AG e-news June 18, 2018
News and events from the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences
News and events from the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences
UPCOMING EVENTS
Wednesday, June 20 – There will be a public presentation by candidates for an NSERC IRC position in Grain Quality Management. Colin Gilmore, Founder and Chief Technology Officer, 151Research Inc., will present “Overview and Implications of Electromagnetic Imaging in Grain Bins” from 10:30 – 11:30 am in E2-350 EITC.
Thursday, June 21 – There will be a public presentation by candidates for an NSERC IRC position in Grain Quality Management. Mohammad Asefi, Director of Research, 151Research Inc., will present “OStored Grain Quality Management Using Radio-wave Imaging and Novel Sensing Technologies” from 10:30 – 11:30 am in E2-350 EITC.
Friday, June 22 – There will be a public presentation by candidates for an NSERC IRC position in Grain Quality Management. Chandra B. Singh, Associate Professor-Stored Grains Engineering, University of South Australia, will present “Managing Stored Grain for Optimum Quality” from 10:30 – 11:30 am in E2-350 EITC.
Tuesday, June 26 – There will be a Department of Soil Science M.Sc. Thesis Defence at 2:00 pm in 344 Ellis Building. Ruidong Mi will present “Microbiological quality of drinking water from First Nations communities in Manitoba”.
Tuesday, June 26 – This will be the first of three Organic and Ecological Farming Field Walks organized by the Natural Systems Agriculture group. Join them in Libau, MB, from 6:00 to 7:30 PM, where the walk will explore growing organic wheat, flax, soybean and alfalfa in very low soil P conditions – effects of struvite on the crop and weeds; effect of residual P on green manure growth and nodulation; effect of historical manure application on green manure growth and nodulation; and no-till organic wheat seeded into cover crops – weed control options. Directions: 1 km east of highway 59 on Road 84N (40 km north of Winnipeg). Site is on the north side of the road.
Wednesday, June 27 – The inaugural Food Systems Research Group Graduate Student Symposium takes place at the University of Manitoba. Registration is open and all are welcome to attend! Want to learn more about research taking place at the UofM on our shared food system? Visit the F3S website at https://uomfssc.wordpress.com/home/ to register today!
July 10-19 – Registration for the Crop Diagnostic School held at the Ian N. Morrison Research Farm is now open. The full day sessions will be offered from July 10 – 13 and July 17 – 19. The staff and student day on July 10, as well as July 11, 12, and 18 are now FULL. For more information see http://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/crops/crop-diagnostic-services/manitoba-crop-diagnostic-school.html. Please call 204-745-5663 and register with Courtney Enns.
July 14 – August 25 – Check out the summer family events Saturdays (and one Thursday) at the Bruce D. Campbell Farm & Food Discovery Centre, beginning with an Insect Investigation on Saturday, July 14. Cost: $5.00 + GST per person over 5 years old; $3.50 + GST per child 3-4 years old. Call 204-883-2524 or email ffdc [at] umanitoba [dot] ca for more information. See the entire summer schedule at http://umanitoba.ca/faculties/afs/discovery_centre/events.html.
Tuesday, July 17 – SMART Day and WADO Tour in Melita from 9:00 am to 2:30 pm. Join us to sharpen your soybean and pea agronomy skills and tour WADO research plots! For more information and registration information, please visit: manitobapulse.ca/events/smart-day
Thursday, July 19 – SMART Day and PESAI Tour in Arborg from 9:00 am to 12:30 pm with lunch to follow. Tour PESAI research plots and learn more about the latest pulse and soybean research! For more information and registration information, please visit: manitobapulse.ca/events/smart-day
Wednesday, July 25 – Crops-A-Palooza is is a one day, hands on, free, in-field learning interactive event that brings together the best research and agronomy extension professionals and farmers to learn how to grow the best crops. Several Faculty members will present including Rob Gulden, Amy Mangin, Megan Bourns, Don Flaten and Kristen MacMillan. This free event runs 9:00 am – 3:00 pm in Portage la Prairie. Learn more and register online at https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/crops-a-palooza-2018-registration-45358067200.
Thursday, July 26 – This will be the second of three Organic and Ecological Farming Field Walks organized by the Natural Systems Agriculture group. Join them in Glenlea, MB, from 2:30 to 4:30 PM, where the walk will explore long-term organic vs. conventional rotation plots – focus on weeds, soil health and economics (year 27); manure application in organic systems to restore crop productivity and soil carbon; restoring poor-performing organic grain-only plots by intensifying green manure additions; and testing oat varieties under organic production (conventional oat varieties and organically bred oat varieties). Directions: Turn west off Hwy 75 at “Research Station Road” at the Glenlea research farm (20 km south of Winnipeg) and follow signs.
Thursday, August 9 – This will be the third of three Organic and Ecological Farming Field Walks organized by the Natural Systems Agriculture group. Join them in Carman, MB, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm, where the walk will explore mechanical weed control in cereals, dry edible beans and green manures. Includes in-crop tillage, CombCut and inter-row tillage; grazing warm-season cover crops and cover crop mixtures; testing oat varieties under organic production (conventional oat varieties and organically bred oat varieties); seed increases of farmer-bred wheat lines – what are the possibilities for farmers to breed and market their own varieties?; using spring fallow to control Canada thistle; and moisture conservation in organic cropping systems. Directions: 1.8 km west of the junction of Hwy 3 and 13 at Carman.
August 12-17 – The International Biotechnology Symposium themed “Supporting a Healthy World” will be held in Montreal and is co-organized by the National Research Council of Canada, McGill University, the University of Waterloo, and BIOTECanada. From disease-resistant crops to vaccines that keep livestock healthy, biotechnology has a big role to play in the sustainable development of our natural resources. This event is held every two years in a different country. IBS2018 is a great opportunity for science faculty and grad students to attend, network, and present their latest research. The early bird registration discount ends July 3. See details at http://www.ibs2018montreal.org/en/index.html.
September 13 – There will be an NSERC Scholarships and Fellowships Information Session in the Senate Chamber Room – E3-262 Engineering from 9 am to 12 noon. NSERC staff will give a presentation on how to prepare a scholarship or fellowship application. Please register for a spot at https://manitobagrad.hobsonsradius.com/ssc/eform/N70B0GC0M00kx6700tBal.ssc
September 29 – There is a pre-ISNN-conference course add-on entitled “Precision Nutrition in Practice” which is hosted by Dr Martin Kohlmeier and Olivia Dong. Cost: $125 (plus 5% GST). Details and registration at www.isnn2018.org.
September 30-October 3 – Save the date for the 12th Congress 2018 International Society of Nutrigenetics-Nutrigenomics which will take place in Winnipeg, MB. The Scientific Program will include presentations from internationally renowned speakers on cutting edge areas of research and new discoveries in genetics/genomics, and nutrition. Check out the website at www.isnn2018.org. (See call for abstracts in General News below)
November 27-28 – Presented by the Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association, the Regenerative Agriculture Conference themed “Adapting to Today’s Food and Farming World” will be held at the Victoria Inn in Brandon, highlighting opportunities to boost farm profits using farm systems and ground level-thinking that enhances available natural resources such as healthy soil and intact grasslands. The conference will feature speakers from across North America, including Martin Entz, Plant Science, who will discuss and demonstrate how livestock and grain farmers can apply the principles of regenerative agriculture. Learn more and register at https://mfga.net/conference/.
STAFF AND STUDENT NEWS
At the University of Manitoba Spring Convocation on June 7, 122 undergraduate students, 13 M.Sc. and 7 Ph.D. students from the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences received their parchments from Dean Karin Wittenberg. Human Nutritional Sciences student Hannah Chan received the University Gold Medal in Agricultural and Food Sciences as well as the Lieutenant Governor’s Gold Medal. Program medals were presented to Luc Ouelette (Agriculture), Karine Ferguson (Agroecology), Connor Brooks (Food Science) and Colleen Rempel (Human Nutritional Sciences). (No Agribusiness medal was given in 2018)
Ryan Cardwell, Agribusiness and Agricultural Economics, was presented with the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA) Teaching Award of Merit and Hooman Derakhshani, Animal Science, and Zhiwei Zeng, Biosystems Engineering, were selected to receive the Graduate Student Teaching Award of Merit. These awards are given annually to individuals who excel in teaching an agricultural discipline. See photos of the winners at https://www.facebook.com/UMFAFS/posts/1963732807270315
Nancy Ames, adjunct professor in Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, was recently presented with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Science, which recognizes individuals or groups or teams who made a significant contribution to an invention and/or the advancement and enhancement of a new idea or process. She was awarded the Prize for her pioneering research in food barley which culminated with her strategic initiative to pursue a therapeutic health claim for barley based on its cholesterol lowering properties. Nancy was presented with the award by Dr. Liz Foster, Director General for Science and Technology Branch-Prairie Region on June 12 during the National Public Service Week.
Food and Human Nutritional Sciences post-doctoral fellow Erin Goldberg, who works at the St. Boniface Hospital Albrechtsen Research Centre and is the co-founder of Winnipeg-based ViTal Functional Foods, recently received the Social Mitacs Entrepreneur Award for a food replacement beverage aimed at patients in hospitals. The awards celebrate start-up companies founded by outstanding former Mitacs interns, postdoctoral fellows, and training participants, who have gone to lead their respective fields as entrepreneurs. Her product Thrive is a plant-based formula that is high in energy protein and fibre, low in sugar and free of allergens. In addition to the award, she will receive $5,000 towards her business. See In the News below for links to stories about Erin’s award and product.
The Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences welcomes Michele Landon who will be working in the Ellis building as office support. She comes to us from the Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, Ongomiizwin Education where she demonstrated her skill in organizing and coordinating different projects and events. Some of her duties will involve doing all of the EPIC ordering for the department, student appointments and work orders for the Ellis building. Michelle can be reached at Michele [dot] Landon [at] umanitoba [dot] ca or 474-9621. Welcome Michele!
The Glenlea Research Station annouces that Murry Friesen has been appointed to the new Research and Operations Equipment Technician 3 position at the Glenlea Research Station as of June 6. Murry is no stranger to the Station as he was with the Dairy and Ruminant Teams for over 10.5 years. In his new role Murry reports to the Operations Manager and is responsible for the oversight of the equipment inventory and the repair, maintenance and fabrication of tools and equipment to support the on-site research activities.
Trust Beta, Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, attended the Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology’s 2018 Annual National Conference held at Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON, from May 27 to 29. She gave two presentations entitled “Biodegradable film packaging from Amazon tumeric starch” co-authored with Polyanna Silveria Hornung, and “Nutritional composition and antioxidant properties of coloured cowpeas” co-authored with Franklin Apea-Bah, Kabo Masisi, Victoria Ndolo, and Mangani Katundu.
Miyoung Suh, Food and Human Nutritional Sciences, presented at TEDxWinnipeg on June 13 on the topic “Farming to the Sky: Thinking Upward for Nutrition in the North”. Read more at http://news.umanitoba.ca/three-u-of-m-professors-to-speak-at-tedxwinnipeg/.
Rob Currie, Entomology, was a guest speaker at the June edition of Conversations and Celebrations series hosted by Lt.-Gov. Janice Filmon. The theme of the event was “Bee Project Manitoba” and explored the role of bees and other pollinators in our ecosystems.
Argenis Rodas-González, Animal Science, and Claudia Narvaez-Bravo, Food and Human Nutritional Sciences gave a talk on topics related to beef quality and food safety at the Beef up Beef workshop on April 28 in Swan River, MB, sponsored by Canada 4-H Manitoba.
Argenis Rodas-González, his graduate students Vipasha Sood, Dipana Maharjan and Mahmudual Hassan, and undergraduate summer student Meara Munn-Patterson participated as judges of a beef carcass quality competition on May 8 in Swan River, MB, sponsored by the Minitonas 4-H Beef Club. This kind of activity provides to the 4-H members the opportunity to increase knowledge of the linkages between beef production, marketing, and consumer choices.
Two members of the Department of Agribusiness and Agricultural Economics are presenting at the 25th annual Farming for Profit conference in Moose Jaw June 24-25. Derek Brewin is presenting “Changes in Grain Related Rail Regulation: 2017/18 and Beyond” and Jared Carlberg, Associate Dean (Academic), is presenting “What’s Happening in Prairie Farmland Markets?”
Peter Jones, Richardson Centre for Functional Foods and Nutracueticals attended the American Society for Nutrition 2018 in Boston June 9-11 where he presented “Fatty Acid Best Practices: Laboratory Analysis and Reporting”. Peter also attended the XVIII International Symposium on Atherosclerosis on June 12 where he chaired a session on Nutraceuticals; New Directions and presented “Best practices for evaluation of nutraceuticals as preventive and therapeutic agents”.
IN THE NEWS
Kateryn Rochon, Etnomology, was interviewed in the story “Are ticks increasing in southern Manitoba?” on PembinaValley Online (June 18) – https://pembinavalleyonline.com/local/are-ticks-increasing-in-southern-manitoba.
Alumni Jake Ayre and Lucette Badiou were featured in the article “Impressing Mom and Dad” in the Country Guide (June 12) – https://www.country-guide.ca/2018/06/12/how-to-show-your-parents-youre-ready-to-take-over-the-farm/
Research by Ryan Cardwell and Chad Lawley, Agribusiness and Agricultural Economics, was featured in a Toronto Sun (June 12) story “Canada’s supply management system hurts the poor” – http://torontosun.com/opinion/columnists/agar-canadas-supply-management-system-hurts-the-poor.
Ryan also conducted eight interviews with CBC radio stations on Tuesday about Canada’s supply management policies and international trade with the US. Stations included Calgary, Winnipeg, Cape Breton, New Brunswick, Ottawa, Halifax, St. John’s and Sudbury.
Derek Brewin, Agribusiness and Agricultural Economics, was quoted in the article “Wheat Class Modernization: What, When Why and How” in Germination (June 2018) – http://germination.ca/wheat-class-modernization/
Derek was also interviewed for the article “Proposal says end MRE, wheat grading” in the Manitoba Co-operator (June 7) – https://www.manitobacooperator.ca/news-opinion/news/proposal-says-end-mre-wheat-grading/
Derek was interviewed in the Winnipeg Free Press (May 29) in the article “Manitoba farmers reap benefits of record year” – (behind paywall) https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/manitoba-farmers-reap-benefits-of-record-year-483906793.html. (Did you know that University of Manitoba UMnet users can log in to read the Winnipeg Free Press? Visit http://umanitoba.ca/libraries/ and search for Winnipeg Free Press)
Digvir Jayas, vice president (research and international) and Distinguished Professor, Biosystems Engineering, was interviewed for the article “Deep learning methods guide computers to insect identification” in the Western Producer (June 7) – https://www.producer.com/2018/06/deep-learning-methods-guide-computers-to-insect-identification/.
Erin Goldberg was featured in the following stories about her Social Mitacs Entrepreneur Award and her meal replacement beverage – CTV (click on Tuesday, June 12) https://winnipeg.ctvnews.ca/mobile/features/medicalwatch; https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/business/winnipegger-thrives-with-tasty-supplement-creation-484658983.html; http://winnipegsun.com/news/local-news/young-entrepreneur-honoured-for-better-tasting-food-replacement; https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/canadian-entrepreneurs-recognized-for-innovations-in-health-food-and-environment-684713171.html
PUBLICATIONS
Mkhabela, M.S., Bullock, P.R. and Sapirstein, H.D. 2018. Characterising the most critical climatic parameters that impact the quality of spring-wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) on the Canadian Prairies using Partial Least Squares (PLS) analysis. Journal of Cereal Science 81: 44-51.
Kokulan, V., Akinremi, O., Moulin, A.P. and Kumaragamage, D. 2018. Importance of terrain attributes in relation to the spatial distribution of soil properties at the micro scale: a case study. Can. J. Soil Sci. 98: 292–305.
GENERAL NEWS
Call for Abstracts for ISNN2018 – Present your latest discoveries! The 12th Congress of the International Society of Nutrigenetics-Nutrigenomics is September 30-October 2. All abstracts will be published in Lifestyle Genomics. Abstract deadline has been extended to August 15. Check out the preliminary program online and submit your abstract today for one of the 10 sessions – www.isnn2018.org.
Applications for the 2018 Support Staff Learning Exchange are being accepted until June 29. The Support Staff Endowment Fund Committee (SSEF) and Learning and Organizational Development are excited to invite you to join us for the 20th annual Support Staff Learning Exchange (SSLE) to the University of Saskatchewan. This program has been designed to support your professional development and enhance the network of individuals you share ideas with in your unit. Exchange ideas with counterparts at the University of Saskatchewan, learn how colleagues administer programs and services and bring back lessons learned. The learning exchange takes place in the fall, from October 18th to 21st. The program is financially supported by the Support Staff Endowment Fund (SSEF), and by the participant’s own department. Applications will be considered if you have the support of your department/faculty to cover the cost of your trip (approx. $775). Application form is at http://umanitoba.ca/staff/endowment/media/SSEF_2018_Exchange_Application_Form.pdf.