News and events from the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Manitoba.
UPCOMING EVENTS
A Department of Entomology Seminar on Tuesday, September 13 on “Applying Conservation Physiology Approaches to study Freshwater Fish Species at Risk” will be presented by Dr. Eva Enders, Research Scientist, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Freshwater Institute, Winnipeg. Refreshments at 10:00 am, seminar begins at 10:10 am sharp in 220 Animal Science/Entomology Building.
Be sure to welcome new students and their parents/partners as they attend Diploma Orientation on Wednesday, September 14. Diploma classes start on Thursday, September 15.
There is a Ph.D. Oral Defence by Nosheen Elahi, Ph.D. candidate in Plant Science, on Wednesday, September 14, at 2:00 pm in 339A University Centre on the topic “The potential of using the BnLEC1 and BnFUSCA3 genes to manipulate oil content in Brassica napus L.” Faculty, students, staff and general public are welcome to attend.
The first seminar in the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences 2016-2017 Seminar Series will be held on Wednesday, September 14 at 3:30 pm in the Carolyn Sifton Lecture Theatre, 130 Agriculture Building. Rob Gulden, Plant Science, will present “Ecological thinking in Agriculture: Why you should care!” Refreshments will be served at 3:00 pm in the Atrium. Everyone is welcome to attend.
The Manitoba Institute of Agrologists 2016 Fall BBQ will be held on Thursday, September 15, at Kelburn Farm. Registration starts at 5:00 PM with the program, meal, and speaker following at 6:00 PM. Wrap-up is usually around 8:30 PM. This year’s special guest is Honourable Ralph Eichler, Minister of Agriculture. Event cost for members, guests, and students is at $35. To book your spot, visit http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07ed0zobqac45294a0&llr=gnk5icmab.
The Campus Food Strategy Group and UMSU Garden are co-hosting a Local Feast dinner Thursday, September 15 at Degrees. For just $25 you get a campus garden tour, four-course meal (with a refreshment), and a nice relaxing evening to start off your school year. Along with supporting Manitoba food producers and FAFS groups, this event will also provide networking opportunities with students, staff, and employers from areas all of the industry. If you’re interested in attending, contact Aaron or Hannah at umanitoba [at] mealexchange [dot] com for your tickets.
Get your family and friends together and head out for an Open Farm Day experience at the Bruce D. Campbell Farm and Food Discovery Centre on Sunday, September 18. Come see where your food comes from! Our research farm offers a look through windows at pigs and piglets in a working hog barn. Jump on the farm tractor and trolley to tour the dairy barn and see live layer hens in an enriched cage. You can grind wheat into flour, crush canola seeds into oil and make ice cream. We will feature baby chicks and a bee observation hive. Manitoba Pork will offer a free pork-on-a-bun lunch at 12:00 noon until supply is gone. Cold drinks will be available for purchase. While at the Farm, tour the Glenlea Long Term Crop Rotation Research Plots across the road. The research site is a testing ground for grain production techniques that reduce chemical and energy inputs without compromising overall productivity. Research staff will share some of the scientific discoveries made in these plots over the last 25 years. For more information about the Discovery Centre’s day, call 204-883-2524 or email ffdc [at] umanitoba [dot] ca.
The CIFST Manitoba Section invites you to the Manitoba Mixer on Monday, September 19 to network over appetizers and meet with food industry friends. Join us in kick-starting the new season! Colleen Dyck will talk about the making of GORP, a clean, all natural energy bar made on the Canadian Prairies. Please visit www.gorpworld.com for more information. CIFST National Awards will also be presented during the evening. Advanced registration only, please RSVP by September 15 by emailing manitobasection [at] cifst [dot] ca.
Celebrate 25 Years of Organic Research on Friday, September 23, starting with a tour of the University of Manitoba organic research plots hosted by Martin Entz, Plant Science, at 4 pm followed by a social evening at the Bruce D. Campbell Farm and Food Discovery Centre. The menu of organic food catered by Tall Grass Prairie Bread Co. will include flat bread made from a special organic wheat variety developed by Dr. Entz’s team. Visitors can also sample brews developed by new Winnipeg craft brewery Torque Brewing Co. There will be educational activities for the kids, speakers from Torque Brewing Co. and Tall Grass Prairie, and Dr. Entz will talk about his journey of discovery over 25 years at the Glenlea organic research plots. Participants will also be able to preview a new video profiling a quarter century of organic research at Glenlea Research Station. Tickets for the event are $20 and can be purchased at the Farm and Food Discovery Centre in person or by phone at 204-883-2524.
A Department of Soil Science Seminar is scheduled for Monday, September 26, at 12:30 pm in Room 346 Ellis Building. Dr. Martti Esala, Professor of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition and the Natural Resources Institute, Finland, will present “Research on Nutrient Losses and Climate Change in a Northern Cold Climate.”
Manitoba Health, Seniors and Active Living and Manitoba Agriculture are co-hosting the International One Welfare Conference in Winnipeg on September 26-27 at the Radisson Hotel in Winnipeg, focusing on complex social situations where human and animal health are involved. More information about the conference, including a complete agenda and registration details, is available at www.onewelfareconference.ca.
A Human Nutritional Sciences Graduate Seminar entitled “Intestinal Peptide Transport in the Neonatal Piglet” will be presented by postdoc speaker Matthew Nosworthy on Tuesday, September 27 at 3:00 pm in 207 Human Ecology Building.
The second seminar in the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences 2016-2017 Seminar Series will be held on Wednesday, September 28 at 3:30 pm in the Carolyn Sifton Lecture Theatre, 130 Agriculture Building. Fuji Jian, Biosystems Engineering, will present “Mathematical Modelling of Stored Grain Ecosystems”. Refreshments will be served at 3:00 pm in the Atrium. Everyone is welcome to attend.
A Certified Food Handler Program will be held on Saturday, October 1, 9 am to 3 pm at 99 Scurfield Blvd. Cost is $90 per person for course with exam or $50 for challenge exam only. Space is limited – register at http://thefoodlady.ca/our-services/food-handling-workshop-and-exam/
Manitoba Rural Women’s Day is scheduled for October 15 (Rivers, MB) and October 29 (Duguald, MB). Learn more at http://www.mbwi.ca/2016/08/18/join-us-for-manitoba-rural-womens-day/.
In this, the Year of the PULSE, Winnipeg will be host to the 10th Canadian Pulse Research Workshop. This workshop includes sessions on Genetics and Plant Breeding, Agronomy and Pathology, Environment and Nutrition and Food. The workshop will be held at the Delta Hotel in Winnipeg October 25-28. There will be an additional workshop pulse protein quality on the afternoon of October 28. To get more information and register go to www.pulseresearch.ca.
STAFF AND STUDENT NEWS
lfeanyi Nwachukwu, Ph.D. student in Human Nutritional Sciences, received a Feeding Tomorrow Graduate Scholarship from the Foundation of the Institue of Food Technologists valued at $2000. The scholarship provides funding to graduate students demonstrating exceptional scholastic achievements, leadership experience, and a devotion to the food science and technology profession.
Yvonne Lawley, Patrick Walther (M.Sc. student with Yvonne), Laura Schmidt (M.Sc. student with Rob Gulden), and Erin Zahradka (M.Sc. student with Doug Cattani), all from the Department of Plant Science, attended the Canadian Society of Agronomy annual meeting held jointly with the Canadian Society for Horticultural Science in Montreal on July 24-26 . Erin placed first in the CSA graduate student poster competition and Patrick placed second in the graduate student oral presentation competition.
Getahun Legesse, Animal Science, and Kateryn Rochon, Entomology, have been selected as mentees in the 2016-17 Beef Researcher Mentorship program. Each mentee has been paired with notable leaders in the Canadian beef industry and given a travel budget for the coming year, which will provide valuable opportunities for greater engagement with Canada’s beef industry. Getahun has been paired with Charlie Christie and Brenna Grant. Kateryn has been paired with Tim Oleksyn and Karin Schmid. Learn more at http://www.beefresearch.ca/blog/announcing-the-beef-researcher-mentorship-program-2016-17-participants/.
Dean Karin Wittenberg and Jitendra Paliwal, Biosystems Engineering, were invited to attend a two-day workshop in Washington DC August 25-26. The workshop, entitled “The Challenge of Change: Engaging Public Universities to Feed the World” was hosted by the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities. The key objectives were to identify key constraints, and how institutions of higher education can best provide knowledge to remove food security constraints, and to consider how resources from the public and private sector can be aligned to support solutions.
Karin met with the Dr. Gervan Fearon, President and Vice Chancellor of Brandon University on September 6 to discuss the potential for collaboration between our Faculty and the University of Brandon.
Dr. Janice Ristock, Provost and Vice President of the University of Manitoba was hosted on August 18 by a number of our academics during a half day tour of the on-campus spaces used for FAFS teaching, research and outreach activities. The effort provided her with new insights into the relevance of the faculty with respect to Manitoba’s economic competitiveness as well as environmental stewardship and public health.
Martin Scanlon, Food Science, recently attended the XVIIth International Congress on Rheology (ICR2016) August 8-13 in Kyoto, Japan. There he presented NSERC and CIGI-supported research on behalf of a multidisciplinary team (Food Science, Physics & Astronomy, Grain Research Laboratory, University Paris-Diderot). The presentation, entitled “Investigating the Rheology of Wheat Flour Dough with Low-Intensity Ultrasound” was presented on behalf of co-authors Fliz Koksel, Anatoliy Strybulevych, Yuanzhong Fan, Sebastien Kerhervé, Valentin Leroy, Dave W. Hatcher and John H. Page.
While in Kyoto, Martin spent time in the Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering at the Kyoto Institute of Technology working with Professor Tomo Norisuye and Dr. Daiva Daugelaite. The research is investigating techniques that provide quantitative assessment of how elevated concentrations of dietary fibre destabilize dairy food systems (think of that excess pool of liquid on top of your yogurt!). the Kyoto Institute of Technology (KIT) has a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Manitoba, and currently there are four researchers with present or past U of M connections working on projects at KIT.
Martin Nyachoti, Animal Science was an invited speaker at the 2017 Midwest Swine Nutrition conference in Indianapolis, Indiana, September 8-9. His presentation was entitled “Low Crude Protein Diet and its Effect on Diarrhea”.
Research Facilitation services resume – We are pleased that Chantal is back from leave. Dr. Chantal Bassett has been a Research Facilitator supporting the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences and the Faculty of Science since 2011. Recently, her post has changed to support FAFS and the Faculty of Kinesiology and Recreation Management (FKRM). Chantal provides mentoring and assistance to researchers in the development of grant and award applications. Researchers are encouraged to contact her to discuss their upcoming proposals or for questions concerning grant preparation and submission procedures. Chantal will have offices in FAFS (in the Dean’s Office) and in FKRM (121C Frank Kennedy Centre). She will generally join us on Mondays and Thursdays, but her services are available anytime. She can be reached at chantal.bassett@umanitoba or 204-290-7302.
IN THE NEWS
Dilantha Fernando, Plant Science, was quoted in multiple media stories regarding the proposed Chinese trade restriction on canola, including The Globe and Mail, Macleans, Sirius XM, Global National, Info Radio. http://www.macleans.ca/politics/is-canada-addicted-to-canola/ and http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/whats-really-behind-chinas-decision-to-restrict-canola-science-or-politics/article31625635/.
Mario Tenuta, Soil Science, was quoted in the article “Nurture fungus for good growth” in Grainews (August 30) – see page 20 at http://static.agcanada.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/GNN160830.pdf#_ga=1.183310374.1630552202.1460561045.
David Lobb, Soil Science, was quoted in the article “Forages and grasses for marginal land” in Grainews (August 30) – see page 21 at http://static.agcanada.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/GNN160830.pdf#_ga=1.183310374.1630552202.1460561045.
Recent Diploma alum Harley Siemens was featured in the article “Family egg business carries on, with upgraded technology” in the Manitoba Co-operator (September 1) – http://www.producer.com/2016/09/family-egg-business-carries-on-with-upgraded-technology/.
Martin Scanlon, Associate Dean (Research) was interviewed by CKDM on the new Research Agronomist position – http://www.730ckdm.com/index.php/news/item/12122-interview-martin-scanlon-on-new-position-at-u-of-m-ag-faculty.
Laurie Connor, Animal Science, was interviewed on Farmscape for “SIP Research Expected to Improve Slatted Concrete Flooring” – listen online at http://www.farmscape.com/f2ShowScript.aspx?i=25650&q=SIP+Research+Expected+to+Improve+Slatted+Concrete+Flooring.
Rick Holley, Food Science, was interviewed on Farmscape for two articles – http://www.farmscape.com/f2ShowScript.aspx?i=25647&q=Reduced+Antibiotic+Use+in+Human+Medicine+and+Animal+Agriculture+Prudent and http://www.farmscape.com/f2ShowScript.aspx?i=25670&q=Meat+from+Antibiotic+Free+and+Conventionally+Raised+Livestock+Equally+Safe.
PUBLICATIONS
A recent publication in the International Journal of Biological Macromolecules investigated how specific modifications of Persian gum (an exudate from wild almond trees) could make it more suited for emulsification purposes for the food industry, thereby upgrading the value of this relatively underused natural resource. – S. Mohammadi, S. Abbasi, M.G. Scanlon. Development of emulsifying property in Persian gum using octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA). International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 89 (2016) 396–405
Sheppard, S.C., S. Bittman, K.H. Ominski, D. MacDonald, and B.D. Amiro. 2016. Changes in land, feed and manure management practices on beef operations in Canada between 2005 and 2011. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 96: 252-265.
A.K. Agyekum, E. Kiarie, M.C. Walsh, and C.M. Nyachoti. 2016. Postprandial portal glucose and lactate fluxes, insulin production, and portal vein-drained viscera oxygen consumption in growing pigs fed a high-fiber diet supplemented with a multi-enzyme cocktail. J. Anim. Sci. 94, doi:10.2527/jas2015-0076.
A.K. Agyekum, E. Kiarie, M.C. Walsh, and C.M. Nyachoti. 2016. Postprandial portal fluxes of essential amino acids, volatile fatty acids, and urea-nitrogen in growing pigs fed a high-fiber diet supplemented with a multi-enzyme cocktail. J. Anim. Sci. 94, doi:10.2527/jas2015-0077.
M.M. Hossain, J.W. Park, C.M. Nyachoti, and I.H. Kim. 2016. Effects of extracted rice bran supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, diarrhea score, blood profiles, and fecal microbial shedding in comparison with apramycin (antibiotic growth promoter) in weanling pigs. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 96: 1–9 (2016) dx.doi.org/10.1139/cjas-2016-0014
Jayaraman, J.K. Htoo, and C.M. Nyachoti. 2016. Effects of different dietary tryptophan : lysine ratios and sanitary conditions on growth performance, plasma urea nitrogen, serum haptoglobin and ileal histomorphology of weaned pigs. Anim. Sci. J. doi:10.1111/asj.12695.
GENERAL NEWS
The Faculty was sad to learn of the passing of Gary Platford, alumnus (BSA/67 and PhD/72) and provincial plant pathologist. http://passages.winnipegfreepress.com/passage-details/id-238107/PLATFORD_ROBERT
Volunteers Needed! The Bruce D. Campbell Farm and Food Discovery Centre needs some extra hands for Open Farm Day (September 18) and for the Organic Celebration (September 23). Volunteer duties for Open Farm Day would include meeter/greeters, activity station staff, and parking assistants. You can choose morning or afternoon shift – volunteers will get a free lunch! For the Organic Celebration, they need food prep/servers, clean up and parking assistants beginning at 5 pm – volunteers will get a free supper from Tall Grass Prairie Bakeryand enjoy a Torque Brewing sample! For more information or to secure your volunteer spot, contact Myrna Grahn at ffdc [at] umanitoba [dot] ca or call 204-883-2524.
What are you doing after work on Fridays this winter? Come curl with us in Aggie Row Curling, a friendly and long-running league with folks from the Faculty and from Agriculture Canada. We play Friday afternoons at 4:30 at the Pembina Curling Club – close by and easy to get to. The season starts in October 2 and runs til March. No experience is necessary and all are welcome. Full time or half time curlers welcome. For more information contact Paula Parks at paula [dot] parks [at] umanitoba [dot] ca.
Agriculture Building Fall and Winter Hours – Effective September 8, 2016 to April 30, 2016, the Agriculture Building hours, including the Library Study Hall, will be: open Monday-Friday 7:30 am – 10:00 pm; Saturday and Sunday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm; Holidays – closed.
Free Graduate Student workshops for 2016-17 – details at http://umanitoba.ca/faculties/graduate_studies/workshops/schedule.html.
The Faculty invites applications and nominations for the position of Head, Department of Agribusiness and Agricultural Economics. Please see the position posting at: http://umanitoba.ca/cgi-bin/human_resources/jobs/view.pl?posting_id=91274. Closing date for applications is September 16.
Beta Testers needed for Mobile-IPM app – A Mobile Integrated Pest Management app is in the first stages of beta-testing. The app is being developed by a consortium across western Canada and is led by Barb Sharanowski (Adjunct Professor, Entomology), and will incorporate weed (Rob Gulden and Doug Cattani, Plant Science), disease and insect pest ID (Sharanowski), forecasting, and crop management. The current beta-test version has keys to insects and weedy grasses, forecasting of bertha armyworm and a crop management portion. We’re looking for beta-testers who are willing to work with us this field season on grass weeds, and would really appreciate having experienced field people provide us with feedback. Using the app to key a species even one time, along with a quick phone call or brief email to share your experiences would really help. People can sign up at http://www.mobile-ipm.com/, or reply directly to Jo-Anne [dot] Joyce [at] umanitoba [dot] ca, Technician, Department of Plant Science. Be sure to let us know whether you have an iPhone or Android device. All you need to provide is an email address you can access from your smart phone, and you will be sent a link and further instructions on uploading the app.
Game Changer is back – this is the two-part competition open to all Manitoba post-secondary students who can identify problems with a global reach and find tangible solutions for them. Phase 1 is the idea submission stage, with the top 5 ideas receiving $250 – deadline is September 21. Phase 2 involves cross-faculty teams developing solutions to the problems with the grand-prize winning team receiving $10,000. More details at http://news.umanitoba.ca/be-a-game-changer/.
The Manitoba Round Table for Sustainable Development invites nominations and applications for the 2016 Manitoba Excellence in Sustainability Awards. The awards recognize and honour people, projects and ideas that successfully turn the principles and guidelines of sustainable development into lasting achievements. Any individual, business, institution, organization, community group or youth in Manitoba can apply or be nominated for an award. To make a nomination or apply for an award, visit www.manitoba.ca/conservation/susresmb/mrtsd/mesa/index.html. To find out more about the awards or the nomination and application process, call 204-945-4391 in Winnipeg; toll free 1-800-282-8069 or email mrtsd [at] gov [dot] mb [dot] ca. The deadline for submitting an application or nomination is noon on Friday, September 23, 2016.