoba, and Noel White, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, received the $250,000 2009 Brockhouse Canada Prize for Interdisciplinary Research in Science and Engineering. The award is granted by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada to recognize outstanding Canadian teams of researchers from different disciplines who have combined their expertise to produce achievements of outstanding international significance in the natural sciences and engineering in the last six years. Digvir also received the 2008 Dr. John M. Bowman Winnipeg Rh Institute Foundation Award from the University of Manitoba, which recognizes research accomplishments of senior faculty according to the quality and impact of their research, and the distinction brought to the university by the research. Ermias Kebreab, Animal Science, was named the recipient of the 2008 American Society of Animal Science Early Career Award. The ASAS presents up to two awards each year to recognize achievement of young scholars working “to discover, disseminate and apply knowledge for sustainable use of animals for food and other human needs.” Karmin O, Animal Science, was honoured with the 2009 Health Sciences Graduate Students Association Award for Distinction in Mentorship. Karmin, who has a lab at the Canadian Centre for Agri-Food Research in Health and Medicine was recognized for her dedication to training graduate students. Loreen Onischuk, Animal Science, was selected as the 2008-09 Teacher of the Year by both the Faculty of Agriculture Students’ Organization and by the first year Agriculture Diploma class. Jitendra Paliwal, Biosystems Engineering, was named the recipient of the 2008 Early Achievement Award by the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Manitoba. The Early Achievement Award is intended to bestow distinction on outstanding engineers and geoscientists and to recognize exceptional achievements in the early years of their careers. Jim Philp, Biosystems Engineering, was selected as the 2008-09 Teacher of the Year by the second year Agriculture Diploma class. Merv Pritchard, Associate Dean (Academic), was honoured with an Instructor Service Recognition from the Division of Extended Education. The award is presented to recognize long-standing service and dedication to continuing education. Merv has been involved in the coordination and teaching of courses in the Prairie Horticultural Certificate (offered through Extended Education) for over 10 years. Karin Wittenberg, Associate Dean (Research), was presented with the 2009 Pork Industry Award in the Education category by the Manitoba Pork Council at their annual general meeting banquet. The Pork Industry Awards, formerly known as the Swine Stewardship Awards, are presented to individuals, groups and organizations to recognize excellence in Manitoba's hog industry. Karin

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received this award in recognition of her "outstanding contributions to the hog industry through her tireless efforts to make research accessible and meaningful for all".

Student Honours Suresh Desai, Ph.D. student in the Department of Entomology was awarded a $2000 scholarship by the Trustees of the Foundation for the Preservation of Honey Bees in support of his research on honey bee viruses and their management. The 2008-2009 CIBC Undergraduate Agribusiness Scholarships were handed out to students Darren Froese, Matthew Hink, Jamie Poirier, and Liane Vuignier. Including these four current recipients, since 2003 there have been 20 CIBC Agricultural Scholarships, valued at total of approximately $60,000, awarded to students of the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences in recognition of the recipients' academic excellence and community involvement, both on and off the campus. Sirak Golom, Food Science, and Anthony Guerrieri, Plant Science, each received one of the three Canadian Wheat Board Graduate Fellowships awarded in 2008-09, valued at $33,000 over two years. Sirak will be researching the biochemical composition and physical properties of NovaBran™, a new type of wheat bran. Anthony is conducting specialized research into making wheat more resistant to fusarium head blight, a devastating disease for farmers in Manitoba and eastern Saskatchewan. Krista Hanis, M.Sc. student in Soil Science, was recognized with the prestigious Garfield Weston Award for Northern Research. Annually seven awards are given valued at $15,000 each to students enrolled in the first thirteen months of a masters program in the natural sciences pursuing northern research. In the Advancing Canadian Entrepreneurship (ACE) 2009 National Student Entrepreneur competition, second-year Diploma student Devon Holenski, who was named the Student Entrepreneur Provincial Champion for Manitoba, was crowned as one of the Regional Champions. Devon operates a small mixed farming operation in south central Manitoba. The provincial champions were invited to participate in live regional rounds of competition held in Calgary, Halifax and Toronto, where they presented their entrepreneurial success stories to panels of entrepreneurs and business leaders. From each of these competitions, two regional champions are selected to receive a $1000 cash prize and participate in the final round of competition at the ACE National Exposition in Toronto. Perry Klassen, a fourth-year Biosystems engineering student, received $1000 as the 2009 recipient of the CSBE/SCGAB Foundation Undergraduate Scholarship. The scholarship was awarded to the Biosystems Engineering student who is a student member of the Society and who had the highest GPA in the preceding fall semester. At the 2009 annual speaking competition held by the Canadian Association of Diploma in Agriculture Programs, first year diploma student Chris Loewen took third place. The competition is designed to encourage verbal communication skills of students, increase student awareness of similar programs of study located across the nation and to strengthen leadership skills within the agricultural industry.

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Chris developed his six-minute speech on “Declining Rural Population” in the Diploma Communications and Learning course. Heather Maskus, Marcia McFadden and Caroline Rosa, the Food Science product development team that entered this year’s AACC Annual Student Product Development Competition, captured second place valued at $2000 for their extruded pea snack product "Peazies". Their product was one of five selected for presentation at the finals in Honolulu, Hawaii Meghan Rose, M.Sc. student in Plant Science, was awarded the Seed of the Year scholarship valued at $2000, given to a student at a western Canadian university completing a Masters or Ph.D. in plant breeding or genetics.

Alumni Awards Several of the 2008 Manitoba Ag Hall of Fame inductees had ties to the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences. Among the honoured were several Faculty alumni including the late Dr. Helgi Austman, the late Gordon Sinclair, the late Welland Stonehouse, and Fraser Stewart, who were recognized for their significant contributions to agriculture in Manitoba. Also recognized was Dr. Margaret Newton, who in 1925 was appointed a founding scientist at the Dominion Rust Research Laboratory located here on campus. She was a world-recognized researcher in wheat rust, and received numerous awards throughout her career. Following the Hall of Fame ceremony, Dr. Newton was further recognized with the unveiling of a Historic Sites and Monuments Board plaque from the Government of Canada commemorating the national historic significance of her work.