Kristell Harper, MBFI research co-ordinator, agriculture students Andrea Hamilton and Mikayla Rouire and MBFI chair Ramona Blyth at a recent event at the University of Manitoba showcasing student work with the organization.

Getting schooled in agriculture

With more students coming from non-farm backgrounds the 
University of Manitoba is pumping up its ‘experiential learning’ efforts

Growing up in Winnipeg, Antonio Deluca didn’t have much exposure to the farm. These days however, he’s enrolled in the agriculture diploma program at the University of Manitoba, one of an increasing number of non-traditional students pulled into the program by the promise of interesting work and strong employment opportunities. He recently got a hands-on

A hands-on approach to education

U of M ag students getting more ‘experiential learning’ of late

The University of Manitoba’s faculty of agricultural and food sciences is taking a hands-on approach to new educational levels in 2018. Both degree and diploma students will have access to introductory and advanced courses highlighting this learning technique this summer as part of a pilot project at the university. “It’s an ambitious project,” said Craig


A high school rodeo competitor teaches how to grip the bull rope to students from Earl Oxford School Oct. 26.

Students see rodeo first hand

Ag Ex once again brought in the region’s Grades 6-8 students for a look behind the scenes at rodeo

If you asked Brandon’s middle schoolers how a bull rider grips his rope on Oct. 25, you would probably get silence. If you asked the same question a day later, they might be able to answer. Riding rough stock was one, but not the only, topic at the Keystone Centre’s main arena as the region’s

Grade 3-5 students “bid” on animals during the mock auction at Moo!Mania Oct. 24 in Brandon.

Bridging the gap between urban and beef farm

Elementary students from southwest Manitoba beat the Ag Ex crowds Oct. 24 with an agricultural education event around cattle

The day before Ag Ex is all about setup for most, but the festivities were already in full swing for 360 of the region’s Grade 3-5 students. Moo!Mania, the fair’s nod to public education and the cattle industry, returned in the lead-up to the fair. One of three major events organized by the Provincial Exhibition

Attendees try their hand at wheat grinding during the Amazing Agriculture Adventure June 6-7.

Schools get an eye for agriculture with Ag in the Classroom

The Amazing Agriculture Adventure saw more students and adults as the annual event 
returned to Brandon in early June

Over 500 Grade 4/5 students had an Amazing Agriculture Adventure June 6-7 as Ag in the Classroom took over Brandon’s Keystone Centre. Described as Agriculture in the Classroom Manitoba’s flagship event, the two-day workshop claimed more students, more teachers and more participating schools this year than in 2016. Participation jumped by about a third over


Minnedosa Grade 5/6 teacher Tracy Kingdon passes out different seeds for students to compare.

Manitoba classrooms boost ag literacy

Minnedosa’s Tanner’s Crossing School is one of 235 Manitoba schools participating 
in the first month-long agricultural literacy event

Tracy Kingdon’s Grade 5/6 class at Tanner’s Crossing School in Minnedosa wasn’t using pens and pencils Mar. 10. Instead, they were shaking whipping cream into butter, getting an up-close look at seed varieties and digging up questions for Lise McQuarrie, one of more than 100 Agriculture in the Classroom volunteers invited to Manitoba schools this

Students go on an ag adventure

Students go on an ag adventure

Once again Agriculture in the Classroom 
will play a big role at Ag Days

Ag Days will see students scouring the show site, seeking clues and gathering information about agriculture. That’s because Agriculture in the Classroom will once again be designing and delivering the Manitoba Ag Days Adventure. This year’s theme is “Agriculture — Think Global, Act Local” where students in Grades 7 and 8 take part in the

Scholarships awarded for farm and food students

Monsanto Canada has expanded the focus to also include culinary arts students

Monsanto is celebrating 25 years of scholarships by expanding its focus just a bit to include six nutrition and culinary arts students, alongside 61 agriculture students. “Our program is still primarily aimed at encouraging young people to pursue careers in agriculture,” said Kelly Funke, public affairs manager with Monsanto Canada. “But we see food as


Student numbers grow in faculty of agriculture

Students are responding to robust signals from the agriculture sector job market

A growing number of students has enrolled in the University of Manitoba’s faculty of agriculture and food science this fall. The 2016 fall term enrolment count is 965, which includes 792 degree students and 173 diploma students. These numbers include students in the human nutritional sciences program, which became part of the faculty in 2014.

One of many students working at Manitoba museums for the summer is Canadian Mennonite University student Emily Wiebe, 21. This is her third year working at the Dufferin Historical Museum in Carman as its administrator. It’s a job with good hours and better wages than most jobs available rurally, says Wiebe. It has its perks too; she has permission to wear one of the museum’s 1890s wedding dresses for her engagement photo later this year.

Life lessons learned at the museum

A short compendium of important knowledge gleaned while working at the province’s museums

Many students work for the summer at one of nearly 170 museums throughout Manitoba. They learn important life skills and workplace management skills on the job. Pam McKenzie, program director and library and archives head at the Royal Aviation Museum of Western Canada in Winnipeg, has worked with many of these summer students. In 2013