2021

General News Loyalist College, Olds College Sign Agriculture Applied Research and Programming MOU Together Loyalist College and Olds College will establish new and enhanced work integrated learning opportunities for students between the two institutions, and explore potential areas of collaboration in smart agriculture, vertical farming and aspects of urban planning around farming and food sustainability.

General News Olds College Receives Funding for Gender Equality Training Olds College has developed a customized gender equity initiative to address inequity in leadership development, sport, and physical activity for women, girls, Two-Spirit and gender- diverse individuals at Olds College and the surrounding community.

General News Celebrate Black History Month At Olds College, our goal is to foster an environment of mutual respect and trust among all learners. Together, with our students and staff, we will continue to learn how we can do better and make meaningful changes to ensure Olds College is a safe and welcoming place for all.

Celebrating #CdnAgDay At Olds College everything we do supports the innovative evolution of the agricultural industry. From offering full-time programming in agriculture, agriculture technology, horticulture, animal science, land and environment management, food production and trades, Olds College offers high-tech, hands-on education.

General News Dr. Joy Agnew in Top 50 most influential people in Canadian Ag Dr. Joy Agnew, Associate Vice-President, Applied Research, Olds College was named in the Top 50 most influential people in Canadian Agriculture by Canadian Western Agribition (CWA). Dr. Agnew joins several Olds college alumni on the esteemed list of agriculture leaders.

General News Olds College to host livestreamed event — A Celebration of Alberta Ag Streamed live from the Olds College campus, the evening’s program will include an appearance by Alberta born country music star — Corb Lund, as well as showcasing the College’s hands-on program offering and student experience, celebrate industry partners, and as always, help to bring awareness and raise funds for student bursaries.

General News Compost Centre Transition Plan Community Town Hall Residents of Mountain View County and the Town of Olds are invited to attend a virtual community town hall meeting on March 16, 2020 at 7 p.m. to learn more about the transition and longer-term operational plan for the compost centre. To register for the Virtual Town Hall, please fill out this form.

General News The Sixth Annual Olds College International Women’s Day Brew Has Arrived! This Sundress Has Pockets is a Session New England Pale Ale (NEPA) style brewed by first and second year female students from our Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management Diploma program.

General News Semi-finalists announced for the 2021 UFA Student Pitch Competition United Farmers of Alberta Co-operative Ltd. (“UFA”) is pleased to announce that Olds College students Daniel Stefner, Kenneth Deocampo, Lauren McKamey, Styn Nieuwenhuis and Tristen Norman have been named semi-finalists in the second annual UFA Student Pitch Competition.

General News Cervus Equipment Partners with Olds College Olds College and Cervus Equipment have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate in the operation of the Smart Farm. The five-year agreement will see Cervus provide John Deere farm equipment and the labour needed to manage the crop and in-field operation for 380 acres of farmland on the Olds College Smart Farm.

General News TD Bank Group Supports Olds College with $250,000 investment in Autonomous Agriculture TD Bank Group has committed $250,000 to Olds College in support of autonomous agriculture education and applied research on the Olds College Smart Farm. The funding will support the continuing operation of the DOT Autonomous Platform and the development of the Autonomous Agriculture Education Series.

Alberta’s Colleges Adapt to Meet the Needs of Students, Industry As Alberta’s economy recovers and moves forward, Alberta’s colleges are ready to lead the way, providing real world experience and cutting-edge research to support Albertans and the communities where they live.

General News TELUS Agriculture Named Olds College 2021 Partner of the Year On the Olds College Smart Farm, TELUS Agriculture has been testing innovations like security solutions, weather stations, field sensors, and rural connectivity solutions. In the near future, the Smart Farm will provide live testing for TELUS’ 5G network, which has the potential to enable faster, more reliable connections.

General News UFA and Olds College Announce the 2021 Student Pitch Competition Winner United Farmers of Alberta Co-operative Ltd. (“UFA”) together with Olds College are pleased to announce Daniel Stefner, with his pitch for Hopper Bottom Grain Flow Gauge, as the winner of 2021 UFA Student Pitch Competition. A second time participant in the UFA Student Pitch Competition, Stefner is a recent graduate of the Bachelor of Applied Science, majoring in AgriBusiness at Olds College and is from St. Albert, Alberta.

General News It’s a wrap for Olds College’s ‘A Celebration of Alberta Ag’

The live-streamed production of A Celebration of Alberta Ag, successfully wrapped up on Friday, April 9, 2021 with over 1200 viewers from all over Alberta, Canada and around the world, including England, Nigeria, the Philippines and New Zealand.

The free two-hour event was live streamed from the Alumni Centre on the Olds College campus, in celebration of Alberta’s agriculture industry and the important role that it plays in our world.

General News Olds College Receives Grant from Bell Let’s Talk Post-Secondary Fund Olds College is one of 123 post-secondary institutions across Canada to receive a $25,000 Kickoff Grant from the Bell Let’s Talk Post-Secondary Fund. This grant will enhance the current online campus health and wellness resources for Olds College students, staff, alumni and the community.

General News Olds College Brewery Will Capture CO2 to Reduce Emissions This project aims to reduce GHG emissions by capturing and reusing CO2 that would otherwise be wasted into the atmosphere. By adding this technology to the brewing process, the goal is to reduce emissions and create a valuable product. This affordable solution will be revenue saving and generating for the small to medium sized craft brewer.

General News Olds College Receives Silver Applied Research and Innovation Excellence Award Olds College was recognized with a Silver Applied Research and Innovation Excellence award from Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) for their innovative creation of the Olds College Smart Farm and smart agriculture ecosystem.

General News Floating Island Technology for Livestock Water Remediation

Olds College researchers are evaluating the economic and environmental benefits of using native wetland plants and floating island technology to remediate feedlot runoff water. This research aims to effectively improve water quality for irrigation or livestock use by removing nutrients, heavy metals, and other contaminants — as well as minimizing the presence of algae blooms. Feedlot operators could access alternative, low-cost options for treating feedlot runoff water while being environmentally sustainable.

Alberta's Colleges Ready to Act on Alberta 2030 Strategy Alberta’s colleges are ready to respond to the Alberta 2030: Building Skills for Jobs strategy by continuing to provide adaptable, relevant, hands-on training that prepares students to support Alberta’s employers and economy. The strategy, released by the Ministry of Advanced Education on Thursday, supports the work already being done by the province’s 11 Comprehensive Community Colleges.

General News Leona Staples Wins 2021 Influential Women in Canadian Agriculture Award Leona Staples, Chair of the Board of Governors at Olds College, was one of the seven women to receive the 2021 Influential Women in Canadian Agriculture award. Staples, along with her husband and sons, also own and operate The Jungle Farm in Red Deer, AB and are proud to continue fostering farming traditions that generations before have established.

General News Olds College and TELUS Agriculture Partner to Offer Free Webinar Olds College and TELUS Agriculture are partnering to offer a complimentary webinar on crop disease control and management, disease cycles and how technology can support more accurate and timely disease-related decisions.

General News COVID-19 Update: Fall Term Delivery On March 18, 2021 the Government of Alberta issued a statement encouraging Alberta’s post-secondary institutions to prepare for a full return to campus for fall 2021. Under the guidance of the Government of Alberta, Olds College is planning for a fall 2021 return that will see classes predominantly on campus.

Lowering the Flag Flags Lowered On Campus In solemn recognition of the lives and spirits of the 215 children whose remains were discovered on the grounds of the Kamloops Residential School, we are lowering the flags on the Olds College campus.

General News Celebrating the 105th and 106th Graduating Classes! Olds College celebrated the graduating classes of 2020 and 2021 on Saturday, June 5, 2021, via two virtual ceremonies, which marked the College’s 105th and 106th Convocation.

General News TELUS 5G Network Comes to Olds College Smart Farm and Community TELUS has expanded its next-generation 5G network to Olds as part of a three year, $14.5 billion investment in Alberta to further support the province through the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent economic recovery. Local residents, businesses, and the Olds College Smart Farm now have access to TELUS’ blazing fast 5G network.

#OCPride Olds College Celebrates Pride 2021 Olds College and Olds High School staff and students raised the pride flags on campus to celebrate inclusivity and to kick off Pride Month 2021.

General News Lethbridge College, Olds College sign agriculture research MOU Two of Alberta’s premier agriculture applied research institutions are coming together to ensure the province’s agriculture industry has access to world-class researchers, resources and data.

General News Olds College Launches Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network Olds, Alberta, Canada, June 17, 2021 - Olds College announces the launch of the Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network—a network of Smart Farms committed to sharing data and expertise that will help farmers, industry and developers better understand, use and develop smart agricultural technologies.

General News Olds College Signs CICan Indigenous Protocol Today, on National Indigenous People’s Day, Olds College would like to announce that we have officially signed the Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan) Indigenous Protocol that was developed by CICan with its members and partners in the Indigenous communities.

General News This is Your Shot! COVID-19 Vaccination Incentives To keep our campus community safe, all staff and students are encouraged to get the COVID-19 vaccine. It is our top priority to give you a safe and healthy in-person learning experience.

General News Sharing Messages of Hope and Support Working with members of the Olds community, the tipi in the Constructed Wetlands at Olds College is being filled with messages of encouragement and support for indigenous communities as unmarked graves continue to be found near residential school sites.

Alberta Colleges & Polytechnics Create Agriculture and Food Research Collaborative In support of Alberta’s economic recovery, seven of Alberta’s Colleges and Polytechnics have signed a declaration to work together to advance agriculture and food research in Alberta.

General News CAAIN Announces Fourth Funded Project The Canadian Agri-Food Automation and Intelligence Network (CAAIN) has unveiled the fourth project to be funded through its 2020 Closed Competition. Evaluation and Improvement of Economic, Environmental and Logistical Benefits of Autonomous Agricultural Equipment Operation for Broad Acre Crop Production is the second Olds College submission to be approved.

General News The Spring/Summer 2021 Edition of Horizons is Now Available! The latest edition of Horizons magazine is now available. We are always searching for new and interesting stories to feature about our alumni in Horizons.

AgSmart 2021 Celebrates Its Second Edition From autonomous farm equipment and livestock digital imagery demos to expert educational sessions, food trucks and beer gardens, AgSmart 2021 had something for everyone.

General News New Vice President of Corporate Services and Chief Financial Officer Announced Olds College is pleased to announce Connie Young has been selected as the new Vice President of Corporate Services and Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

General News Olds College updates Strategic Plan, Growing 2025 The College’s strategic plan was produced in 2018 to provide a clear direction for the College centred around growth and achieving our social purpose of “transforming agriculture for a better world.” In 2021, the College reviewed the plan, to assess the achievements to date and in some cases to set new targets.

BASF Digital Farming commits $300,000 in support of HyperLayer Data Concept BASF Digital Farming has announced a $300,000 donation to Olds College, as part of its three-year commitment to support the Olds College Smart Farm.

General News Olds College Launches Microcredentials Olds College launches microcredentials in horticulture production, cannabis retail, and beverage production. A microcredential is a short-term, flexible certification that recognizes a specific skill, learning outcome or competency that allows learners to quickly develop job specific skills.

General News Field Crop Development Centre Sets Strategic Direction In January, 2021 the Field Crop Development Centre transitioned from the ministry of Alberta Agriculture and Forestry to Olds College. Focused on developing enhanced cereal varieties for feed, forage, malt, food and bio-industrial uses, the FCDC research program is made up of plant breeding, pathology, quality and biotechnology development.

General News Barley Trail Wins Bronze at Alberta Beer Awards The Olds College Brewery took home multiple awards at the 2021 Alberta Beer Awards, winning Silver in the American-Style Wheat Beer category with Hay City, as well as taking Bronze with Barley Trail in the All-Alberta Malt category.

General News Olds College Welcomes Paul Thiel as New Thought Leader in Smart Agriculture The Thought Leader is an advisor, connector and collaborator for Olds College and Canada’s Smart Agriculture Ecosystem. The role is designed to engage an individual for a two to three year period, as a way to support Olds College’s engagement and leadership in education, training and applied research in agriculture and technology.

General News Federal and Provincial Ministers of Agriculture Tour Olds College Smart Farm The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Federal Minister of Agriculture and newly appointed Alberta Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Economic Development, Nate Horner, toured the Olds College Smart Farm to learn more about the industry-led, agriculture technology applied research taking place at the College.

General News Olds College and University of Saskatchewan Sign Research MOU Two of Canada’s leaders in agriculture and agri-food education and applied research, Olds College and University of Saskatchewan (USask), have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to collaborate in joint activities related to automation and increased incorporation of digital data in agriculture.

General News Olds College joins Canada’s Food & Agri-Tech Engine Smart farming pioneer Olds College, one of Canada’s leading agricultural schools, is partnering with Bioenterprise, Canada’s Food & Agri-Tech Engine, to strengthen national agricultural innovation opportunities.

General News Olds College and Swedish University of Agriculture sign student exchange MOU Olds College signed a five-year memorandum of understanding with Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) to facilitate student exchange between the two institutions.

General News Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Canada and Embassy Members Tour the Smart Farm Olds College was pleased to welcome H.E. the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Canada, Akylbek Kamaldinov, and members from the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Canada including visitors from the Canada Eurasia Russia Business Association (CERBA) and Condor Petroleum.

General News The Sky’s the Limit with TELUS Agriculture Since investing $1 million in the Olds College Smart Farm one year ago, TELUS Agriculture has been collaborating with the College to develop and accelerate agriculture technology while supporting the next generation of agriculture talent — Olds College students.