Grenfell Campus will partner with the Department of Natural Resources, Agriculture Development Branch and the Research Development Corporation in a one-day agrifoods symposium in Corner Brook.

On Nov. 23, Our Food, Our Future: Growing the Agriculture Industry in Newfoundland and Labrador, will take place at the Greenwood Inn and Suites.This invitational symposium will offer academic leaders, researchers and agricultural experts an opportunity to discuss strengths and challenges as the province moves toward an innovative, profitable and sustainable agriculture industry.

President Gary Kachanoski will open the event as well as participate in a panel presentation. Dr. Kachanoski is a renowned soil scientist, having served as president of the Canadian Society of Soil Science and editor of the Canadian Journal of Soil Science. He is a fellow of both the Canadian Society of Soil Science and Soil Science Society of America, and has been inducted into the Canadian Conservation Hall of Fame for his work with rural communities and farm organizations. 

“The agrifoods industry is important to me as a researcher, but it is even more so to Memorial University,” said Dr. Kachanoski. “Memorial is making strides to be a leader in research and development in this field. With our recent announcement of the new environmental and agricultural lab for Grenfell Campus, we are well positioned to support the research needs of this industry.”

Earlier this year, the provincial Department of Natural Resources released its new agriculture and agrifoods strategy, Our Farms, Our Food, Our Future, which aims to provide direction to strengthen the agriculture industry in Newfoundland and Labrador. Copies of the strategy will be available at the symposium or by visiting www.gov.nl.ca/nr/publications/agrifoods.

Participants in the symposium will hear about current agricultural research being conducted in the province as well as provincial agricultural research priorities. The symposium aims to foster partnerships among various agencies and organizations and to generate next steps and actionable items.