News

For more than a decade, Ontario farmers, policymakers, investors, and agricultural professionals have relied on the Ontario Farmland Value and Rental Value Survey for insights into farmland prices, rental rates, and market dynamics across the province. The lack of publicly available information on farmland rental rates was one of the primary drivers behind the first survey in 2016.  

Dr. Kari Dunfield, professor in the School of Environmental Sciences, Ontario Agricultural College (OAC) has received $3,920,000 from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) Alliance Advantage program. The governments of Canada and Ontario, as well as industry partners contributed an additional $1,960,000 in funding and $143,695 of in-kind support. 

The University of Guelph has achieved a major milestone in the 2026 QS Subject Rankings, with its agriculture and forestry programs now ranked #1 in Canada (tied with UBC) and 14th in the world. This is the first time U of G has placed in the global top 15.

The University of Guelph Department of Food Science is hosting a hands-on Food Science Summer Camp from July 27 to 31, 2026, giving high school students a chance to explore the science behind the foods they love.

Congratulations to Professor Yu Na Lee

On behalf of the Department of Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics (FARE), we are delighted to congratulate Professor Yu Na Lee on being awarded both the 2025 SSHRC Insight Grant (IG) and the Insight Development Grant (IDG). This exceptional achievement reflects Professor Lee’s scholarly excellence and the profound relevance and impact of her research.

A renewed $1.3 million investment from Egg Farmers of Canada (EFC) ensures poultry welfare research at the University of Guelph will continue to guide animal care standards and inform management decision. 

Looking to brush up on your agri-food terminology? The Ontario Agricultural College has launched a new collaboration with UTENSIL, an online learning platform designed to support students prepare for careers in Canada’s agri-food sector.

Ontario’s dry bean industry is set to benefit from new research capacity and training expertise with the appointment of crop scientist Dr. Irish Pabuayon as the professor in dry bean agronomy.

The Ontario Agricultural College’s Department of Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics (FARE) is welcoming three new faculty members whose work examines some of the biggest challenges facing food systems today: how food gets from farm to table, how climate change is affecting agriculture and communities, and how environmental and agricultural policy can better protect natural resources and improve human welfare. 

The Ontario Agricultural College (OAC) is proud to celebrate four alumni who have been named among the 2026 inductees to the Ontario Agricultural Hall of Fame, recognizing their lasting contributions to the province’s agri-food sector. 

This year’s alumni inductees are Dr. Helen Fisher (posthumous), Percy Hodgetts (posthumous), Brian O’Connor, and The Honourable Robert Black.