2023 | Olds College of Agriculture & Technology

Introducing New Board Members with the Fall Term Start As we embark on the Fall 2023 term at Olds College of Agriculture & Technology, we extend a warm welcome to not only new students joining our campus community but also esteemed individuals who have joined as new members of our Board of Governors.

Agriculture, Agriculture Technology, Research, Smart Farm Celebrating Another Successful AgSmart

On August 1 & 2, 2023, Olds College of Agriculture & Technology welcomed more than 3,100 people for its fourth in-person AgSmart event. This two-day educational expo focused on agriculture technology and data across the sector — how to gather it and how to use it to enhance productivity and profits.

Alumni 2023 Hall of Fame & Merit Award Winners Inducted On August 2, 2023 at AgSmart an Induction Ceremony was held to celebrate the 2023 Hall of Fame and Hall of Merit award winners. The ceremony was held in the hosting tent at AgSmart with over 50 friends, family, and fellow alumni of the award winners. The awards were presented by Michael Frankiw, Alumni Association President and the event was emceed by Debbie Thompson, Vice President of Academics. In addition, Ben Cecil, President of Olds College, welcomed everyone in attendance and congratulated the award winners.

Two people in a tall field of green barley look at a few plants that one of them is holding.

Smart Farm Empowering the Future of Agriculture: HGV and Olds College Form Strategic Alliance

Olds College of Agriculture & Technology and Hebert Grain Ventures solidify their collaboration on strategic initiatives aimed at driving innovation and growth in the Alberta and Saskatchewan ag industry.

Agriculture Olds College and Nufarm announce partnership to drive innovation in Canadian Agriculture

Olds College of Agriculture & Technology and Nufarm Agriculture Inc. have signed an official agreement to collaborate in the research, development, and testing of agriculture technologies and products at the Olds College Smart Farm. This partnership marks the first Nufarm technology development station established in Canada, and a significant milestone in the advancement of commercial scale applied research in support of Canada’s agriculture and food sectors.

Researcher on the Smart Farm conducting forage testing

Agriculture Technology AGTECH ACCELERATOR and Olds College Sign MOU to Establish Agtech Hub in Alberta and Saskatchewan With connection to AGTECH ACCELERATOR, a venture-backed accelerator program founded by Cultivator powered by Conexus, Emmertech, and Economic Development Regina (EDR), this strategic collaboration is poised to drive innovation in agriculture, smart agriculture services, products, applied research initiatives, training, and demonstrations, fostering a more resilient and innovative agricultural sector.

Smart Farm Olds College Announces Discovery Farm Woodstock has joined the Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network Olds College of Agriculture & Technology is pleased to announce Discovery Farm Woodstock has joined the Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network. This addition to the network brings total membership to eight smart farms across four provinces working collaboratively towards advancing ag tech solutions and sustainability across Canada.

AFSC Group posing for a photo at AgSmart after Partner of the Year announcement

General Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC) Named 2023 Partner of the Year Olds College of Agriculture & Technology is delighted to announce that Agriculture Financial Services Corporation (AFSC) has been named Partner of the Year for 2023. This recognition celebrates AFSC's exceptional collaboration and significant contributions to the agriculture and agri-food industry in Alberta.

Agriculture Technology, General, Smart Farm Celebrating 5 years on the Smart Farm

To celebrate five years on the Smart Farm, we're thrilled to present the 2023 Smart Farm Impact Report to showcase our industry-driven applied research, education and training — and the positive impact we’re making in Canada’s ag industry and beyond.

Agriculture Technology RBC Foundation supports Olds College with $150,000 investment in Controlled Environment Agriculture The RBC Foundation has committed $150,000 to Olds College of Agriculture & Technology with the aim of promoting and advancing research and innovation in the field of controlled environment agriculture (CEA). This generous funding will play a pivotal role in the development of educational resources, training materials, and essential infrastructure for the creation of CEA programs.

Agriculture Technology, General Rocky Mountain Equipment Loans Olds College New Heavy Equipment Thanks to Rocky Mountain Equipment (RME) for a generous loan on equipment, Olds College of Agriculture & Technology is excited to welcome three new pieces of heavy equipment to campus.

Honouring Black History in Alberta Every February, people in Canada are invited to participate in Black History Month festivities and events that honour the legacy of Black Canadians and their communities. The prairies have a rich history of Black Canadians who helped establish the agriculture industry, right here in Alberta.

The Winter/Spring 2023 Edition of Horizons is Now Available! Horizons is the College's bi-annual, educational magazine about smart ag technologies, applied research activities, food production, innovations in farming and agricultural experiences. The latest edition of Horizons magazine is now available.

Olds College Welcomes New Dean, School of Trades & Skills Olds College of Agriculture & Technology is pleased to welcome Dennis Beaudoin into the role of Dean of the School of Trades and Skills. Beaudoin most recently served as the Associate Dean within the School of Trades and Skills at Olds College, and previous to that was Dean of Trades and Technologies at Medicine Hat College.

Agriculture, Agriculture Technology, General, Research Olds College is One of Canada’s Top 10 Research Colleges Olds College of Agriculture & Technology has been named in the top 10 of Canada’s Top 50 Research Colleges according to Research Infosource Inc. The continued growth of the Smart Ag Ecosystem and applied research activities on the Olds College Smart Farm launched the College into the top 10 this year.

Manitoba Beef & Forage joins the Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network

Students Gain International Business Skills with X-Culture Earlier this fall, five agribusiness students gained valuable international business experience by participating in a unique global experiential learning project — X-Culture.

Olds College Brewmaster Wins Bronze in Iron Brewer Competition Olds College of Agriculture & Technology instructor and brewmaster, Jason Popesku, won bronze in the 2023 Iron Brewer Competition during the Jasper Beer & Spirits Festival on Feb. 12, 2023.

Accepting Applications for New Seed Varieties at FCDC

The Field Crop Development Center (FCDC) at the Olds College of Agriculture & Technology is now accepting applications to license new seed varieties.

Alumni Establishes Mentor Program for Women in Turf After experiencing workplace harassment, Olds College of Agriculture & Technology alumni Morgan Creighton, decided to make it her passion to help mentor and guide young women navigating a career in the turfgrass industry.

Balancing Academics and Athletics: How One Student-Athlete's Dedication Led to Success Despite the challenge of balancing academics and athletics, Tabitha Martin, outside hitter on the Broncos Women’s Volleyball team, has proven that anything is possible this spring as she graduates from her fourth program at Olds College of Agriculture & Technology.

General, Hospitality, Tourism, Brewery and Meat Processing ‘Crushing It’: Introducing the 8th Annual International Women’s Day Brew The eighth annual International Women's Day Brew has been unveiled by the Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management diploma program's first and second year students. The limited edition beer,aptly named 'Crushing It,' is a sessional cold IPA with an abundance of hop flavor, using Yakima Chief Pink Boots Blend.

Agriculture Technology AgTech Invitational Inspires Future AgTech Leaders

Winner Announcement: 2023 UFA Student Pitch Competition United Farmers of Alberta Co-operative Ltd. (UFA) and Olds College of Agriculture & Technology are pleased to announce the winner of the 2023 UFA Student Pitch Competition is Justin Andersen.

Olds Classic Horseshoeing Contest Returns After a three year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the long-running Olds Classic Horseshoeing Contest returned to the McLellan Arena on the Olds College of Agriculture & Technology campus. The event, which has been running since 1982, was presented by North 49 Farriers and featured 48 competitors in the two-day contest, and 60 participants in the clinic which took place the day before

OMNiPOWER 3200 on the Olds College Smart Farm. Left to right: Shannon Oude Egberink, Research Assistant and student, Olds College; Roy Maki, Research Project Manager, Olds College; Caleb Janz, Service Technician, Raven; and Ashutosh Singh, Data Scientist, Olds College.

Agriculture Technology Raven Gifts Olds College a Brand New OMNiPOWER 3200 Platform On Monday, April 3, the Raven team arrived on Olds College campus to deliver the brand new OMNiPOWER 3200 model — featuring a sleek and onyx new appearance. Raven connected with Olds College Centre for Innovation (OCCI) earlier in the year with its generous offer to exchange the College’s 2019 OMNiPOWER platform for the 2022 upgraded model — completely free of charge.

Alumni, Campus, General Olds College Welcomes New Vice Presidents to Executive Leadership Team Olds College of Agriculture and Technology is pleased to welcome Dr. Joy Agnew into the role of Vice President, Research, Dr. Peter Mal into the role of Vice President, Student Experience, and Mr. Todd Ormann into the role of Vice President, Development.

The Importance of Patience in Spring Gardening: Letting Nature Take its Course When spring finally arrives we are often very anxious to get in the garden to prepare for a summer of blooming flowers and vast expanses of green. One can hardly be blamed for wanting to get in the garden after a long dark and cold winter. However, too early a start on spring cleaning can have negative effects on the insects we rely on for a healthy garden.

General Leaders in learning join forces to share unique programming for all students in Central Alberta Educators focused on ensuring rich career path-way experiences for K-12 students are applauding the provincial government’s investment into a multi-partner Central Alberta Collegiate Institute (CACI) programming model.

Agriculture, Animal Health, General, Hospitality, Tourism, Brewery and Meat Processing, Research Olds College is Pleased to Offer its First Purebred Red Angus Bulls for Sale Olds College of Agriculture & Technology is pleased to be offering the first purebred Red Angus cattle for private sale since the initial donation of the Red Angus herd in 2020. The College has three Red Angus herd bull prospects ready to be sold to the public.

Trades Students and Rotary Club Improve Communities at Home and Abroad Olds College of Agriculture & Technology trades students have shown their commitment to serving the community by providing their skilled services to the Rotary Club of Olds. Their contributions to the Rotary Club include working on two separate projects aimed at improving the lives of families in Alberta and Mexico.

New Student Space Unveiled with Generous Grant from CPA Education Foundation The School of Life Science & Business at Olds College of Agriculture and Technology is proud to announce the grand opening of its new student space, thanks to the generous contribution of a $20,000 grant from the CPA Education Foundation of Alberta. The grant is providing students studying at the School of Life Science & Business with access to increased technology and collaborative workspace, enhancing the curriculum and their learning experience.

Spring Unveils Voles' Winter Damage: Prevention Tips The arrival of spring brings much hope and anticipation of warm temperatures, outdoor sports and leisure activities, abundant wildlife in the yard and garden, and pleasureful days in the sun. It may also bring a sense of dread as we wonder what lies beneath the melting snow on our lawns and in our gardens. Often is the case that when the snow recedes there is revealed a wasteland of damage and destruction wrought by voles.

High School Students Discover Olds College at Annual Discovery Day Over five-hundred high school students, teachers and parents attended Olds College of Agriculture & Technology to learn about program offerings and experience our campus for Discovery Day! Attendees travelled from all over Canada – Quebec to British Columbia – along with 14 Alberta high schools.

Agriculture Technology Olds College Announces EMILI has joined the Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network Olds College of Agriculture & Technology is pleased to announce Enterprise Machine Intelligence & Learning Initiative (EMILI) is bringing Innovation Farms Powered by AgExpert into the Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network. The network currently has six members across three different provinces in Canada working collaboratively towards advancing ag tech solutions and sustainability across Canada.

Olds College Welcomes Hon. Ted Menzies as New Board Chair Olds College of Agriculture & Technology is pleased to announce the appointment of the Hon. Ted Menzies, P.C., as the new Chair of the Olds College Board of Governors by the Government of Alberta Ministry of Advanced Education. Menzies has been a member of the Board since 2020, bringing extensive experience and expertise in the agri-food sector, international trade, and public service.

Olds College Continues to Celebrate Pride As today marks the beginning of Pride Month, Olds College of Agriculture & Technology renews our commitment to promoting Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) on our campus.

Agriculture Technology Lethbridge College has joined the Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network Olds College of Agriculture & Technology is pleased to announce Lethbridge College has joined the Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network. The network currently has seven members across three different provinces in Canada working collaboratively towards advancing ag tech solutions and sustainability across Canada.

General Olds College Celebrates 108th Graduating Class Congratulations to the 108th graduating class of Olds College of Agriculture & Technology!

Agriculture, Smart Farm Risk Planning for the Crop Season

Smart Farm Highlighting the Research Team at the Technology Access Center for Livestock Production (TACLP)

Smart Farm Using Drones and Machine Learning for Lodging Assessment Having the tools that allow an accurate lodging assessment, especially at field scale levels, is essential.

Smart Farm Highlighting Crop Research & Environmental Stewardship Teams With 3,600 acres of farmland to work with, the Crop Research team at Olds College of Agriculture & Technology is able to perform in-field crop research with small plots trials and full-field commercial scale investigations.

Alumni Dr. Jay Cross Awarded the 2023 Olds College Honorary Degree Olds College of Agriculture & Technology is pleased to announce the recipient of the 2023 Olds College Honorary Degree — Dr. Jay Cross, for his outstanding contributions to veterinary medicine and education.

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