Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

U of Guelph Closing Kemptville and Alfred Ag College Campuses?

I was sorry to hear that the University of Guelph is planning to close the two agriculture colleges.

I thought agriculture enrollment was increasing.

Were these colleges losing money?  Would seem to be the rationale for closing them?

Any information?

 

Views: 587

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by OntAG Admin on March 12, 2014 at 6:27am

U of G Consolidating Regional Campus Programs

March 12, 2014 - News Release

The University of Guelph will consolidate the academic and research programs delivered at its Kemptville and Alfred campuses in order to improve efficiency, ensure quality and best serve the agri-food sector, said U of G president Alastair Summerlee.

“We are operating in an era of scarce resources,” Summerlee said. “We must make difficult decisions together with changes that minimize duplication and preserve programs that are unique and central to our mission.”

The University also has an important responsibility to help sustain the productivity and vitality of Ontario’s agriculture and food industry, Summerlee said. “This requires us to respond to current and future challenges while meeting the needs of an evolving sector.”

As part of the consolidation plan, intake to academic programs at the Alfred and Kemptville campuses will be suspended for the fall 2014 semester. The University’s Ridgetown Campus will remain open.

Delivery of academic programs at the two campuses will cease by the end of 2015. Currently registered students at both campuses will be able to complete their programs.

The University is working with other Francophone institutions in the area as well as various Ontario government ministries to explore opportunities to offer similar programs for Ontario students who have applied for fall admission in Eastern Ontario.

Research projects at Alfred and Kemptville will be completed or relocated to Guelph or Ridgetown by the end of 2015.

The University is expected to continue to manage field crops research facilities at Alfred and Kemptville. Programs delivered through the New Liskeard Agricultural Research Station will remain unaffected for the immediate future.

Improved efficiencies will allow the University to reinvest in strategic areas that further support Ontario’s agri-food sector, including new research appointments at the Guelph campus, Summerlee said.

U of G has managed research and education programs and related facilities at Alfred and Kemptville since 1997.

Despite efforts over the past several years to introduce new revenue-generating educational programs and attract new students, enrolment at both campuses remains stagnant while operating costs have increased. Costs per full-time equivalent student are substantially higher at these campuses, Summerlee said.

Only 61 students are registered at the Alfred campus, with approximately half coming from outside Ontario.

At Kemptville, 128 students are enrolled in the mandated two-year associate diploma programs. Its largest program is the associate diploma in agriculture; the same program is offered at Ridgetown.

Another 51 Kemptville-based students are enrolled in the four-year bachelor of bio-resource management (BBRM) equine management degree. Those students spend two years at Kemptville and two years at Guelph.

“There are opportunities to strengthen the core of the program by centralizing it at Guelph,” Summerlee said. A similar Ridgetown BBRM program will also be moved to the Guelph campus.

Currently, it costs about $4.6 million a year to support teaching, research, operations and maintenance at Kemptville, and nearly $2.3 million at Alfred. There are also substantial indirect costs for things such as animal care, student support services and health and safety. “Clearly, this is not sustainable,” Summerlee said.

Consolidating the regional campus programs will eliminate upwards of 37 full-time positions at Alfred and 75 at Kemptville, as well as a number of part-time and casual workers.

“We regret that valued employees will be affected by this decision,” Summerlee said. “This action is in no way a reflection on the importance of their past contributions. These are difficult decisions but ones that are necessary and unavoidable.”

He said the University will work closely with employee group leaders to provide relocation counselling, severance allowances and other assistance to support laid-off employees.

There will be a few opportunities for transfers to Guelph or Ridgetown to support the consolidated teaching and research efforts of the University.

Decisions about programs that may be transferred to Guelph or Ridgetown, or continued in another format, will be made in the near future.

“Our focus must continue to be on providing training that best supports the province’s priorities for agri-food research, education and outreach,” Summerlee said.

 

 

Permalink Reply by Joe Dales on March 18, 2014 at 11:58am

▶ Reply to Discussion

RSS

Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

Chinese Tariffs Are Squeezing Canadian Grain and Oilseeds

Canada has just been hit with Chinese tariffs, canola meal and oil exports to China are valued at $920.9 million

Kody Blois appointed minister of agriculture in Carney’s cabinet

Canada’s new ag minister is from Nova Scotia

Voting Quorum Changed to Ensure APG Meetings Continue to Move Forward with Commission Business

The Alberta Pulse Growers Commission (APG) changed its bylaws to reduce the number of members necessary to conduct an annual or special Commission meeting from 40 to 30 eligible producers. The Alberta Agricultural Products Marketing Council approved the change on February 24 following a vote by eligible APG members attending the 2025 annual general meeting in January and conversations at all five fall zone meetings. “We had great turnout at the provincial AGM in January, but sometimes it isn’t easy to get growers out to these meetings,” said APG Chair Shane Strydhorst, who farms at Neerlandia. “If we didn’t have quorum at the AGM, we wouldn’t have been able to hold a vote and would have had to reschedule. We strive for more than our quorum number when we are making decisions because we want everyone to participate.” Strydhorst added that the board agreed that the move was necessary for several reasons, including the increasing consolidation of farms. The new quorum number brings APG

Canada’s Pulse Industry Calls For Swift Resolution To The Imposition Of Chinese Tariffs

Yesterday, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced the results of its anti-discrimination investigation into Canada for imposing a 100% tariff on EVs and an additional 25% tariff on steel and aluminum products imported from China. As a result of this investigation the State Council Tariff Commission will impose an additional 100% tariff on Canadian peas, canola oil and canola meal as well as an additional 25% tariff on Canadian pork and seafood. “China is one of Canada’s largest markets for yellow peas; a market that Canadian farmers and exporters have been serving since the mid 1990’s,” said Terry Youzwa, Chair of Pulse Canada. “The Canadian industry values this long-standing and mutually beneficial partnership. We know Chinese customers prefer Canadian peas and want to continue to deal with Canadian suppliers.” In 2024, Canada exported roughly 500,000 metric tonnes of yellow peas valued at over $306M. The 5-year average for yellow pea exports is over 1,500,000 metric tonnes valu

Grain Farmers Caught in Crossfire as U.S.-China Trade War Escalates

Tariffs threaten billions in exports, family farms at risk, Grain Growers of Canada says. Canadian grain farmers are facing a trade crisis on two fronts, with escalating tariffs from both the United States and China threatening billions in exports and putting the future of family farms at exceptional risk, Grain Growers of Canada (GGC) says. The Chinese government’s decision to impose 100 percent tariffs on Canadian canola oil, canola meal, and peas comes as trade tensions with the U.S. continue to pressure Canada’s grain sector. “With uncertainty mounting with the United States, our largest export market, the last thing grain farmers needed was a trade war with China, our second largest export market,” said Kyle Larkin, Executive Director of GGC. “Together, the U.S. and China account for over half of all Canadian grain exports — losing access or facing exorbitant tariffs in both markets at once is a threat farmers cannot afford to absorb.” GGC echo the concerns raised by the Canadi

© 2025   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service